SNSUN

I'm glad we kept him and that he has knuckled down this season (Che I'm looking at you) but if there's one thing this season has shown it's that he still has a lot to learn. A full season at this level will do wonders for him going forwards. Personally I hope we keep him in January as I think his pace will be an asset against tired legs as the season goes on but I understand if Everton or someone wave enough money at us, we'd probably sell.

In the Prem? Any promoted team's first job is to stay up. But yes, I'd take a potential Prem relegation battle next season if it meant we got promoted this season. Otherwise what is the point of fighting for promotion in this league?

I think if we went up we'd have to spend quite big, but THB would become ours anyway so that would be huge for the defence. You'd think we'd be able to keep KWP too. Really as starting defenders go we'd need one starting CB and LB and we'd be ok. Even Bazunu would be a different beast next time around with a season of confidence behind him. Ultimately the important thing is just to get there. Us 3 relegated sides were always going to be competing for promotion this season, just a shame that Ipswich have been so good this season so far. Play offs would be a huge risk though. We need top 2 but it will be a tough ask.

I'll be wearing a new cologne on Saturday called 12 Hour Shift so I hope to follow it as much as I can at work.to continue the run would be lovely, what would be nice is to finally add a few more to the goal difference that we've been merely chipping away at. 1-3 Saints. Ross on the scoresheet late on.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-southampton/pokalhistorie/verein/180 Doesn’t look like it. We played Wrexham in the 70s but they were 4th tier.

Unbelievable how bad it's got there. I am old school friends with one of the former Reading owners (I'm Berkshire born and bred but thankfully made the Saints choice aged 8 ) who let things get a bit out of hand during his tenure but it was nothing like the current owner Yongge.

Borrowed time. They were 2-0 up and screwed it up. They'll be a League Two team if they don't do something quick. Still, good for Ballard to score again.

I don't think many Saints fans thought that Lemina wasn't a talented player, just that he was inconsistent. On his day he was unstoppable (Palace) but oftentimes he didn't show up. He's older and wiser now so I guess he's knuckled down.

He's been injured before he even kicked a ball, twice I think - but apparently he's close to coming back. I actually think Chelsea could surprise a few people this season as they're slowly improving, Cole Palmer has been decent, Jackson has started finding the net, Sterling looks reinvigorated and they have Lavia, Nkunku and James coming back from their injuries. Pochettino is safe hands too.

http://westbrom.com/forum/index.php?topic=22734.100 When he was on loan at WBA in 2019 they liked him, thought he was committed and solid. I agree that it can't have been easy playing at Everton over the last few years (though under Dyche it looks like they're getting their shit together) but perhaps the Championship is his level. I do think that it's no coincidence though at how much better our CBs look when playing next to Harwood-Bellis. If he doesn't play for England in the next 3/4 years, when we have ageing CBs, then I'd be very surprised. I want promotion for us this season for so many reasons but one of the more important things is because I want us to sign him permanently.

This is key. If we don't get promoted we will lose them next season, and Charly, KWP and Sulemana amongst others. We will start a shell of a team and have to rely on a good transfer window again. Everything about us right now seems to point towards us having the makings of a very good Premier League side and failure to achieve promotion would unravel it all. Unfortunately there are 4 very good teams fighting for 2 places. IMO I'd like to see Leeds in particular pilfered a bit in the January window!

M-m-m-My Girona

Pleased for him after that tough start. That will be the monkey off his back now. With Jack still to come back, we're looking good at CB. I wanted another CB in January but with Charles as a fifth choice, perhaps that isn't needed now.

Fair play to the coaching team this season, with all these late goals we're showing excellent levels of fitness this season. With Ross now back from injury hopefully we can steer clear of any little niggles and have a really good Christmas period.

Saints go marching on. Top spot is still in sight.

I've been enjoying the football highlights this season, after largely avoiding MOTD for the last couple.

I'm not sure 79 minutes constitutes a late goal for us, but I'll take it! This would be a huge win if we can hang on.

I've barely been able to follow this game today due to working but let me guess: we've played really well but not converted chances and now we've conceded? Lets hope for that late Saints goal...

Not to mention he's predominantly played on the right hand side of the centre back pairing for most of his career but is now having to adjust to the left CB slot with THB on the right. He's doing well and our improvement at the back is because we have found a decent settled back 4. I know Poland aren't a huge nation but he has played for them over 50 times and is still just entering his peak age as a CB at 27 so we wouldn't get much better at Championship level. If we make it back to the Prem though, he wouldn't be in my first choice pairing.

Elyounoussi showing that if the opposition is crap enough, he can score. 😁

This. They are poor under Selles bar one big result in the EFL trophy and even with their points deduction they'd be adrift of safety. They may very well be in League Two next year, even if they do find a buyer. Their owner has Royally screwed them. I hope Ballard comes back a better player - we may need him next season if we don't go up.

Tough fixture this. Potential to drop points at home, WBA going great guns right now, tight at the back and with Thomas-Asante and Diangana in good form they look strong in attack. We are picking up results without showing much of a cutting edge, the mark of a good team, but the defence will be shuffled and I think we will drop points here, but maybe do enough for a point. 1-1. A win would be huge though.

Supersub just about covers it.

VAR is fucked. In the Newky vs Arse game just now they checked for 3 things. 3. The damn stoppage was about 7 minutes. Newcastle scored. - did the ball go out of play? Yes. - was it a foul? No. - Was it offside? Yes. But the out of play alone should have been enough to rule that goal out.

Just gonna leave this here... 👤