CSA96

Make it 4-1 by the hour mark and then get Harwood-Bellis off to rest up and give Stephens some more minutes

Can't stand this tippy tappy football

He gave it a good try when he appointed Mauricio Pellegrino, though.

More info from the Echo: https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24052018.southampton-plan-create-home-only-northam-end-safe-standing/?fbclid=IwAR2LD4QncakMGPK5rjjXQG0TVlS8YPDEdZWgOn2Q5L5pnnRd5AOOK3acTHc

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/stadium-developments-upgrading-matchdays-at-st-marys

On the topic of 'did Martin change things and compromise?' he was actually asked about this as the final question of the embargoed section of the press conference before the Sheffield Wednesday game. It doesn't usually go out on social media etc, so people may have missed it - but I thought this was really interesting from Martin and definitely an admission that he has made some tweaks. Personally, I don't think it's been large changes but I do think he rolled his ideas back a bit. Slightly long answer but have typed it up, so hopefully interesting... Back in September, after you lost to Middlesbrough, you said the players were working extremely hard but that the mentality needed to change. I'm just wondering how you changed that mentality? RM: It was our job to make sure the mentality changed. Not the players. It was ours, as a coaching staff. I think I was really responsible for us losing those four games in a row. It's always on the manager. We just had to try and compete more in and around training rather than [focusing on] tactics. I think we had to 'feel' a bit more, rather than think. We were thinking too much: myself and the players. I was giving them way too much to think about really. It's such a fine balance because a player does require a lot of information and it's different to the information that they'd had over a period of time before. So then you need to try and prioritise things. So yeah, I think we just cleared the decks a little bit and we competed a lot in training and prioritised a few bits that were really about feeling the game rather than thinking. As it's gone along, they are definitely feeling way more than they are thinking now. As a football player, or any sportsperson, it's really important to play with instinct. I think they're playing with their flow now, they're running for each other and they play with unbelievable courage against any opposition. However the opposition sets up, they're so brave. Seeing that from the lads is the best bit for me. We had to become braver and ourselves included as staff, we had chats on the pitches in the morning at training, you have to have a conviction in something. Then it was just about passing that on to the players. I think we have done that and as time has gone on, they've now got more evidence and feeling about what they're doing and pride in what they're doing. That then becomes a self-sustaining thing between them as our players. We're really honest with them as a group of staff and they're really honest with us. We talk about things all the time and we come to a conclusion together and hopefully work things out together. But like I said, I tell them all the time how grateful I am for what they're doing on the pitch and now hopefully they can keep going with that and keep building their trust in each other. It takes a huge amount of trust in each other to play the way I want them to play - it's ridiculous. So I hope we never lose sight of that and I don't believe they will. Even in the last couple of games when we've had some big learnings, we've seen that you can never drop off. You need to live there all the time if you're going to be the team that we want to be.

I have a mate involved at Blackburn, so sent him a text earlier for his opinion Loved watching Joe for us. An amazing dribbler and possibly quicker with the ball than without it. Very exciting player and big mates with Arma, so no surprise with this move. You'll really enjoy watching him play.

Seems like this one is a goer...

David Ornstein, for The Athletic: Liverpool midfielder Fabio Carvalho is expected to join Hull City on loan until the summer. The 21-year-old has generated interest from a host of clubs since returning from a spell at RB Leipzig, with Hull’s Championship rivals Southampton also keen to secure his services. Southampton have not given up hope of signing Carvalho, but Hull are now strong favourites to recruit the Portugal Under-21 international. Carvalho held positive talks with Hull head coach Liam Rosenior and Liverpool team-mate Tyler Morton, who is there on a season-long deal. The proposals from both Hull and Southampton suit Liverpool so it will be Carvalho’s decision and, barring a late twist, it is anticipated his move to the MMK Stadium will be finalised this week.

Liverpool not willing to loan him out to a side where he wouldn't be playing regularly, apparently. Saints, Hull and Leeds the main contenders to get him.

RM's pre-match press conference reveals that Sam Edozie will be out for the rest of the month

Russell Martin says Sam Edozie is out until end of Jan, perhaps even start of Feb

Here you go: https://www.efl.com/how-to-watch/tv-game-selection-process/

Best Goal: Gavin Bazunu (v Preston) Best Signing: Taylor Harwood-Bellis Worst Signing: Paul Onuachu Game to remember: Saints 5-0 Swansea City Game to forget: Saints 0-1 Nottingham Forest Player Of The Year: Kyle Walker-Peters

How much longer is he injured for? It’s been very hush hush.

Do you think West Ham and Man City loaned us Downes and THB without caring if they sat on the bench? There's even strong reporting of Everton taking Holgate back because we haven't delivered the game time they were expecting. I think it's pretty standard for a club to want to know if their player will actually play or not, especially if they've just been on a loan where they didn't play - as with Carvalho in the Bundesliga.

I call that a Salisu.

Sulemana is probably off to AFCON... Arma is a striker and if Che goes he will soak up more of the ST minutes. Leaves us with Fraser (best contributions have been as a sub) and Edozie (who is really good right now, but has been hot and cold across his time at Saints in general) We said we wanted a RW in the summer and tried for Philogene at the deadline, so clearly something Martin still wants. Makes sense because if you look at our build-up play it is lopsided and totally different on the left compared to the right.