washsaint

Batman - you truly are a piece of work. Don't you wish we were Everton or Stoke......in fact, why don't you bugger off and support them? So what would you class as a sign of ambition? Keeping Wanyama and letting him go on a free next season? Keeping Mane and getting a low value next year when he clearly would not sign a new contract? Keep your mate Pelle who is at the tail end of his career and not got almost double what we paid for him (not to mention him getting a 260K per year contract)? Every time you post trash like this it makes you look like a complete tool.

This would lock down the core of our team and would be outstanding.....would mean any sales (if any) next year would be on our terms not with the club held over a barrel.

Batman wtf - regress on the defensive side if we don't replace Mane? The defence is not the concern. 3 of the usual back 4 were not playing today and Pierre looks, albeit early, an upgrade on Wanyama. If anything I think we'll be more solid at the back than last year. It is up front I am concerned about - chances look like they will be few and far between.

Its all very well being very supportive and positive (which I normally am - the CLub has done wonders these last few years). However, that should not blind you to what is right in front of you. Of course pre-season is not the be all and end all. But do you not find it worrying that against average opposition Saints have created maybe 3 or 4 chances in the last 2 games? With players like Austin receiving the ball deep in our own half - not in the box where he is predatory - this is not going to create chances. Tadic looked terrible today - I just hope Puel is flexible in his tactics and thinking but from his past that does not necessarily seem to be the case.

I thought the younger players looked better than a lot of the established players. Pierre, Hesketh, Reed, Jones, Stephens all looked good. The system seems too rigid and predictable and will likely be easy for other teams to close down. Strikers playing really deep won't result in many goals. I truly hope there is better to come because we have created so little in this pre-season.

Valery also looks quite a prospect - crying out for a real #10 though. Tadic was awful today

Very impressed with Hesketh...great tracking back and lovely cross for the goal

Hesketh and Reed have looked good....certainly better than Clasie and JWP 1st half

Really dislike this style of play....chances will really be at a premium if we continue in this rigid style. Absolutely nothing be created from open play.

JWP and Tadic terrible so far. Only pre-season but not a lot to cheer the cockles of the heart yet. Obviously we are missing Bertrand and Cedric but the full backs playing now just don't have the quality to play in this system. Certainly would not say this is an attacking style of play. Dull would be a better word.

Clasie looking good but I can see us really struggling to create much this season. Seem to have no oomph in an attacking sense: all looks pretty but then nothing of any note in the final third.

Hi Guan.......question for you (unrelated to transfers in as we'll find out soon enough) is what you know of the mood in the camp and how the players are finding Puel and his methods. be fascinated to know how this may differ from thoughts/feelings re. Koeman

The winter where he went nearly 20 games (i think) without scoring and where Koeman dropped him.

Oh dear......do you not do irony MLG? I think you will find that Turkish was taking the p**s out of the hysterical tarts on here that always seem to think the sky is falling in.

Well I'm glad that's sorted then. 'I'll scream and I'll scream until I make myself sick' - why are there so many bedwetting hysterical tarts on here? Substantially weaker squad my arse.......we have a very good squad and just how many players per position is anyone expecting? How do you keep players happy when they are not playing? We have a very strong midfield and anyone who has forgotten that Mane went MIA for 6 months last season is deluded. If you cannot get excited by what you have seen of Redmond so far it's probably because a) hes not foreign b) he didn't cost 20 million. Were you one of the hysterical tarts over the last 2 seasons as well whining about going backwards? In case anyone has forgotten we have signed 6-7 of our key players to very long term contracts which is progression in its own right.

WSS - I absolutely love my Giant Defy (carbon) which is a pleasure to ride and is built for endurance. Recently I rode a Specialized Roubaix - and this was mustard (carbon with disc brakes and electronic gear shifting). Not sure if UK prices are the same in pounds as we pay in dollars though (suspect they are). Apparently Giant makes most of the popular brand bikes (which I never knew) including Bianchi, Trek and Specialized (not sure if all models or only certain models).

Certainly very early days but somewhat concerned. My daughter plays youth soccer and they seem to play in a very similar style to Puel. Play it short out of the back, high press and move the ball quickly. All fine and dandy, but as I've seen in the last 2 friendlies, Saints have the same issue as her (very good) team do.....solid defensively, some of the build up play is a joy to watch but chances are at an absolute premium and without a predatory goal scorer games will be very low scoring. Certainly in todays game there were virtually zero opportunities created.

Yes I am quite sure.....unless Clasie suddenly has grown red hair and is wearing number 18.

Reed doing very well so far - impressive range of passing too.

Likewise VFTT......take it easy and don't rush it. Plenty of time for getting back on the bike.

I thought McQueen looked good, Reed was tidy and Jones looked promising as did the Nigerian with unpronouncable name. Whether any of them are ready for the 1st team is a different story.

Another week, another State, this time Oregon. Hired a lovely bike and although feeling under the weather did a couple of rides. Did the long slow climb (20+ miles) from Bend to Mt Bachelor. Around 3,000 feet of climbing but actually found it rather boring as it was all within the tree line. Not used to climbing constantly for 10+ miles and this one was tough to keep motivated. Views of the Cascades at the end made the ride worthwhile but Mt Evans is going to take some beating. Could really live out West - great climate, people and riding opportunities.

VVD, JWP, Bertrand, Davis, Forster.....and hopefully Tadic and Long too. Not too bad and shows your statement to be hopelessly wrong. If a player wants to go they'll go - if they believe in the project they'll stay: or go for mega bucks based on the longer contracts in play.

Jeez....what a miserable, cynical bunch on here. Luke has always come across well and seems a decent young guy. So what if it is on Man U letterhead? I'd hate to be as cynical as some of you - bet you're a blast to be around!

Not strictly Saints related but came across a letter that Luke Shaw wrote to a set of new parents who tragically lost another kid a while back .He is a class act and Saints did a great job in helping raise him the right way. Yet another example that Saints don't just coach youngsters to be good players but ensure they are good human beings too.