The Premier League sack race

Even though the Premier League season is just four games old, you won’t be surprised to hear that the odds for the first managerialcausality are already out!

Despite back to back promotions Southampton’s Nigel Adkins is the 7/4 favourite to be out of a job before anyone else! Incredibly harsh, yes; however the relatively new chairman Nicola Cortese isn’t the most popular with the St Mary’s faithful and dismissing the likeable Adkins would go someway to ensure that popularity nosedives further!

Successive promotions won't save you from the sack!

Andre Villas-Boas has only been at the club five minutes; however he is joint second favourite in the sack race following an indifferent start to Tottenham’s Premier League campaign. It won’t happen overnight and hopefully Daniel Levy will give the former Chelsea manager time, and despite picking up just five points from four games, the players appear to be on side and have frequently defended Villas-Boas.

Along with Villas-Boas at 7/1 is QPR’s Mark Hughes. A very good transfer window for the club has ensured that expectations at Loftus Road will be high; however a start that has included the away trips to Manchester City and Spurs, as well as the recent visit from the European Champions, is far from ideal, and come the half-way stage QPR will be in and around the middle of the Barclays Premier League, and Hughes will still be a job.

Both Brendan Rodgers and Sam Allardyce are at 10’s and for me neither will be the first out of a job as one is there for the long-term whilst the other will keep his side away from trouble!

For me the two who I’ve yet to mention who are at long odds but are very much in the ‘sack-race’ are Roberto Di Matteo and Alan Pardew who are 25/1 and 33/1 respectively. Two words sum up why these two are even considered and they are ‘Crazy Owners'! Both Roman Abramovich and Mike Ashley have previous when it comes to dismissing managers, and as crazy as it sounds, if either Di Matteo or Pardew were sacked, it wouldn’t surprise me. Very little in football does nowadays.

Ashley stunned the football world when he sacked Chris Hughton in 2010

Saints to struggle

A difficult start has left Southampton bottom of the Premier League heading into the first international break. Narrow and morale deflating defeats against both Manchester sides have shown they can compete; however sandwiched between these games was a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to perennial strugglers Wigan.

When Nigel Adkins took over the reins at Southampton, the club were in the League One relegation zone (all be it at an early stage in the season), but in just two years he has overseen back-to-back promotions meaning the club are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2005. A positive transfer window was headlined when they beat the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool to the services of the Uruguayan Gaston Ramirez. The addition of Emmanuel Mayuka, who starred for Zambia in their 2012 African Nations success, could also prove to be a shrewd piece of business.

Adkins has done a brilliant job with Southampton

Under Adkins Southampton have always had a positive approach to the game, scoring more goals than any other side on their way to promotion from the Championship last year, and on the evidence of their first three games, they aren’t going to alter their mentality despite promotion. For all the positives in their attacking play, I do worry for Southampton defensively. Admittedly two of their opening three fixtures have been against the very best of what the Premier League can offer; however I worry if the likes of Jose Fonte and Jos Hooiveld are good enough.

Key player – Adam Lallana. A crowd favourite having stayed at the club even when they stooped as low as League One, Lallana is certainly reaping the rewards now and is one of the first names of the Southampton team sheet. Over the last few seasons Lallana has added more goals and if he can get anywhere near double figures then he could help steer Southampton away from the drop.

Prediction – 19^th. What Adkins has done with Southampton is brilliant; however I think they’ll struggle to survive. Much pressure is on the likes of Ricky Lambert and Jay Rodriguez to score the goals; however neither have Premier League experience and reaching double figures will be a struggle.

Two in three Premier League games is a top start for Lambert

View from a fan - Matt Wall @MattBWall

What would be a perfect season?
A perfect season would be comfortably avoiding relegation and enjoying a decent cup run.

What would be a nightmare season?
Would be finishing bottom with the lowest points tally in Premier League history, god forbid!

Do you have the right man in charge?
Without a doubt Nigel Adkins is the right man in charge, he achieved our back to back promotions and I like the way he emphasises on team spirit.

Given the choice, which Premier League player would you sign?
That’s a difficult one, but one that could’ve happened was Theo Walcott, he would rediscover his form with us!

Is Ricky Lambert good enough for the Premier League?
Although time isn’t on his side, I do think ‘Super Rickie’ has what it takes! Very similar scenario to Grant Holt who was very good last year.

Does the squad need players with more top flight experience or are you happy with the transfer additions?

It's encouraging looking at other sides like Norwich and Swansea who've done very well without much Premier League experience and it's also great for the future the way we are signing young British players, that's combined with our brilliant academy! We also added Ramirez, beating off bigger sides which is quite the coup!