John Boy Saint

Blimey I wouldn't want to have to choose one of those over the other. Could get a bit spicy standing between the sticks in front of the fans of the one he decides to turn down when they meet in the league........................................... still that might actually see him off his line moving about a bit!

Those of you who haven't already used their seats pre season, take something with you to wipe your seat before sitting down. Especially if you are going somewhere else afterwards and looking a bit tidy. Wednesday night ours were the filthiest we had ever seen them at the start of a season.......proper write your name in dirty.

Me too Especially as Bertrand did seem to like playing in the shade of the Kingsland “reading the paper” first half, and there were some comments made from the stand towards him, which apparently he responded to. Be interesting to hear what was said. Flip side Targett had the ball, and was closed down with, more often or not, no out option infront of him just backwards or sideways. First half especially, balls to Austin’s feet saw him dispossessed, and the ball just came straight back at us. In a zig zag - out to our left behind Bertrand then zipped across the back of our midfield to their number 7 who was running in at pace from our right onto the ball. You have to hope that it was an experiment as that BM movement to slice us open saw their number 7 get his reward with their 3rd. As an aside, did anyone else see Bournemouth’s approach to their last pre season matches? They played Friday night then Saturday afternoon, if I heard Eddie Howe post match on Solent correctly, they pretty much had one set of players out 1st half Friday night, second half swapped them up or tinkered, then played Friday nights first half team with tweaks Saturday afternoon first half and swapped them up again second half, he said he wanted to make sure everyone got a decent bit of game time rather than the 60/30 70/20 that normal pre season fixtures provides. Even further aside, from what I saw of the Charity Shield yesterday, Man City look like they will just carry on from where they left off in May, by comparison Chelsea looked a bit of a shambles.

Bertrand needs to buck his ideas up, he is wearing the Captains armband but doesn’t look like a Captain. Spent most of the first half hiding in the shadow cast by the Kingsland Stand, and looked like a few folks close to the that side of the pitch we’re giving him a piece of their mind at his lack lustre performance. Charlie Austin looked a bit shabby too, got bullied easily a few times by the defender at his back. After a lung busting trot the ball was recycled out to Targett who went to play it up to him and spotted he was miles offside so had to send the ball into midfield as he was being closed down. PEH was trying to get something going a few times but no one else was joining in. Lemina started bright as a button then just went into Calamity Mario mode???!!!??? Gabbi defo looks almost like a new signing after a season in the wilderness. And we got to see Elyounoussi give us a flavour of what’s in his bag very nice jinking run riding tackles, Tadic would have gone down at first or second contact like he had been taken out by the sniper hiding in the floodlights. Good to see Yoshi given a spin, the sooner he is up to speed and managing the defence the better. Still give it a handleful of competitive games and we will have a better idea as to what’s what. Highlight of the afternoon, the new iridescent red “cinder track”, thought the floodlights were assisting the glow midweek, but in the sunshine it’s spectaclier!!

Just got home from the match and sat on the doormat was notification that I’m IN!! Must have burn’t a bit of midnight oil deciding on that pin

Also before my time, but read and heard plenty about him. Always sad when another player from our history enters the Saints dressing room in the sky. RIP

My print at home tickets didn’t work the other night in the turnstile, so we (and others) had to be checked in through the big exit doors by folks with hand scanners, mine didn’t scan still so the guy tapped in the detail off the ticket. I’d say give it a go.

You really should take the gun out of the holster before pulling the trigger and spoiling your shoes!.........That is not a fact. Under Koeman 2015 Bertie was injured and Matty came in and covered for him for a few weeks without issue, and even when Ryan was fit he did not come straight back into the team as Koeman stuck with him. Then we had a spell Winter 15/16 where we were woeful being beaten by Palace at home in the Cup was the low point. Koeman changed it up and instantly we were back at the races, he slotted Bertrand into a 3rd Centre back role, and played Matt as a very effective wing back. But hey you don’t like him that’s fair enough.

Friend just asked to come with us, had a look at the ticket site. Limited availability marked in most blocks, click on a block more green dots than grey in most of them?

You lucky bugger, we only had the option of Carlsberg or Somersby Cider on our concourse!!! That said its still cheaper than Chelsea last season where a pint was north of a Fiver last season......... some lads were mucking about one knocked the other and slopped his pint and some wag piped up "steady on lads he has just thrown a quid on the floor"!!! As for flippant questions, mine would be, which plonker came up with the great idea to mount a big slab of a "You Are Here" layout map of SMS complex directly plum on line with the Ted Bates statue?

If you actually went the other evening, then you would have obviously seen for yourself that this isn't the Matt Targett that bobbed in and out of the team previously. On the flip side of your comment if we had just paid a few million for him this summer most folks would have impressed and thought it money well spent, and happy for him to be in the team.

:lol:

Read this just as the Postie arrived......got excited.........then disappointed........only divi cheques

Someone has dropped a major bollock inside the club, the amount of people I saw tonight pick up a shirt, try it on, then put it back on the rack was quite noticeable, the queue at the tills was nothing of note, think the fact that no one has received their season tickets yet and the discount they get with it just put folks off coughing up. Also pretty shabby that less than 10 days before the footie season kicks off the only shirts you could buy were the Blue keepers kit used today, and the home shirt. The window display had all 3 strips on show, I can't remember the last time the Megastore didnt have the both the home and away shirts on sale at this stage of proceedings. Certainly was strange to see the actual players material shirts on sale at £100 a pop

First half silly nonsense let us down. Few tweaks at half time and hello someone just turned the heat up. Think a few previously fringe players posed the manager some questions tonight, top of that list Matt Targett, he just looked the part if we sell him over the next week and a bit someone needs to be blindfolded and put against a wall...... Even with a briefer cameo Sam Gallagher needs to stay and given a go, the lad is a giant, strong, and very mobile. The type of player we have been missing up front since Rickie then Graziano left, get a partnership with him and Gabbi (who looked like he has been given a new lease of life) or Austin going could be a bit of a giggle, certainly not scared of getting stuck in. PEH just needs to relax and let his game do the talking Bayern Munich don't just buy any player, you have the talent lad, just breathe and use it. JWP has been sidelined of late but his vision, distribution, and importantly his bite in the challenge was very much on view tonight. New boys dont look too shabby, Vestergaard certainly is a presence, Gunn also looks a presence, assured (although on first viewing from the other end of the ground his legs look like pipe cleaners. then with white boots on his feet looked like they were 2ft long). Armstrong, I want his name on the back of my shirt!!!! If this lad keeps up what he showed tonight all season a) everyone will be wanting to buy him off us, and b) Southampton Football Club will be up before the beak on charges of grand theft........ £7m!! Mo I will reserve judgement on, think he needs to be coaxed out his shell a bit, certainly Johnnie on the spot for the goal, but looked a bit indecisive, Shane long needs to be looking over his shoulder, Gabbi looks to be getting the sparkle back, Charlie does what he always does, and the big lad not only is good in the air he is quick too. And I will stick my neck out here Ryan needs to also get himself some wing mirrors too, he maybe captain and yes it was a friendly, but that was a half @R$ed performance from him tonight. Still as they say one Swallow doesn't make a summer, and the proof of the pudding is in the eating............... well despite all the doom and gloom about buying him or him looks like there are some quality ingredients with which to knock something pretty good up: just got to follow the recipe in the right order.

Looks like his spin out with Fulham at the back of last season has done him the world of good, looked very composed and comfortable.

Think they need a bit of tinkering with the corners, and a line across the penalty boxes seemed dark compared to the middle of the pitch. That said I quite liked the subdued lighting effect sat up on row EE up in the stand, bit like watching a film on my big TV with the the lights dimmed.

Seconded There is always a bunch of folks trying to get that going in the Northam, when I have been in there living fast and loose for a cup game. Plus pretty sure I heard it at Fulham and Arsenal. Amazed it has never caught on

Alas I do, but goodness me this season the game seems to be being played with a bit more fervour!!! it’s become like retail where Christmas is being snuck out onto the shelves before the August Bank Holiday and this year probably more like Argos where their Back to School TV advertising campaign started before the majority of UK kids had broken up for the long Summer Holibobs!! I thought it would have at least waited until after Celta Vigo had smashed us off the park and Boufal had smoked at least 4 absolute screamers into the back of our onion bag tonight!!

Didn’t see him in the Sky pre match posing photo shoot video..........but then loads were missing to be honest. Back to the match just want to see very little fannying about letting the oppos defence get in position before we resume the attack. Not sure what the ticket office are playing at, but a quick peek at the tickets for the game and loads of blocks “Limited availability” click on a few Amber blocks and there are heaps of green dots all clumped together everywhere?!

Jeez anyone would think it was the 1st of December in the bloody Turkey shed reading some of the Lilly Livered clap trap above. Hughes is pants We ain’t going to be winning anything with kids....................we weren’t going to be winning much on paper anyway. defence is like Swiss cheese. washing machines are going to be working overtime in the morning laundering bed linen.......... we ain’t kicked a ball in anger yet!

Oh yes this thread has woken up!! WooHoo!

Hardly any surprise really, when the chairman pipes up and says that the club didn't realise that we were in trouble until late January............when, if the Wolves game didn't make you go hmmmmm, the midweek feeble submission for a spanking in our own house by Leicester 1-4 swept away any Roy of the Rovers story line dream just about everyone in the stands held previously: that night anyone with half a brain knew we were in trouble. So a bunch of "experts" offering an obscene new New contract to someone most of us could see was on a downwards slope really isn't a massive surprise.

Pretty much what my Friend (who I have spoken of before and knows his football onions) said when I said "dunno whats happened to Gabbiadini".......... His response "Thats why he is playing for Southampton................... and only cost £16m"!

I would imagine you will get a ticket easily enough, have you tried buying them online to print at home? I only ask as when I bought tickets for both games for my Daughter on the weekend next Saturdays game looked to be selling quite well with plenty of Amber blocks, but both family corners either side of the Chapel were showing green.