saintant

Haven't seen any stats but, from watching the game, I'm guessing KWP probably covered more ground today than any player on our side.

Still can't get my head round the constant walking football when playing out from the back. The opponents get wise to it and know they have time to press and we end up giving it away in dangerous areas. Holgate and Bednarek were the main culprits today. The teams who play out from the back properly do it at a quick pace with good awareness for the pass and move. We are doing it for the sake of it - oh, aren't we a good footballing side passing out from the back? No because you're doing it completely wrong and, if that isn't sorted, we'll concede a shed load of goals this season - a 4 and a 5 against in 5 games is not a great sign.

Not sure many come out with much credit today from RM, coaches and players that was just a cluster fuck of a performance. Weaklings all over the pitch meaning Charles has to start every game. RM now shows us what he's made of between now and a tough home game against Leicester - anymore of what we saw today and the natives will be restless. That was as bad as it could have been in your worst nightmare from back to front.

Chocolate wrists as always - gets a hand to it but his wrist just opens like a cat-flap.

Not the greatest way to go into an international break.

One of the most disappointing things today is that the mental weakness still seems present.

Seeing far too many of the problems from last season today. We are physically far too weak all over the pitch. Midfield is non existent - not winning challenges and second balls.

RM needs to get a bit of credibility by taking off Holgate now and bring on the new Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Holgate is fucking dreadful even at this level.

Well just taking this game the tree kick he saves but spoons out in front of him then the third goal - there's two errors and I'm being generous to him regarding the second goal where I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Not for me I'm afraid.

Hope the new signings are good 🙂

I give up.

Complete and utter shambles at the moment.

A quid up front and the rest on the never never for 20 years.

We've had a tough few seasons and are far from unbeatable so there will be bumps in the road. The first four results were good but also could have been different if things hadn't gone our way at crucial moments. Currently I think it's ok to go into games accepting that we might lose. That's where I see us at the moment but the confidence and winning mentality should build as we utilise the new squad and RM finds out his most trusted starting eleven.

He's still here, RM has shown faith in him, he'll have seen the signings we've made so that should be a huge incentive for him to go out today, play RM's system and work his nuts off to show he's rightfully in the mix.

Would have liked to see Fraser start ahead of Edozie but no real surprises considering it's the day after the transfer window shut.

Potentially a really good signing in a position that needed strengthening. Obviously the hope is that he shows he's fully recovered from the achilles injury which we know is a bad one for sport people. If fit I reckon this guy will score a lot of goals for us and be crucial in our promotion push. Great that we managed to hold on to Che so RS can be eased in gradually and not rushed.

Couldn't get past KWP though 🙂

Fantastic transfer window both in terms of new players and ones we kept. It is great that RM now has plenty of options all over the field so suddenly he has loads of different choices. His job now is to fine tune the starting eleven from a very strong squad of players. Excited to see how we evolve over the next few weeks and months - we've needed the big reset in terms of management, coaches, DoF and players. A big shout out to JW who has clearly worked tirelessly in his efforts to get the club on track to where he and everyone else wants it to be. So far he looks to have been the acquisition who will prove to be the biggest game changer for Southampton FC.

Regards Sulemana his future is in his own hands. He will get out of football what he puts in. If he decides to sulk and avoid the hard graft then clubs he aspires to go to will continue to ignore him. Conversely, if he gives his head a massive wobble and susses out that he will be more likely to get the move he wants by being the hardest working player at the club then his future is bright. The only place he can do his talking is on the football field so his ambition right now should be to get himself in the team and prove he's got what it takes. He should be knocking down RM's door telling him he wants to be playing week in week out. Do that and, strangely enough, there will be a long queue of top clubs seeking his signature. The ball really is in his court because I think he has the talent, it's the focus, drive and commitment that's missing.

Presumably he's gone then?

You mean nobody came in for him? Phew!

Maybe. I notice not long ago Adam Blackmore put out a tweet thanking Pep for the good young players and added a winky emoji.

Is he a member of the famed CoT?