SaintBobby

L1 isn't a perfect benchmark. But it's a pretty good benchmark. If you're absolutely top grade in L1, you're likely to be okay in the NPC. By way of example, Matt Le Tissier scored 69 goals in a single season for Vale Rec before moving to Southampton. That's not a perfect benchmark for being a great player in England's top division. But it is some kind of benchmark. Players who start scoring hatricks regularly for the youth team. Not a perfect benchmark. But some kind of benchmark. Maybe they don't have the stamina, the pace, the guile or the fitness to make it as a mature pro. Plenty haven't. But at some point, you have to say "these stats are pretty good". In direct answer to your question, I am saying "we don't need to worry about this season". That is, in fact, almost exactly what I'm saying. That does not imply that the NPC is as easy as L1. Nor that we are bound to be the best defence in the NPC. Nor that the defensive coaches should be paid to put their feet up, read stats and do nothing else. We should always seek to improve ( until, I suppose, we reach a point where no team can score a goal against us ever). I'm genuinely trying to work out what is "la-la-land" about this analysis. I think we probably already have about the 7th or 8th best defence in the NPC. And we are likely - although not certain - to improve this through a further signing. That just seems to me to be a real world perspective.

Seems to me that pre-season has been okayish. From a ticket sales (rather than match preparedness) point of view, it does seem that a 90 minute friendly against ONE reasonably well known European opponent generates more fan interest than a match against PL opposition or the Liebherr tournament format. I think had we played, say, Bilbao or Bremen or Betis or Eindhoven at SMS yesterday, we would have got a decent sized crowd (15k +)

I remember seeing some Opta/Prozone or some similar stats at the end of last season. I'm afraid I can't remember all the details, but the numbers for our defence were utterly immense. In addition to so few goals conceded it was something like: 1. Fewer shots on goal allowed than any other league team 2. Fewer shots on target allowed than any other league team 3. Fewer corners conceded than any other league team 4. Fewer goals conceded from set pieces than any other league team 5. Fewer penalties conceded than all but one other league team 6. Best pass completion rate of all defences in the entire league 7. Highest % of defensive headers won than any other league team 8. Highest number of tackles won in our own half than any otehr league team 9. Fewest number of direct free kciks conceded than all but one other team 10. Fewest red and yellow cards of any defence in the league I'm afraid that I can't remember the stats chapter and verse - one or two of these might be wrong and I may have left one or two out. But it was very much something along these lines. If I've exaggerated, it's not by a great deal. In other words, on virtually any metric you care to name, our defence last season was absolutely stunningly brilliant. If these sort of stats aren't considered to count for anything at all - but instead, we're supposed to base our defensive approach on the gut feel of a few posters on a web forum, we are on a one-way trip to la-la land. It seems to me that the only real worries in a formidable defensive season are: 1. Jaidi is a year older and a year slower 2. Neither Martin nor Seaborne have looked "immense" - but both may be improving still and opinions differ 3. Richardson had a poor season compared to expectations All we really need to do is sign a new, quality centee back. But it wouldn't be a total disaster if we have to make do with the present bunch of defenders.

In my view, our early games are slightly tougher than average but not insanely so (as the OP suggests). I wouldn't read too much into whether we're in the top or bottom six at then end of August. The difference between 6th and 19th place is likely to be about 3 points, which could well be down to a dodgy offside decision or a bit of luck. I'm expecting us to finish about 8th-12th, so if we get 6-9 points from those first five games, I'm happy. 4 or 5 wouldn't necessarily be a disaster and 10 or 11 wouldn't mean we're on track for promotion.

I'm in... Does anyone know if Vermaelen is back to fitness?

Strange. Sort of feels like a good pre-season, but we've failed to win a single (90 min) match....

Saints 0 Rochdale 2. I thought they were a very well organised and disciplined team. And it's always nice to see the underdogs do well :-)

Sigh....

alpine saint?

We were generally favourites at about 5/1 or 4/1 (i.e. a 20-25% of winning the league) We were a standard 4/6 to be promoted by any means (i.e. a 60% chance to go up). The bookies seem to have got it about right, but if anything slightly underestimated Saints. HTH.

It's a very ropey service, but well worth getting. I listen to about 15 away games a season on it.

Encouraging stuff, thanks for the update. Prefer the views of local fans/experts to basing my opinion on youtube highlights for sure.

Can someone confirm, for certain, that Saints Ale is simply Worthingtons with a different label? Not saying it isn't. Not saying it's bad if it is. Just asking. Generally, the quality of beer on sale at SMS is not something that troubles me much. The club can only basically sell drinks between 2pm and 3pm and 345pm and 4pm (or evening equivalents) on 25 days a year. That's a total of "beer being on sale" for about 40 hours a year, compared to a pub which sells beer for about 4,000 hours a year. Expect the latter to be more focused on quality, value for money etc etc etc etc

Puncheon leaving - or being in the midst of leaving - doesn't strike me as a "sticking your neck out prediction". My own guesses (but some of these might be in hope rather than expectation): 1. Hammond will be replaced as team captain - probably by Fonte. 2. We will sign one or two new players before the end of the transfer window - a centre back and (less likely) a centre forward 3. Chamberlain will stay 4. Adkins - if he fails to sign a suitable new centre forward - will experiment with a revolutionary new coaching method and play 4-2-3-1 (I'm only half joking on point 4)

If this anecdote is remotely true, your neighbour should be fired by the company he works for for breach of confidentiality. It's an on the spot sacking for any printer to dish out anything like this sort of info.

I'm appalled. I have to pay more for my season ticket and replica shirt and all so Cortese can have a salary, the greedy b*stard. Isn't he rich enough already?

Seems a fairly clear indication that he'd like to move on. But not totally incompatible with staying at Saints for another season. The Mirror have clearly packaged the quotes in such a way as to heighten his departure. If he'd said "However, to be clear, I may well stay at Saints for another year or two.", such a sentence would have been expunged from the printed text. Nevertheless, I'd say he's a bit greater than 50-50 to depart.

The excitement is killing me. I may have to head to SMS now. Will only take a couple of hours by car. Maybe a little more given I'm drunk.... Will Nicola bring me a cup of warm tea in the morning, d'ya think?

Do these snarky contributions never cease. They aren't even remotely funny.

In his post-match interview after the FC St Gallen game, Adkins said "there may be 1 or 2 new players in the building by Saturday, I know there's been a lot of speculation" He then went on to chastise himself for using the phrase "in the building" http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/articles/20110716/manager-an-excellent-work-out_2264122_2394554/0,,10280~2394554~1,00.html

Lost 1-0...full time

1 0 down

Only seen him play one academy game two years ago...was best player on the pitch

Young left back from the academy

2nd half team will be: Bart, B'field, Jaidi, Martin, Reeves, Holmes, Chaplow, Hammond ©, Forte, Connolly, Barnard