Leo Scienza

[Fabrice29]

On 24/11/2025 at 17:55, Fabrice29 said:

Don’t think his substitutions have been inexplicable at all given it’s not just Still subbing him off, it’s clearly a combination of a fitness issue and the amount of games we play in a week. 

For anyone still pretending they don’t understand rotation it’s been obvious all season.

[Turkish]

6 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Weird brag. Anyway, it’s not fans who buy players. Most clubs in the league above us will care for resale value. He can’t go there until the summer and until he puts up numbers to justify he’ll ‘do a job now’ we won’t need to worry about that. 

what a weird thing to say. No surpises from you though

[Fabrice29]

5 minutes ago, Turkish said:

what a weird thing to say. No surpises from you though

You don’t think he’ll need to better his 3 goals and 3 assists record to get a move? Especially at the price we’ll charge a year into his contract?

[Turkish]

Just now, Fabrice29 said:

You don’t think he’ll need to better his 3 goals and 3 assists record to get a move? Especially at the price we’ll charge a year into his contract?

that isn't what i said.

[Osvaldorama]

So the clueless wanker subs him off early in games that were tight and we need a spark…
 

Yet keeps him on today when we are getting battered and it’s pointless. 
 

Why?

[Turkish]

Just now, Osvaldorama said:

So the clueless wanker subs him off early in games that were tight and we need a spark…
 

Yet keeps him on today when we are getting battered and it’s pointless. 
 

Why?

The answer to your question can be found in your first sentence 

[ChrisPY]

Just now, Osvaldorama said:

So the clueless wanker subs him off early in games that were tight and we need a spark…
 

Yet keeps him on today when we are getting battered and it’s pointless. 
 

Why?

For the bit in bold, see the bit underlined.

[O_Lord_Marian]

1 minute ago, Osvaldorama said:

So the clueless wanker subs him off early in games that were tight and we need a spark…
 

Yet keeps him on today when we are getting battered and it’s pointless. 
 

Why?

No one knows, he has no previous managerial experience to cross reference with when it comes to selecting formations, tactics, subs etc. Yet here we are, sadly.    

[BARCELONASAINT]

I felt really sorry for leo who came over to the fans at the end of the game and all he got was one guy absolutely hurling abuse at him. I get emotions were high, fans had travelled bloody miles in the freezing cold to see such a shower of shit BUT to give the one player who has shown any spark all season so much abuse is just wrong. Leo didn't have a great game and one could argue he left the player that scored their first all alone but that does not warrant the abuse hurled at Leo.

The video clip is on Twitter 

[saintant]

Is Leo an example of Ankersen's 'if it aint broken break it' strategy?

[die Mannyschaft]

10 hours ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I felt really sorry for leo who came over to the fans at the end of the game and all he got was one guy absolutely hurling abuse at him. I get emotions were high, fans had travelled bloody miles in the freezing cold to see such a shower of shit BUT to give the one player who has shown any spark all season so much abuse is just wrong. Leo didn't have a great game and one could argue he left the player that scored their first all alone but that does not warrant the abuse hurled at Leo.

The video clip is on Twitter 

Agree no point having a go at players who have made an effort on pitch. Millwall and Bristol they didn't get past halfway line. Most of the away games are going to be the same now, players going to exit quick. Except Leo he works out who is getting shirt in advance and sticks to his promise makes to fans, as he did with my son. Leo class player all round.

[Osvaldorama]

10 hours ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I felt really sorry for leo who came over to the fans at the end of the game and all he got was one guy absolutely hurling abuse at him. I get emotions were high, fans had travelled bloody miles in the freezing cold to see such a shower of shit BUT to give the one player who has shown any spark all season so much abuse is just wrong. Leo didn't have a great game and one could argue he left the player that scored their first all alone but that does not warrant the abuse hurled at Leo.

The video clip is on Twitter 

Embarrassing. Literally the only good thing about the club this season is Leo. No point having a pop at him 

[bugenhagen]

10 hours ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I felt really sorry for leo who came over to the fans at the end of the game and all he got was one guy absolutely hurling abuse at him. I get emotions were high, fans had travelled bloody miles in the freezing cold to see such a shower of shit BUT to give the one player who has shown any spark all season so much abuse is just wrong. Leo didn't have a great game and one could argue he left the player that scored their first all alone but that does not warrant the abuse hurled at Leo.

The video clip is on Twitter 

I agree, but when I saw the clip, my feeling was that Leo let the guy vent his frustration. Not saying it was right, but I thought Leo stood there, all alone, his cowardly so-called team-mates nowhere to bee seen, and took it as a champ.

I think (and hope) that he knows it wasn't really at him specifically, he was just taking it on behalf of the team. As they all should have done after a game like that.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, bugenhagen said:

I agree, but when I saw the clip, my feeling was that Leo let the guy vent his frustration. Not saying it was right, but I thought Leo stood there, all alone, his cowardly so-called team-mates nowhere to bee seen, and took it as a champ.

I think (and hope) that he knows it wasn't really at him specifically, he was just taking it on behalf of the team. As they all should have done after a game like that.

Give Leo the armband, take it off AA.

[trousers]

55 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Give Leo the armband, take it off AA.

You can see that's what should happen. I can see that's what should happen. The geniuses in charge of SFC...? Nah, no chance...

[St. Ciervo]

If we can see it, TE cannot.

I'm a fan of Scienza for life. He could pull a VVD, and I'd still love him. 

[Convict Colony]

Only guy who cums inside and doesnt enjoy it

[tdmickey3]

8 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Give Leo the armband, take it off AA.

You forgot Stephens the organiser, the leader, the man who pushes us on......................................................................... to the mediocrity we could only dream of

[Lord Duckhunter]

His last 3 or 4 performances haven’t been anything special, he needs to find a way of overcoming the opposition who are working out ways to stifle him. Clearly most supporters are going to blame the manager, because Leo can do no wrong. But the next few weeks will determine just how good he, is or whether he’s just a show pony like Gaston or Boufal were. If making him captain helps him return to the levels he showed 3 or 4 weeks ago, I’m all for it. But, his drop off in form has been just as bad as some of the others lately, so he should face the same scrutiny…..

[Fabrice29]

I’ve been asking for more the whole season, am I ahead of the game? In his defence, he’s absolutely desperate for someone to aim for in the box and someone to play off outside of it. 

[benjii]

The difficulty for him lately has been that when we've reverted to being too deep and too slow on the ball, when we do finally get it to him, it's far up the pitch and the other team is massed in defence, so he is up against a full-back and a covering midfielder or CB and there's no one to square it to even if can beat them.

When do get up the pitch quickly, it's usually because Fellows has carried it past a player or two, something Manning can't do on Scienza's side. The next pass from Fellows is invariably to Azaz, Armstrong or a CM and it never gets to Scienza when the other team is out of position. 

[Tommy Mulgrew]

Interesting article about an interview Leo gave to Brazilian media.  Seems he does not want to end his career in Brazil but wants to stay in Europe.  His next goal, obviously is to get promotion to the EPL with Saints.  (He might have a long wait.)  As with his other interviews, he comes across well.

https://sportwitness.co.uk/just-to-correct-you-southampton-player-shuts-journalist-down-then-talks-up-promotion/

[Ted Bates Statue]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/22/southampton-leo-scienza-championship-interview-brazilian-sweden

[Give it to Ron]

Was limping off hope was only cramp

[Whitey Grandad]

2 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Was limping off hope was only cramp

Limping to protect his ego.

[Verbal]

2 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Limping to protect his ego.

Have a read of that Guardian article that TBS just posted

[tdmickey3]

37 minutes ago, Verbal said:

Have a read of that Guardian article that TBS just posted

Of course he hasn't

[BARCELONASAINT]

Leo's story is fantastic and should not be overlooked by anyone. He hasn't had a pampered upbringing, he hasn't had the benefit of playing in some of the best academies, he hasn't had the benefit of living a top footballers lifestyle with the money that comes from it. Southampton really is his "Big Time" and he totally recognises that.

We need to recognise the league levels this guy has been playing at up until signing from us....the jump up to the Championship is incredible and on the whole he has adjusted incredibly well.

Tonda and whoever manages him need to play him to his strengths and his natural game if both the team and the player are going to benefit.

The slow ponderous crab football stifles Leo's game. He needs to be played wide in a team that plays quick flowing one touch football that does not allow the opposition time to put 10 players behind the ball. We have all seen that when he has a one on one situation he can go outside or cut inside very effectively and is very capable of shooting.

Tonda must stick to the way we played during his intial period in charge and the first half last night and Leo will flourish.

[ally_uk]

We'll certainly miss him when he goes, don't think he will be here long. 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Verbal said:

Have a read of that Guardian article that TBS just posted

And what in there is relevant?

30 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

Of course he hasn't

What have I missed?

[Mboto Gorge]

10 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

And what in there is relevant?

What have I missed?

You miss a lot it seems, including missing the point of what makes a competent goalkeeper.

[Verbal]

15 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

And what in there is relevant?

People with high egos routinely lie to themselves about their own capabilities. Scienza on the other hand seems quite relentlessly honest with himself. The Guardian article goes further than any I've seen in his discussing his psychological struggles, including some quite devastating self-doubt (hardly a feature with egotists), so openly.

[Osvaldorama]

2 hours ago, Ted Bates Statue said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jan/22/southampton-leo-scienza-championship-interview-brazilian-sweden

Great article. What a guy.
 

Just enjoying watching him while he’s here. He’ll be in the PL next season, I think. Sadly I don’t think we’ll be joining him. 

[Saint86]

54 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

We'll certainly miss him when he goes, don't think he will be here long. 

I love him, but i'm not entirely convinced his physicality and final product are good enough to go much higher than a lower half or relegation scrapping prem side personally. Maybe if he was a couple of years younger with more room for growth, but he'll be 30 in 2 seasons time, and i think there would be a valid concern over how his (in reality, declining) physicality would stack up in an ever more physical premier league. If we were where we should be (i.e., a promotion contender) i'd have no concerns about losing him, but i can see that whilst we're languishing in the mid table or bottom half of the champ its possible he may move to a more competitive side - particularly if someone sends a halfway decent bid to our player trading board. Don't get me wrong, i think he's a fantastic player for us and the championship, and he really is superb as a winger at this level. Arguments to be made that he'd become even more effective with better quality attacking players around him to be sure, but still wonder if his physicality would ultimately hold him back - i dearly hope he sticks around at saints and gets the chance to prove any such doubts wrong mind you!

Edited 6 hours ago by Saint86

[Mboto Gorge]

2 hours ago, Verbal said:

People with high egos routinely lie to themselves about their own capabilities. Scienza on the other hand seems quite relentlessly honest with himself. The Guardian article goes further than any I've seen in his discussing his psychological struggles, including some quite devastating self-doubt (hardly a feature with egotists), so openly.

Bizarre that he makes a little dig at our best performer so far this season, based on absolutely  nothing……yet won’t hear a bad word about the absolute limp lettuce we’ve had to put up with in goal for the last 3-4 years. incredible stuff

Edited 4 hours ago by Mboto Gorge

[beatlesaint]

The fact that some "fans" are turning on the one breath of fresh air this club has at the moment is quite frankly fkin pathetic.

There's enough to complain about without dragging in a guy who seems very genuine in what he says and how he acts. 

[rooney]

Best player we have signed for years.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Limping to protect his ego.

Ouch! 🙂

He ovestretched in a challenge, and was doing a couple of stretches just after. I guess it lingered to the final whistle.

[hypochondriac]

5 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Limping to protect his ego.

That's a really weird comment.

[Whitey Grandad]

25 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

That's a really weird comment.

Too deep for you?

Earlier in the game he didn't get fouls awarded when he threw himself to the ground and had to be told to calm himself down. It was an exaggerated limp. Do you think it was real?

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, Mboto Gorge said:

Bizarre that he makes a little dig at our best performer so far this season, based on absolutely  nothing……yet won’t hear a bad word about the absolute limp lettuce we’ve had to put up with in goal for the last 3-4 years. incredible stuff

Who is this "he" whereof you speak? If you're going to make a snide remark about another poster then please address that poster by name.

We left the school playground several decades ago. At least I did.

[Whitey Grandad]

4 hours ago, Mboto Gorge said:

You miss a lot it seems, including missing the point of what makes a competent goalkeeper.

I see things a lot of other people miss.

I raised a reasonable question and I received a reasoned and sensible answer from Verbal.

We can move on.

[Midfield_General]

Not just a great talent but comes across as a terrific character both on and off the pitch, the absolute highlight of another bleak season supporting this club. I liked him before, and he’s gone up even higher in my estimations after reading that article. If we had a team of Scienzas this season would be a different story. Top, top man. 

Would just love to see him get the winner this Sunday and properly write himself into the history books of the club. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Midfield_General

[Convict Colony]

In world of fake bollocks and pr he is authentic which highlights how inauthentic the rest are.

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, Whitey Grandad said:

Too deep for you?

Earlier in the game he didn't get fouls awarded when he threw himself to the ground and had to be told to calm himself down. It was an exaggerated limp. Do you think it was real?

Sorry I really don't know what you're talking about. He's our best player, seems like a great bloke and is a candidate for the player with the smallest ego. He draws and wins so many fouls in every game due to his skill. He's great and it's frankly bizarre that someone would look to criticise him, certainly before all the other players.

[BarberSaint]

39 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Sorry I really don't know what you're talking about. He's our best player, seems like a great bloke and is a candidate for the player with the smallest ego. He draws and wins so many fouls in every game due to his skill. He's great and it's frankly bizarre that someone would look to criticise him, certainly before all the other players.

 

But to be fair he did miss out on getting a foul and went in a bit hard on someone and the ref told him to stop being an idiot and booked him which I agreed with: his blood had risen. It didn't last though so I just took it as the ref doing a good job and then him calming down and getting on with playing footy.

Then we had the rest of the game with very little incident of interest.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 minutes ago, BarberSaint said:

 

But to be fair he did miss out on getting a foul and went in a bit hard on someone and the ref told him to stop being an idiot and booked him which I agreed with: his blood had risen. It didn't last though so I just took it as the ref doing a good job and then him calming down and getting on with playing footy.

Then we had the rest of the game with very little incident of interest.

I think he feels that he doesn't get much protection from the officials. After the foul the Hull fella made on him on Saturday I do have a bit of sympathy.