STEVE WIGLEY wants Saints to improve on their 12th place Premiership finish last season.

With a change of head coach and just four points from the opening six games, there is an air of pessimism among many supporters at St Mary's.

But Wigley remains optimistic and has pointed to the example of Aston Villa last year, who surged to a sixth-place finish despite a sluggish start.

"Our target has to be improving on last season and the only way to do that is post points quickly," he said.

"If you look at Aston Villa last season, they were in our position and you look at where they finished.

"This group of players have been in and around the top 12 and above that in the last few years and I've got to ensure that continues."

Wigley, who has picked up just one point from 12 since replacing Paul Sturrock, stressed that the margins between victory and defeat are small, saying an improvement in the final third was needed.

He said: "We have to have a bit more quality in and around the key areas because that is where games are won and lost.

"We have to work hard, show the same commitment and eventually things will change for you.

"The difference between success and failure is very, very small. We are on the wrong end of it at the minute.

"Stephen Carr separated the game with a fantastic goal and no matter what anyone else says about us, they have only really had two shots on goal."

Wigley felt his team had enough pressure to at least salvage a point from yesterday's 2-1 defeat against Newcastle.

"I felt we deserved something. Neither goalkeeper had enough to do," he said. "My 'keeper had two shots to save and to be fair couldn't have got near any of them.

"I don't think we forced Shay Given into making enough saves. We were okay until the final third, but our final ball into the box just fell short.

"We had good possession against Chelsea in the last 20 minutes a few weeks ago and didn't put a good enough quality ball in.

"That's something we've just got to keep working at."

l Wigley was today starting to prepare his men for Wednesday's Carling Cup third round banana skin tie at Coca Cola League Two outfit Northampton.

The Cobblers are eighth from bottom of the Football League after failing to win any of their last seven league matchs.

They won their first two games of the season, at Swansea and at home to Rushden, but have only picked up on four points out of their last 21.

On their last home appearance were held 0-0 by Notts County, who have since slipped to the foot of the basement division.

That result saw sections of the Sixfields support start to call for the dismissal of manager Colin Calderwood, the former Spurs and Swindon centre half.

On Saturday they drew 1-1 at Darlington.

None of the sixteen players in their squad at the weekend have ever played in the Premiership.