Is this the best depth of squad we've ever had?

...

Or perhaps Puel is our best manager in being able to utilise the squad.

The club have never hid the fact that when the sell they look to re invest across he squad not just in replacing that one position - so not hugely surprising.

If you look at some of the benches we had to put out in the first couple of seasons back in he PL they where dire.

In short, yes.

Or perhaps Puel is our best manager in being able to utilise the squad.

I think this is unarguable. His ability to extract performances out of a breadth of players, keeping the entire squad involved in the campaign, has been astonishing.

I think this is unarguable. His ability to extract performances out of a breadth of players, keeping the entire squad involved in the campaign, has been astonishing.

Indeed. Given the fact that we ultimately want to introduce as many youngsters into the team as possible, Puel really is our ideal manager.

Interestingly, I read earlier that we have used the most amount by of players of any team in the league cup this year- 25.

He's certainly pișșing off the skates on here, that's for sure.

Puel's rotation has been excellent and so were his tactics at Arsenal yesterday. He changes them depending on who we are playing. A very experienced manager.

not that long ago it was the rage to say this was the period with the 'black hole' in the academy when Koeman was running it down

fair play to Puel

We don't rest Van Dijk very often.

But I think it's the youngsters that have really added to the team, McQueen, Sims, Hesketh and Reed have all shown they can come into the team and do well.

We don't rest Van Dijk very often.

We don't, do we? Is he just really fit, or the only truly inmissable player?

We don't, do we? Is he just really fit, or the only truly inmissable player?

He is a class above the rest of the team. We have squad of good players but VVD is probably the only special player we have right now.

Having said that I'm pretty sure we rested him in some of the other league cup games I seem to recall Fonte and Yoshida playing together.

We don't, do we? Is he just really fit, or the only truly inmissable player?

Both.

He is a class above the rest of the team. We have squad of good players but VVD is probably the only special player we have right now.

 

Having said that I'm pretty sure we rested him in some of the other league cup games I seem to recall Fonte and Yoshida playing together.

yep, up until last night Fonte was playing league cup games and VVD was playing Euro.

I think its probably fair to say (but happy to be proved wrong) that a Centre back does least running in the team bar the keeper.

I think its probably fair to say (but happy to be proved wrong) that a Centre back does least running in the team bar the keeper.

VvD made a fair few runs forward with the ball last night.

I think our 1st team is weaker than last season, but our squad is stronger overall.

Very strong depth in numbers - particularly with some of the younger players starting to shine and complete for places.

Definitely think we are weaker in terms of up front - we are struggling badly in that area - but stronger everywhere else.

You could easily argue we have one of the strongest squads in the league.

 

I can't wait for CP to get a chance to see Ryan Seager. It will be like a new signing!

Is he far away from a return?

IMO we are still missing a top CF and cover / competition for OR other than that I don't think we are far off.

Yoshida gets a lot of stick, but I don't think a club of our size could ask for a better 3rd choice CB and from his displays this season I would say he is pushing Fonte for a PL start.

But I think it's the youngsters that have really added to the team, McQueen, Sims, Hesketh and Reed have all shown they can come into the team and do well.

This is the best bit. Seeing more and more youngsters coming through gives such pride in the club and further enhances our already remarkable reputation of producing young players who get a chance in the first team. Really missed this under Koeman. And to think we've still got the likes of Seager and Jason McCarthy to come back who can't be far off the first team.

Yoshida gets a lot of stick, but I don't think a club of our size could ask for a better 3rd choice CB and from his displays this season I would say he is pushing Fonte for a PL start.

Don't think we could either. Puel has done very well to give Yoshida a lot of games to keep him fit and happy, and he is playing well. He's not the best and makes the odd howler (who doesn't?) but as you say I don't think we could expect much better from a third choice. It's if VVD get's injured then we have a problem. Do we reckon Puel thinks Yoshida and Fonte can't play together?

Is he far away from a return?

Seager was a co-commentator for a Saints u23 game a couple of months ago and IIRC he said he was aiming to get back to full training again in December. Not heard anything since. Interested to hear if LeG has an update.

On a similar topic, I think I read last week somewhere that Marcus Barnes was back in training. IIRC he had a great scoring record for the u18s and was promoted to the u23s when Seager got injured before then picking up an injury himself.

Will be great to see if Puel gives either or both a sniff of first team action in the second half of the season.

I'm not sure the squad is stronger than last year (Mane or Redmond, Wanyama or Hojbjerg etc.?), it's just that we have a manager willing to rotate it a bit more.

Having said that, if we had made the Europa group stages last season then perhaps Koeman would have also had to give Reed, McQueen etc some more minutes.

The squad certainly feels deeper than before but the starting XI does feel light compared to last year but, perhaps, that's because we've not have SB from the off.

When I got into work today loads we asking about young Reed. I must admit I take a huge amount of pride in watching academy players come through and when, like young McQueen, they're Saints fans, even more so.

I've been a supporter of CP from the off, although he really gripped my sh_it with the Prague debacle, and he appears to be the perfect fit for us and I love the way he tries to get us to play fast, expansive football.

Seager was a co-commentator for a Saints u23 game a couple of months ago and IIRC he said he was aiming to get back to full training again in December. Not heard anything since. Interested to hear if LeG has an update.

 

On a similar topic, I think I read last week somewhere that Marcus Barnes was back in training. IIRC he had a great scoring record for the u18s and was promoted to the u23s when Seager got injured before then picking up an injury himself.

 

Will be great to see if Puel gives either or both a sniff of first team action in the second half of the season.

Has made a sub appearance in the last couple of under 23 games.

Has made a sub appearance in the last couple of under 23 games.

Ah, nice one. Cheers for the update sir.

Yes.

As mentioned, we look light up front but that's because Jay Rod and Long have barely got a goal between them all season, Gallagher is on loan and Seager is injured.

Sims has added a much needed extra wide man for when 1 of Tadic, Boufal or Redmond are out. Really good stuff this playing players from our academy lark.

not that long ago it was the rage to say this was the period with the 'black hole' in the academy when Koeman was running it down

 

fair play to Puel

My benchmark for this kind of thing is the signing of Elia and Djuricic on loan in Koeman's first season. Puel would have plugged in the likes of Sims and Hesketh instead.

You could easily argue we have one of the strongest squads in the league.

You'd have to use the term 'one of' pretty loosely!

Anyway, I think we were marginally stronger last season with Pelle and Wanyama here and the same options off the bench for their positions. I suppose the difference is that Koeman would have been less likely to use McQueen, Sims and Reed.

We don't, do we? Is he just really fit, or the only truly inmissable player?

He's young so his recovery is quick, defenders don't have to run as much as other positions if they're organised, they don't have to be quite so near their peak to be effective as creative players. All adds up to him being able to play more games.

We rested him for the first two League Cup games nevertheless.

We don't, do we? Is he just really fit, or the only truly inmissable player?

Centre backs need the least rest out of the outfield players IMO. You notice that when you play football every week yourself to a reasonably high standard, when/if you get told to play centre back, it is the least strenuous position to play in stamina wise, so professionals under 32 should easily manage 2 games a week.

Morgan managed to play every minute for Leicester last season, think VVD missed one game? Sure Ashley Williams did similar at Swansea and so on

Centre backs need the least rest out of the outfield players IMO. You notice that when you play football every week yourself to a reasonably high standard, when/if you get told to play centre back, it is the least strenuous position to play in stamina wise, so professionals under 32 should easily manage 2 games a week.

 

Morgan managed to play every minute for Leicester last season, think VVD missed one game? Sure Ashley Williams did similar at Swansea and so on

It's a different kind of fitness - it was bloody amazing when I filled in at CB - after a few months of it I actually stopped playing altogether because I was getting unfit just playing at centre back shuffling everyone else around. What it does ask is that you have to be able to sprint upon sprint if you're under pressure and you don't get the kind of "I just won't do that" decisions you can make as a striker. You're much more reactive to the opposition, but again, if you can make play predictable and you don't have some maniac trying to run past you every 5 seconds, you can cover off most threats with anticipation, organisation and positioning. Obviously at the very top level everyone's got a level of fitness and the decisions have to be made much quicker, but it's still slightly less demanding if you're on top of it - and with the defensive shield we've got I can see how it might be a bit less physically demanding than some other positions.

There's still a much bigger chance of getting tackled by a striker or backheaded in the face though...

On a similar topic, I think I read last week somewhere that Marcus Barnes was back in training. IIRC he had a great scoring record for the u18s and was promoted to the u23s when Seager got injured before then picking up an injury himself.

Has made a sub appearance in the last couple of under 23 games.

Talk of the devil... he just scored in today's U23 Premier League cup game...

Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC

GOAL: #SaintsFCU23s 1-0 #NUFC U23s (@Marcus9Barnes 26)

Barnes heads home to give #SaintsFC the lead!

And another... both goals headers from corners...

Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC

GOAL: #SaintsFCU23s 2-0 #NUFC U23s (@Marcus9Barnes 45)

Barnes grabs his second of the game. #saintsfc

I think the squad depth just got a little bit deeper

We are particularly blessed in midfield to have 7 or 8 players who can all do a good job in the prem, with Romeu, Hojbjerg, Davis, Clasie, JWP, Redmond, Tadic and Boufal joined by Reed, Sims, McQueen and Hesketh from the academy to mean we're pretty well stocked to mix and match there and keep a good quality through the team. Likewise, at full back, Cedric and Bertrand are pretty well supported by the likes of Cuco (who has had some good games despite what people have said), Stephens looking ok in his one appearance and Targett and McQueen proving themselves decent on the left side.

It's upfront we're struggling, with Austin looking like the only striker we have capable of getting a goal and it not looking like he can do 90 mins twice in a week, with J-Rod and Long desperately out of form. We have some good youngsters there who might make a breakthrough there, but I doubt Olomola, Gallagher, Barnes or Seagar will do much this season (or be expected to)!

What's really good to see though is that we could almost field a pretty strong all English / British team, or even all academy team in the not too distant future!

Talk of the devil... he just scored in today's U23 Premier League cup game...

 

Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC

GOAL: #SaintsFCU23s 1-0 #NUFC U23s (@Marcus9Barnes 26)

Barnes heads home to give #SaintsFC the lead!

And another... both goals headers from corners...

 

Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC

GOAL: #SaintsFCU23s 2-0 #NUFC U23s (@Marcus9Barnes 45)

Barnes grabs his second of the game. #saintsfc

 

I think the squad depth just got a little bit deeper

Excellent news! Good to have him back!

Will be good to have him for the EFL Trophy games too.

let's just say: that saying "We don't even know what are best Starting XI is!" is usually a bad thing for most clubs.

 

Don't think we could either. Puel has done very well to give Yoshida a lot of games to keep him fit and happy, and he is playing well. He's not the best and makes the odd howler (who doesn't?) but as you say I don't think we could expect much better from a third choice. It's if VVD get's injured then we have a problem. Do we reckon Puel thinks Yoshida and Fonte can't play together?

Not sure about that, up until the Arsenal game Fonte and Yoshida had started all League Cup games. My guess is that those two will play together either next thursday or tomorrow with VVD and Fonte playing at home to Beer Sheva in a must win game.

And another... both goals headers from corners...

 

Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC

GOAL: #SaintsFCU23s 2-0 #NUFC U23s (@Marcus9Barnes 45)

Barnes grabs his second of the game. #saintsfc

 

I think the squad depth just got a little bit deeper

I think the window of opportunity has been seen to have swung wide open where the academy players are concerned, and the doormat outside the first team dressing room says Welcome.

The nippers must have seen young Josh put Baines on his backside last weekend, then switch on the afterburners and tear up the pitch to a crescendo of very noisy encouragement and for the first time in ages fans getting up out of their seats in expectation. Followed by the standing ovation when he was subbed, and thought to themselves "hey I want some of that"!!

let's just say: that saying "We don't even know what are best Starting XI is!" is usually a bad thing for most clubs.

I was stumped walking back to my car on Wednesday talking to some Arsenal fans when they asked "how many of your first team regulars were out there tonight" on reflection the answer should have been all of them with the possible exception of Harry Reed.

Pretty impressive so many players are feeling involved and being kept ticking over at match readiness levels, rather than being a bit rusty when suddenly called upon..... Maya Yoshida being noticeably one of the main beneficiaries of Claude's policy.

Yoshida is benefitting because he isn't been played out of position like he was with Koeman.

No, in fact as far as the attack is concerned it's one of the worst ones in our years in the top flight. The sale of our best attacking players, like Lallana, Pelle and Mane, has resulted in an overall weakening of our attack, leaving us with mediocre players like Redmond, Long and Ward-Prowse and really struggling for goals.

No, in fact as far as the attack is concerned it's one of the worst ones in our years in the top flight. The sale of our best attacking players, like Lallana, Pelle and Mane, has resulted in an overall weakening of our attack, leaving us with mediocre players like Redmond, Long and Ward-Prowse and really struggling for goals.

And it sounds as though our best 2 defensive players, Fonte and van Dijk, are going to be sold next, which will leave our defence as weak as our attack.