Pre-season with Boufal

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-07-28/video-inside-pre-season-sofiane-boufal

Probably shouldn't make too much from this but do the team seem a little cold towards him? Not sure what the vid was supposed to achieve, other than Sofaine seems like a friendly, gentle chap.

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-07-28/video-inside-pre-season-sofiane-boufal

 

Probably shouldn't make too much from this but do the team seem a little cold towards him? Not sure what the vid was supposed to achieve, other than Sofaine seems like a friendly, gentle chap.

He's very well liked and one of the jokers in the camp

Absolutele gentleman and seems to be very popular.

Have a sneaky feeling he will come good this season.

COYR

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-07-28/video-inside-pre-season-sofiane-boufal

 

Probably shouldn't make too much from this but do the team seem a little cold towards him? Not sure what the vid was supposed to achieve, other than Sofaine seems like a friendly, gentle chap.

He comes across well.

I think a player like Boufal is easily our most talented players, he builds up the other players well with encouragement from what I could see.

If you played in the same side as him, he'd infuriate you for the reason that he's so technically brilliant and shows flashes of genius, but gets into strops and gives up too easy when things aren't going his way.

He could be a star if we can get him to get his mentality right, he seemed eager to come off after 60 mins in a few games when it wasn't working for him, but what you want to see is him working hard - and BEING annoyed at coming off (like Alexei Sanchez).

Saying that, he looks like he'll fit in alot more this season and be a key player this season. He has the talent to score 10 goals a season, but just needs the confidence to have a blast from long range and do the unexpected. We as fans shouldn't get on his back, especially when he starts to get down if he makes a mistake.

Hopefully we can come up with a song or two, and make him feel more at home and he'll thrive with a bit more confidence.

I am confident he will be a significant player for us. The little bits I saw of him last season suggest...with the right coaching...he will be a real handful for the opposition. My hunch is that by November he will be a regular that will excite the fans. We shall see!

Extraordinary dribbler, but please Soufiane, never go full Boufal!

Big season for him this year.

He has the ability to become a world beater, he's still a young lad he just needs a bit of fine tuning.

Make it happen, Mr Boufal.

Haven't watched it but if players were acting "odd" around him, imagine how you would act if one of your co-workers had a camera strapped to them that was going to publish the footage online for the world to see - you'd probably avoid the limelight and tone down what you had to say as well.

Haven't watched it but if players were acting "odd" around him, imagine how you would act if one of your co-workers had a camera strapped to them that was going to publish the footage online for the world to see - you'd probably avoid the limelight and tone down what you had to say as well.

There speaks a man who doesn't watch much porn

Boufal is an amazing talent. He just needs to add common sense to his game.

I think he knows that and acknowledges it in this video

I couldn't agree more LeG, sometimes I feel uncomfortable in the stadium because this type of player are so obviously singled out for excessive criticism. Redmond had it a lot this season, the groans are just that bit louder when they do something wrong. Sofiane has looked absolutely out of this world in 5 minute spells this season, and then absolute toilet in others, but that's the nature of this type of player. But he could win a game in that 5 minutes, it's down to others to make sure we don't lose it in the other 85 when he's not doing it.

Hopefully Liverpool and everyone else will want to buy him by Christmas.

As new seasons approach, I tend to have particularly high hopes for one or two players and very much look forward to seeing them play. I am afraid that my time hoping to be wowed by JWP has run its course - looked forward to watching him too many times without the result (and yes, that is being overly critical). This season, it is Boufal and Hojbjerg that I am looking forward to watching most. Boufal has the most wonderful feet and bring excitement that the others don't. That's not meant as a criticism of the others, as you can't have 11 flair players on the pitch.

Extra training sessions and an all round happier demeanor plus a manager with hopefully far more ambition will get the best out of him. He has insane skills and feet. But needs to be doing it in areas where he will hurt the opposition. We were so rigid under Puel it was hard for him to express himself.

Looking forward to a good season from the lad then the annual summer transfer saga to be revolved around him

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Sofaine's opinion that Jérémy Pied is a future 'best full-back in England' carries a lot of weight. That comment by a fellow professional who works alongside Jérémy is very encouraging. Cedric is tough competition for the right back spot but that's just what the club needs.

Pied has Puels personality, it would appear.

As a fan base, over the years, we do seem to get on the backs of flare players v easily and eventually drain their confidence. Fernandes, Guly, Ramirez, Tadic, Boufal etc

 

They are usually players with incredible amounts of skill / technique / vision but thrive on confidence.

 

Boufal is a player that gets you on the edge of your seat and entertains. Rare that this kind of player tracks back but Sofiane does.

 

Give him a chance and this guy will flourish.

 

Hopefully he gets a run in the team.

 

After the Hull game last season Boufal was chosen to do the interview for one of the corporate boxes. Grown men booed him as he was giving his speech. It was v awkward. If they put on the shirt and work hard, we should get behind them.

Booing seems to be our mantra these days. One of the most ridiculous/childish things to do at a football match imo, especially when it's directed at our own players. Same people will moan when a player lacks confidence and is struggling for form though.

Top talent and nice guy to boot

As a fan base, over the years, we do seem to get on the backs of flare players v easily and eventually drain their confidence. Fernandes, Guly, Ramirez, Tadic, Boufal etc

 

They are usually players with incredible amounts of skill / technique / vision but thrive on confidence.

 

Boufal is a player that gets you on the edge of your seat and entertains. Rare that this kind of player tracks back but Sofiane does.

 

Give him a chance and this guy will flourish.

 

Hopefully he gets a run in the team.

 

After the Hull game last season Boufal was chosen to do the interview for one of the corporate boxes. Grown men booed him as he was giving his speech. It was v awkward. If they put on the shirt and work hard, we should get behind them.

Agree completely. Unfortunately when a large segment of your audience are borish simpletons you will sometimes be treated badly.

I think he'll be better with the shackles off, you can clearly see he's a guy who likes to be on the ball but not so much the defensive side of things. Just give him a bit of a free role, let him influence games and see what happens as he's clearly talented.

Let's also hope he stays injury free and this full pre-season will help him, can't have been easy coming to a new club and being injured for like 3-4 months trying to get match sharp in October/November when everyone around him has played 10 - 15 games AND learning a new league. Then you add learning the language, settling in a new country etc. on top of that as well.

Agree completely. Unfortunately when a large segment of your audience are borish simpletons you will sometimes be treated badly.

Just hit it long FFS. Get it into the box.

Watching that video has really given me a buzz for the season to start though. The thought of Boufal fulfilling his potential, and if Gabbiadini is really the player he looks to be, could we finally score some goals!?

Hopefully a holiday, a good full pre season will do him the world of good. There is no doubt he has talent, but there were times last season where you felt he was trying too hard, some of it probably down to (as mentioned already) playing catch up with his new team mates, wondering if his knee operation will allow him to do what he could do, and at only 23 having the weighty tag as Southamptons most expensive player.

Seems a likeable chap, hopefully he can relax and sparkle for us this season.

Loved the video and given a consistent run in the side, free of injury I think we will see a gem of a player. I'd like to see him played as an AM just behind Gabbi, with Redmond and Tadic wider.

Sofaine's opinion that Jérémy Pied is a future 'best full-back in England' carries a lot of weight. That comment by a fellow professional who works alongside Jérémy is very encouraging. Cedric is tough competition for the right back spot but that's just what the club needs.

That was hardly an opinion though, was it? Just a little joke for the camera.

Sofaine's opinion that Jérémy Pied is a future 'best full-back in England' carries a lot of weight. That comment by a fellow professional who works alongside Jérémy is very encouraging. Cedric is tough competition for the right back spot but that's just what the club needs.

He could just have been being nice.

I couldn't agree more LeG, sometimes I feel uncomfortable in the stadium because this type of player are so obviously singled out for excessive criticism. Redmond had it a lot this season, the groans are just that bit louder when they do something wrong. Sofiane has looked absolutely out of this world in 5 minute spells this season, and then absolute toilet in others, but that's the nature of this type of player. But he could win a game in that 5 minutes, it's down to others to make sure we don't lose it in the other 85 when he's not doing it.

Yep, they are players that can do something others aren't capable of, and those things are invariably crucial for turning a game.

Of course, there does come a point where it's no longer worth the rest of the team 'carrying' them, even Le Tissier had plenty of those days. But I do find it odd how quick people are to want to drop or get rid of Tadic and even (already) Boufal, as if somehow in the Premier League you can do away with craft and guile, and conjure up goalscoring opportunities through sheer effort.

Pied was the only one who seemed a little off with Boufal, but that's probably a nothing observation. So long as they tell Boufal to not try and re-beat players and over-complicate his game, he could be a really top player for us.

He comes across well.

I think a player like Boufal is easily our most talented players, he builds up the other players well with encouragement from what I could see.

If you played in the same side as him, he'd infuriate you for the reason that he's so technically brilliant and shows flashes of genius, but gets into strops and gives up too easy when things aren't going his way.

He could be a star if we can get him to get his mentality right, he seemed eager to come off after 60 mins in a few games when it wasn't working for him, but what you want to see is him working hard - and BEING annoyed at coming off (like Alexei Sanchez).

Saying that, he looks like he'll fit in alot more this season and be a key player this season. He has the talent to score 10 goals a season, but just needs the confidence to have a blast from long range and do the unexpected. We as fans shouldn't get on his back, especially when he starts to get down if he makes a mistake.

Hopefully we can come up with a song or two, and make him feel more at home and he'll thrive with a bit more confidence.

Good post

Like most players Boufal will do best if encouraged. He has so much talent. Fair criticism always helps but some on this site like to gang up on individuals which is pointless and self defeating, and I hope that doesn't happen with Boufal.

Hopefully the manager will get that extra from him. I'm looking forward to seeing Boufal emerging as a major force this season. He certainly showed some silky skills against Brentford.

Just hit it long FFS. Get it into the box.

Is that all?

As new seasons approach, I tend to have particularly high hopes for one or two players and very much look forward to seeing them play. I am afraid that my time hoping to be wowed by JWP has run its course - looked forward to watching him too many times without the result (and yes, that is being overly critical). This season, it is Boufal and Hojbjerg that I am looking forward to watching most. Boufal has the most wonderful feet and bring excitement that the others don't. That's not meant as a criticism of the others, as you can't have 11 flair players on the pitch.

JWP is another player that gets unfair criticism. Against Brentford without him on the pitch we were leaden-footed at times and lacking ideas.

In the two videos he did in France, Boufal came across very well, intelligent and with a good sense of humour. His English is very good as well. He is certainly far more of a rounded and grounded personality than that trio of English dimwits who couldn't answer even basic questions about France!

Boufal seems to have settled in here really well now unlike last season and notably praised the new manager for helping him. Maybe he is a quite fragile personality and needs an arm around his shoulders from time to time which seemingly Puel couldn't do.

So I am hopeful that we will see far more of his talent this year and he really comes good. It will be great to see Redmond put under pressure to have to work harder and a bit more seriously for his place this year.

Boufal has got all the talent to be a world beater. He comes across in his two videos as laid back and a genuine nice all rounded guy. I think he will be amazing next season. He rates MP very highly too.

As a fan base, over the years, we do seem to get on the backs of flare players v easily and eventually drain their confidence. Fernandes, Guly, Ramirez, Tadic, Boufal etc

 

They are usually players with incredible amounts of skill / technique / vision but thrive on confidence.

 

Boufal is a player that gets you on the edge of your seat and entertains. Rare that this kind of player tracks back but Sofiane does.

 

Give him a chance and this guy will flourish.

 

Hopefully he gets a run in the team.

 

After the Hull game last season Boufal was chosen to do the interview for one of the corporate boxes. Grown men booed him as he was giving his speech. It was v awkward. If they put on the shirt and work hard, we should get behind them.

V good post [emoji106]

Here is a fellow countryman of Boufal's with some insane skills and only 19. - Hachim Mastour.

Here are some of his highlights, including some footage of him playing against us pre-season a year ago at Zwolle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVSSo6uJwbA

And demonstrating similar ball-juggling skills to Neymar.