West end Saints

Same fixtures last season update after 7 Away to watford drew (L) -1 Home to stoke lost (w) +2 Home to Millwall drew (w) +4 Away to Birmingham drew (d) +4 Away to Lincoln (top promoted side) drew (d) + 4 Home Swansea drew (w) +6 Home Bristol City drew (w) +8 So 8 points better off than same 7 games last season. Points earned from first 7 games , 7 last season 14 this

Sad I know, but I looked back at the first 7 games for the best seasons for a goal score over recent years. 26/27 Larin 7 total ? 23/24 Armstrong 6 total 24 19/20 Ings 2 total 22 11/12 Lambert 6 total 27 02/03 Beattie 0 total 23 Potentially the best start ever for a Saints forward? One every other game, from now to the end of the season, would get him to Lambert's championship total. But happy for him to stick with one per game and hit 46

If Jander is in form he is very good, but he had several games last season when his form dropped to a level that JWP would rarely drop to. Jander is not as physically fit and consistent as JWP. It's good to have both. JWP was good against Swansea, better than I thought so soon after arriving and with so little first team football. FD/JWP potentially the best CM pair in this league

Saints v Swansea, last season, drew +2 = 6 points up on last season's fixtures. (6 more points last season would have given us automatic promotion) First 6 games last season 6 points, this season 11 earned. If not for points deduction we would be top. Goal difference two better than any other side. 14 goals scored in 6 games. Larin top scorer 2nd highest goals + assists is 4 - with two of our players Azaz and Scienza. Tonda stated he consciously started with late / easy pre-season to allow players to process play off situation, so not a bad start! (Drew home to Bristol last season)

Same fixtures last season Away to watford drew (L) -1 Home to stoke lost (w) +2 Home to Millwall drew (w) +4 Away to Birmingham drew (d) +4 Away to Lincoln (top promoted side) drew (d) + 4 Gained 4 more points than same games last season. After first 6 games last season we had 6 points beat Swansea and we have 7 even after points deduction! Hardly a bad start yet! Finn Azaz, my player of the season last season, was unplayable against a very good Millwall, for some reason was awful in last two games. He makes a huge difference

Played well today in his first start. Probably our best players. Shea Charles hasn't always played at that level

It's not definitely weaker, I accept your view but the counter argument is that Larin scored,I think 8 goals last season and was unfit and not sharp, he has 5 already. I would not be surprised if mubama contributed more over a season than Stewart. We didn't have any back up for Azaz, we signed Dobbin and JWP who can play there. CM - Downes is fittest he has been. Bragg was just getting his first team experience during the winter and is likely to be better. Charles is a good player, and will have a very good career but played less than half our minutes in the second half of the season, and personally I rate JWP higher for the influence he will have on games, and delivery. I would say stronger. CB - too early to be definitive, we have lost THB and his passing , now have an experienced left footer and Abbott - I would say more competitive but undecided on quality So I disagree, it is very debatable and respectfully disagree

I think there are some very unrealistic expectations on here re forward depth. 1) Dobbin was signed (look back at Spors interviews) as cover for Azaz and as a forward. 2) last season was unusual, having two similar striker sharing the role. It only happened as both were unfit. Larin is fit now. Does any team have an identikit replacement for their main forward? Man City cover Haarland with different style forwards. 3) a dedicated forward is only likely to sign as cover for the best forward in the league if a) not very good, or b) young. We went for b). 4) our last promotion year forwards were Armstrong, Adams then down to Mara who played 500 minutes. Personally I am more confident with current version of Larin,Mubama and Dobbin. 5) again, last promotion, our 3rd top scorers were Edozie (still here!) and Fraser with 6. Do people think that none of Scienza, Azaz, Fellows, Matsui, JWP, Manning will get more than 6 to take the pressure off Larin and Mubama? 6) last season Stewart scored 8, Archer 4, Armstrong 11, so even if you assume that's 23 goals lost.. Larin is only 4 off his last season's total so I am very confident he will make up some of those. Dobbin scored 10 in a worse side,Mubama 5 in a worse side. We have quite a few adaptable quality players, who can swap around the attacking positions - Azaz, Dobbin, Matsui. I wouldn't panic if due to injuries for an odd game we even played something like Azaz with JWP behind etc. Also, I do not know how involved the younger players will be, I think this time last year Bragg was still months away from the first team. And there is always January....

Our young player dealings with Man City was a bit mixed but as our recent source of young talent we benefited from Charles, Lavia and THB. Bazunu was our main keeper for promotion season, Edozie has had some contribution. Plus we are about £35 million in profit from this group.

I am happy. Think we are in much better position than last season. When Dobbin signed the club specifically said he was chosen as he can play all forward positions, some reports I have read said he was best last season playing as CF. Dobbin scored 11 last season, same as Stewart. Mubama scored 5. Larin is much stronger than when we signed him.

Viking's record fee received is about £4m

I am dreading our current defence facing 6'3 forward from Millwall they will murder us

If we sign affengruber then we are better as a team and as a squad then we were for our unbeaten run last year. #noexcuses

Surprised anyone who watched them both for saints would think this. Peretz number 1 for me, and by a distance.

During his last season in prem league for us he was our top rated player. He was feeding Elynoussi, Adam Armstrong, Che Adams, Aribo and Maitland miles! Would he, improve now feeding the likes of Azaz Scienza, Larin and Fellows in a lower league - most likely. He was fans and players player of the season for two years running. Suggests a positive influence. Played for England. I think the criticism of him now is unfair. The questions are is he still fit enough and would he improve us. Playing in a poor Burnley side against Man City towards the end of last season he ran further than any player and got good reviews so hopefully quite fit. Would he improve current squad - no brainer, easily, and depth in several roles. If he best available, would cost be reasonable - no idea! Shea Charles played only half our game time last season. I suggest, if signed, JWP would be more involved on merit Update on data as run out of posts In last 6 months JWP only player put of bragg, Downes, Charles and Jander to put in over 12km in a game. Too old to be box to box? Will probably be our fittest player

Looking back at his time at Burnley it looks a mixed bag, some poor performances but He was one of Burnley's better players against Man City and Bournemouth, covering the most distance so fitness still there.

Romeu was about 3 years older when he returned. I don't know if JWP is best option we could get but he 100% would improve our squad. Jander / Downes both had drop in form and looked tired in some games - surely JWP would be a good option. He can also offer cover to Azaz, Bree and as wider midfield role. If last night shows us our squad I think he probably would have been better than Bragg, Akachukwu, Fellows, Dobbin and possibly Bree on their showing, shows the limits of our squad and his versitility. (I can't remember who he did well against as RB, Zaha?) I have no idea on finances but would improve us. If we can get better great but wouldn't turn him down. I did think Louza would offer us something we lack.

It was 6 games last season before a forward scored. Then it was Archer. And another two games before another forward scored. So 2 forward goals in first 8 games. This season, three games, Larin scored in everyone. Mubama played half hour and scored. Goals from everywhere always welcome but hopefully won't be relying on CB this season for goals.

Why? It clearly was good enough for the tough end of season from January onwards as we were the divisions best side We have lost Charles and Stewart. Both played significant roles but neither first choice. Stewart often played less than half a game. We have signed Mubama for CF and they have said Charles would be replaced. I feel Mubama is likely to be more reliable than Stewart. Bragg looked very good and hopefully more involved as he gains experience. Dobbin has been added to add cover across the front, particularly for Azaz. So at the moment I don't think the squad is worse. If CM signed at decent level then definitely not. If, and sounds like he is, THB goes that would be a miss for his passing etc. No need to panic though

They clearly and objectively are not

Fair response, club has just lost 2nd game in last 30, (I know one was against Man City) we can't sit quietly and ignore it if we lose third game in last 31. You speak for all right minded fans.

We gained 7 points on Middlesbrough over just last 6 games last season. They have lost their best player (albeit he was injured end of last season) there is no reason we should feel underdogs compare to them or Wrexham, we have better first team, better squad, better. I feel we just need a positive start...

You can't say that. It may well do, it may make no difference. How many times has a team had to make a late change and lost their preparation and they do great. Of course it was hoped it would help, but who knows if it did. It was hoping for marginal gains. This is why I get frustrated with the blanket comment of it's cheating. Fair enough if games were played with perfect integrity but they aren't. Goalies pretending to be injured, deliberately taking throw ins in the wrong place, diving are all cheating - and possibly more likely to gain an advantage. We fucked up and should be punished. Like others, I haven't heard anyone saying we have got off lightly, quite the opposite. The point has been made, there is now a huge deterrent. A long ban will hurt the club more than Tonda, and no-one feels club needs more. As someone said above he will just get another job. A ban of something like 3 games would keep his job, punish him and make a point. I still hope for a fine and we can all move on

I think the use of the word cheat doesn't really help with assessing an appropriate punishment objectively. Paying off officials is cheating. So is feigning an injury, gaining yards on throw in. It is the level of dishonesty and the likely implications of the action that matter. It was premeditated and dishonest which would increase punishment. However, the likely benefit is marginal, which lessens it It was this basis that previous FA chairman was on the radio saying our already received punishment was too harsh. I think Tondas attitude at panel will also matter

Bazunu v Peretz? Edwards v THB? Sugawara v Bree? Fraser v Scienza? Robinson v Azaz? Armstrong v Larin? Plus Fellows, Jander, Roerslav, Dobbin We are much better off