This will be the ultimate who is an optimist, who is a pessimist thread. 

I'm going match 5.

Well, our result against Castellon was better than QPR's

On 14/07/2025 at 23:11, WinglessWonder said:

I love how the club is being so secret squirrel with the reveal but it's already available on DHGate.... 🤣https://postimg.cc/Xrrv8MnQ 

If anyone has bought this, I think people may know it is a fake...

15 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

Why not just have stripes fully on the back?

so you can work out which way Will Smallbone is facing.

8 hours ago, WinglessWonder said:

I love how the club is being so secret squirrel with the reveal but it's already available on DHGate.... 🤣https://postimg.cc/Xrrv8MnQ 

That proves theyre putting out a design based on this screenshot.

cant's see the Puma badge, and looks like something different is occuring on the Crest, so they havent included it.

theyve also based their black stripes on a low res picture but surely they'll be of equal width

Göztepe friendly live on on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/live/SHCJUEw-P5A?si

Interesting pitchside furniture

17 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

It looks crap. It looks like the kit we got relegated in two years ago. Full white down the back.

Take the nostalgia out of the equation and it simply isn’t a good kit.

Most work places offer eye test vouchers. Might be worth enquiring. Especially if all the stripes on this year's kit are merging into one... 

On 11/07/2025 at 11:04, CSA96 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq7z421pwzo

Parliament's standards commissioner has launched an investigation into ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe.

The BBC understands it is for allegedly failing to register hundreds of thousands of pounds raised in donations to fund his independent "Rape Gang Inquiry".

More than £600,000 has been donated to a Crowdfunder started by Lowe in March to support a national inquiry into gang-based sexual exploitation across the UK. So far, Lowe has not declared any of the money on his MPs' register.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq7z421pwzo

MP Rupert Lowe cleared by standards watchdog

In a resolution letter, sent on 11 July, Mr Greenberg says: "I concluded that the evidence submitted did not demonstrate on the balance of probabilities that a breach of the rules had occurred."

Keeper kit seen in the wild

just because its fun to see if AI is any good or not, I asked ChatGPT to select one Premier League player who Damion Downs is most comparable to.

we'll find out how fitting the suggestion is throughout the season, but its answer...

A very fitting and realistic Premier League comparison for Damion Downs is:

🪞 Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)

Aerially dominant, athletic, and press-capable striker with room for growth technically.

Why Calvert-Lewin is a Strong Comparison:

Attribute	Dominic Calvert-Lewin	Damion Downs
Height & Build	6′2″ (187 cm), strong frame	6′3–6′4″ (192 cm), tall and athletic
Aerial Ability	Top-tier aerial threat	Very strong aerial potential
Work Rate / Pressing	Active in pressing setups	Developed in Bundesliga's pressing culture
Finishing	One-touch & instinctive	Clean, composed finisher (youth level)
Link-Up Play	Improved over time	Already shows promise in tight spaces
Hold-Up Play	Physical, shields ball well	Developing but shows natural feel

Never needed the 'rumour' tag. 

1 hour ago, BERMUDASAINT said:

News about one of the rumoured player we want from chile. Lucas Cepeda

https://saintsmarching.com/journalist-insists-southampton-have-a-week-s-duration-to-beat-rivals-in-key-area

https://saintsmarching.com/southampton-assured-chilean-star-s-pedigree-but-19m-error-must-be-recalled

News about Goztepe's Romulo,

They want around 10m, their highest ever sale was 2.5mil

https://saintsmarching.com/goztepe-romulo-transfer-stance-will-delight-southampton-board-many-ways

https://medium.com/@LondonsOriginal/who-is-rômulo-cardoso-10493c7c7081

These 2 look very good for their age and possible price tag (10 milish). Our multi club must count for something?

Goztepe have already refused bids of over 17 million Euro for Romulo. They want 20.

Saintsmarching as a link for anything is about as trustworthy as a Sunday Sport article,

4 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

What's the deal with Bella Kotchap?

Does he think he is better than Saints ? If so put him in the reserves and fine him wages. 

He is paid to do a job, bloody well do it why the soft approach all the time ? Show some bollocks and throw book at him. 

Throw the book at him for what exactly?

On 04/07/2025 at 10:42, Holmes_and_Watson said:

While not as nice as some of the mock ups, that's not bad.

Some other red and white striped shirts this season, courtesy of a Beeb article.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c939y2r0g7lo

Nuremberg

Olympiakos

 

 

 

No No No No.

unless some singing is happening.

Here's a reminder of the attempt of P & O Cruises (Our sponsor) to educate people that they are not P & O Ferries (not our sponsor)

it obviously didn't reach some areas

official stats show fantastic 100% passing accuracy rate yesterday. admittedly he only had 1 touch but who's counting.

44 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

after they sack all the team and use agency staff you mean ?

FFS. P & O Cruises and P & O Ferries are now two very distinct entities.

when throwing around claims like that you need to be really careful about who you're talking about...

=====================================================================

2000: P&O Group decided to spin off its cruise division, which included P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, and other brands, into a separate company called P&O Princess Cruises. This move allowed the company to focus more on its ferry and port operations. 

2003: Carnival Corporation & plc acquired P&O Princess Cruises for £3.5 billion, integrating it into its portfolio of cruise brands. 

2006: The remaining ferry operations, including P&O Ferries, were sold to DP World, a Dubai-based logistics company, marking the final separation of the two businesses. 

P&O Cruises are Owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, a U.S.based cruise operator

P&O Ferries are Owned by Dubai based DP World.

39 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

That Chatgpt output is weird. Losing more aerial duels than he wins at his height isn't decent and it seems it has speculated what Downs may do rather than what he has actually done so I'd question it. The main thing is that he is young and still growing so may develop strength and increase his aerial presence. My hope is that he can do that this year though as we really don't have time for him to ease into things if we want to be successful this season.

say a tall striker has 46% aerial duels won and that a shorter striker has 50% aerial duels won.

the 50% choice looks better, right?

but what if the tall strike had 100 aerial chances in 10 matches

and the shorter striker had 80 aerial chances in 10 matches.

apply the percentages tall striker has won 46 aerial wins in 10 matches and shorter striker has 40 aerial wins in 10 matches.

12 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Is he a superior aerial presence? Most analysis I have read suggests he is tall but a bit lightweight at present and loses more of his aerial duels than he should. 

its worth noting that Downs has more Aerial duels per game than your average striker.

but going back to ChatGPT to analyse the details (and again I'll enter the Data in /  Data out AI caveat)

1. Aerial Duel Win % Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story

• The win percentage is a ratio of duels won versus duels contested, but it doesn’t measure how often a player positions himself to influence the game in the air without necessarily winning the duel outright.

• Downs may choose his aerial battles smartly—sometimes not contesting a 50/50 header if a teammate is better placed, which lowers his personal duel count but benefits the team overall.

2. Quality Over Quantity

• Even if he wins “only” 46% of his aerial duels, the timing and impact of those wins matter more.

• For example, winning a critical flick-on or a clearance in a dangerous area has far more value than simply winning a random aerial duel in midfield.

3. Role and Tactical Usage

• Downs is not just contesting every aerial ball blindly; his role as a target man and pressing striker means he uses aerial skills strategically.

• His ability to link up play with headers or create space by attracting defenders doesn’t necessarily show up in duel stats but still makes him valuable in the air.

4. Physicality and Mobility Enhance Impact

• His size and mobility allow him to dominate key moments even if his duel win rate isn’t elite.

• He might lose some duels in congested situations but still shape the game by disrupting marking schemes and creating second chances.

5. Development Curve

• At only 20, Downs is still growing physically and tactically.

• His aerial duel win percentage is likely to improve as he gains experience, refines timing, and gets stronger.

Bottom line:

The 46% aerial duel win rate is decent, but the true measure of Downs’ aerial presence lies in how he uses his physicality, timing, and positioning to influence the game beyond just raw stats.

So no, his aerial duel stats don’t counter his reputation — they complement a broader picture of a smart, effective, and evolving aerial threat.

Admittedly CHATGPT is limited to what information has gone in, as to what will come out. But from the information and stats that it has:

🧩 How Damion Downs Stands Out

🧱 1. Physical Profile + Coordination

• Tallest of the group at 192 cm, stronger aerial presence than Brereton or Archer, but more mobile than Stewart.

• Offers a true target-man presence but with better mobility and coordination than your typical big No. 9.

⚙️ 2. Modern Pressing Striker Potential

• Will Still wants pressing forwards. Downs comes from a Bundesliga system where pressing is embedded from youth levels.

• Unlike Stewart (slow) or Archer (not physically dominant), Downs can press, occupy defenders, and be the out-ball under pressure.

🔄 3. Link-Up and Hold-Up Mix

• Unlike Armstrong (who spins in behind) or Brereton Díaz (who cuts in from wide), Downs is comfortable:

  • Receiving with back to goal

  • Playing one-touch layoffs

  • Bringing midfielders into play

🎯 4. Ceiling and Tactical Versatility

• At only 20, Downs could be developed into a complete forward:

  • A pressing spearhead ✅

  • A crossing target ✅

  • A hold-up pivot ✅

  • A transitional release valve ✅

Southampton doesn’t currently have a striker who combines all of those qualities in one.

🔚 Summary: Why Downs Adds a Unique Dimension

• Armstrong is a poacher.

• Stewart is a classic big man.

• Archer is a mobile finisher.

• Brereton Díaz is a wide forward with power.

🆕 Downs offers something different:

A tall, tactically smart, press-capable striker who can grow into a complete No. 9—a profile Will Still hasn’t had yet.

11 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Despite acknowledging the number one priority is to get a proven goalscorer in!

That's solely in the Championship. we have proven Championship strikers. What we dont have is a tall striker who positions himself well in the box. and Downs is 3inches taller than Diaz.

8 minutes ago, coalman said:

How did this turn into a rumour overnight. Has MLG un-scooped himself?

It is not a rumour.

 

6 hours ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Horseshit.

Nowhere does it say he was told by the club.

All it states is that a couple of weeks ago there seemed confidence they'd get it done.

It does not state who had the confidence - it could have been anyone, including his own grandma. Nowhere does he name the club.

It's just a rumour.

With information that Alfie House gave in the podcast with @stevegrant and subsequent posts on X it was quite easy to work out it the striker that he had been told we were interested in buying was Downs.

The attributes that were mentioned all pointed that way.

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Projects are not what’s needed in the situation. Don’t mind the odd one like Quarshie but strikers make or break promotions.

Is he an upgrade on Che Adams from two years ago? That’s the test, if he’s not then good signing for when the parachute payments run out and the club is skint. A bit like when Rupert bought Morgan. But certainly not now. It’s an SR signing, not a Saints one as I’d recognise it.

Otherwise, Spors is losing some of the good credit for the Sulemana fee.

Johannes Spors looked at the BBC squad and identified specific types of players he believes we need that we don't have already.

Will Still plays against the opposition, using squad players that can exploit weaknesses in the opponents. 

They have identified Downs as a player that can do this.

In an era of up to 5 subs per game squad depth and the ability to really change things up is essential.

Sound up for this signing... 🕺