The Kraken

I think we’re wandering into Paul Allen yacht territory here…..

That’s all well and good, but I’m not sure you’ve used the best example there. Lingard scored 9 goals in 16 for West Ham. That’s an incredible strike rate, albeit over a short duration.

Cracking finish. Come on then England, hold on to this. If you do, Sue is gonna be running around The Lanes later tonight waving her dungarees over her head taking on all-comers.

Yeah, I know. I’d love Saints to lash out on Broja, I think he’s class. But… a) I don’t think the club would pay the approx £25-£30m he would command b) from a financial perspective, and only if the recruitment is right, there is potentially much better short term value out there with an ‘unknown’. edit, and c) I don’t reckon he’d come here anyway

If you must use gifs, at least use a really good one.

You could replace this with…. Not sure if it's just me, but I'm not getting the fuss over Broja. He had a purple patch at the start of the season, and then went missing after February. I don't think he's worth the 20-25m they're asking for.

Well done Ingerland, great equaliser. The volume on the TV is now at 3/100, the pitch of noise is a touch unpleasant.

Good god, Jamie. I think whelk was right, you’re certainly not getting any cleverer.

It’s been good to get some of our transfer business done early, well done to the club for that. But it’s now only two and a half weeks until the season kicks off, so time is very much of the essence. Very much hoping to see striking incomings very soon so they can play a part in pre-season. Thinking it might be likely though that we may not complete dealings until the transfer window #slamsshut. Given the early start to this season, it makes things a bit more crucial to get done early.

Nah. Fear sells. You might need an ‘in’ with a local meteorologist to start peddling doom about 30 degrees being the new normal, but it’s doable, people will believe anything these days.

It looks awful for those people in Wennington, the video is horrendous. https://news.sky.com/story/major-incident-declared-across-london-after-huge-surge-in-fires-on-uks-hottest-ever-day-12655061

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).