Brumsaint

I watched the whole game after coughing up a fiver for some bizarre reason that I can't quite fathom. Let's start with positives: Downs - great finish with the only real opportunity he got to do anything after coming on. I just don't understand why WS didn't play him for 45 minutes and Ross Stewart for the other in their preferred position so we had a big guy to hit who can hold it up. Moses Sesay was trusted ahead of Smallbone and Aribo to come into the midfield and did decently well I thought. I'd say he's deserving of a spot in the squad and coiuld develop into an option for the first team. Jay Robinson - once again looked far more likely to do something worthwhile than AA, BBD or Wee man. I don't think we can rely on him for 46 games as a starter, he will have dips and struggle at times, but he gives me hope. Quarshie - By far the best of our defenders - dominant against the strikers he's come up against so far and plays good passes forward. A great signing - well done Spors! Now for the negatives: Stephens AGAIN! I don't need to say any more. He's a complete liability on the pitch and I don't care if he's vocal, he's not good enough. Fraser playing the full 90 - WTF! He offered very little other than effort, but no creativity, most of his crosses when he did decide to put one in were poor. Should not be a key player. Would rather his position was like last season - out of the squad for most games. The front four generally from the start and Will Still's tactics going forward. Why did we start with BBD, Fraser, AA and Archer again! That's two games in a row when it obviously doesn't work and he's the only person on the planet who thinks that combination will do anything on the pitch. We never looked like scoring. I know his options are limited at the moment - that's worrying this close to the season, but unless he's trying to prove some kind of point to SR about the players he has, it's madness to be playing those players together. Even if Edozie and Dibling both stay, I still think we need a direct winger with pace and physicality who can beat his man and put crosses in. Picking players out of position - for the second game in a row, he started a CB at RB with two RBs on the bench. Is this a damning assessment of Sugawara? Are we going to try to sign another right back before the season starts, as Bree really hasn't looked great either, but Ronnie Edwards doesn't offer anything going forward, which I thought was an essential part of Still's gameplan. I don't know who's going to be Quarshie's partner starting the season, but I hope it's not Stephens and I don't want our multiple CBs shoehorned into the side out of position to try to keep them happy. The squad needs sorting out now! Midfield - if Flynn Downes stays and can remain fit for a good proportion of games, we should have a solid base. Shea Charles has looked decent, if not outstanding generally. If Fernandes stays, we have some real quality in there and I liked what I saw of Matsuki before he got injured, but if any of those leave, I would be seriously worried about having a strong enough pair of CMs and an AM who will create chances.

It seems to me that these matches are definitely not about winning games at the moment. He's using them to discover various things about the squad. I will be disappointed if we are left in a situation where this is a starting front 4 in a league game Fraser Adarma. Archer BBD Or if he plays CBs out of position when there are two specialist RBs available who could play there. Or if we play Smallbone and Aribo together in midfield! It's frustrating that there's still so much to sort out in terms of getting to the squad we will see come 2nd September, but I hope he's going to have a clear vision ahead of that, which will mean he is left with the right players to carry it out.

The two teams in the two halves were like night and day. All 11 in the second half have made a case to be involved this season. Jay Robinson stole the show Quarshie looks a unit and can play Wood looks a level above the defenders played in the first half Wellington & Sugawara offered a lot more going forward than Taylor & Bree Downes was solid Matsuki impressed me, busy and getting involved positively - could have scored a couple and was far better than anyone in the first half Dibling wasn't at his best, but we know what he can do. I hope he knuckles down and stays with us. Edozie was a bit disappointing, but could easily have had an assist or two if there was better finishing Archer was good at times and bad at times, but took his goal well and put in a lot of effort. Bazunu had nothing to do. Of the first half team, I wish I could never see BBD, McCarthy or Fraser in a Saints shirt again. Smallbone was way off & partly to blame for the goal, Taylor & Bree showed very little, Stephens not good enough, Sanda's young & needs a loan IMO, Armstrong offered little, but grabbed an undeserved pen, Charles was solid and needs to stay. Ross Stewart needs to sharpen up a lot. Hoping the competition with Downs will help.

Miscontrolled by Brereton Diaz was a common theme of the half. How is this guy a professional footballer? Smallbone very disappointing, too. Hoping the second half team shows a bit more promise!

Anyone know much about Moore and Sesay? I'm assuming they're youth team midfielders from the other players on the bench.

My takeaways from watching us in the two games post Martin compared to the rest of the season so far are that keeping possession didn't help us to create any more chances to score a goal and win, but put us in considerably more danger of conceding through sloppy play near our own box. Not groundbreaking analysis, I know, but there was no point in the risk without any reward at the other end. We just haven't been creative enough in most games to win the match when conceding as much as we did, so there was no chance of success. Yesterday, we lacked any kind of creative spark or threat going forward, but I felt fairly confident that we'd keep them out with Rambo behind the back five. Juric has a hell of a task to sort out this squad and give us any chance of getting 20 points let alone 30. I am sure we'll go down, but I am hoping for a better second half with some green shoots of recovery and not just a whimper like last time.

Napalm Death most certainly are, though:

I couldn't quite believe that Ralph had actually put him in as a CB, but to be fair he played OK there. I didn't see much that he did wrong.

Hard to disagree with that! Somehow, Broja's managed to dislodge Shlong from the first team squad, too. Quite the upgrade, I'd say. I wish Dan well, but I'll be surprised if he sets League one alight this year.

Obligatory highlight video:

I really don't understand why we gave hime a two-year deal. Can't see any chance of him getting in the team when Ralph played anyone but him there last year when KWP was out. Bednarek was awful in that position! Hope it works out for him, but I can see more chance of me consuming headwear than Ramsey becoming a Saints first team regular.

I punched the air when I saw this. Terrible signing who has cost us so much more than just the fee! Hopefully, a few more leave early, too, as that's what we need most to be in a position to sign the fresh blood we so badly need.

Surely, if we had any interest in signing Rose, we'd have taken him on loan in January to see whether he's worth signing.

I did initially think the rumours around signing Strakosha must be rubbish, but seeing Ralph doesn't have faith in any of the keepers we have, it does make sense if we know we'll be able to shift at least two of them: https://www.givemesport.com/1694152-southampton-transfer-rumours-saints-interested-in-serie-a-goalkeeper-who-was-once-valued-at-43m

My preference in defence would be to play Ferry at LB and see whether he can handle it against an already relegated (so objectively one of the weakest) team and then play Salisu and Vestegaard together to see if they can do it, as I think they're our best two central defenders. Diallo has something to prove, so I would like him to return to CM alongside JWP. If Theo wants a contract, we need him to show he is worthy of it and the early season form can de repeated. I also want Tella to get some more game time against a team he is likely to get chances against. I'd go for: McCarthy KWP Vestegaard Salisu Ferry JWP Diallo Theo Tella Ings Adams