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Performance matters more than result here. The worst thing about our recent run is how we have been the worse side in all of them, even where we picked up points. We lost 3-1 to Everton in the opening game last year, and were pretty bad, but from there very quickly competitive and impressed a lot in our first home game vs utd. Not overly confident tbh, but this surely gives us much better balance positionally: Baz KWP ABK Sali Perraud Lavia JWP Romeu Aribo Che S Armstrong BUT we havent played with 4 atb all pre -season, i doubt RH ditches 5 this early

Back for the new season, link in initial post! We talk transfers, Joe Shields, pre-season, tactics + our opening games. There's also a Spurs x Saints quiz before @Appy previews Saturday's game with Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge to close out the episode.

New episode covering our past week and upcoming games!

New episode out - we're joined by The Athletic's Jay Harris to preview Saturday's game and talk about them as a club (few interesting parallels with Saints in there). Really appreciate the listens everyone!

Episode 11 out now! We review the last 3 games, discuss McCarthy, Ralph's 3 years and preview Arsenal + Palace

Rogers made some comments about Vardy unlikely to play Sun-Weds/Thurs across season but might be nothing in it.

New pod interviewing Jeremy Wilson out now! Jem has some great tales on Saints under Strachan etc from his time at the Echo. Also talks on the very important topic of the dementia crisis in football.

Episode 4 out today! 'State of the union' style pod reflecting on first 6 games and where we are, some Ralph in vs out debate and much more. Appreciate the listens!

I would actually say it is and has been our weakest area (maybe bar GK) for some time and Ralph's devotion to the current shape relies on so much more output (creatively) from these positions. Oriol and JWP are also not 'creative' CMs and do not see passes early or bypass opposition midfielders. It's a big cause for our severe lack of penetration. I would argue some of our better spells across all combined games have come when we've abandoned the 4-2-2-2, and we need to do it more.

Episode 2 launched today! seems my original post updated with the latest episode link to Spotify already. Appreciate any listens / feedback / a follow on Twitter - cheers

Hi all - wanted to let you know about a new Saints podcast we've launched. Bi-weekly, hosted by me and @Appy On the first episode we review Everton + Utd, talk Ralph, Tino, the Adams/Arma partnership, preview upcoming games and do part 1 of our best XI since regaining top flight status in 2012. Listens, feedback, comments, a follow on Spotify / Twitter very much welcome! Link below

Kinda sad people are jumping on one another for being excited about this. (I may have missed something in the detail across 5 pages but this seems the case). We have genuinely signed one of the standout young English talents, someone who at every level he's played has excelled (normally playing well above his age group, UEFA Youth League, captaining England u17s). he's 3 years younger than Reece James who is therefore naturally ahead of him, but youth coaches seem to suggest Tino has more to his game than RJ (someone who has kept TAA out of England squads etc) , especially when it comes to versatility in more attacking positions and situations

Appreciate it might... but seems a bit odd that £4m (which is probably weirdly constructed with even less up front) would provide funds for Armstrong?

Armstrong would be a coup imo. One of the best performing C'ship players last year, and a signing which (unfortunately) is a level above where I'd anticipate us to be competing at. (ie he's not a lesser known signing from Europe / or an 'unproven' loan signing). Notwithstanding the fact a lot of his goals arent tap ins, people complaining about his goals being tap ins really underplay value of getting into those positions. The number 1 commonality across elite goalscorers is ability to pick up those positions (effectively accumulate a high Xg). Appreciate this would be a step above but nothing I've seen of him makes me doubt his ability to play PL football.

agreed

Yea interesting point - when I hear a collective boo I think wow, what a nuanced, sophisticated point being made - I guess in a way they're equating this to clapping for the NHS which had a beginning and an end.

Jesus christ. It makes me desperately sad to see some of the posts on this thread. I don't know where to start, but to equate simply 'being a footballer' or rich, and therefore racism not being a problem in the game / in any walk of life is one of the most ridiculous statements I've seen on the BLM debate. Booing anyone taking a stance against racism and systemic inequality is in and of itself a racist act. The fact some are now twisting this to be some quasi-philosophical statement about being anti-Marxist/about BLM's politics is complete and utter bollocks.

I never quite got why he had such a mixed (bordering on negative) reputation. At Arsenal he had 2-3 seasons where he was v good, i think 2011-2013 ish. All in all he's had a very respectable career - and can clearly still do a job at the top level. Would love to see him sign permanently.

Wolves have been poor this season, so dull, but always seem to get points. They can't create much / have a ceiling on how many chances they create per game (but they normally take the 1/2 they do). If we're on it, we win.

Do we worry about Salisu if not in the squad for this? How bloody unfit was he when he arrived??

Not as bad as first feared i read, in contention for Sat

Would really like Gross. Genuine quality with final pass, which we so often lack.

Diallo (seems like a very exciting prospect, Julien Laurens latest tweet has made me more confident) + a wide player and I'd say this is a strong window. Preference would be Sessegnon for the 1 more in.

The championship is not a significantly higher quality league than Bundesliga 2

Nor me... why are we always so behind on kits lol