Saint Albert

Penalty!!! (To Saints)

Classy from Redmond! 0-2

Bertrand and Redmond already linking up well together.

J-Rod with a lovely finish!

This is interesting... http://sportwitness.co.uk/accusation-southampton-player-spreading-transfer-rumors-increase-value/

I'd be happy if they do away with that bloody raised bra design.

The Sun reporting today that Barca are targeting Romeu: https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3536782/southampton-oriol-romeu-barcelona-return/

Love the thread title.

I thought that we looked decent in the first half. We seem to have put a lot of similar performances against the top 6 sides - play well without scoring in the first, come a cropper in the second and then concede again when pressing for an equalizer. It's a shame. Arsenal were crap especially in the first. They were there for the taking.

Here's something on Seri. The price seems a bit steep for a Saints transfer. Also we seem to be getting lumped in with Everton in more than a few of these rumours: http://sportwitness.co.uk/everton-southampton-target-available-e40m-summer-agreement-reached/

It's unfortunate that Saints will probably be the last to know. Once his agent works out terms with another club (Chelsea seem like favourites according to press speculation), Saints will then learn that he wants to leave and they will have to decide if they want to strike a deal with the team of his choosing or keep him. I'm hoping that he stays and helps develop Stephens for a season. It's a forlorn hope.

Saints and a few other clubs considering a bid according to the Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4484358/Premier-League-clubs-consider-bids-Henry-Onyekuru.html

Loved the penalty sequence. Gamesmanship from JWP. FF giving Milner's scalp a close visual inspection. Great strong hand to stop Milner's pen. I was worried that Saints may be on the beach already but I thought that the team showed some passion in that moment and throughout. Not a lot happened for Saints going forward (no attempts in 1st half, no attempts on target) but they worked hard defensively. Schmeichal Sr. had an orgasm over FF"s save in the post match comments.

That was a nifty goal by Tella. He brought the ball in all the way from the half way line. Not the best defending but still... ....1-2 now..

If you have any Portsmouth supporters coming to your wedding perhaps you could make them feel at home and set up a Disney-themed "Pompey Mighty Ducks" table for them.

Christensen's dad does not sound too keen on his son being part of the rumoured VVD deal: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/799877/Chelsea-news-Antonio-Conte-Virgil-Van-Dijk-swap-deal-Andreas-Christensen-Southampton

So first it's Chelsea "confident" of winning the race to get VVD, now it's Liverpool. If the article is true (a huge assumption) and Saints did not authorize these talks (another assumption but I would be surprised if they did), I would hope that Les would refuse to deal with them on principal once Liverpool finally get around to talking to him having finalized everything through VVD and his agent. Perhaps even report them for tapping up. Go on, strap a set on and take a stand, Les. Given VVD's contract Saints are in a position to tell Liverpool to take a flying leap. I'm not saying that we shouldn't or won't sell VVD in the summer if we're offered stupid money, or that we should keep an unhappy player who has had his head turned, just not Liverpool. Not again. It's beyond embarrassing.

Here's one of them. One minute we're getting Ake for VVD, then it's Christensen, then it's Sakho from Liverpool...it's almost like the papers are making it all up... https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3456772/chelsea-beat-arsenal-50million-virgil-van-dijk-andreas-christensen-southampton/

Assuming nothing drastic happens with player departures (a major assumption I know), I expect that next season will see an improvement in league results simply because there will probably be no Europa League football.

I noticed that the Sun has picked up on the L'Equipe story. it does not add much to it though. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3453355/claude-puels-future-as-southampton-boss-under-threat-according-to-reports-in-france/

Six league wins at home all season, with only Middlesbrough and Sunderland scoring less home goals is not a recipe for happy season ticket holders. You can hear the discontent coming out of the box particularly during today's game when Puel subbed Gabbiadini off. Today was a tepid, turgid and downright uninspiring performance. I've wavered at times but taking into account key injuries, significant improvements in the "big 6" teams, and improvements in players like Stephens, Cedric, Redmond and JWP I think that Puel has done a decent but uninspiring job. On balance I'm about 60% Puel in.

Interesting thanks. If a high-level club official commits a criminal offence during his execution of club transfer business (possible considering the reported arrests in Newcastle) I would have thought that the FA would want to impose some kind of sanction against the club. Perhaps a transfer embargo?

Now the Mail is reporting that Marseille is at the centre of the investigation, potentially confirming some of the above comments. Chelsea being questioned but not searched, according to the same report.

The Sun is reporting that HMRC raided Chelsea, as well.

The Sun thinks that Christopher Jullien of Toulouse is a potential VVD replacement... https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3386425/southampton-eye-toulouse-star-christopher-jullien-as-a-replacement-for-skipper-virgil-van-dijk/