Dusic

For me this coming season requires a downward shift in expectations from the fans versus what we have latterly become customed to i.e aiming for top 10. When we started the first season under Koeman many were worried after the mass exodus of the summer and the loss of Pochettino, some would probably have taken 17th before a ball was kicked. Thankfully it didnt turn out like that due to smart recruitment and still being left with quality players like Wanyama, Schneiderlin and Clyne. The type of quality we don't really have now. I think this coming season the first aim should be survival. If we end up pushing higher then great, but initially that has to be the main goal. Reasons being: - Squad is largely similar to one that was very nearly (and probably deserved to be) relegated. Whilst Pellegrino was clearly a shambles, the squad is now very average when you go through name by name. Hence few other sides wanting our first XI players. - Attack is largely based around the same players who have struggled for a while and is one of the least talented in the division with probably no player likely to hit 10 goals and only a few 5. We sold our most creative attacker. At best we are level with last year attack wise. Hard to see us scoring many goals. - Signings seem ok individually, although none are proven players who you would be confident will be big successes. - Defence remains extremely weak centrally (up there with what will be the worst in the PL) and we only have one right back. - Manager is solid, but there are doubts about his ability to organise a defence and his 3 at the back was a shambles at Stoke. - Usually you look at promoted sides as relegation candidates but both Fulham and Wolves have surely bought well enough that their quality plus their momentum will keep them up, which will make the bottom half stronger - We probably won't have any cash to spend in January and even if we do our January windows are usually pathetic.

This suggests we will accept their revised offer: https://www.teamtalk.com/news/exclusive-fulham-make-inflated-new-bid-for-southamptons-matt-targett Have to say thats a good fee for a player who has only ever struggled when he has played in the PL for us.

Graeme Bailey, ex Sky, saying Newcastle have a free run at Ings as Saints and Palace (rightly) won't pay the £20m. Newcastle ready with a loan offer with sizeable guarenteed purchase fee. David Maddock, Mirror, saying Liverpool confident of selling Ings before the deadline and Saints favourites at this stage. Personally not sure Ings is the profile of forward we need and a huge injury risk.

Indeed. What a dreadful decision that new contract was. Long is dreadful, how the **** is he still at a PL club?

The stuff in the Echo today about him having a chance to play on Sunday is obviously a load of ******** designed to make Cedric look bad when we start the season without an available RB, as it won't be due to fitness issues as the Manager has said he is ready to play him with minimal training. Don't understand why we aren't more honest about it. Its the player who is being unprofessional so call him out on it! He will probably keep it up right til the end of August as well, so three key games with no right sided player - shambles all round.

The key fact: 14 PL goals in 2 and a half seasons at Saints

It is more than just goals when assessing a striker. Mane only scored 10 and then 11 for us, Pelle similar, Jay Rod and Lambert (PL) a little more but nothing wildly spectacular number wise. You have to also consider: - How do they create chances for others, like Lambert did countless time? - How do they provide a threat in behind or press defenders like a fit Jay Rod did? How does that then give space or opportunities to others? From wide how does that impact the opposition full backs and how much they can influence the game going forward? - How do they scare a team as soon as they pick up the ball, often inducing fouls, like Mane did? On his debut at the Emirates Clyne scored from a corner Mane got out of nothing, he also won us countless free kicks in dangerous areas - How do they provide an outball when under pressure like Long is capable of doing? - How do they hold the ball up when you are under the cosh, like Pelle and Lambert did, with a secure first touch that their teammates trusted? The problem with our strikers, is that they don't score many goals, but they also don't do many of these things. Austin - 14 PL goals in 2 and a half seasons. Slow, static, cannot press, not at all creative, will rarely assist. Gabbi - good technically but no physical presence and always on the fringes of a game. Doesnt have pace or strength. Long - not creative, poor technique and first touch, lack of awareness. Really its amazing he is still at the club. ------------- Good example for me is Danny Welbeck. IMO he would be a brilliant signing for anyone outside the top 6. He might 'only' get 10 goals but he would do more of the other stuff than any of our strikers do.

If we stay up this year and then have to sell to buy next summer then we won't be spending much at all...

https://statsbomb.com/2018/08/southampton-2018-19-season-preview/ This is, IMO, a good independent summary, including the following: Even with the jumbled mess that has become the Premier League below the top six, it’s hard to come up with an argument that Southampton are going to be good for 2018–19. The grind it out football Southampton played in those final eight games probably isn’t sustainable through an entire season, in part because teams managed by Mark Hughes previously haven’t maintained this level of defensive solidity, and, generic as this may sound, it’s genuinely a struggle to see where the goals will come from. Would have to say right now that we are likely to be in the relegation scrap for at least part of the season.

Malcuit has a Napoli medical tomorrow. That was is done and surely only hinted at an issue with Cedric - not sure anyone is buying the illness story. Re the PEH link - If we had to sell Hojbjerg to improve the team elsewhere then I would. He has been much better in interviews than on the pitch. We just have to get a forward in. Even numbers wise we are down, having let Tadic, Boufal and Carillo go.

Amazing we will have the same strikers as the start of last season - hugely constricts our chances. I reckon two of them will get less than 5 PL goals for a start. Is Austin worth a place in the side? Looks even slower and more unfit than last season. We can't afford passengers. Still can't believe we have moved him and Long on somehow.

Hughes post match saying we are likely done. IMO staying up has to be the aim this season. We have a very average squad that is poor in both defence and attack. Will be hammered by some teams I think. Eventually lack of investment in the first XI takes its toll. Our team this season will be the weakest since promotion. (Whilst Bmth splash out £25m on a midfielder, without selling anyone).

It brought Hughes downfall at Stoke, thats for sure. Another problem is we have no RWBs available. Easier to hide someone like Stephens at RB than it is to find an attacking weapon to play as the main creative force on that side. But then again, our CBs struggle badly in any system because most aren't good enough. Perhaps Vestergaard & Yoshida might work as a two?

So, a few days left with these pieces to resolve: 1. Addition of a quality attacker (but no real rumours at the moment and clear messages we need to sell before we buy). Chance of getting someone (IMO): 4/10 2. Sort out RB/RWB situation where we currently have zero available specialists. Might mean selling Cedric (something going on) and replacing, meaning backup will come from within the squad by playing someone out of position. Seems ludicrous to me when you can have 25 players to only have one player for one key position. Cedric could be sold after the deadline if it is to somewhere else in Europe. 3. Get rid of our highest paid player, who coincidentally is our 3rd choice GK. Will likely be on loan, if at all, with us still paying the majority of his wages, the same as with Boufal and Carillo. Could happen after the deadline if he is being loaned elsewhere in Europe. 4. Loan out players who will not feature much this season like Sims (barely played in pre season), Hesketh (needs experience of playing against men) etc -------------------------- Current window rating: 6/10

If he is going, or has refused to train, why not just be honest about it? Not like it is the club's fault. Players get protected way too much. From a Saints perspective, Cedric is a good player, one of few who could actually move to a team that is better than us. We will need to replace well or the trend of slowly but steadily reducing the quality of the squad will continue. Targett after one pre season game out of position at RWB is not the answer. In theory we should be able to get £20m+ for him. Also worth noting we can sell him abroad until the end of August, so no crazy rush to sell, and possibly we might replace him first. Also a shame we will likely go into the season with zero available right sided defensive players.

Is Bednarek good?

Would not suprise me if we sold Cedric. His contract is running down, best time to get value. He has given 3 years and the last one probably hasn't resembled what was sold to him.

Judging by Leitch in the Echo, I think we are done. Considering we got the VVD money in Jan and have also sold Tadic, its clear they won't spend any more than what is generated by sales. Across Jan and this summer I still make us up net spend wise, so with the TV cash untouched for transfers the club must be in an extremely healthy financial position versus other clubs.

@Ian_Wilding1: Terrific home debut by Stuart Armstrong for @SouthamptonFC tonight - Saints could have a real player on their hands Also spoke to Mark Hughes who said Lemina has tonsillitis & Redmond fell awkwardly against Dijon. He hopes they’ll both be available on Saturday #saintsfc

Brighton has 31k now I think and also has the advantages of being a far better tourist city, with closer and better transport links to London. Only chance Southampton has ahead of Brighton is avoiding a total south east bias.

I like the players that we have actually signed - all have the potential to be good signings in key positions. The main question I would have is, given the current situation of needing to sell to buy another player (a much needed attacker), why were we so keen to spend £12-15m on a backup GK in Gunn? Whilst he is clearly a high potential player we have signed McCarthy to a long deal and also have another extremely high paid player who is now an even bigger problem as you simply cannot have a third choice GK on that kind of cash. Clearly when we signed Gunn there wasnt a done deal for Forster to leave. I imagine they really wanted Gunn and knew if we didnt move now he would go elsewhere. But given the current situation, that cash could have been put towards a forward, and maybe Gunn could have been signed later in the window depending on who we could shift? Also....we had an offer in excess of £20m accepted for Maddison. I wonder if we had signed him how that woukd have impacted our other signings, as we ended up signing Armstrong in that position for significantly less? Shows how fluid the window is I guess.

West Ham going big this summer, no doubt about that - have backed Pellegrini big time which will add even more pressure to a baslet case club. Hard to compete with that level of spending - they will have signed four players for over 20m if that happens, plus Fabianski, Wilshere and Fredericks - all good buys on paper. Our business decent-ish but some mid table teams have had brilliant windows its fair to say.

I agree with 6/10. Decent start, get the logic behind each signing amd whilst all unproven, they each have potential. But we still lacking pace and quality in the final third and have no backup or competition for Cedric. Get a good attacker it becomes 8/10, competent RB and get shot of Forster and its 9/10 I do think the league as a whole will be stronger next season. Wolves and Fulham have come up and made excellent signings, so it will be very tight in the bottom half - hopefully we have enough to be in the upper part of that section, but I'm not sure we do.

Leandre Griffit averaged 2.37 goals per 90mins for Saints in the PL. If only we could get him back.

Great pod. Interesting that Adam, who is usually less reactionary than fans are, feels we haven't really added enough quality to improve the first XI (yet) as much as is needed. Also that he pretty much expected Les Reed to go over the summer. Great listen as always.