CamSaint

So a bit like loaning out Shea Charles for a season because he didn't play regularly and who has come back a much better player as a result of the loan?

You can't have loan with an option to buy as he only has one year left on his contract. If we loan him out for a year he will then be a free agent so no fee, but finally off our books!

Indeed it was, but it only goes to highlight the fine margins between success and failure. He got just enough on the ball to divert it round the post. Slightly less power on the deflection and it would have crept inside the post and once again he'd have been vilified on here as the worst keeper in the universe and those hilarious 'crisp packet wrists' quotes would have been back with a vengeance. I am not a particular fan of Baz but there is no denying that he has played well in pre-season and has continued that form today. Having said that, I do hope that we will get another keeper in who will challenge Baz for the shirt. That should keep him really focused on maintaining this form and if he doesn't, we would have a competent alternative to take over.

But haven't we signed him to replace Adams?

There are shades here of the Willy Gnonto situation at Leeds 2 years ago (although he was on a much longer contract than Dibling): "Leeds United winger Willy Gnonto has effectively gone on strike in a bid to force through a move away from Elland Road. The Italian asked to be left out of the side’s Carabao Cup win against Shrewsbury on Wednesday night as he seeks a move away from the club. Leeds have made it clear they want to keep the winger, who signed a five-year deal with the club only 12 months ago. Gnonto was a leading light for Leeds last term, despite their relegation to the Championship." (https://metro.co.uk/2023/08/10/willy-gnonto-goes-on-strike-to-force-through-leeds-united-exit-19314505/) I can't remember what sort of offers Leeds got for him, but obviously they were able to hold on to him for both of their years in the Championship.

The Edozie move seems to have gone very quiet. A week or so ago it was being reported as virtually a done deal.

I thought though that one of Still's attributes was that he wasn't irrevocably wedded to one system? I'm sure he said in one or more interviews (no, can't remember which, so can't provide a link) that he was prepared to change systems during a match or from match to match depending on what he thought would give his team the best chance of winning. That's exactly what he did on Saturday with his substitutions, and it made a big difference. Having said that, he will obviously want to evolve a basic style of play, but until the squad takes its final shape at the end of the window and we hopefully acquire some creative options, I suspect that we might see quite a variation in personnel and formations that many won't be particularly happy with!

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/saints-and-brighton-face-each-other-in-behind-closed-doors-training-exercise

Martin's goalkeeping coach was replaced in June by Rubén Martinez as part of Still's new coaching team (https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/new-additions-boost-stills-coaching-team) 'New to the club is Rubén Martínez, who joins as Goalkeeping Coach. The 48-year-old represented Barcelona’s B team in his playing days and later worked alongside Tito Vilanova as a coach. Martínez has since held coaching roles at Brighton and Watford, as well as Maccabi Tel Aviv, RB Salzburg, Saint-Étienne, Olympiacos, Celta Vigo and Stade Reims on the continent, all alongside Óscar García, before working with Still for a period at Reims. Martínez has also enjoyed success with the Spanish FA, helping Spain reach the final of the 2023 European Under-21 Championship and winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024 at the expense of the much-fancied host nation in the final.'

Ollie Wright has joined Accrington Stanley on a season-long loan.

It will be interesting to see if Edwards is included in the squad for Spain. Still mentioned in his interview yesterday that he and Fernandes were back and had done a couple of light training sessions. Also possible that Downes & Dibling may not travel if they are injured, which will set the rumour mill going!

Yep, training camp in Spain next week & playing Espanyol behind closed doors next Saturday.

Another RB?!!

One interesting comment (IMHO) from Still's interview was: "We're being hard on them, especially physically, which they're not used to, or weren't used to in the previous years. They've run a lot, we've worked incredibly hard and we're going to keep working incredibly hard." It reinforces what many people thought about fitness levels under RM, especially last season, and suggests that it is a key area that they are working on. Fitness levels at the start of pre-season are usually pretty low in general, but it sounds like there is a fair way to go to get to where Still wants them to be.

Who was the on-field captain in the 2nd half?