Saints' stuttering start to the new League One campaign has seen a wave of relative optimism momentarily shield itself behind the footballing clouds.

Alan Pardew’s men whether they liked it or not had the odds on promotion bet placed upon their shoulders prior to August’s starter’s gun.

But a couple of forlorn performances on and in substance to inevitable pre-season hype, hungry journalists clinging onto the less than charitable news focusing on the clubs recent form and a discontent amongst the club’s supporters hoping for a perfect opening has seen anxiety levels subsequently build.

Agree or disagree though, as much as we are desperate for our respective teams to succeed, there will always be a dose of ‘fickleness’ employed in the modern day football fan.

Obviously, the saddening and heartbreaking news of Markus Liebherr, a man written into Southampton folklore, has meant it has been a start to the season filled with trepidation for Saints followers.

The lacklustre attacking home showings against Plymouth and Leyton Orient, respectively saw the St Marys outfit devoid of the credentials going forward, they showed all too often last season. A pre-season, where an all readily heavily invested team looked set to grab League 1 by the scruff of the neck immediately, hasn’t quite materialised, however it is all too soon to write Southampton’s 2010/2011 season review.

In the name Rickie Lambert, the clubs goalscoring menace, Pardew’s side have the individual and team pedigree to meet and conquer at face value the baptism of fire that has stuck them oppressively at the start of this term.

Cynic’s would argue, mentally Saint’s are shirking the pressure of expectancy to restore its Championship status, but team unity and cohesion has not just been created overnight at St Marys with the club needing to bide their time temporarily as they plot their route back to the upper echelons of the League 1 table.

The togetherness of a collective squad, which has experienced its fair share of high and lull moments, needs to be backed continually by the club’s loyal contingent of followers.

In what has been a disjointed start, an opportunity presents itself tonight for Saints to test their quality against Owen Coyle’s Premier League side Bolton in the Carling Cup. An escape from the heavy handed, non-stop nature of the football league may just be a welcome break for Saints and a chance for them to put the record straight on a season waiting for the red and whites to press the kick start button.