leon0286

Came on for the last 30 minutes today, when we switched to a back 3, to match Wolves up. Got caught out with the pace of the game straight away, but it's hardly surprising, he has been here less than two days, and not had a proper pre-season....And to be fair, it was against Traore. But after that he recovered well, and despite being here two days, was leading the back line, organising us to a probably underserved, but hard fought, clean sheet. Made two excellent passes through the middle of the pitch to Tielemans and Barnes where we really should have done better, and managed to body Jimenez and Traore for the last half an hour, despite the early scare. Impressed with his leadership, and it's a shame Bertrand tested positive for Covid as he would have probably started...Although Thomas, his replacement, was probably man of the match.

It's interesting to hear that, considering how Rodgers plays, he's one of the most progressive managers out there. I've never been too impressed with him during his whole career thinking he was more of a 'stopper' as a full back more than anything else. But his ability to get up and down for 90 minutes, assisting and looking a goal threat too, has really surprised me pre-season. His ability on the ball and leadership has been a real surprise too. I hope, in a non disrespectful way, that he and Vestergaard were both just bored of a lack of investment and quality being brought in to play alongside them. Although I have a horrible feeling that if Vestergaard starts today, his lack of pre-season and having no relationship with the defence, means he will look all over the shop.

Interesting, especially regarding the comments about Bertrand's lack of pace and attacking quality, his pace, energy to get up and down for 90 minutes, and ability on the ball has been exceptionally impressive pre-season. Perhaps it just got a bit stale for him at Southampton? I can't comment too much on Vestergaard obviously, having yet to see him play.

Glad that it has been confirmed so quickly, and that he is available for tomorrow....So fair play to our owners once again. Seems a likeable guy in his first interview, interesting to hear how close his is off the field to Schmeichel, and a lesser extent to Bertrand. What do you guys mean that he's 'not suited' to how your manager wants to play? I read similar to Bertrand, after he left.... Does Ralph not like to play out from the back or use attacking full backs then?

Well the reality is, it's all been down to luck, and hard work....Lucky that we've got such incredible owners, who are incredibly hard working, in trying to make us as competitive as we can be. Our transfer success, isn't as immaculate as it may seem from the outside. When the owners initially took us over, in the Championship, they thought the route to success and raising our profile, was purely down to spending a fortune. I remember the days of Sven being our manager, and wasting a fortune on pretty average Championship players. But what really changed our fortunes, was our owners ability to admit when they didn't understand something, and they were willing to listen. They are businessmen....But had no experience of running this kind of business. So once they realised their way wasn't working, they turned to proper footballing people, oddly enough, this is where an ex Saints manager, Nigel Pearson, gets huge credit. The job he did, not just in getting us promoted from League 1 and then the Championship, but more importantly, educating our owners as to what was required to run a successful football club. Looking back, I can't think of a better man.....His time at Middlesbrough, where they were spending a fortune on 'stars' and were relegated, probably opened his eyes more than anything else. £100 million on a training ground last season, record investment in transfers this summer despite the huge layout on the training ground. Announcements today that we're expanding the ground by 8000, adding a hotel + an arena and turning our ground into more of a complex, to bring in further revenue and enhance our FFP cap. This isn't in anyway meant to be some kind of 'brag', reading it back it does seem a little like that....But it's more a beacon of hope, a sign of what can be done in a relatively short space of time, it wasn't long ago we were battling administration and relegated down to League one. Good owners, can carry a football club, a very very long way. Bad owners, can destroy one, as we also very nearly found out in the not so distant past.

I fully concur with this, can't say I know too much about the inner dealings of Saints, but I don't like to see other 'family' clubs, that were up until very recently a similar size to us, seemingly be struggling, when Man City and Pep Fraudiola are once again buying league titles and spending £100 million + on single transfers. I think we've been pretty good recently, at identifying targets who are perhaps not the most fashionable, or at clubs who have been struggling more than us in the league, and realising that in our setup, we may be able to get more out of them. Evans/Maguire are two examples I can think of actually, both being relegated before joining us, and both excelling. Salisu was an excellent signing, one with all the traits required to be a good modern CB. But I do worry that he hasn't, right now, got a lot of experience to be helping him out on the pitch. Soyuncu/Fofana are two examples of young defenders, capable of stepping up to this level very quickly....But they also had Johnny Evans guiding them through games a lot. Salisu may very well swim, rather than sink, but I'd worry that should he not start great, and he loses confidence, then you get to a point where you might be looking for 3 worse teams in the league.

The more I consider the Big Dane, the more I think it's a relatively decent signing for us, considering the injury to Fofana. PL Experienced, seems to be a bit of a leader, especially at International level, links to Schmeichel/Bertrand, can play in a back 3 which we occasionally play, good at bringing the ball out etc. His pace is a concern, but we did have Maguire here for a few years, and having a good quality of player around him should limit that weakness. I've seen Tarkowski being suggested as a possible replacement, but Dyche wants £25/30 million+, despite him not signing a new deal, as we've been after him/Vestegaard for 12 months.

Interesting, so you rate him high enough to be one of the very best CBs in the league?

That's a worry I have for him specifically, his speed, especially as we play a high line. But Soyuncu is one of the fastest CBs in the league. I can't see Vestergaard playing in a back 3, with Evans. In fact I can't see an occasion, apart from injuries, where they ever play together. Plus, from what I'm hearing from you guys, he excels on the ball, so it's likely he will be the furthest CB forward.

Leicester fan here.... So just how 'Bad' is big Jannik? I think our interest, is explained by a few factors really, and we were also looking at him last summer. The club likes the fact he has experience playing in a back 3, as was the case with Denmark, and it's more than likely that Schmeichel has also put in a good word about his character, and the fact he looked like a leader back there during the Euros. I do worry about his pace, it certainly looks his biggest weakness. But with Soyuncu and Fofana (Albeit probably next season), I'm hopeful they can play the deeper role sweeping up behind and allowing Vestergaard to come out with the ball, or play either side of him when we play a back 3. I'm well aware that both he and Bertrand made up a side that had one of the worst defences in the league last season, but the reality is, with a fully fit squad, Vestergaard will be 4th choice, whilst Bertrand has been bought in while James Justin recovers from injury to avoid putting too much pressure on young Luke Thomas. I'd also suggest, that having a better quality of player around him, will allow him to carry the ball out more often, which seems to be the biggest strength of his, along with his size, that we like. I'd also add that I have been extremely impressed with Bertrand this pre season. When we signed him, I feared we would be getting a player who was simply looking for a final big contract....But his attitude has been top class, constantly looking like a leader in the team too, talking all the young lads through games pre-season, and surprisingly has been bombing on down that left hand side for 90 minutes, something I didn't think he would be capable of. His set piece delivery looks exceptional too.