gio1saints

Not expecting any revelations tonight, especially from RM, but considering asking the finance guy what is the wage cap for prospective new players at Southampton - and as a follow up how flexible will he be on that for free transfers and loans. It’s a pointer in how likely rumours pertinent to RF, possibly Ramsdale or Johnstone any new star CF or AMF are. I’ve read £60k pw? If it’s answered here then will come up with something else .

Any news on Shea Charles’ absence from the squad Saturday?

Che Adams on subs bench for Torino in Italia cup game v Cosenza.

Might go. Went to the last few. Might get to ask a question this time but needs to be a good un. Might use the best of what’s posted here.

Not quite. Under RM the goalkeeper position at Saints and the technical requirements associated with it have been transformed. Some might say not for the better but that’s not the point. It’s not like a “ conventional” gk position anymore. There are a multitude of new PBF positions to be learned and tactical responses to situations to be understood. Understanding what your defenders and midfielders are going to do in our system, where they are going to be, even your forwards who can receive who best not, when and how to go long, and at any given moment is not an overnight thing. Planning and playing of set pieces and the high level of communication required needs time and great concentration. Lastly being thrown in at the deep end is not usually our style for such a crucial position - any position in starting line up usually, Thats why any new keeper will take weeks before he’s ready to play. And if he does not speak English that could extend to months. HTH.

Adam Hlozek.

Alex will be in goal v Newcastle. It will take weeks to induct any new gk into RM play style. Months if they don’t speak or understand good English. Lumley getting a run out basically confirms he’s reserve keeper for the foreseeable also. More noteworthy was Shea Charles total absence, BBD starting and the 15 minutes given to TP. Also of note was Jacks role as the defence midfield pivot and the acknowledgement that KWP might reprise Tella and JWP’s roles playing early fixtures last season until sold.

Any news on Shea Charles?

Something different that most players will never have faced before. He is going to worry defenders every attack and every set piece. We have a very predictable attack otherwise. And at the highest level the managers and players are better at nullifying stuff like good possession. He might just be our joker in the pack. Except of course he was only put on to remind the world he is alive and available to buy.

Call me a silly billy but last five or so minutes when TP was on we had a couple of chances to put ball into the box. Both came to nothing . But both times I thought to myself “ if they get it to him he will win the ball or create such a fuss we will score. I also found myself glowing with pleasure at the thought that saints actually have someone who IS a #9 and physically owns that forward central space normally empty for saints.

TP was on six minutes and got fouled 3 times.

I just voted for Paul Onuachu in the poll 'Saints vs Getafe: Vote for your Player of the Match'. What's your vote?

TP skills!!!!

I’m voting TP as my MOTM whatever 😂

Play Tyler. 😁

Jack Stephens playing v well in his position in front the cb’s. Most players did ok - Joe Aribo very good, BBD held up ball well in a way we not seen a while on the left. AA is off it a bit today, looks sluggish.,Alex gave them his present as expected but we got away with it. Nice Smallbone header from a Yuki delivery ( he’s good at set pieces) brought out a good save and he had another good chance blocked by excellent defending. These are whinging about every challenge. Will needs be careful as he could easy see a red second half. KWP tidy with a few glimpses of his skills. Jan and THB co trolled as ever. Flynn just oiling everything as usual. Not bad not great not rubbish could easy be 2-0 at HT.

I’ve heard this walker Peters guy is quite good. Be like a new signing if he works out at wingback. 😁

Melier. What awally . Gives Pompey an equaliser with crisp packet hands.

It may not surprise a few of the better informed here but our club transfer and spending strategy is set up based on the high likelihood, NOT the possibility, of relegation this year. Another year in the EFL but at a higher base line of quality and experience playing this way , an essential promotion - and we may then be more competitive in the EPL 2026-2027.

Good assessment. It is based on the premise that our squad and average performance level need to improve by a factor to avoid relegation from EPL given the jump in standard. What kind of factor of improvement do you think we need to have to avoid relegation? 10% better ? 50% better? What does that mean in actual goals scored or conceded this year per match do you think? FWIW I think our goals scored was ok last year. But our goals conceded ( over XG) was bad. That needs urgent attention for all the talk of getting more forwards we must stop conceding over XG needlessly this season..

Think that’s exactly what RM will play and the outcome he hopes for.

Am i right in saying shirt #10 is unallocated and that Lallana has no shirt number at present?

Eddie Howe does not need 100 hours of video analysis to know how we are going to play. In particular our GK. Putting a good spin on it I’d say saints fans need prepare to endure many a statement defeat if you like - to show how wedded we are to becoming excellent at a certain style of play. No matter interim results along the way. Sadly I don’t think this current team is going to score as many goals from Alex to the back of the opposition net in 10-30 cute passes as the opposition will from Alex accidentally passing to them in our own penalty area. And the latter is gonna happen all season long. So relegation is almost a certainty - unless FFP rules hitting other clubs saves us. Get accustomed to that and the season may become more bearable. At this EPL level, with these current, mostly, barely EPL level squad players, we may score 5-6 supremely beautiful goals playing our way - but the cost of playing our way will be we also concede 30-40 from essentially losing possession in and around our penalty area. I’m going to have to convince myself that it’s better to get beat most weeks playing this stylish and brave way looking to crack the genius level code for possession football than get beat most weeks looking like a poor no identity no spirit football team. Which is what can easily happen ( see last time around). Apols if that sounded depressing. I’m positive about Saints and always will be but it does help if one’s expectations are in the right ball park! Simply not getting relegated would be a massive result this year. 😇

Hi Sue you probably will remember they let Mason Greenwood play for them as part of his rehabilitation from being a sex offender when no one in the uk would touch him. Best play is called Borja something is a forward and they’re a mid table Spanish club. Should be a very tough challenge for saints in terms of technique as they certainly will be excellent on the ball. Yes I’m going because I like to watch the state of organisational understanding /preparation of our squad/fringe players - not for the result really. Im hopeful we can match them and, hopefully but expecting to be disappointed again, for us not to keep letting the opposition have free goals/ chances by literally sending party invitation cards out to a penalty area press in our own area 6 times per match. The invite says “ Just turn up in our penalty area with your Getafe mates and Alex will personally give you presents and cake”🎂. But I can see the funny side of it. I think Charles Bronsons best film was “ Death Wish” also. 😂

Interesting pov from lazio fans who rate Shea Charles but, in an impressive bit of insight, state that the result needs consideration in context of how saints do in the EPL this year. The OP raises the same concern many of us have - which is of our PB game that worked in the Championship being overwhelmed by higher quality of EPL intense pressing. ( wrt to Shea Charles) good guy, eh, they have three or four kids who really seem capable of doing a lot of things (in their career), their coach is also good, for 15 minutes they dribbled in our faces with notable technical and movement skills, of course after that they risked getting 4 /5, we ran a lot, badly for 20 minutes then we were much more effective in pressing and I didn't displease them at all, a Verona (in terms of pressing and aggression of spaces) with a decidedly better technical rate, I don't know how to evaluate the together, if the Saints were to secure a quiet survival tending towards the center of the table in the Premier League, this friendly match would have been excellent, if instead Southampton's good dribbling and game ideas were to be overwhelmed by the pressing applied in the Premier League and they were to be relegated in a disastrous manner, well then this friendly match would also take on another meaning (ultimately right from the start six saints in the premiership we will have an idea about Lazio)