Steve Wigley can sense a feel-good factor at Saints after the draw at Arsenal - and the sight of so many of his senior players returning from injury.
Matt Oakley came through his first 45 minutes for over a year this week while James Beattie, Peter Crouch, Kevin Phillips, Yoann Folly and Jason Dodd are all back in training.
Of those, only Phillips and Folly will be ready for tomorrow's match with West Brom but Wigley insists the mood is positive.
He said: "We've got on with it and I've been delighted with the reaction of the people that have been given the shirts and it's up to the people coming back to force their way in.
"We've got a good feeling because we went to play against a very good side last week, acquitted ourselves very well and went close to winning the game.
"I've had a good feeling about the lads in training and I'm just looking forward to transferring that to a good performance tomorrow.
"We have to play as well as we did last week - anything less and we won't beat West Brom.
"It's been a good week. I have said once we get one person out of that treatment room, we will get them all out.
"The game comes a bit too early for a few of them but to have them on the training ground was a nice feeling for everybody.
"We are talking about big players with big personalities and to have them in and around the group is great."
Wigley added: "What we you have to do is take each game as it is.
"There will be more expectation form the supporters and we have to deal with that.
"We have been under pressure and been in the spotlight for various reasons since the season started.
"Now, though, Kevin Phillips is in contention.
"It has just come a little bit too early for Peter Crouch but Beatts has had his first day training and Doddy has had his first day training since August.
"Yoann Folly will be in contention, so things are looking healthier.
"Jelle Van Damme is fit, so we are a lot healthier than we were.
"I haven't got a full complement but we've not bemoaned injuries.
"Fabrice Fernandes will be fit for Portsmouth definitely and Graeme Le Saux has just a slight niggle, but I'm hopeful that will be fine. The last two or three days are the best he has looked."
Wigley and Saints are desperate to get that elusive first win for the head coach and the boss added: "We are in a results business.
"We can talk about being committed, how we all get on and how we are working hard, but we need to win games and this weekend will be a good starting point to be honest.
"It's important to take points off people around you. I've felt all along that we are a tight group and that we have been committed.
"There are sections that have wanted to put divisions in amongst us but they've not been capable of that but it's important now as some of the players come back that we have exactly the same commitment and effort that the group has put in.
"When we have had injuries, there has been a group of players ensuring we are competitive and that we are in games.
"That's why we have been able to feel strong as a group and not vulnerable."
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