Matthew Le God

Part 2 of Puel's press conference today (was embargoed until 10:30pm tonight as usual for the written press to use in paper's the day before a game) [video=youtube;QMBT4l_9-zc] His English has improved over recent weeks. More variety in tone, joking a little and only occasional use of translator.

We are starting to get the hang of it now! Like all system's they take a while to gel, but thing really look like they are starting to click in the previously much derided diamond system. Even in the Watford, Man Utd, Sunderland & Arsenal games although the results weren't great we were still playing well. The player now look like they are getting to grips with it and can cause teams a lot of problems and look comfortable defensively as well.

I think it might be...

Stephens regularly trains with the 1st team and Jones doesn't. Stephens along with Reed & Hesketh were notable absentees from the under 23 team last night which suggests they'll be involved tomorrow.

He can be seen in video of the squad training today.

Hesketh, Stephens & Reed omitted from under 23 team tonight, all played in the last match. Under 23 team playing tonight, so these players are probably unlikely to play 2 days later vs Palace....

That is because some Saints fans write-off the performance of a player on the basis of one or two events within the game and don't look at the game as a whole. Redmond apart from two very poor misses played very well today and Swansea struggled to cope with him running at them.

No they don't. The BBC say "Jay Rodriguez will be monitored after picking up an injury in that match". That is not the same as saying he is out of the game. Puel said in his press conference that they need to check him to see if he is available.

Where have you got that quote from? Can you link to it?

Bizarre how many Saints fans have already written him off.

I think Puel will go with... Forster Cedric Fonte van Dijk Bertrand Romeu Davis Clasie Tadic Redmond Rodriguez He made 7 changes yesterday for a reason, that reason probably to save the majority of his preferred XI for the Swansea game. Not to start the majority of players that played on Thursday twice in quick succession. In today's press conference he hinted Rodriguez may be a doubt, so Long or Austin in for him.

Did you not watch the Arsenal game? For the vast majority of it we didn't play with a diamond in midfield.

We train academy players to play for the first team. Investing in Staplewood and the academy is for the benefit of the club. Plus we are spending money on the first team. People remain too focused on transfer net spend. I think it is very likely the 14 new senior player contracts (6 new + 8 improved) this season will have increased our wage bill. Plus you have signicant signing on fees, agent fees etc which are often overlooked by fans.

The extension is for the academy, not the 1st team. Look at the floor plans and it is for classrooms, academy gym, academy offices etc.

No it isn't. They haven't built phase 2 of Staplewood yet. This extension to the main pavillion has planning permission but construction hasn't started...

It would be foolish to stop a transfer just because a player will miss August & September. He is on a contract until 2021. Take a step back from the tree and look at the wood as the club have done. p.s. it hasn't been the Premiership since 2007

You haven't managed it yet! The top flight of English football was last called the Premiership 9 years ago in 2007.

It is probably best we didn't start turning on our players after press rumours. From the man himself on social media...

Of course it is goals and winning that matters. But our performances really haven't been as bad as some have been making out. We've dominated possession in all 3 games, had a lot of shots on goal and not had many on our goal. I don't think we are far away from really clicking and adding Boufal to the side should increase our attacking threat.

Yes I do, but you conveniently forget those occasions as it doesn't fit the narrative. But would you agree the club are likely to be thinking along similar lines to what I suggested?

I covered that in the first sentence of the opening post.

Boufal - Mané Højbjerg - Wanyama Redmond - Juanmi McCarthy - Stekelenburg Taylor - Davis Austin* - Pellè Pied** - Martina Some Saints fans claim "all we are doing is replacing", but... you are only allowed 25 senior players. What is the alternative to replacing players one in, one out when you can't use senior player 26 or 27? Why are people so quick to dismiss the possibility that for example Boufal, Redmond & Højbjerg may be improvements. Seems extremely premature to rule that out so soon after they've arrived. People also say "upgrade Yoshida and/or Gardos. But is that really that easy to do? Centre backs unlike other positions are less likely to have rotation, you would want van Dijk and Fonte playing 90 minutes. It is therefore difficult to attract a better player than two internationals like Yoshida/Gardos who would be happy to play second fiddle to van Dijk and Fonte. Grades was back in training before the Man Utd game and is 4th choice, with multiple promising young academy centre backs below him. * the club told Jeremy Wilson in the Telegraph that Austin signing was pre-empting Pellè's departure ** injured so Martina possibly staying

How do "decent Championship strikers" score 18 Premier League goals for a dreadful QPR relegated team that created few chances for him?