CSA96

Totally agree with you. Still wish there was a way to get the federations to unify around an early cut-off for transfers, but with all the calendars sitting slightly differently, it won't happen. Either that or find a way of capping the ins/outs once the games start

To be fair there were some similar grumbles about the recruitment not really being addressed in some key areas around the same time last year, then Fernandes moved right near the end of August and we signed Jander, Azaz and Fellows all in the same day - with Scienza following on deadline day - and it seemed to go away I presume it's going to be the same sort of thing with Spors where we will make some more decent signings that he has had on the back burner for a while, just towards the end of the month using the money from Charles (and maybe THB/Jander/Scienza, if one or more of them suddenly move on) Just annoying that the transfer window works in this way (especially when you're not at the top of the pecking order) and you then have to wait until after the September international break before your squad/team really starts to settle down and gel properly

Didn't realise O'Brien-Whitmarsh turns 22 years old this season!

Why's he not? His best position is Azaz's best position and he chipped in with a good amount of goals and assists from that position last season...

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree Stephens has runs of being fine and totally without issue, then he has a brainfart that gets punished and then goes back to being fine again. He's not amazing, he shouldn't be your best CB in a defensive partnership but he is perfectly capable for the job we need here of being an experienced defensive partner to THB (or whoever replaces him). As proven by the fact he's been part of a 20+ game unbeaten run in both his previous Championship seasons with us. Our defence looked pretty solid with the current back four and Peretz last season and I'd sooner let them sharpen up and settle back in than start the chopping and changing in game two because somebody made a couple of mistakes in the first 45 minutes of the season In an ideal world, yeah I would upgrade on him (and many others) but the suggestion that he's not good enough to start for a playoff side in the Championship is nonsense for me. This should be his last season as a regular and then next summer he becomes a squad player I would expect

Do you think Nathan Wood isn't going to make mistakes if he starts routinely? He absolutely will. The bloke's brain is on dial-up, you can see the hamster running on the wheel in his head every time he does an interview. Wood is a handy Championship player who has his uses at this level but I always feel like he needs to be matched to the specifics of an opponent. Ultimately, Stephens, Wood, whoever else are second division players doing second division things. If they didn't have those sort of brainfarts then they wouldn't be playing at this level Chucking people in and out of the team after one bad/good game is the sort of crap that Will Still was doing and was (partly) why he lost the plot behind the scenes. Watford was bad but it is also one game out of 46, we don't have backup CBs who are better than Stephens so he should continue for now. If he has a honking run to start the season then yes, give somebody else a go. Overreacting and throwing someone onto the bench because they had a bad 45 minutes in the first game of the season is not good man management and I'd hope Eckert is better than that. I'd be more concerned if he started chopping and changing and using the most players in the division like Still was

I'm just being realistic and pragmatic. If you want to lose the dressing room then a sure-fire way to do it is over-punishing popular members of the dressing room for a mistake in the very first game of the season when the team as a whole was rusty and not firing Football management isn't just FIFA or FM where you select the team and press play, it's managing the group dynamics of a dressing room 24/7 and getting into it quickly with the long-term club captain after a summer where you're lucky to still have your job and your players prepared to publicly back you is probably not the smartest idea

I don't think you need to start performatively punishing people - let alone the popular captain and leader in the dressing room that has got behind you when you could've been sacked - because of one bad performance. Stephens will start and he should start. If he has a bad run of form then yes, sit him out then

Yeah. They said he was at his best when he gets on the ball in central areas behind a focal point who can hold it up / lay it off

Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning; Downes, Jander (if we can get a half out of him); Fellows, Azaz, Scienza; Larin Dobbin for Azaz after an hour to get close to Larin as he tires to make the most of the fresh legs

Charles is back, Oyekunle isn't on loan and Mubama is nowhere to be seen Graphic designer obviously knocked that one together a week or two ago then

Could always be worse...

Signed on a 4yr deal for a fee of £20m, so his balance is £10m as of the start of this season. If we got offered £30m (which seemingly is the sort of number we're looking for) then it's +£20m in the accounts (although you'd have a cut going to MCFC)

Club shop?

Eckert (and Spors) have spoken a lot about the importance of physicality (and height) in the spine of the team. Ronnie Edwards is under 6ft so I’m not surprised he wasn’t compatible for what they wanted. Ahmedhodzic has a reputation for being great on the ball and being able to step into midfield and spot a good pass, so that bodes well if the reporting today is accurate

You’ve got to live in the real world, though. Those fees aren’t happening

He won’t go unless the number starts with a 3 and he asks Saints to sell him

Celtic fans collectively shrugging at this news

Noticed that too. Lucas is the BBC Radio Stoke main presenter/commentator so he sees plenty of Stoke. He hasn't disclosed who he supports and I don't think he's actually a Stoke fan so his opinion is probably fairly balanced as someone who isn't a fan but watches all of the games in a professional capacity These were his comments for what it's worth, for anyone who didn't hear them: Feel like I can talk on this one having seen the bloke play for half of last season. He had a horror injury against QPR in January and then we didn't really see him in a Stoke City shirt after that. But early signs of Divin Mubama, really exciting for the Southampton fans. He's clearly a player with talent and quality. He showed it in glimpses, I would say, at Stoke City. I think once again he is an example of, and this is coming from someone who gets frustrated by Stoke having to bring in players on loan who've not had a lot or any Championship experience previously, but I think he proved that. He was sort of raw but he clearly knew where the net was. I think in a thriving, exciting team that can create lots of chances, he will find the back of the net. I think sometimes he had a habit of a bit of overthinking when it comes to wanting to make a good impression on what was his first senior loan. He clicked really well and found a really nice partnership with Sorba Thomas off the left and Million Manhoef from the right. So I wonder if gametime will be important for him in a Southampton shirt. But I think he's going to be better for having had that season, or half a season, in Championship football. When Stoke were a fit and firing team, they were a better team with him in it. I think the next thing for him is what he does when he's off the ball as well as when he's in chances that he could potentially score from. But I think there's no doubt about it, Divin Mubama is a really good pickup for a side like Southampton that will create lots of chances for a season.

We gave £22m to Rennes for Kamaldeen Sulemana so they owe us one with this James deal, send him our way!

Reminds me of these comments from the Wolves technical director Matt Jackson at the end of last season

Aren't they still £103m in debt? £303m for a League One club without debt is a huge commitment... I don't really see why anyone would try to complete a deal before it returns to being a Championship club and bringing the debt down some more