Saint86

JWP isn't leaving 😛

Are all the people up there as thick, entitled, and childish as this? Or is it just the Liverpool and burnley fans. Guy sounds like he thinks they have a god given right to buy Tella rather than us having the right to sell him at a price we're happy with... or not at all.

I wonder if Thomas Partey is undesirable / not being allowed out of the country (or to saudi) due to the rumoured ongoing legal concerns effecting an unknown north London footballer of his age, position, and stature? 👀 https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/03/premier-league-footballers-bail-extended-after-rape-accusation-19060514/

The negativity about smallbone needs to stop tbh. Utterly misplaced. Will be an important player for us this season.

Agree with all of this. I like him, he seems calm, likeable, in control, and intelligent. But i also worry the defensive issues are a deeper issue than just one of philosophy. We're giving so many gilt edge chances away primarily because of our defensive shape when we lose possession - due largely to the fluidity of the attacking players and lack of thought for a cohesive defensive shape. This will get better simply by the fact that the team will get better in possession (due to understanding the vulnerabilities and knowing where each other are etc.) and lose the ball less, but it does leaves us more open to press and fast counter than at any point under ralph etc. The result of this is that the second we lose the ball its very easy for teams to go straight through is with a couple of direct runners and 1-2 passes. Its a real issue. And its to do with the tactical setup and positioning of players. The back 4 is also playing too narrow when we're under pressure / on the defensive, and yet precious few opposition runners in behind are being picked up - see the goetzpe goal and numerous chances vs bompey etc. Attacking play is great - but the reality is that we cannot be giving away this number of gilt edge chances per game and expect to get promoted. Hopefully Martin isn't so wedded to his philosophy that he can't also address the defensive weaknesses.

Yup, he had a golden opportunity first half vs Bournemouth and shot it flat across the ground at the defender sliding in - had the time and space to either turn or lift it over him. He's struck me as very weak positionally and he seems to be never near his man or able to close them down / catch them. Also seems to be extremely timid in an attacking sense with limited forward passing and doesn't really take anyone on. Not sure what he adds to be honest, like playing with 10men.

We could easily end up in a situation (either through sales or injuries) where bree becomes a long term starter for us this year. Which would be very bad for our promotion prospects based on what i've seen. We categorically need to get one more RB in if either KWP/Tino leave.

AA will start up top. Think you'll see A-A or Edozie on the wing. May see DCC over Bednarek - depends wtf is going on with our CBs transfer wise. Lavia has been playing in 2nd gear all pre season so whether he's going or not i'd drop him. Smallbone/JWP/Alcaraz have all shown far more fight and commitment so far. He's probably leaving regardless, but the others deserve the start and commitment will be important vs a newly promoted Wednesday in a season opener.

Needs a little bit more power for me, but that will come as he fills out.

Smallbone's passing is sick.

Love Stu!

The guy just came in from his left and took him out there surely? Certainly looked like it on the 3rd replay angle - but we didn't get to see that for any other shot. We'd be pissed if this was a meaningful game?

Smallbone with a couple of great defensive interceptions... he's added more steel straight away.

I'd personally pick the keeper first 😅🤔

So same old southampton (I.e. Lots of tippy tappy but in largely in non dangerous positions, lose the ball, have no shape, get cut apart like a knife through butter... And then score from a set play?) 😂🤣. Joking aside, I really like our attacking play and the way it's encouraging and feeding off the intelligence/vision/creativity of players like alacarz and manning and runners like A-A... But my goodness are we horrific in cdm and CB atm 😢😭. No shape defensively at all and worse than ever when hit on the counter.

I see what you did here. Great motivational style 😂

When is it too early to write bree off? Don't even want him in match day squads. No positional sense at all (it's actually shocking how bad he is for this), too slow, too timid, can't pass, bad crossing. He didn't offer anything last season and he's been gash all pre season so far. I know he was cheap (only redeaming attribute?) but was an awful buy. Mane it's vs prem opposition that he struggles, but do we really want to go through the season with an injury risk Tino and bree as our two rbs?

But shout out to the bloke in the white T behind the goal who reciprocated with both arms 😂

Yeah, like him a lot as a saints pundit.

Midfield looks empty without jwp. Worrying. No pressure from alcaraz. Also why was che Adams playing rb for that goal... Sunmary - we have no real shape out of possession... Edit. Also, bree has been an absolute waste of space in all pre season games and certainly tonight.

The saints apreciate your support, I'm sure of that much.... Even if you didn't have the bottle to watch us lose to bitter arch rivals Bournemouth in a friendly game 😡

Would expect Arsenal and possibly even city/united to sniff around as well tbh.

Yeah I'd love to keep him, he's clearly a top talent and one of the players we should aim to keep.

Which makes complete sense given where the club was (from a financial, recruitment, and coaching perspective) during the relegation, administration, and league 1 years. Wouldn't have recovered significantly until after we had re-established back in the premier league so you're talking 2013-14 intakes onwards imo. These kids join the club under 8 years old etc? So we really should be seeing the fruits of the academy investments only in the coming years - and the signs are already good.

I really don't think it's hard to understand tbh. We seem set on making one big money sale. And this will be lavia like as not. If by some miracle someone comes in and offers us north of £45M for JWP or Tino then it will be one of them that leaves instead and we'll possibly even keep Lavia... But people can tell basically everything you need to know about the transfer strategy from the prices we're asking - its a tacit acknowledgement that we can't keep lavia long term and are happy to do a deal now at a decent price, and are then essentially pricing the others out of a move with the intention to build the team around them... If by some miracle no one wants lavia then we'll drop our prices to get that one big money sale. But fundamentally we have owners who at least are making a very good show of being prepared to underwrite financial losses this year, and a bunch of good players on long term deals. I know its a step change to playing the game properly for once, but it is what is happening. And largely irrelevant to that. We have a vast plethora of bloated shite that has suffered wage drops and wants out of the club and that the club wants to get out... and those players need to be shifted regardless of one of Lavia, JWP, Tino being sold. I'm actually more concerned with how we shift most of our 6CB's and the likes of Che Adams, Aribo, Diallo (gone thankfully - anyone get a price for his move though?), Tall Paul, etc. than whether we get £50M, £45M, or £40M for lavia etc. Also, media rumours/stories about bids of £35M for Lavia, or £25M for JWP are irrelevant tbh. I read them as PR pieces for those club's fans "look how deluded/unreasonable Southampton are" (groundwork excuses for not getting them - #we tried), to pressure other clubs into sales of their players (we're moving for JWP/Tino etc), or to try and unsettle players via constant noise/attention (though i imagine that is done in the background mainly) - which may work if the club is financially stricken and unlikely to be competitive this year. But all you can read from our board is that we're not operating under financial difficulty and we are intending to win the league... Which is either on the money or a good poker face.