Saint86

Reminds me of Koeman's first window - came in after the squad was ripped apart with loads of players leaving and having to make a load of new signings - most of which were quality for where we were at and created the foundations for the best saints side in the past 30-40years.

I would give it an 8/10.

Agreed. I think we still have a good chance given premier league football as a carrot. It could also be noise to secure him a better contract offer etc. from saints ofc.

How many of them were young super rich athletes 😆 Edit...

It's Paris Vs Southampton end of the day... 🫣 And Paris FC have got flashy ambitious owners (main shareholder is worth $150-200B, red bull also involved) and an exciting project. I don't think it's clear cut at all that we'll get him now.

Sounds like we're looking at something like this for the season: I personally prefer having Jander/Downs as a more deep lying creative playmaker in a midfield 3, with Azaz pushing up to support the attackers (he was popping up everywhere vs Watford, finding the pockets and linking the play in the final 3). This approach would give us plenty of options, with movement from the attacking 4 players, and a 2man midfield that is very capable of anchoring the side and recycling play (all 3 of Jander/Downes/Charles are very good for this). I also wouldn't be too attacking with the full backs / wing backs - we are wide open time after time with them doing that - and frankly we need to be tighter - quite happy with them supporting the wingers from behind, but don't need to see them playing in the oppo half regularly or doing mental overlaps that leave us wide open to cross field diagonals and counter attacks. Archer/AA offer mobile pacey strikers who can finish and get on the end of moves, and Downes/Stewart offer us a more physical mobile presence. All in all, the squad seems more balanced now and I am pleased with the amount of players we've shifted. But i do also think there is still too much scar tissue and hesitation from the Martin era - and it is notable that its the likes of Stephens/Manning/THB (could still not be match fit i guess) that are the ones making basic errors and letting the opposition in time after time. Too much to hope for that we sell one of them and get a top quality CB in? I accept we won't have a better keeper than Baz or Macca this year.

Schoolboyed on depth today imo. Downes could have been injured in the match and the same situation would have unfolded.

Was obvious Ipswich were going to keep playing until they scored... kept checking it, 9+8, 9+ 13, oh look, a penalty goal at 9+16 🙄

Haven't shifted enough of the Martin players - THB, Manning, Stephens are all weak weak links in this side. We leak chances.

Boro have beaten Norwich, Millwall, and sheffield united.... we've lost to stoke and thrown a game vs watford. Not a great start.

Really really poor - and error after error at the back. The less said about Manning defensively the better (good free kick - but he isn't on the pitch to score goals, he's there to deny chances... instead he gifts them time after time). And Stephens and THB are still full of mistakes at the end of August and this should be setting off klaxons behind the scenes - and the inability of all 3 of them to not be able to consistently pass to a team mate is very concerning. We've also had fraser, robinson, edwards, stewart all playing out of position... which is still concerning on the depth front -Crucial points dropped again. Saving grace - we didn't lose. We desperately need more cover at both full backs - and an improvement at LB. The central defenders are all a liability atm. Woods probably the best one... how did that happen.

Points dropped here because we don't have enough depth in this match squad for full back and CM, and we've seen a plethora of mistakes from Manning, Stephens, and THB.

He's been beaten by two great hits - neither are his fault 🥱

No control of this game at all. Dangerous.

Well done manning - cracking hit - becoming the freekick maestro. Still had an absolute mare defensively though - only needed that goal because of him!

Nice advantage by the ref there.

Manning again ffs.

Manning really has been the weak link this game, does have to be said as well. Not helped by having to bring Robinson infield because of Downes absence and lacking a proper left side and CM.

Tessem's bias here is laughable. Manning goes over, looks up to see if he's got a foul, hasn't, holds his face. Striker takes an early shot and leathers it far post under no pressure and with the whole goal to aim at - Tessem blames bazunu. Hilarious.

That's a split second after the ball is passed.

All archer has to do is cut back rather than shoot - the defender is committed and would be gone.

Manning quite poor today. Doesn't run when he should, lazy passes that go astray, stalling attacks etc.

Terssem chatting absolute shit about the foul on Bazunu, the guy literally has his arm around him and drags him down - its a foul on the keeper all day long ffs.

And that is where Baz is better than Macca - any kind of sweeping

The only player we've really lost who was a starter is Fernandes. Dibling barely played, and in fairness, Fernandes has had a fairly limited impact in the league as well.