Fabrice29

Are you not bored or watching him now? Steel, commitment, good captain but same old in consistent performances. He’ll make some great last ditch tackles, he’ll maraud forward with the ball occasionally, he might even score the odd goal and he’ll shout a lot but he’ll also be heavily out of position a lot and he’ll be piss poor in the air and will divide fans throughout the season. Aren’t you bored of him now? I’m bored of most our squad but certainly the CB’s. I’d absolutely love a clean restart in that area, with some hope rather than the deep rooted knowledge that it’s unreliable.

How many good games have these two had for us combined do people think? 5 max? Makes me laugh these two are seen as players we have to ‘put faith in’. Clearly talented and could have great seasons but not sure why people get worked up over players like this really.

Stephens isn’t very good or consistent. We know this because he’s been with us for 10 years now and he’s not been very good or consistent. Relying on him this season and making him captain (as has been suggested) would be mental.

We’ve got loads of experienced players, the majority aren’t very good and younger players have/will replace them

Agreed, which is a shame.

He was ill. Still need to find buyers for Stephens, Bednarek and Lyanco. Really need a whole reset in that position.

Who in their right mind is linking us, a championship club, to a PL teams first choice left back? 😂 Genuinely intrigued to know where you’ve seen that?

Lost 4 of their last 5 fwiw. Also lost a popular manager. Not sure they will be full of confidence tbh.

I'm just pointing out that our full backs aren't really attacking or particularly threatening. Apart from the one we didn't have last season and is going to leave. So maybe the guy who hopefully knows what he's doing might be right in moving them inside occasionally (and coincidently one of his full backs last season was quite threatening)

3 goals and 2 assists from our full backs in the PL last season (Perraud with both assists and 2 goals.) Really hope we don't lose that attacking threat.

It's designed to create overloads and passing lanes centrally. Also to give protection on counter attacks whilst letting more attack minded midfielders push higher up. Doesn't necessarily mean they won't be attacking threats themselves and doesn't necessarily mean they will always sit in front of CB's, it's evident from the friendlies that players are not contained to set positions. See Mannings statistics from last season for example and Russel Martin saying himself his favourite goal at Swansea was one full back crossing for another.

Could be wrong but I thought Martin's comments about Armstrong being like Piroe quite telling. Not sure you'd be saying that publicly if you were a few weeks away from signing Piroe himself. That said, Martin made clear in his press conference that there are players we've spoke to who are interested in joining us but also happy to remain patient whilst we sort out transfers. Piroe possibly but especially Downes comes to mind.

Same Nixon that said we were leading the chase on Kieran Breckin? Signed for Wigan.

Think Perraud and ABK have been just as injured as Armstrong fwiw. Salisu has featured also. Agree they all leave though, hopefully.

Said at 14.53 of course.

Nobody said he’s a money grabbing mercenary. It’s a perfectly good career opportunity for the kid. He’s just had a massive injury, probably grateful for the support but also aware his career is short. Take the money out of it and it’s a move to a top 4 club and a chance to nail down a position for years at that particular top 4 club. Why would he stay? I’m not saying he’s desperate to leave or a mercenary, I’m saying the idea that he would happily stay and turn down those opportunities is bizarre even more so because he clearly is working on getting that opportunity. Then again, those anonymous briefings to the press with a vague ‘content to stay’ line is gospel and therefore fuck the owners.

Yeah, the kid and his family who carefully plotted and chose a move at 17 to get first team football are suddenly now being easily led down a path against their will (that you realise but they don’t) by the agents they sourced out and now employ. That’s definitely as equally as possible as them thinking that a move to a CL club with an ageing right back as competition might be a good move. Also where’s this Tino interview where he’s said positive things about staying out of interest?

His agent works for him not the other way around. Again, the narrative that suggests agents are out there doing things players don’t want them to do is funny, nonsense and highly convenient for the PR of the player.

Fwiw Nancy Froston/Frostwick is a good reporter, efl centric for the athletic and a Southampton fan. Might be worth a follow for a few of you.

This is likely. Seen a few other fans of PL teams say the lack of specific club reporting has been noticeable even for them so I think it’s a wider restructuring.

This narrative makes me laugh. The move wouldn’t be happening without him and his team a) sourcing out the interest from Newcastle b) agreeing to it and c) telling Southampton he wants it. Find the idea that we just believe a narrative that he was happy to stay quite funny when his actions speak differently. Grateful for Southampton’s support yes (although I found that cringeworthy as well, what else are Southampton going to do?), be happy to stay, maybe, but quite clearly facilitating the move at the same time. And btw, I’m not having a pop at him, good luck to him, don’t begrudge him it at all, he’s right to be facilitating the move if it’s available but let’s not believe that SR are walking in to Staplewood one morning and telling Tino he’s off whether he likes it or not.

Borges joining West Ham. He’s been speculated about for quite a while now but this comes slightly out of the blue as West Ham never been mentioned (despite being obvious it was off from our point of view the moment we were relegated). A lesson to be learnt for all those who crave and celebrate ‘links’ in the media.

Players will go from Besiktas to Goztepe on loan but not Lyanco. That's what the original tweet said in fairness.

You read incorrectly.

He's coaching kids which is worrying.