Matthew Le God

The bar for an academy player to reach our first team keeps rising and has done further since he made those comments in 2013/14. In order for an academy player to start in the Saints first team they are competing with the largest number of international players the club has ever had. They will therefore need more time to develop to the level required and well picked loans will help give them first team game time and experience. Saints gave debuts to 5 academy players in the Premier League last season (plus also have Gallagher, Reed & Ward-Prowse who had debuts in previous seasons) and have large number of academy players regulary training with the first team, how many other Premier League sides did that? Let alone that finished in the top half of the league whilst doing so.

He talked about youth player loans during the 2013/14 season on Sky's Footballers' Football Show. http://www1.skysports.com/watch/tv-shows/footballers-football-show/news/9207235/footballers-football-show-les-reed-reveals-secret-behind-southamptons-youth-success http://podcasts.skysports.com/podcasts/SkySportsFootballersFootballShow/FFS_SKYGO_100314.mp3 The alternative for Stpehens is to return to Saints under 21s after a season of regular first team football at Swindon. He needs to be tested at a higher level and returning back to under 21 football and 5th choice for Saints won't do that. Turnbull & Stephens out on loan again, McCarthy & Wood playing for Saints under 21s.

If Koeman uses it for gametime in pre-season for those not starting the Europa League games, then perhaps Saints may line-up like this... Koeman has already stated Rodriguez will start. It could be useful to give the likes of Ward-Prowse, Reed, Caulker, Juanmi, Martina, Long & Rodriguez a game if they won't start on Thursday vs Vitesse or Sunday vs Newcastle.

I think Turbull will be loaned out again as well. It would be a backward step in his development for him to return to Saints after a season of 3rd tier football and play for the under 21s again. Perhaps ending up with centre backs of... - Fonte - van Dijk - Caulker - Yoshida - Gardos (long term injury) - Turnbull & Stephens out on loan in the Championship/top of League One. - McCarthy & Wood playing for the under 21's and acting as 5th choice for the 1st team.

The general point still stands that the number is low, its hard to see Wickham getting to such levels.

The variation in the number of games Saints could play this season is huge. It could be in the early 40's or close to 70. A 20 goal striker who played 40 games has a lot better record than one played in 60+ games. A "20 goal striker" sounds good, but you need context on it which is why generally it is only used as a term for league games. Plus you then have the variation in standard of opponent, which is less if you only look at league games.

Its rare for someone to talk of a "15 goal striker" or "20 goal striker" etc and be referring to all competitions. Its generally a phrase for league competitions only, given the huge variation in both number of possible matches and standard of the opponent you play if you include all competitions.

I think its likely Turnbull and Stephens will both be loaned out again. They've already outgrown under 21 football and to return to it after both being regulars for a good League 1 side last season isn't going to help their development. They need a Championship loan now to test themselves at a higher level. Jason McCarthy being on the bench last night for the 1st team perhaps indicates something may happen soon. McCarthy will probably have another season as under 21 captain and if we sign another centre back, McCarthy will be the 5th choice option getting his game time for the under 21s, with Turnbull and Stephens out on loan in the Championship/top of League One.

They have the cheek to call it "innovative"! There is very little incentive in anyone using the Pompey scheme compared to the Saints one, if the Pompey fans don't benefit financially from it. They'd be better off giving it to a friend/relative or selling it themselves.

"Easily"? Last season only 5 players scored 15 or more Premier League goals... Aguero Costa Kane Austin Sanchez 15+ Premier League strikers are rare.

That hasn't been made clear... Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC 2h2 hours ago #SaintsFC’s trip to champions @ChelseaFC on Saturday 3rd October will now kick off at 5.30pm BST. Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC 2h2 hours ago However, if #SaintsFC reach the @EuropaLeague group stage, they will travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday 4th October at 12pm BST.

The same can be done with other Saints players as the "Mad" website stores a database of lots of players. It in no way connects the player to Birmingham. For example... James Ward-Prowse - http://www.birminghamcity-mad.co.uk/southampton/player/career/james_wardprowse_101178/index.shtml Matthew Targett - http://www.birminghamcity-mad.co.uk/southampton/player/career/matt_targett_9501379/index.shtml

If Saints make the group stage of the Europa League the Chelsea game changes to Sunday 4th October at 12:00.

Plural! So a player plus his agent or multiple players?

Who should we blame?

Who should we blame for no alcohol tonight at St Mary's?

[video=youtube;59k-61SIdJc]

It doesn't show any live video of games. It has... - live radio commentary from BBC Radio Solent - 10 minute video highlights of games with retrospective neutral commentary - 15-30 minute video highlights with BBC Radio Solent commentary put over the top - an archive of video highlights from past seasons Pre-match press conferences, manager interviews, player interviews and youth team games are available for free on Saints Youtube channel.

Quite often when Koeman is asked about players and he isn't interested in them he dismisses the rumour completely. Although he didn't confirm interest in van Dijk, he doesn't do his usual thing of ruling it out... https://audioboom.com/boos/3418815-ronald-koeman-talks-to-adam-blackmore-about-signing-steven-caulker-others

Quite often when Koeman is asked about players and he isn't interested in them he dismisses the rumour completely. Although he didn't confirm interest in van Dijk, he doesn't do his usual thing of ruling it out... https://audioboom.com/boos/3418815-ronald-koeman-talks-to-adam-blackmore-about-signing-steven-caulker-others

Adam Blackmore ‏@bigadamsport 13m13 minutes ago #saintsfc @RonaldKoeman: "I still want two or three more players - we need competition for places".

Monk thinks he is the main target... Alderweireld = van Dijk Gardos (injured) = Caulker

Thats not unusual for a loan like this.

We have Cedric Soares and Cuco Martina as right backs.

You are, as if he qualified as an under 15 in 2015/16 he wouldn't be able to sign as a 1st year scholar. Plus his DOB makes him too old to be an under 16 this season. He was playing up year groups last season, as he was technically an under 16 but played for the under 18s and under 21s.