SNSUN

Definitely hard to work that line up out! Moussa as a CM? Meghoma AND Perraud? Either way should be enough but it shows we need more CMs and another CB.

I get that we’re asking a hefty amount for Lavia (I believe he’ll be 6th or 7th most expensive teenager ever) but Liverpool bartering over a mere few million quid is crazy when you think they’ll have an absolutely quality CM on their hands for years to come. I still get the feeling these clubs are just trying to get a few quid off because we were relegated but it’s nice to set a precedent that shows we won’t be forced into a sale. I know we can’t bring players in until we start selling but we already have good players. For me I think Lavia will get done sooner rather than later, and him, Salisu etc’s sales should help us be stronger in holding on to the likes of Tella, KWP etc as long as they remain happy to be here (we’ll see!).

Happy Chappy.

Im happy for any of our players to go as long as we get the money we want. Although I do hope we keep as many jewels as we can, I'm not holding my breath until September.

10.30pm, September 1st. West Ham - Well played Southampton. We reluctantly bid the £40 million you want for Mr Ward-Prowse. Saints - Yyyyyy.....nah. No time to replace him now. Thanks for your interest.

In the post game interview with Tella and Che, Tella said that when he scored he was trying to find Aribo to celebrate with but couldn't find him so he celebrated with Russell Martin instead. He found him after i think when he celebrated with the bench. Players seem to like Martin though which is a positive.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cl4mrvyrek7o Lots of reports he’s out for ages, can’t see one that says he’s ok?

Amad Diallo is going to miss a lot of the first half of the season with a knee injury. I forgot about the Diangana link. I do think if we keep Tella he needs a new contract, I’m sure I read he’s one of our lowest earners.

I'd rather Alfredo Morales on a free

Having a look through Transfermrkt, not a lot but in some line ups when he's been partnered with Glik he has - I guess Glik is even more right footed than Jan! However for Saints I genuinely can't remember a time when he's played LCB. I did see his debut against Fulham at Craven Cottage though in the FA Cup when he played right back though!

So passing the ball incessantly (with 94% accuracy) and denying them hardly any chance to score bar from set pieces is a bad thing? If we have the ball, they don't. City have made a mastery out of doing it. We've put up with a season (if not more) of god awful football - and last night was nowhere near the finished product. I'm sad for any Saints fan who isn't feeling some sort of joy this morning at that performance. The attacking side will get better in due course but the fact of the matter is that was 5 weeks of learning a new style from scratch, we were dominant and we won.

He is too good for this level - but that's why I want him to stay. If no club deem him worth the money, he isn't going to have much of a choice unless he hands in a transfer request and I just don't see him being the sort of person that would do that. We'll see. Even if it's not West Ham I do think that game would have but him on some radars elsewhere. I also want KWP and Tella to stay but I'm not getting my hopes up. You can see which players are a class above even just after one game. Also Alcaraz didn't look too happy coming off last night - but I'm hoping that was just down to the injury he sustained.

A note on the new manager - I completely back him (I back every manager until they prove to be rubbish) but still I was a bit wary of his appointment having not seen MK Dons play and very little of Swansea over the last two seasons but my God does he have us playing some neat football after only 5ish weeks of implementation. The passing to see the game out was the icing on the cake, Wednesday (and I know they have an ageing squad but still) couldn't get the ball off of us. We've already broken a record after just one game too. Yes we need more cutting edge but this is not the finished squad, there are still going to be ins and outs, but overall I thought it was a very promising first game. At the end of the day it's a win, on the opening day of the season, in a banana skin fixture against a promoted side on a high, that was live on Sky with the world watching. You can't ask for much more than that.

I agree he was the shakier of the two, and while I know he's played left CB before I've always seen him as more comfortable in the right CB position, or in a back 3. Unfortunately we have Bednarek who is also a RCB. Either we get ABK back fit and keep him or we're ideally going to need a left footed CB signing, or at least a CB who is comfortable playing at LCB a la Van Dijk. I know that's not always possible but I do think it would give the defence more balance. The other issue is that with the full backs bombing forwards, we ideally need a proper DM to slot back into the defence - which of course we didn't have last night. Smallbone was very tidy but he is not a DM. Hopefully Charles can be this player long term. The other thing to note is that because of our pressing and passing game, we were susceptible to the counter attack, and neither Bednarek or Stephens are particularly known for their speed, which you need when a side is bombing at you. I think going forward it will be Bednarek OR Stephens +1. That would also be my concern about making him captain - is he going to be selected most of the time? I feel a captain should play most games. Good positioning for the shot that was cleared off the line though. If we're going to challenge for promotion we need goals across the team.

Lavia wont play imo, I think his bench spot tonight was more of a gesture to Liverpool to say that he’s still our player and we can play him if we want. But I reckon there will be movement in the next week there. Meh, I could be wrong, I just feel like we’re planning for life without him. Charles will play DM and one of Stephens or Bednarek will partner Lyanco I reckon. Your front 3 may be accurate though. I wouldn’t want to see too much change while we’re still implementing our new style though.

Tella and Aribo are bros. If that means we have to keep Aribo then so be it!

Yep playing Wednesday like that is one thing but playing Leeds or Leicester like that without more cutting edge and we'll be punished on the counter.

Some decent performances. JWP tidy and got the assist, Edozie and Tella both lively, I thought Smallbone had a decent game in a position he's not used to playing, and Manning and Bednarek were decent too but my vote is for KWP. He's just a class above and we'd be lucky to keep him IMO.

Full Time! Great start Saints. Plenty to work on but points on the board and... Top of the league!

KWP been very good tonight. Really hope he stays.

Eyes of the world on us. Come on Saints keep it cool.

Che!

Stephens booked. Free kick SW