santolijador

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/bella-kotchap-heads-to-hellas-verona?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=armel-bella-kotchap-verona-loan&utm_term=news&utm_content=link

Everyone who has been paired up with Roerslev on the right has been decent. Good sign that.

Matsuki, pronounced the Japanese way

We are such a confidence team

If nothing else, this hopefully convinces Still that 3 centre backs increases the chances of a horrendous individual error by at least 50%. TBH and Stephens in a pair for the forseeable please. Send Edwards on loan, he's not ready yet.

Lot's of first choice absences and new signings. 3-4-3 formation. Kivstgaarden hyped and making his full debut, was potentially a Sargent replacement, but Sargent turned down a move to Wolfsburg I think so not sure whats going on there.

Funnily enough, plenty of Norwich fans aren't too happy with them moving to a 3-4-3 under the new boss Manning either. I think Still is matching up with them in terms of shape. No Sargent for them (also not on the bench) either. I'm not reading into Fernandes not being there, if Stephens isn't even in the squad then I think they are saving them the journey more than anything.

I can't speak for having watched Rak-Sakyi play live much, but if you are a numbers person, there are some notable differences; - much better end product in terms of G/A - appears to be more physically able, or at least contributes a bit more defensively - better in the air Should be noted that Rak-Sakyi has a much larger sample size in the last 365 days, and obviously this is all dependent on the system they play in. https://fbref.com/en/players/45685411/Jesurun-Rak-Sakyi https://fbref.com/en/players/007414dd/Samuel-Edozie

It is worth mentioning, it's being reported by Norwich media as a loan. not permanent.

Oh my god he is awful

West Ham looking at Hackney. Implications for us, both with Matty, but also Azaz, Middlesborough surely won't want to let 2 important midfielders go within a week

If Spors has any balls, we ship 1/2 of Archer, Arma or Stewart and go and get another striker in, alongside a couple of wingers and a 10. Minimal chance of it happening alas.

Clearly lacking quality going forward in general

Good thing we are only 3 games in then

Who are you getting in right now then? Fuck me, he's barely been backed by the board and the transfer window hasn't even shut. That, and our squad is absolute gash and has been for over a year, arguably many more than that. In before 'ooh 5 at the back and all that' take a step back - he clearly sees the game different to you and is clearly taking an approach to reduce the stupid goal against, but he clearly wasn't aware that this is Southampton and it's in our DNA. Until today, he could probably argue that things worked in terms of avoiding defeat. The problem is the players and has been for too long. 0 quality across the line up, Downes and Charles didn't show up, we missed too many sitters and our striking options have been genuinely awful since Ings left. Recruitment has been progressively worse since the black box days and we are just getting worse, all compounded by some seriously questionable managerial appointments. We have plenty of problems, but Will Still is not top of that list.

Didn't Thomas have a great game for Huddersfield against us a couple of years ago?

He needs his Russ

Johansson loves playing against us

Burnley managed it

A lot of people calling for a change of shape (which I would probably back) - but - in several interviews, Still has expressed a desire to be sound defensively and not concede - something we have really struggled with in the last 3-4 years. Stoke are pumping in the crosses, Mubama is a handful and the wide players Is the thinking here to defend our box with 3 larger lads and get forward on the transition (hence playing Armstrong) - granted the latter hasn't worked, but we haven't looked like conceding from crosses, and I thought our defending of the box was solid in fairness. Just offering an alternate opinion, if I was in charge I'd be playing the 4 back, but I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing to start by keeping clean sheets and build from there.

Downs on at HT

Unbeaten so far though 👀 I agree though, not ideal but I think we are still improvising a bit till transfer window closes. My suspicion is Armstrong has some credit in the bank with his champ scoring record, and I thought he pressed well last week against Ipswich. I think Still will change things up in the second half, but we should be able to be a bit more aggressive in the press today and I hope that plays into Arma's hands.

Feels unrealistic and unlikely, but wild if we end up with both him and Azaz. Surely would spell the end for Smallbone at least and you would expect Matsuki out on loan if that happens

I mean, he is 27, so not sure how much potential there is to be unlocked. But I'm not sure it matters - as you say, solid signing, good track record in Germany, 90 under his belt for Lens this season already, and in a position where we currently have very little depth. If this signing allows Still to play his preferred shape and improves squad depth, I'm all for it.

He's just come off, and 0 waves, a muted applause to the stands and thats that. Im not confident.