Slugger

Agree but worth stating that many FL clubs were devaluing the JPT themselves by picking reserve teams etc. There was glamour in getting to the final but the early stages were considered an inconvenience by many FL sides. Obviously we won it so have great memories of it but worth remembering we also had a big squad for that level and a fanbase that got behind it because we knew we had a very good team likely to get deep into the competition. Check the Southend Chairman's comments on it for a different perspective.

Slightly different profile of player there. Unfair to compare. Also wonder how you are judging Bastien's potential?

From yesterday: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/26/top-flight-football-league-richard-scudamore-premier-league

Not a good idea and would prefer we had boycotted. But seeing as we are bothering to be in it we might as well try and do well. Better opportunity for the young players than U21/23 league.

Exactly. Also keeps the current players on their toes and will give options for the weeks we have 3 games, especially in an area of the pitch where energy is crucial. Will likely play the JPT too.

If thats true then hopefully its a signal that Gazza will be loaned out. He has a lot of potential but won't fulfil it sat on our bench. He is 24 and only has 40 pro games under his belt.

Looks like Puel is quite hands on in the training sessions. Interesting to hear him speaking in French to the players with presumably Eric Black translating for them where needed, although a lot is obvious through body language and signals. All seems high tempo. https://grabyo.com/g/v/HUF1DxWql6d

Mertesacker out for a few months with a knee injury. Surely Arsenal will be in the market for a CB.

If you intend to play two strikers up top then having three strikers in the squad is one light IMO. If you only play one striker then 3 is ok. Since Austin signed in Jan, he and Jay Rod were probably unavailable more than available. With Europa games and Cup etc we would be stretched with just one striker injury and severely hampered with two (and we had two striker injuries for the majority of the second half of last season). Luckily, we had four strikers plus Mane who can play up front, rather than three plus Redmond who has never played up front.

Sammy Lee has been heralded more since he left than at any point he was here! Madness.

Ok. He has been injured every summer before the start of the three seasons he has been at Saints, if that makes you feel better.

He was recovering from an injury when he joined us and hasn't done a full pre season before any of his seasons with us. http://mobile.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/20160703-florin-gardos-southampton-pre-season-3164292.aspx He says it himself in the final paragraph here.

Feel for him. He has been injured in all 3 pre seasons since he has been here which is far from ideal.

Everton ITK reckons they will have a positive net spend of £90m and will sell Stones, McCarthy and some fringe players. Stones alone will generate £40m so they would have to be spending well over £130m to hit that £90m net spend figure. Be interesting to see if that is anywhere near reality but Koeman and Walsh clearly joined because there is money to spend. Certainly some big deals still to happen across the PL as a whole, as always August is by far the busiest month.

If we are going to play 2 strikers and one behind (Tadic, Redmond) then I would suggest we need a striker rather than a creative midfielder as originally thought. Still a Mane replacement as think he would have suited playing up front in this new system but not a Ziyech or Boufal type player as Tadic/Redmond will be earmarked for that role surely?

Nicky?

Of course we all knew but interesting to hear him say so bluntly the role he had in Forster signing.

Is Martina actually that poor? He is more solid than flashy but I wouldn't say he ever really looked poor.

Wouldn't say he has looked overly secure defensively though, certainly not against the more physical wide players. With an attacking fullback you forgive the odd error if they contribute going forward (like Kyle Walker) but sometimes Cedric was doing neither well. He will benefit massively from the first season and confidence from the Euros but he can improve both aspects from what we saw last year, hence he lost his place to Martina.

Thats excellent. He is by all accounts a very highly valued staff member (and influential on Forster).

Cedric gets high up the pitch pretty well, certainly did for Portugal. Its just that when he gets there he doesn't seem to trust himself to beat anyone on the outside like Clyne did. I find it odd because he has plenty of pace, but tends to just pass the ball inside. His attacking strength is the underlap run where he gets straight into a crossing position without having to beat anyone.

Trippier has been long linked.

Rafa Silva who we are linked with every window is going to Porto from Braga.

FWIW its not the formation we have played in both friendlies so far.

Cedric will have one friendly before the first game, so there is definitely a chance.