The Kraken

The problem they have is that party members are way more in favour of Truss, despite the fact she’s a completely vacuous moron. If Truss makes final two I think she gets in. And then, well, fucking fuck me.

Feels like Southampton is through the worst of it. It was 34 when I was driving round earlier but seems to be around 28 now, pretty cloudy, and the temperature dropping. At this rate I may have to wear a sweatshirt to play golf in tomorrow Ffs. At least the temperature inside will be acceptable tonight, will get those upstairs windows open later for some cool, cool air. Edit: and now it’s pissing it down.

Well, it’s all about the match sharpness and getting game time. The particular stand out, which all are saying and will surprise nobody, is that we are toothless going forwards. Signings incoming but the two friendlies kind of signify that we are very short up top so that needs to happen very soon. Second half team was much stronger than the first half team. Not particularly inspiring so far. But the next 3 games are a decent challenge and you’d think Ralph will be getting closer to starting his first team in them. So we’ll see where he goes.

I’m not sold on Aribo yet, but he looks like the type of player who might be better in a quicker, tighter, more intense game. These two games have certainly not been that so it’s tough to tell.

Talking of which….aside from the penalty save, has either keeper had a save to make?

Starting to wonder if Ralph’s idea for his first team is a 3-5-2 with Romeu, Lavia and JWP as a middle 3.

Yeah, this it. Like you say, too early to tell but I can’t see immediately that the transfers in are better than the current incumbents (except Bazunu). We’ve also lost Broja and Long and not replaced them yet. So that will be a massively important factor, just getting someone of Broja’s quality won’t be easy.

Awful penalty.

Armstrong has to ping that first time.

Yeah same. Looked ok in some pictures but I’m not a fan seeing it now, not quite enough red in it.

Looks like a complete change of personnel. If my stream wasn’t so shit I might be able to make out who is actually playing.

I think Saints need to find a way to keep Oriol Romeu at peak fitness throughout the season. Hopefully having Lavia will do that and allow OR some rest in between games as he proved last season, he can’t play 90 minutes effectively every week. In that half he was IMO our stand out player, just keeps things ticking and breaks play up. A very effective player. Smallbone did alright, Edwards looked lively, not much else stood out. Disappointed with Diallo, just can’t impose himself. Being as we’ve got a mini crisis at full back, I wonder if he can do a job there, cos he’s not really doing one in the middle of the pitch.

Yep, like the look of him. Very raw but always looking to do something positive. He’s not ready for a starting first team yet but hopefully a few cup games and sub appearances to come in the season ahead. The only issue is where will he play, he looks like he’d thrive in a central role in behind the striker(s).

It’s not the players, it’s how far up the field the wing backs are. Seems very deliberate of the system itself, I’m not criticising the players (though Thierry Small is a bit out his depth just now, needs time to develop).

I was thinking that! We’ll concede tons of goals with this system. Diallo hits the bar, nice move, should score there.

It’s an early pre season friendly, they’re always awful. The later ones aren’t much better either.

We are getting absolutely burnt down our left side.

Yeah not the best stream. We’re very much playing with 3 at the back, but we have no presence out wide so looking very vulnerable especially on the break.

Looks like this Austrian outfit play in purple, so likely we’ll see our new home kit tonight.

Seems to be Diamond Edwards in a wing back role, according to the way it’s been listed by the club. I thought he was more of an attacking player. We’ll see soon I guess. Does seem strange that Bazunu is not going to get any game time.

Sometimes you’ve got to do it, but I can play my course any time I want so I’ve rescheduled for Wednesday when it’s a more reasonable temperature. My folks have got a holiday apartment on the south coast of Spain, I go there a bit, last time was in May and I played golf at a cracking course called Los Arqueros (Seve designed) when it was 32 degrees. It was actually ok, but only insofar as we had a buggy (it’s 90% buggies down there as it’s so hilly and spread out). Don’t think I’d have made it walking.

Currently 27 degrees in Southampton, only scheduled to get to 30 today and tomorrow so looks like we’ll miss the worst of it here on the coast. Go inland a few miles and it goes up, Winchester heading for 34/35 today. Whatever, I’m glad I cancelled playing golf today, a bit too warm.

Don’t be a dick. Literally nobody is suggesting todays game is a big indication of too much. It’s just early feedback on a game people watched, and providing opinions on it. Kind of the purpose of a fans forum. Our starting lineup won’t be anything like what we started with today, in the first or second halves, it’s just a bit of discussion about those who played. Nothing more.

Has she scored more than Harry Kane though?

Got a knock in training, as announced by the club pre game.