How long have we been saying that we need six wins from X amount of games to stay up now?
It's simple, I don't think we can settle for anything less that winning the last five games. This looks 99% possible as we have only managed three wins since the start of the year. The problems lie in the following areas....
Goals
Not enough of them! Gabbs was banging them in regularly at the start of the season, but he has only found the net once since November 2002 and that was a penalty. Dudfield doesn't look like scoring, he appears to be another Stamp, failing to win the ball in the air and far too weak on the ground. Asamoah looks likely to score most at the moment, he flashes of brilliance are what we need. Haven't seen enoug of Youngs and Stamp - forget it.
Midfield
The midfield is ok. Harsley is a legend! Hargreaves works very hard and Lincoln gives it his best, although a little off the pace sometimes. Trollope tries his best, but how he manages to play alongside Giggs for Wales is beyond me.
Defence
Every mistake we make goes punished! Reid and Sammo are excellent at the back, Gill and Frian work their socks off, but we simply can't stop the goals from flowing.
Next week we travel to Port Vale for another relegation battle. It would be nice to return home with the three points and not have to listen to a barrage of taunts from the opposition fans again. In order to gain the points, the players need to more positive, battle harder and basically not be scared of the opposition. Against Wigan and Oldham we showed too much respect and waited to be beaten.
There is a minor miracle that we can stay up but many Cobblers fans have resigned themsleves to Darlington, York, Carlisle and Orient again next season.