The Kraken

I very much hope you’re correct MLG. I watched the first two pre season games and thought he didn’t look sharp, but his best moments of those games seemed to me to be when the game got a bit of tempo to it and he was in faster, tighter situations. I only saw the second half tonight but I very much liked what I saw from him, I was impressed. Against proper PL sides in a league game is another level yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do. Hopefully lots. Romeu second half also looked to be playing more forward than previously too.

Even you must have enjoyed the second half, misery guts?

Yep, interested to see what he can do. In the first two games I thought he was off the pace and didn’t get involved enough. But the thing that struck me most is that he seemed to be at his best when the game actually got to a high tempo (which was rare) and he was working in tight situations. I’ve only seen the second half tonight but he definitely looks like a player. A bit of a unit too.

I didn’t see the watford game, but certainly in the first two games in Austria it very much looked like we were going three at the back, with the wingbacks filling the midfield. Most noticeably in the first half against Klagsnfurt in the first half with Small on the left and Edwards on the right (or Smallbone covering) it was very much 5 in midfield when attacking. Against Leipzig, Small was caught offside about 3 or 4 times. Djenepo against Leipzig was in their half more than he was in ours. And there were comments about how KWP linked up with Aribo. So, I think the intent is to have a 3 when in possession, and scuttle back to a 5 when defending. The problem, IMO, is just that it hasn’t worked. We looked massively vulnerable at times in both games at the back, particularly with big spaces down the flanks (no surprise). Time and again Klagenfurt roasted us in the space down the left. And, again IMO, having a 5 in midfield seemed to slow the whole play down going forward (friendlies are slow anyway) so that the opposition could easily reset themselves. In honesty, I’ve been trying so far only to focus on individual player performances rather than the team. The games are too slow and lacking in intensity to get a real feel for how the shape will work. Perhaps with a more intense workout in the final two games and more of a focus on the intended first team getting more of a run out, it’ll start to click. But, yeah, so far I’m not overly confident in the system either offensively or defensively.

The Swedish keeper might not sleep too well tonight

Oh dear. Nuts!

Correct. And I simply don’t believe Ralph had some grand plan to have him as his starting wing back, I agree that Saints have likely been looking to get rid of him.

Indeed Jamie, come one England!

🤷‍♂️

They play at Totton’s ground but have a small number of games at St Mary’s (I think 2 or 3 last season). The article below says that next season there will be “more” games at St Mary’s than before. https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-07-07/st-marys-womens-home-matches-announcement-july-2022

You could apply that statement to literally any topic on here about Southampton Football Club.

Perhaps not always in the premier league, but Cole Palmer in particular last season springs to mind. Checking in wiki, he played in a total of 11 games last season in all competitions (I remember him doing well in an FA cup tie on TV). Talk is that, particularly with Sterling gone, Palmer is lined up for more minutes this season. James McAtee also featured in 6 games. Most other youth got 1-2 games each.

From the limited amount I’ve seen so far of our new signings, I’m erring on the side of negativity. I think we are in real danger of getting relegated. Bazunu aside, I haven’t seen anything at all that makes me think we’ve signed anyone a good bit better than we’ve already got. We’ve got more players, which may well help, but I don’t see our first team level as having gone up very much since last term. Our form at the end of last term was a disaster and I’d hoped to see us become a bit more exciting going forwards, but three pre season games haven’t enlightened me there so far. I also think the 3 at the back doesn’t look like a particularly wonderful formation for us. A proper striker will change us in a big way, so we’ll see what happens there, IMO right now it’s utterly crucial we get someone in who can get very close to double figures for the season.

At goalkeeper. Im trying to remain positive but I share your concerns. The major positive I see so far is that we have a few more options for formations and resting players. Romeu looked shot later in the season playing every game so hopefully Lavia helps that, or gives us a solid 3 CM system (which we were unable to do at Liverpool and got thrashed). Aribo, Ketchup and the new lad, they may end up as starters but I’m not convinced yet they’re much better than what we had, we just have more of them now.

Yeah I can’t see him lasting long. He’s not very good and he seems like a divisive character, constantly throws his players under the bus. Lose some form and he’ll likely lose the dressing room.

Can’t see us getting Ings. He’s on £100k a week, and he cost them £25M last summer.

Interesting, up to now all reports have said that there’s massive interest in him from clubs but that City we’re going to keep hold of him.

Probably a good move for little Terry at this point.

Is that true? Just reading it’s only a one year deal he’s going to be on, so it would be a massive outlay for someone they’ll lose next summer.

It’s not an office job. And your analogy makes no sense, it depends entirely on what the conditions of work are. You also previously said that contracts only include dates, not times. So it’s an irrelevant comparison. I agree, you are being very silly 👍

So a player is contracted up to and including 30th June. It’s pretty obvious when it expires, at the end of that day.

The contracts expire at midnight on 30th June. Therefore a player cannot leave the club before that time, they can only leave once the contract is expired. Which would be on 1st July.

They’d be a good purchase for somebody. It’s why they were brought to the attention of daGrosa in the first place. Decent history and fan base, big stadium, have historically done well in a league that, outside of PSG, doesn’t have huge competition for European qualification.

I think that’s beyond doubt after that mad rambling.

What way is that? Conceding lots of goals? 😉 I wouldn’t mind someone like Mee. Out of contract, and if Brentford are in for him I can’t see that his wages would be prohibitive. Going against him though is his age, he’s 33 in September.