Southampton suffer fourth straight defeat
Nigel Adkins was unable to inspire an instant turnaround in Southampton's fortunes in his first match in charge of the pre-season League One title favourites, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat away to new joint-leaders MK Dons.
The Saints remain in the relegation zone with four points from six games, level with last-placed Dagenham and Redbridge, and have been beaten in four successive matches in all competitions since sacking Alan Pardew, conceding eight without reply in that period.
We jested last week that League One was fast becoming the new Championship in terms of excitement and unpredictability and it's even harder to discredit the division this week, with just two points separating the top ten.
The top six is currently comprised of a recently relegated side (table-topping Peterborough), two promoted clubs and two teams who finished in the bottom half in 2009-10, but it's the one familiar face from last season - play-off semi-finalists Huddersfield - who are now fancied to win the league at [4.7].
Former favourites Sheffield Wednesday found their spell as both market and league leaders short-lived, and are currently seventh - albeit only two points off top - following losses to Brentford and unbeaten Carlisle, yet they're still second in the running at [6.0].
Adkins' confidence in guiding Southampton to the Championship wasn't dented by last night's disappointing debut however, with the former Scunthorpe boss, who was been promoted twice before, boldly declaring: "Come the end of the season we want to be the best team in the division."
Will he satisfy demanding chairman Nicola Cortese? Saints are [8.0] to finish first...
Published: 16 Sep 2010
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