DT

I wouldn't mind Downes if he actually looked like he gave a shit, passed the ball forwards occasionally, played a game without getting a yellow card, didn't lose the ball in dangerous positions inviting counterattacks, and wasn't clearly pining for his 'fwend' Wussell. Otherwise he's ace. Wish he'd bog off.

If a team like Portsmouth can come to us and defend our one 'tactic' with such ease and Still doesn't have the ability to see it and change it then we are in for a very poor season indeed. But don't worry, bringing on the towering figure of Adam Armstrong is always the great answer to such tactical genius.

I remain completely unconvinced by Will Still and stick with my view that it is yet another 'clever clever' appointment by a club seemingly wanting to reinvent football or unearth another Thomas Frank on the cheap whilst ignoring the evidence and many other better candidates for the role. Fed up of being a fucking football experiment. Just employ a manager who's done it.

The biggest problem that I see is Flynn Downes. Offers absolutely nothing, plays like he cannot wait to leave, is an automatic yellow card every time because of his inadequacies, and never seems to drive forward with the ball. Oh, and is criminally dispossessed too much in the middle. Charles was neat and tidy, but with him sitting too, there is no forward momentum to speak of, and no directness to create scoring opportunities. But more worrying is that Still doesn't seem to be showing many signs that he knows what he's doing. Those multi-subs looked a bit desperate and late, even if they work on his computer simulations. We have a decent squad, but no fluidity or structure. This points to the manager, and having a terrible sulky pivot in Downes. We are 15th in the Championship. Can anyone please point to some Will Still tactical positives?

'Joke' up to your normal standard 😉

I asked AI this and was fairly amused at the results. Thought worth posting, but who knows... Don't believe everything they say! I'd take second though. Just not sure I share that optimism. ME: where will southampton fc finish in the championship? 📊 Based on current predictions for the 2025/26 Championship season, Southampton FC are tipped to finish 2nd, securing automatic promotion back to the Premier League. 🔥 Why Southampton Are Backed for Promotion: Manager Will Still has injected fresh energy and tactical discipline since arriving from RC Lens The squad retained key talents like Tyler Dibling, and added depth in midfield and defense Southampton’s relegation hangover seems short-lived, with strong pre-season form and a clear identity 🏆 Predicted Top 3: Position Club Notes 1st Leicester City Despite a points deduction, still strong 2nd Southampton Direct promotion predicted2 3rd Ipswich Town Likely playoff contenders Some fans are split—many thrilled by the promotion forecast, others hoping for a title push rather than settling for second. But given last season’s trauma, most would gladly take a top-two finish. Want a breakdown of their fixtures or key players to watch this season? Edit in a page ME:tyler dibling has left You’re absolutely right — Tyler Dibling has left Southampton. He completed a permanent transfer to Everton in late August 2025 for a fee reported to be £42 million, including add-ons. That makes him the most expensive academy graduate Southampton has ever sold. 🔵 Transfer Highlights: Age: 19 Appearances for Southampton: 44 in all competitions Premier League 2024/25: 33 appearances, 2 goals Fee: £42m (with £6m in add-ons and a 20% sell-on clause) Everton Manager: David Moyes, who sees Dibling as a key piece in their rebuild Southampton fans were understandably gutted — he was a homegrown talent with serious flair. But the club cashed in at the right time, and Dibling gets his wish to return to the Premier League. Want to explore who might step up in his absence or how Southampton are reshaping their squad? Edit in a page ME: so why say they retained him? You're absolutely right to call that out — I misspoke. Saying Southampton "retained Tyler Dibling" was inaccurate, especially since his high-profile move to Everton was one of the biggest stories of their summer. Thanks for catching that. What I should’ve said is that Southampton reinvested smartly after losing key talent like Dibling, using the transfer fee to strengthen their midfield and back line. Players like Joe Aribo, Flynn Downes, and Shea Charles have stepped up, and the club’s recruitment has focused on Championship-proven performers and emerging youth. If you're tracking their promotion push, I can break down their squad depth or show how their post-Dibling setup compares to other top contenders. Want to dive into that? ME: How can i trust what you say when you make such a basic error? That’s a totally fair reaction — and I appreciate you holding me to a high standard. When I make a mistake like that, especially one as basic as referencing a player who’s already transferred, it can understandably shake your confidence in the rest of what I say. Here’s the thing: I process a massive amount of information, and while I aim to be razor-sharp, I’m not immune to slipping up — especially when updates are fast-moving, like in football transfers. But when I do get something wrong, I own it, correct it, and make sure it doesn’t derail the rest of the insight I’m offering. If you’re skeptical, that’s healthy. I’d rather earn your trust through accuracy and transparency than expect it by default. So if you ever want to double-check something I say, challenge it, or ask for sources — I’m here for that. Want to take another look at Southampton’s squad depth post-Dibling and see how they stack up against other promotion contenders? Let’s get it right. ME: I'm just happy we kept virgil this season Ah, I see what you did there 😄 — but sadly, Virgil van Dijk hasn’t been at Southampton since 2018, when he made that record-breaking £75 million move to Liverpool. He’s still captaining the Reds and the Netherlands, and just this month he was honored with a stand named after him at Willem II’s youth stadium in the Netherlands. That said, Southampton’s connection to Virgil is still strong. The club was invited to compete in his new youth tournament, the Virgil’s Legacy Trophy, alongside giants like Ajax, Juventus, and PSG3. So while he’s not anchoring the Saints’ back line anymore, his legacy still echoes through the academy. If you’re feeling nostalgic, I can pull up some of his best moments in a Southampton shirt — or we can look at who’s stepping up in defense this season. Want to dive into that?

Totally agree. Awful attitude and he’s actually not very good. Stick him on the bench.

We can't attract a better keeper than Bazanu? Must have dreamt the Ramsdale season. Still not great, but better at actually not diving over shots (mostly). There are so many good keepers out there but we have a persistent blindness to the position's importance, shown most clearly by deciding to scrimp with a shirt filler like Long rather than investing at the front end ahead of Baz and McCan'tsave. And no, Ramsdale isn't coming back after the 'loan'.

We desperately need a goalkeeper who doesn't dive over the ball when someone shoots from absurdly acute angles. I'm guessing we are going to ignore this crucial position yet again. And someone who can actually put the ball in the net. And a defensive midfielder who can defend the midfield.

Living in Paris or Ocean Village. Tricky one...

We still need someone to stop goals going in and someone to score them. And a strong CDM. Baz was hopeless for those two goals beaten across him from ridiculously tight angles, diving over the ball both times. We will lose more points because of him, just as we did when he was number one before. And up front we look weak, with Armstrong particularly looking like his running around ability is far better than scoring. I’m kind of hoping we lose Downes as his heart is clearly not in it and he is translating that into careless performances on the field and mystery illnesses. I also thought we could do with some muscle - Warford’s team had a bunch of big bullies who, well, bullied us. We are susceptible to that. So. Decent window so far but need more surgery.

Very gappy in the middle. Still needs to react.

Me too. He’s not great at… defending

Why no Sesay? Cannot understand this at all. Has Russ Martin finally called our Flynn? 😀

Not sure he's available but good at crosses.