VectisSaint

Yoshida is certainly back, the Echo reported yesterday that Cedric was going to be back as well. No guarantee he actually arrived of course, but Hughes was certainly expecting him. Can't see he would be off, if he was surely we would have brought someone in in this area given we don't really even have a true backup (Reed and McQueen seem to be cover). Given the system Hughes is looking to play this position is critical to its success. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/16384770.southampton-manager-mark-hughes-has-maya-yoshida-and-cedric-soares-back/

Sounds like a made up story. Burnley still have 2 senior keepers, they may have others as well, can't really see why they would want to have 5 keepers on their books even with Europa League. Sun adding 2+2 and making 5. Would be good though.

Quite a few of these kids are u18s, Klarer for instance. Seem to be bringing the younger kids through that have done well under Danny Butterfield to boost the U23s that have been poor in the last couple of seasons.

Antrim who beat us went on to win the final (on pens) against Man U. Coverage seemed to focus only on Man U (how unusual).

Tadic is no god to me. Tadic was one of the triumvirate of Ams along with Boufal and Redmond who were the main reason for our awful season (along with our hopeless manager). A late flourish by Tadic helped improve his stock but I said during the season we should get rid of all three, and so far the club has at least achieved 2 out of 3. Back to the point, sorry but however you try to big him up JWP is never going to be more than a squad player for an average PL team. His goals and assists given his status as set piece taker is very poor, and that's why he is on the bench not because of it. Will be surprised if he is first choice under Hughes.

If you consider 3 goals (2 in one game) and 3 assists good, well then yes he was. Given he is the main free kick and corner taker (when he is on the pitch) 3 and 3 is really not that hot.

Chambers has played 105 games since he left us, 72 in the PL (Arsenal and Middlesbro).

Injured his ankle trying to pass the ball to a team-mate, something his ankle hadn't experienced before.

Sims is not blocking anyone in terms of squad. How about we actually play some of our a academy kids instead of continually bringing in Carlos Kickaballs who prove to be no better. If we can't bring players like Sims and Gallagher through what is the point of having an a academy? Any other country these kids would be in the team, but here no one has the balls to give them a chance.

Good luck to the Saints U15s tonight in the Junior section. Semi final v Antrim after winning all their group matches. Man Utd or Armagh in the Final tomorrow. Well done so far lads.

The SFC Black Box is not named from the black box on an aircraft (which is orange anyway). Black box is a science, computing or engineering term for a device or system which can be viewed in terms of its inputs and outputs without any knowledge of its internal workings. Its implementation is "opaque" (black).

Bologna: Skorupski (57’ Santurro); De Maio, Calabresi, Paz; Mbaye, Poli (46’ Kingsley), Pulgar, Donsah (57’ Falletti), Dijks (76’ Krejci); Falcinelli (76’ Avenatti), Destro (66’ Petkovic). Coach. F. Inzaghi. Southampton U-23: Rose; Valery, Klarer, Jones (46’ Rowthron), Vokins (77’ Davis); Smallbone, Hesketh (46’ Slattery), O’Connor; Barnes (63’ N’Lundulu), Obafemi (77’ Flannigan), Johnson. Coach. Jaidi. By the way just for clarity this was not Bologna U23s, it was their "first team", very early in their season preparations. Penalty and last minute 2nd goal. The goals were all the fault of Jack Stephens.

Its not as simple as that though is it. While Pellegrino was in charge our defence was average, or if you want to be pedantic very lightly below avearge. After 30 games we had the 12th best defensive record, and that was on the back of a 3-0 at Newcastle. Take out the 5-2 embarrassment against Spurs we were bang average. We fell below average after Hughes came in. 44 goals conceded after 30 games, thats 3 in every 2 games, really quite decent for anyone outside the top 6. Only conceding 1 or 2 goals per game is actually defensively good. Trouble was we were abject at scoring. Remeber also that up to the Spurs game we also had Forster in goal. So don't try tomake out we had a below average defence under Pellegrino, who as you say set us up to be defensively solid, we didn't we were pretty much average. Not forgetting also that for the first half of the season we also had van Dijk (who also gave goals away by his sloppy play). Our problems under Pellegrino (besides not scoring goals), was too often giving the ball away when we were in possession, indeed several goals were conceded from our abject play from our own corners, Tadic, Boufal, Redmond, Davis, Lemina, all guilty. Our CBs were usually in the area providing some of our most potent attacking options when the ball was givem away, you can't blame them for not being able to stop these goals, when they are doing what they should be and, in Stephens case at lease, being quite successful. The stats that you slate Tajjuk for stating (although actually he didn't really) were actually very relevant, and for those who care to actually review what went on are very telling, certainly not something to be dismissed in your patronising way.

Can't see why Gallagher won't be given the chance. Looks like it's Long who is going and who we will replace. Gallagher gives us something a bit different with his height and pace, has proved himself capable of getting goals even in very poor teams and will get his chance this season given that Chas won't be fit for 38 games or 90 minutes. Have no idea if Wellbeck is serious, but would be a big upgrade on Long. Shame Long is going but you can't persist with one of your 4 strikers only scoring 1 per season. Little surprised if he goes to Rangers rather than Celtic.

Given Long was not in the squad today, does that suggest that he is on his way out? Could be injured of course. We have 3 to come back from the WC, with the 21 players there today (excluding Josh Sims who is an u21) that would seem to be our squad for this season (yes, even with Classie). Long's absence would suggest we are possibly looking to bring one in up front.

So did Osvaldo. 3 in 13 was a better rate that Richarlison's 5 in 38. Carrillo on the other hand. I don't get it when people try to make out Osvaldo wasn't a good player, he was, just that he was also a head case, nutjob, whatever you like to call it. Would have Richarlison for breakfast, metaphorically and literally.

It is a training exercise, that's what pre-season friendlies are all about. We have another 3 yet to ramp it up. Unbelievable the wrist splitters on here (not you). Sounds like our main problem has been lack of protection from the MF (again) which exposes the defence, never really sorted that since the days of Morgan and Vic.

Good, only need to get rid of Redmond now and bring in a new winger/AM and things will look good. The sources of our problems last season now 80% gone (Tadic, Boufal, Carrillo and Pellegrino), one to go. No time for Boufal, talented individual, but adds nothing to the team, all about self in a team game.

Vestegaard unlikely to have much involvement in this game, maybe a few minutes (according to Hughes), certainly won't be playing 90 minutes. Gunn also unlikely to feature much. Cedric, Yoshida and Bednarek not even back from their holidays yet, they will be struggling to make the first game of the season I would suspect. Without 3 of our CBs guess we will not play 3 at the back, maybe Stephens and Hoedt will play most of the 90 in a back 4, unless he wants to play Bertie on the left of a back 3, but don't see the point. Hopefully Hughes won't play Davis in a DM position either, but where he is good, i.e. behind the striker in a more advanced role, swapping him for Armstrong at HT.

What's it got to do with the FA. The Southampton Academy is for Southampton FC, nothing to do with England or the FA. If we have to get kids for the Academy from abroad because there are so few talented kids coming through in this country then so be it, do the best for the Club. Do you seriously think we should not have had Gareth Bale in the Academy? Saints have "always" thought outside the box a little because of the limitations put on us in the past of geographic location and not finding many good youngsters in the Solent. To be honest its difficult to name many kids who came through who made it who were from Southampton. If the FA want to ensure that kids are developed for the England team then they should set up their own Academy/ies without club affiliations.

33 league games, and he was injured suggests that maybe you are talking ********. Christ on a bike I do wonder about some of the muppets on here, then I try to remember that they are (mostly) Saints supporters.

Talk is cheap

SD have not made an offer, their advertisement on the web site is an "invitation to treat". You make the offer, and SD can refuse to sell. Basic English Contract Law. By the way, the shirts (well the one I bought anyway) do not come with SD tags, in fact they come with Southampton FC tags, including (in my case) one for the full price and one at a sale price, which I find quite odd, when have the 2018/19 shirts been in a sale? It does make you wonder whether these are seconds or more likely returns.