HarvSFC

Worth noting this team struggled against Lincoln and Sheffield Wednesday and lost to Grimsby in competitive fixtures last season. So, that swagger and dominance against a recently relegated Championship side was pleasing. Interesting that the Ward-Prowse, Aribo goals were near carbon copies. Ball comes from out wide, AA/Adams dummy it and it falls to the scorer, who puts it away. Their two goals came from mistakes at the back, which we were warned about when appointing Martin. However, we also haven't made any centre-back signings for this new possession focussed style. You'd say Stephens is the only one from the group suited to it. You'd hope with the departure of Salisu and hopefully another side comes in for Lyanco that we see a bit more movement there. I said Smallbone was a nothing player after Goztepe, but he could be more suited to the deeper role. Doesn't effect the game enough as a 10, but kept the ball ticking deeper today. A new Steven Davis. Mara was disappointing. I was really hoping he'd come good from a drop in level having shown a couple of decent finishes last season, but maybe the tempo of English football just isn't suited to him. Alcaraz was surprisingly quiet despite his assist, and of course Bazunu concedes more than he saves, which is still a worry. But, again, given there wasn't another goalkeeper in the squad today, you'd hope we're looking to bring somebody else is actually worth giving minutes to. Edozie and Amo-Ameyaw are going to cause some havoc coming off the bench this season. Armstrong's goal was what we saw in highlight's reel when he signed. Scored a couple of crackers against Everton and Villa early into his Saints career. A bit like Adams, when he works by instinct, he scores, but give him time to think and he'll miss. Still think he should be a bench option, though, as again the holdup from him in this system isn't quite there.

Don't worry guys, it isn't from anyone reliable. Just another Twitter chancer, seeing Romano's Tweet and trying to build a following by claiming a deal is further ahead than what it actually is, so that if it does happen he can reveal he broke it first. You never see these people link us with a player that hasn't already been linked by the mainstream media.

I know we're trying to maintain a sustainable model in the long-term through player sales, but it's good to see the board aren't just accepting any offers for our best players and aren't acting like push overs despite the huge loss from last summer and January.

Thank you for the assist against Man City, leaking the away kit and showing heart on the pitch. However, mares against Grimsby and another on the weekend against Goztepe meant a promotion seeking team couldn't go into the season with him.

Getting Piroe is key. Armstrong's headless chicken act certainly doesn't fit in with the possession based football, while I was very much disappointed by the performance in a player I rate, Adams last night. Didn't look like he was with us at all. Smallbone's also, just a nothing player. Might be okay as a squad player, but he definitely shouldn't be starting in a promotion seeking team. We need a playmaker, somebody who can create chances. I don't think we've had one since Tadic left. Manning can certainly help, but a midfielder who can help us build up the pitch would be ideal. Got to leave Lyanco in Turkey too. Getting pulled all over the pitch by a Turkish second division side. Positives, of course Alcaraz. From all the shit attackers signed last season, he really is a quality player. None of the other players in our team would have managed that goal first time last night. Sam Amo-Ameyaw, again. He just gets the ball, runs and beats players. A 16 year old against seniors. Pretty incredible.

Can't login either, taking forever to load. Going to be fun if the site shows Championship matches.

You can see and hear some of Dragan's interactions at the end of the video. Asks Alcaraz about his English, welcomes Stephens back and introduces himself to Charles. Could all just be PR, but it has endeared myself towards him.

Loved Hammond's goal. Didn't know he had it in him.

In contrast to Pulisic, Joao Pedro has cost £10m more after 11 Championship goals last season. Richarlison went for £60m last summer and there are currently reports that Brennan Johnson is being rated at £50m after 8 Premier League goals.

You also don't get into the Man City first team squad/play minutes in the Premier League for them if you haven't got something about you. Not seen him play, but everything seems positive about him so far. £10m is also a big outlay for a Championship club, so you'd hope Wilcox wouldn't just throw it on someone who's not ready yet.

Only seen the highlights, but Amo-Ameyaw looked good against very good opposition. The Championship could offer him the chance to be the breakout player from the youth system next season. Certainly doesn't lack confidence, or technical ability. Saw Caleta-Car finished the match as captain. Didn't expect him to be that high up the hierarchy, instead thought he'd be one of the first out the door this summer.

Burnley sold Dwight McNeil for £20m after their relegation and he's crap, so it's over to them now. Doubt we're valuing Tella much higher than £20m.

Well, that was quick. A few small links, but nothing major prior to today. Snuck in before Charles' announcement. Happy with him. Another one who is coming in and outlining the aim for promotion.

Manning, good, wanted him when we were first linked to Martin. Perraud's an okay left-back, a 6/10 most games. Plenty of effort and fight, but not enough quality going forward when it counts. Going from Bertrand to Perraud was a big drop. Hopefully, Manning can fix that, record shows he's one of the top players in the Championship, in the team of the season last season. Proved successful when we used to pick up players from the teams of the season when we were last down here and he already knows Martin's system. Interestingly, looks like we're going to have two of the better full-backs from the Championship playing for us next season in Bree and Manning, although where Bree fits in at the moment, I don't know. Holgate would probably be good at this level. Percy's a reliable one for the transfers for the northern clubs. No idea who Bruun Larsen is.

A more limited player in Mark Noble said this after his retirement: "when I look back now and I see the send off I got and the loyalty I’d shown to the club and the history I’ve created… an extra few grand a week doesn’t compare to that." Perhaps he never got that life changing top offer, but he did stay with West Ham after they got relegated. Hopefully Ward-Prowse has a similar mindset. Can immortalise himself at Southampton, in a similar way that Benali has done, or leave and be forgotten about by his new club a few months after retiring.

All these low ball bids. £20m doesn't get you a lot these days. Just about covers an Onuachu, or Vestergaard, but not a Sulemana.

The worst of our centre-backs on the ball, so the least suited to Martin's pass out from the back tactics. Would be a good centre-back to have in the Championship, but in the new possession based tactics he is an accident waiting to happen, hopefully a team comes in for him soon. Also surprised it's all quiet surrounding him. Maybe the off the pitch murmurs have put clubs off, but then I'm also surprised how quiet its been for KWP.

Ah well, our goalkeepers were shocking last season and he was only selected to play in the 2-1 win over Blackpool. Might be a good influence off the pitch, but again the results we saw were that our goalkeepers and the rest of the team were shocking. Argentine Stuart Taylor these days.

We signed the wrong goalkeepers from City.

City sent a few players down to the Championship last season, who did well: Muric, Steffen, Harwood-Bellis, both Doyle's and McAtee, so hopefully the Championship is a bit more forgiving on this policy than the Premier League was. Also, a potential cost of £15m. That's surely dependant on promotion, but that's up there with the record Championship transfers of Ruben Neves and Britt Assombalonga, both also £15m. So, a big outlay for a Championship club. Again, it's down to hope that Wilcox knows he's a future star and has orchestrated a good deal for us.

The narrative regarding Fonte has returned! In August 2014, Fonte signed a new three year contract here. The following year, he left the agent who he been with his entire career for Jorge Mendes. An interesting move by someone who was one year into their new contract. All while we were under Koeman and flying by our own standards. A year later, he won the Euros, we were managed by Puel and the media were flirting him and Manchester United for the first half of the season. Admittedly, leaving him out of the Europa League matches was a crap move, but again it was hinted that it was to not cup tie him at the time. Mendes possibly thought he could get Fonte a big final day, which we weren't willing to accomodate, so he left us for a then sideways move to West Ham, not Manchester United which again, we know was down to money. Mendes succeeded. This again was supported by his move to the money league, China. Lille's been good for him and he's built his reputation back up, but we're probably his best offer now and now he's wanting to come back. Fonte going to West Ham certainly dampened my opinion of him, it wasn't the same as Lambert to Liverpool and yeah maybe Reed and Puel weren't great in the final stages either, but a player doesn't switch to a "super agent" with a reputation for big money deals if they are content with their current position. I've also been severely burnt by Walcott's return. Walcott was a shadow of the Arsenal/Southampton player when he returned and was even crap last season, but looked a bit better in a sea of shite with Reading now being his best offer.

Noticed with Abu and now the Man City goalkeeper that the official club pages and announcement articles hasn't mentioned "Saints B team", but refers to them again as Southampton Under-21s. Might be a switch back now that Semmens and Crocker are no longer here. On the squad profiles it's still the B team, but may just be needing an update.

Tottenham tried getting him for £25m too.

That's the point. It all seems a bit underhand now. We got into Martin's head, meaning Swansea had to give up Martin without agreeing a compensation package with us and leaving it to the courts. Liverpool will probably get into Lavia's head, as they did Van Dijk's, ensure he only wants Liverpool, thus stopping a potential bidding war while making sure he doesn't want to be at Southampton anymore and getting him at a lower fee than the £50m we've put him on. Something that was once frowned upon, but never really sanctioned is now all out in the public. £50m is a good price for Lavia in the current market. 19 year old Belgium international who has held his own in the Premier League in one of the toughest positions to play in as a young player against fully grown adults. Declan Rice £105m, Moises Caicedo £85m and Joao Palhinha £80m+. Lavia probably the best value considering he also counts as homegrown and has years and a bigger ceiling than them.

Tapping up seems a lot more common now since the last time we got a half hearted apology.