Midfield_General

Things we learned from the press conference: Will Still calls Ross Stewart 'Roscoe'. Now 'Breezy' has moved on, who have we got left whose nickname (the one they actually get called by the staff, none of this Loch Ness Drogba nonsense) is known? I know Martin had one for everyone, but Still seems more selective on whom he bestows the honour. Arma, Macca, Wee Man, Welly are definites. There was a Longy in there yesterday for George Long, and I think I've heard a Ryno/Rhino for Manning and a Stevo for Stephens before but these rumours are unconfirmed at this stage. Any others? I think it's important.

That’s disingenuous. He was at pains to stress how much the game meant to the fans and everyone at the club and talked about how they have even had club legends coming in this week to drill it home even further to all the new recruits, of which there are a lot. It’s obvious they all know how much it means and know how important it is to win on Sunday.

Also, to the point about the kid being nearby, what sort of prick not only gets dressed up in full Skate regalia and goes to a game in Southampton a week before the derby when emotions are going to be at their highest, but also knowingly puts a kid in danger by bringing them with them while they do it? That is on him. He and the dickheads he was with knew exactly what they were doing. They took a kid with them while they went looking for trouble, and found it. They should probably think themselves lucky that the worst they got was just a little splash from a plastic cup and being filmed shitting themselves, to be honest.

I think in a weird way it's actually helped him that Saka, Palmer, Bellingham and Stones (and Foden?) are injured, as it's allowed him to explore different options in those positions without causing a furore about dropping 'star names' who may otherwise be considered undroppable. I don't think it's a coincidence that the team looked much more like a team without some of those. Bellingham in particular, while obviously a world class talent, sounds like he might need to have his ego kept in check. His dad certainly sounds like a whopper who is rubbing some members of the squad up the wrong way. It will be very interesting to see whether they all go straight back into the side when they're all fit, and if so, whether we look as good when they all play instead of the less starry names from last night who were apparently more able to play as a team.

Actually looked like a team rather than a collection of individuals. Everyone working for each other and knowing their jobs. Round pegs in round holes. And Reece James is twice the defender 'Trent' is.

Best England performance in literally years

He’s been spotted

Yep, that will do for me. Jander, Matsuki, Scienza, Robinson, Stewart as options off the bench.

Semmens is on the radio now and has just gone on the record saying that under his watch the pitch to players Saints were trying to buy was literally 'Come to us, and we'll develop you and then sell you to a top club'. His exact words. Also said that he regrets not letting Van Dijk go as soon as he said he wanted to leave, as he'd been signed on this promise, and looking back finds it 'embarrassing' that the club dragged it out as long as they did, even after it became apparent he'd been seen being shown round the Liverpool training ground by Klopp. I know we're all aware that Saints pitch themselves as a stepping stone, and that history has shown that we are a selling club that has no intention of ever trying to hold onto valuable assets, but it's still slightly odd hearing it in such stark terms from someone who has run the club.

For anyone on a Mac* but missing their old Spectrum, here you go... Emlyn Hughes International Soccer: https://torinak.com/qaop/play/intsoccer Match Day: https://torinak.com/qaop/play/matchday Match Day 2: https://torinak.com/qaop/play/matchday2 The original Football Manager: https://torinak.com/qaop/play/manager (* Not sure if they also work on a PC, haven't tried them)

I'd be amazed if Azaz doesn't start

6.5 for me. The clear-out has been nothing short of amazing. Well done to everyone involved for that, because that was not easy. Recruitment-wise though, while I'm excited by some of the signings, we seem to have done things arse about face. The core principle of a good team has always been to get the spine right first and foremost. We seem to have focused heavily on the more peripheral positions and taken a series of risks with the spine. GK, CB and CF could all have been addressed much better for me. Three key errors: - At GK: Putting all our eggs in the Bazunu basket and not providing any credible competition better than a 34-year-old McCarthy - At CB: Giving Stephens the extension and keeping him as captain, essentially building the defence around him and all his well-documented weaknesses - At CF: Taking a huge risk on Downs as our CF signing when we could surely have brought in a much lower risk option who would be more oven-ready and make us less reliant on Archer/ Stewart/ Armstrong (shudder) or goals from midfield Overall, with our resources when compared to most of the rest of the division, it will be criminal If we don't get play-offs, but I'm pretty sure we will. I'm not convinced the key positions are strong enough for the automatics though. We're already 7 points off top and I think we're going to continue to drop points by giving away avoidable goals at one end and failing to take chances at the other due to the weaknesses above. I very much hope I'm wrong and eating my words in May. Then we can all look forward to getting trounced again every week in the Prem. Rinse and repeat. Sometimes I wish I'd been born in Madrid.

Alfie’s verdict on BBD’s time at Saints: ’Absolute gash’. Couldn’t have put it better myself.

The Gulf of Southampton Or it should be, anyway

It's a broad scale. 5 stars: Maldivian atoll 3 stars: Weston Shore 1 star: Surface of Venus

Amazing that Dibling and his people didn't opt to extend his £5k per week deal with us when we were telling everyone who would listen that he was a £100m asset. Greedy bastard

The Beach Guide says it is - and a three star beach no less. https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/south-west-england/hampshire/weston-hard-woolston.htm

Or if you think that Whitey is ever going to change his stance on him 😉

Yep. It has to be said that as a club we do seem to be quite good at recognising when a player isn't quite going to have what it takes for the top level, and releasing them at the right time, particularly with attackers. Josh Sims, Jake Hesketh, Sam Gallagher, Dan Nlundulu and Michael Obafemi all had decent first team game time for us but were ultimately let go, and judging from their career trajectories since it has looked like the right decision. Bit harsh on Gallagher maybe as he's had injury problems and Robins was talking recently about wanting to get him back into contention at Stoke. Ballard will be the next one. Scored what felt like hundreds at youth level but never quite been able to break through and now been moved on to Leyton Orient. Will be interesting to see how he gets on, but you can't help feeling he's probably another one who came close but won't quite make it at the very top level.

A few ex-Saints also on the move during the window: Dan Nlundulu: Bolton to St Mirren Michael Obafemi: Burnley to Bochum Jimmy-Jay Morgan: Chelsea to Peterborough (loan)

Yeah, I thought he might go there on loan again though to get his wages off the books if he's unlikely to play that much.

I think he's got promise too but if we play a flat back four, as Still has said he ultimately wants to, then you have to assume at this stage that its Stephens and THB to start. Then it would be weird to have more than one CB on the bench so that's one of either Wood, Quarshie or Edwards. Obviously it's very early days and things change all the time, but based on the last few games it looks like Wood is currently third choice, and so would probably be the choice for the bench. That would leave Quarshie and Edwards out of the match day squad. I'm not saying I agree with it, or that it won't change with injuries and form, but finishing the window knowing that as it stands you're going to have to leave two out completely each week is an incredible level of depth to have at this level, some might say luxurious. On that basis I have to say I'm quite surprised that we didn't move Edwards out if the QPR interest was genuine.

Only 5 points so far mate I’m afraid. Or to look at it another way, already 7 points off top. Plenty of work to do - smashing the Skates seems like a good place to start.

Even if Aribo and Edozie go, we've got serious competition for places now, especially at centre back and centre forward (regardless of the debate about quality, I'm just looking at the number of players we have to choose from in each position). In defence, if everyone's fit, then even if we play three at the back like we have been doing, then 3 CBs on the pitch and one more on the bench means one is getting left out of the squad entirely. If we play 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 then two CBs are not even making the bench. Edwards or Quarshie look most at risk. At centre forward, if we play 4-2-3-1 then at least one striker is being left out of the squad completely. Downs or Armstrong presumably. We've got rid of a spectacular amount of players, but we've still got a lot of players in those positions. Now we've brought in what looks like more quality and the competition for the bench looks much fiercer, it will be interesting to see if our early signings Quarshie and Downs are actually considered good enough or if they get knocked way down the pecking order straightaway.

That'll do as a summary - cheers