HarvSFC

Feels like we’re being forced to mourn the queen, rather than going about life as normal and showing respect together, as a country, as a fan base, as a community/a city.

Plenty of names, Bertrand and Vestergaard were two I wasn't too unhappy to see depart. But, Ings, Fonte until Lille, Clyne, Schneiderlin, Shaw, Lambert :(, Lovren, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, even Bale initially all left being the stars of Southampton Football Club and many moved on to become nothing but a number at their new clubs, many of them often mocked. We did get good money for many of them and they of course have made a lot of money themselves and do have some trophies/medals to add to their cabinet, even if they played a minute part in winning them, but they could have also built a legacy at a club, been remembered, which I don't think is on any footballer's minds these day. The majority were all proven Premier League players also, but failed to bring the quality to their new clubs, so goes to show how unpredictable transfers can be.

The Delap thread on the Stoke forum doesn't read too well for him: https://oatcakefanzine.proboards.com/thread/305490/thoughts-on-delap?page=6

He could've let the ball drop and kneed it in, if he so wished. Basically, if the ball had hit any other body part, other than his arms and hands, it would have gone in and counted. Scores a remarkable acrobatic volley against Leicester the other week, but can't score when pretty much on the goal line with a free net. Ah well, onto the next one. Gives the new signings another week to work with the team.

I think Glover was probably told to go, like the coaches. Difference being in public it looked more like Glover's decision and helped uphold his reputation. His history with clubs isn't great, oversaw the summer transfers of Sunderland before they finished 20th in this league, bringing an end to their nine year stay, oversaw Everton spending money on nothing for three years and then has a poor record with us for three years. Leicester wouldn't have been a particularly big draw this summer, either. "We're looking for a new head of recruitment, but we can't actually afford to sign anybody." While, we've been very active in the market for the first time in years. Shields was perfect for us really, fit the owners' ethos to a T and has used his contacts well. I don't think we'd have not moved to appoint Shields if Glover was still here.

The cheek of Bournemouth. 😂 I wonder how that conversation went. Bournemouth: "We want to sign one of your contracted players, Nathan Redmond." Southampton: "Okay, what's your first offer?" Bournemouth: "Can you terminate his contract?" You're a Premier League club, not League Two anymore even if you haven't worked on your infrastructure. As for us, we've had a good window, a forward away from an excellent window. I mean, we are relying quite a bit on Adams staying fit, as Mara is still potential. Our first eleven stays in this league comfortably, but an injury to one or two of Adams, Armstrong or Mara would leave us quite short. I don't know much about Edozie, but I suppose he could be like Lavia, who we all expected to be a squad player when he signed and he could provide the desired competition to Elyounoussi, or A. Armstrong if he continues on the left. Bazunu's looked solid in goal, which was key, Aribo's had flashes of brilliance, as has Mara, Lavia's arguably been our best and most consistent player in this start of the season and ABK has made our defence so much better. I don't know a lot about Caleta-Car, but his name has popped up on here every window, so hopefully he can stop us from shitting ourselves if one of Salisu, or ABK get injured. Same for Maitland-Niles, a good, experienced player to have in the squad. As for the notable outgoings. Very sad to see Romeu go. Our best moments of the last two years have been with him at the top of his game, but unfortunately our worst moments have also been with him either injured, or just struggling to keep up with the game. Signed as a squad, but was so much more. On the other hand, you have Bednarek... A player who bottled an FA Cup quarter-final. Okay, he's not THAT bad, he's a squad centre-back, who found himself as a starter because we didn't look to invest anything. The arrival of ABK makes you realise how much better's out there than Bednarek. He can make all his big club comments and how its the right place to improve. They're 19th, we're 9th. It's a step down in footballing terms and we've already seen Ings' career drop off from the same move. My only issue is that we can't face him.

Similar to Quincy Promes in that we missed out on him in the January and we’re supposed to go back in, in the summer. Never did… Although, he ended up being a bit of a dodgy bloke.

Links to AMN and Gakpo in the press and then Larios and Edozie come out of the blue. Happy days, although I think we were linked to Edozie earlier in the summer when it looked as though he was going to Leverkusen.

Great win, up the Saints. Stark contrast from the side that let Chelsea run past them at ease just four months ago. The cult of Ralph lives on, although he has made it difficult at times. We've seemingly learned from the mistakes we were making at the beginning of this season, addressed them quickly and now we're beating Chelsea. Lavia and ABK are stars. I hadn't heard of either before they were linked and then signed, but they're far too good for their age. They're going right to the top, enjoy them while we can and hopefully we get plenty of millions for them. 7th and we haven't had that favourable a fixture list with Spurs, United and Chelsea within our first five. We're staying up again, lets go for Europe.

I guess the hope is with this summer that the new signings will eventually pay for themselves and help with future windows. Due to poor ownership and poor decisions made in recent seasons, we've been left with a squad where our only saleable assets are JWP, KWP, Salisu, Adams and Livramento and selling even one of those would have done the team more harm than good with all the new players coming in. Now, that we've got a plan again and what so far seems to be good scouting and recruitment we can hopefully join in with the £30m signings, but not get lumbered with another Carrillo.

£15.4m is cheap today for a striker.

Neither of Ings, Alderweireld or Mane were reported on before we signed them on deadline day. Think Walcott was kept pretty quiet too before he was captured on video at Saints. Keep the faith.

17 fixtures after January 31st, in comparison to 16 last season, although that does include the postponed Newcastle match. The main schedule change of this season is the season starting eight days earlier and there only being one international break next month before the World Cup in December, when there's usually a break in September, October and November.

That's not right. He was an unused substitute for ten of Roma's last twelve matches last season, despite Italy having the five sub rule. Didn't play in the semi-finals, or final of the Conference League either. He was an immediate starter, but then dropped out. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ainsley-maitland-niles/leistungsdaten/spieler/285845/plus/0?saison=2021

Armstrong's deteriorated quite a bit since his long lay off last year and I think those diminishing physical attributes have highlighted his limited footballing ability a bit more. Last summer when he was linked with a move away it was viewed as a potential terrible move by myself, but this summer I'd be open to it and getting better in, in return. Although, my hopes were pinned on Hudson-Odoi. Double barrelled surname and think he'd have given us the same as Bertrand and Romeu have/did after their moves from Chelsea.

TalkSport, so probably Alex Crook. Still waiting for the Premier League striker we were signing a couple of weeks ago to join Ings and Bertrand.

Newcastle's second string struggling against Tranmere. Targett heavily criticised by the commentators for the Tranmere goal.

Stick Adams on Martinez, whip some crosses in and reap the rewards. Shame Maguire’s unlikely to be playing.

When he wasn't included in the tour, or any pre-season matches due to "injury", there were five Instagram videos posted up of him training on his own. No strapping in the videos for injury and he didn't look too injured, or unable to train with the team. So, not too sure what's going on. One for the itks. https://www.instagram.com/_b3performance/?hl=en

What's weird is both Gibbs-White and Lingard take up the same position if they're going to keep the same formation they've been playing with. So, it's a choice between leaving a player on £200k-a-week, or a player signed for a potential £44m on the bench. You'd hope it would spur on, encourage them to put in performances on the pitch when they get their chance, but then neither put up much of a fight at either United, or Wolves when they were benched. It was consistent first team football at both West Ham and Sheffield United where they shone. Then you have the striker situation. Brennan Johnson's their star man, so he's an automatic starter every week. But, they also signed Awoniyi for £17m and Dennis for £20m. One of them has signed to sit on the bench, which is a bit much for a squad player. Midfield as well to a lesser extent, £10m on O'Brien, £12m on Mangala, Kouyate on a free who was on £65k a week at Palace and Freuler for £7m. To replace one outgoing midfielder, Garner, after his loan. Who's come in to sit on the Nottingham Forest bench? I guess it's exciting if you're a fan and they're at least giving it ago. But, it doesn't seem to be very coordinated, a player becomes available, Forest sign them.

Especially if JWP makes these crosses one of his new trademarks. He tried one earlier in the match against Leicester, but A. Armstrong was the target, so it wasn't as successful.

Given his name and double barrelled surname, Saint-Maximin should have ended up here. He’s torn Kyle Walker apart today, made him look slow.

The overriding positives of the first three matches of the season are the new signings. Usually, there's one, or two a window, who you can tell aren't quite at the required level straight away, a Clasie, a Juanmi, a Hoedt, a Carrillo, a Danso as examples. But, each of our first team signings this summer have certainly made our first 11 stronger. ABK and Lavia don't play like their respective ages. Bazunu and Mara, it's a bit more clear that they're at the early stages of their careers, but they also look like Premier League players and Aribo has brought some much needed quality to our attack. We desperately needed the new signings to add something to our team and they certainly have. Credit to the recruitment team and if this is down to the data driven analysis that Sport Republic/Ankersen reference a lot then I'm all for it. We can go back to the Mitchell days of feeling confident when a player does eventually leave us. Lets hope the next few weeks and incomings bring the same results. Fortunately, nobody came in for Adams with a suitable offer given all the rumours that he's available. Can't sell him after this. Scored two today, unlucky not to get a third and player a part in our two goals last weekend as well. And some thought we'd be fortunate to get £20m for him.

Aston Villa losing 3-1 against Crystal Palace. They need Bednarek.