Dan Johnson

I'm really enthusiastic about him as manager. For the first time in however long, I look at the team sheet at the beginning of every game since he's taken charge, and think "Well thank fuck, he's picking the best players in the best positions" It's been so long since that's happened. We have a settled 11, every one of us could predict the line up for Tuesday night, injuries aside, and that's been a massive reason for his success so far. Our intensity and tempo is exactly how I want us to play, I absolutely love it. For those mentioning his game management... We have, however, gone to pieces in a number of the games while he's been in charge, once substitutions are made, we lose our shape and our momentum, but thankfully by that point in the last few games we've been 2/3 goals to the good because of how Tonda has set out the team, I also think he's doing the right thing and protecting our most important players for the next games. He is\was, at the moment, hampered by the fact that a few players are injured who would make our bench stronger. Aribo has made us weaker every time he comes on, but once Charles is back I expect Aribo to lose his spot and that substitution to have less of an impact on the game. Romeu is still gaining match fitness, making that sub will eventually be less risky. Roerslev and Jelert coming back will improve the options we have to change our wing backs, as the game draws on, with 5 at the back Fellows and Manning tire and invite pressure, at the moment we are having to rely on Robinson taking that position and I think he makes us substantially weaker defensively, so once he has other wing backs available I think those subs will have less of an impact. Archer back means we don't have to rely too much on Damion Downs anymore, and we can stick to the style of play we start with, when Armstrong is replace rather than having to adapt our game to play with a less mobile\taller striker, so I expect that sub to have less of an impact too. Potentially we could also look to utilize Edozie to replace Leo later in games too. So while I do worry about how performance levels drop in the second half, I do think that's because we play such high tempo stuff that players tire and we need to utilize our bench which is considerably weaker at the moment than it will be in a few weeks when we have everyone back, so Tondas hands are tied at the moment, but i expect that to improve as players return.

Steven Davis for me by an absolute country mile, one of the most consistent and intelligent footballers we've had, the perpetual unsung hero. Criminally underrated. A constant when we finished 8th, 7th, 6th and 8th in consecutive seasons. If he was Italian or Spanish he'd have been revered as a premier league legend and would have been playing consistently for a top 6 club week in week out. Poch compared him to Xavi and Iniesta, thats how good he was.

Solid last night, that save after we were 1-0 was one of the best he's made at a crucial part of the game, big part of the result going the way it did last night.

Context is important, I think. Stats wise, Puel was one of our better managers, however in the Context of following Koeman, Poch and Adkins, who most would probably have in the top 5/6 of Saints managers over the last 20 years, Puel was a tough pill to swallow. Being a successful manager is as much about winning the hearts and minds of the supports, as it is about getting results. Every time this club has had periods of success, it's when the fans have bought into the managers philosophy, playing style and personality. By the time Puel was appointed, Poch had established himself as one of the best managers in English football, Koeman had over seen our most success spell in our premier league era and we were a club on an upward trajectory, we could have attracted a real big name, a proven manager at that stage, to follow 2 of the best managers in English football at that stage, but we went with a relatively unknown and the whole fan base was massively under whelmed. Puel, despite his results, has become a euphemism for the enthusiasm being taken out the sails of most Saints fans, it contributed to a lack of harmony amongst fans and a de-acceleration of our momentum, for me he will always be considered a failure for that very reason, despite results.

Avoid defeat against Leicester and he's in, I'd no longer be unhappy about it either, todays performance was the best we've played since Koeman

Probably the best half of football I have seen us play since Koeman was in charge, utterly dominant. Not only that, the way we played, the directness, the positivity the energy levels are exactly how I'd want us to play as well. Blow teams away in the first 20 minutes and then play out the rest of the game. Absolutely scintillating stuff!!! Have to give a shout out to some players. Adam Armstrong, my MOTM, WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!! that might be the best I have ever seen him in a saints shirt, just wow, dangerous going forward, tracking back, defensively excellent, released the ball quickly and with purpose, great running off the ball. Just all round superb from him today!!! Azaz, that's the player I'd hoped for, cultured, composed, ran the game for the first 20 minutes. Probably should have had a hattrick but looked every part a £12m player today. Built on his performance against Sheff Wed and again his best performance in a saints shirt. Fellows, Best performance again in a Saints shirt, looks dangerous every time he gets to the by line, really really excited to see more from him. Scienza, what a play we have on our hands, his influence on the game was absolutely massive, his directness and willingness to run causes sooo many problems, he's the player I'd hoped Tyler Dibling would be, but he's better with better decision making! Jander and Bragg, ran the midfield today, some great interceptions great balance, great energy, superb. Manning, think he gets unnecessary stick sometimes (others its deserved) but he's our best option at Left back by some way and he was excellent again today. Back 3 where solid, wood lost the ball more than I would have liked but they didnt look troubled all afternoon. Baz - could do nothing about the goal that was down to poor marking. Exceptional Performance, I'm all for Eckert getting the job if the performances in the last 3 games are anything to go by. We've seen resilience against QPR, professionalism against Sheff Wed and absolute utter class today!!!

He's 6.2ft, one of our best ever keepers Antti Niemi, was 6.1ft, So I dont think his heights an issue, although I agree that physically he could probably do with bulking out a bit, getting stronger and more powerful, so arguably that could come with age and muscle maturity which tends to peak between 25-35. Ultimately whether I'm right or wrong about whether he becomes a good keeper later in his career is largely irrelevant, as we've got him at 23 and that's what matters to us as Saints fans at the moment and like I said, we've persisted with him enough to the point it's probably best for his career and our sanity that we look for a replacement and he moves on to a fresh challenge. I do hope we get Ramsdale back in, if we put together a good run between now and when the transfer window re-opens he maybe tempted back by the challenge of getting us promoted, if we're still languishing at the bottom of the table I'd say that's probably not going to happen and we'd need to get someone else in. For what it's worth, I dont feel comfortable with either Baz or McCarthy in goal, maybe we can get them to run into each other really fast at the training ground in the hope they merge into 1 better all round combined keeper

I agree, which is why my original post mentioned we've persisted with him enough now and its time to look into alternatives, but we have to support him until we have an alternative in house because I dont think there's much difference between McCarthy and Bazunu, I hope that we get Ramsdale back in January as he's not playing.

He's occasionally made some world class saves for us and he seems to be a good reactionary keeper, that save against Wrexham earlier this season was top draw. His worst attributes seem to be his positional sense (thinking back to some examples, like the 3rd goal we conceded against Huddlesfield in the champ last time around) and decision making, Wednesday nights goal for example. Both of those things I think will improve with age and experience. At 23 he probably questions his own ability at times, which seems to result in a lack of confidence\over compensation of decisions and results in those poor decision like Wednesday night. I think as you get older, just in life in general, you start to understand what you're good at, you become more self confident and self assured and I think we'll see that reflected in his performances when he gets into his early 30s. David James used to be called "Calamity James" because of similar mistakes in his 20s, his best years were probably from 34 onwards where he was easily one of the best keepers in the country by that point.

He looks low on confidence, as does everyone else. I think we've probably persisted enough and we all realise that he's not going to be the keeper we'd have hoped at this stage of his career. I suspect when he's in his 30s and he's more experienced he'll be a top keeper but right now he looks too Shakey. However, will continue to support him until we have an alternative in. I hope with Ramsdale not getting any games at Newcastle, that his Loan can be cancelled and we can tempt him back in January

Agreed that he put himself about more last night than previously. Felt out of the 3 Subs, Aribo, Azaz and Downs, he was the better of the 3. Criminal ball from Azaz when Downs had got himself in the right position.

I think the only thing lower than our confidence right now, is Bonnie Blues Cervix. That was a terrible watch, Scienzas absolute stunner aside. BUT!! We've been crying out for this team to show some fight for the last few months and at least tonight we've seen that. Granted some of that fight we showed, we were punching ourselves in the head, plums and stomach but we've at least shown it!! A win on Saturday, a 2 week international break for the pressure cooker to die down and hopefully we can steadily see some confidence return.

Completely Agree.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Southampton_F.C._managers 9th best Win% of Saints Managers @45.21%, longest unbeaten run in Saints History, proven Championship experience and success, really dont understand the absolute hate some Saints Fans have for this man??!!? I'd welcome him back. Only 3 recent managers with better win %. Koeman @48.35% Pardew @53.13% Adkins @54.03% Martin has a better win % than Hoddle, Lawrie McMenemy, Pochettino, Strachan, Hassenhuttl, Alan Ball Didnt work in the Prem but we got worse after he left us, so cant soley be blamed for that.

Haaland maybe the best thing to happen to the future of English football, all be it we may have to wait for 10 years to see the impact. At the moment we seem to have players who grew up wanting to play in false 9 positions, inside left forwards etc. With Haaland we finally see a physical beast who concentrates purely on scoring goals, lets hope the majority of 9\10 year olds watching football these days want to grow up to be a Haaland, then, in 10 years, we may find a few more Ricky Lamberts in the lower leagues.

Abject. THB at fault for goals 2 & 3. Bazunu terrible for Goal 1 Downs useless. Azaz Terrible. embarrassing defeat, Hull conceded 11 goals in the last 4 and we’ve hardly tested their goal keeper

100% agree. I'd rather have the VVDs, Manes, Lavias, Livramento for 2 seasons than not at all. If we want to be an ambitious club, we need to sign ambitious players, as part of that process the clubs trajectory maybe slower than a players and the player wants to move on.

Almost certainly this.

Reports West Brom in for him as a fellows replacement https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2025/08/29/west-brom-now-in-talks-to-sign-brazilian-forward-as-tom-fellows-replacement/

Yeah I agree, thought the ball could have been better from Charles. Also agree about the partnership with Archer, they were busy all night and caused problems. I'm looking forward to seeing him more to be honest.

Omari Kellyman would be a player i'd be looking at to take on loan

Hoping to see at least another 6 more leave. Bella-Kotchap Edozie Ben Brenton Diaz Will Smallbone Joe Aribo Charlie Taylor Would expect to see 3 then come in. Accomplished Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder and a winger

Smallbone to Wrexham being reported for £7.5m https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/25413549.championship-rivals-reportedly-make-7-5m-transfer-bid-smallbone/ Hopefully frees up a midfield position in the squad. I’d love us to try for Josh Brownhill a solid goal scoring midfielder. fofana from Chelsea maybe an attacking option, was on loan at Goztepe last season.

We have The Chain of ffp around us, remember.

I think in general there’s a trickle down effect in play, bigger transfers for the bigger clubs seem to always happen at the beginning of the window. That then gives the middle tier clubs who have sold players, money to spend, they buy off the lower middle tier, who in turn buy off the top of the lower tier etc etc. there’s also allot of brinkmanship going on, players holding out for moves in the hope something else comes up later in the window which slows down the process. Ramsdale is probably the perfect example, he probably has offers (like Sunderland) that are currently on ICE in the hope something better comes along. Maybe Man Utd offload their keeper later in the window and go for ramsdale, maybe Utd buy Martinez and Villa becomes and option for Ramsdale…. Maybe none of that happens and Sunderland is his best option but maybe they got feed up of waiting and have bought someone else. i think it’s unavoidable that all business is done towards the end of the window, unless you’re one of the big clubs with the biggest draw and most money. even Newcastle have come out this week and said how their window hasn’t gone to plan because the players they chase either move elsewhere or they’re priced out, they have way more money and draw than we do