coalman

I totally agree though it's probably great for the bigger clubs to deal with any club our size. We're simply not in a position to soak up a bid which unsettles a player. We're lacking ready made replacements and the strength in depth that would allow us to say no. Particularly when we need to get back up this season. A large part of that is the terrible business we did under the first few years of Sport Republic's reign. We brought on board a lot of players who are not adequate replacements who we are struggling to shift. We gambled on Ramsdale to keep us in the Premier League knowing full well we wouldn't be able to support his wages if we were relegated.

The trouble is we also can't afford to hold onto a player and have them give 80% because their heart isn't in it. Better to get the money and have time to find a replacement who is committed to the cause. We also don't know what agreements were made with the players after Spygate - there was talk for a while of them suing the club so maybe agreements were made not to fight too hard to keep anyone who wanted to move on. This part of August is usually a shit time to be a Saints fan 😢

Mates rates

We all know if takes a few months for the players to gel with Martin's philosophy. Leicester needs to learn from Rangers who jumped the gun at least six months too early. If Southampton had panicked and sacked him he'd never have had his record unbeaten run.

"We trained so well this week but today we looked completely different"

Charles has looked like he can make the step up. THB did not when we were in the Premier League (not that any player covered themselves in glory last season). I think that THB is decent but lacking pace and physicality to be a really top Premier League player. That being said I'd rather have him in the side than Wood.

If we're going with Wood/Stephens then we need more than just Downes to control the midfield in front of them. Matsuki looks lost as a CM. Scienza looks off it on the wing and on the other side Fellows continues to look lost. On the plus side we look so much more likely to score with Azaz in the side, Larin is a goalbeast and Mubama took his chance oh so calmly. Things are going to be in flux until the transfer window sorts itself out.

Blink twice if Russell is forcing you to say this.

They won the game 1-0 after the red card. Proud of the lads for showing such fighting spirit.

That was nice!

We seem to have lost that intensity we had last season. On the plus side, at least we're not Leicester.

Never said it was. Good work arguing against a point someone hasn't made (again). To help you - if a defender is watching a winger run unopposed into the box to shoot I would expect the captain to be shouting at them to go out and meet them. If that defender is the captain it doesn't work too well.

I think Stephens has always had those kind of mistakes in him. It's why he needs to be playing with vocal players who are going to shout at him. The no look punt for their first goal and failure to pressure the winger for the second were things we've seen before (and will see again). He also struggles against big physical attackers which played into Watford's gameplan of sitting back and hitting us on the break. That being said, when paired with someone who'll push him he's competent. I don't think he's captain material because he's not a leader on the pitch. Leaders don't switch off and ball watch. Would much rather Peretz got the armband.

Two stupid goals to concede. Decent subs and we're still in this. We looked well on top before we gifted them the first.

Plus I don't see a world in which BBD gets subbed on before any of the other attackers on our bench