foxy9143

Just got back. Everyone moaning about the manager. We had 3 balls fizzed across the goal line just needing a tap in from Cedric x 2 and Long. Hojberg hit a screamer which hit the post. Give Pellegrino his due. He played a strong team (which might come back to bite us on Wednesday) and it's only fair to say his initial tactics gave us the chance to easily win 4-0 but for our lack of finishing. Halfwat into the second half Watford brought on a refrigerator up front and I think there's a chance that Stephens would have been outmuscled, so I can see the logic in Maya coming on. By taking Boufal off, one of our best and most creative players is now fit and available for Wednesday. It was a nervy last few minutes when we sat back but we won so for me Pellegrino gets credit for the overall super performance. Pellegrino is very active and vocal on the touchline and the players are listening to him. Not much to say about Guido. He had about 9 minutes but no real chances. We floated loads of crosses in during the first half which Long was never going to get on the end of so I think Guido would have enjoyed those. #prayforbertie

His lawyers will also need a couple of days to go through the five pledges line by line, to make sure he can sign up to them.

Exactly. It s very frustrating that we do didn’t have him in for the Watford game. 2 precious points needlessly squandered. If he has been in the frame since the Huddersfield game then I can’t understand the delay. We are running out of games to pick up the points we need to stay up.

Channon

Hope this wasn't your old room! “We found dried up vomit in the bin, there was duct tape around the window pane, which I don’t know if it was keeping the window in place or the draft out. “And there was a syringe full of blood, on the top of the door frame.” http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bloodied-needle-vomit-bin-duct-11453039

Great defender, but for that money he has to chip in with goals. He is up for every corner and set piece, there have been good deliveries from players like Bertrand and JWP but Virgil has missed a number of decent chances to score. Six goals in about 75 appearances for Saints... Doesn’t seem enough for the Worlds most expensive defender.

Hmmm...you wouldn't welcome Pochettino back?

Watched the whole stream and obviously paid particular attention to Virgil's body language. I felt he was very professional and not 'up himself' at all (unlike Boufal who stormed off in a huff when he was subbed in an U23 game last season). Virgil spent the evening in total control of the defence, shepherding the youngsters, always making himself available and generally encouraging those around him. This is not a man with a resentful chip on his shoulder and whatever happened over the summer I hope those who apparently booed him on Saturday watched his attitude in this game. If he plays on Saturday lets all get behind him.

All hail to the mysterious Black Box

The whole interview is at this link. https://talksport.com/football/listen-former-southampton-chief-nicola-cortese-reveals-how-philippe-coutinho-scouting-trip

Imagine the reaction on here if our board had made a late deadline day attempt to offload Virgil to Liverpool after saying he wasn't for sale at any price. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/sep/02/barcelona-liverpool-philippe-coutinho-deadline-day Ralph and Les have gone up even further in my estimation.

But that didn't stop Hoedt signing a contract for 5 years. When he joined us we had already made it publicly very clear that Virgil was not going to be sold and his agent would have been well aware of that, yet he was still happy to sign a long deal.

I don't know how these things work but I suspect the 'formal offer' bit is irrelevant. It is likely that any potential buying club will have sounded out Southampton in a preliminary discussion and checked out whether a formal offer was likely to be considered. The fact that it is leaking out that there have been 'no formal offers' is perhaps as much to save the face of clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal who probably made an informal approach to Les Reed and were told either what the minimum bid to be considered was, or else that no bid would be considered. At least that way their fans don't get upset because they couldn't even get a player from 'little Southampton'. It is pretty obvious that many clubs would have wanted Van Dyke so they would clearly have put feelers out to explore whether he would be for sale. Anyway, I add my warm congratulations to the board, and particularly Ralph who often gets maligned on here, but a few weeks ago he did an interview saying we are keeping all our top players...and we have. Perhaps next time he does an interview we'll be slightly less cynical.

Hopefully this is a blueprint for Virgil's agent to follow. Basically...., "It wasn't our idea...a big boy made us do it and then he ran away". http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/coutinho-talks-liverpool-barcelona-transfer-move-impossible-news-hoffenheim-a7906221.html

I don't monitor twitter so I can't comment on that but what I see in the various training videos being released from Austria is a happy smiling Virgil with the ball at his feet. Perhaps he will leave, but I do not see a miserable, sulking player, and it is good to remember that he has said nothing openly about wanting to leave, so I for one am going to support our captain and give him the benefit of the doubt until events prove me wrong.

I'm probably clutching at straws but I interpret the lack of attention as a good sign. If the official club position is that Virgil never intended to leave, and that the whole thing was cooked up by Liverpool to unsettle him, then the fact the are not 'showcasing' him may be the club trying to create the illusion that it is just business as usual. If they felt they had to make a big deal about him still being here then perhaps it would be a tacit admission that all was not well. Anyway, I am absolutely not ITK so this is all wishful thinking and Trousers may well be reminding me in a few weeks that I was a t wat for being naive.

I don't think that's the case. It's a bit like playing "Where's Wally" but if you look closely at yesterday's videos where the players were doing bleep tests he is standing out of focus in the background. He was also in the first day video when thy were having breakfast and seemed to be smiling when he was at the table chatting ti the club photographer and kitman. Still an optimist....(which being a Saints fan is perhaps a contradiction in terms!)

Fairly long video on Saints twitter site of the first proper pre-season session. MP seems very hands on. He is directing all the outfield player drills on his own. No sign of Eric Black. Kelvin and Dave Watson coaching the goalies. No sign of Virgil. Perhaps they don't want to risk him in a practice match yet?? Charlie scores a nice dinky goal at the end.

It is useful to remember that Virgil has never said anything about leaving, so the official position is "why do I need to confirm I'm staying? Of course I am." Now, clearly there is probably no smoke without fire, and I expect his agent and Liverpool or Chelsea have been in contact, but we don't actually KNOW anything, and I hope if Virgil does stay we let him retain the captaincy and give him all the support he had last year. (This post could also be the kiss of death, and he puts a transfer request in tomorrow)

aah, that's nice.."He’s spoken to Pochettino, who told him marvellous things about Southampton"

The question is, are we on Thomas Tuchel's shortlist?

I don't think there was an 'official' statement by Saints that they had even made a complaint. It may be frustrating for some fans who want to see a Sullivan/Gold type running twitter commentary but Saints seem to maintain a dignified silence in these matters. Unfortunately, in the days of wall to wall 24 hour media coverage this leaves a media vacuum which can be filled by ill-informed rumour and speculation by morons like Quinn.

Just an idle fantasy for us to enjoy.... ....what if it was a case of "Agent Virgil" all along? Perhaps as our loyal and astute Captain he agreed with Ralph and Les to let Liverpool THINK he was interested in going to Anfield, and then set about gathering all the evidence necessary to humiliate Liverpool as revenge for the years of pain we have suffered at their hands? High Level meeting today... Liverpool Chairman to Les " You don't have any evidence of this. It's an outrage." Les, "Actually, I'm sitting here with Virgil our team Captain, and he has handed me his smart phone and pointed out 372 soliciting texts from one J Klopp. Oh and he has several recordings of their 'secret' conversations in Blackpool which came from the wire we provided him with. Over to you...."

..To add a final point to my post 101, I actually found it quite refreshing that Lukaku was so up front about his plans. It may be upsetting for the Everton fans but he couldn't have been clearer that he will not stay with them next year and he wants to stay in the Premier league etc. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/06/romelu-lukaku-rules-out-everton-stay-says-agreement-new-club I really hope Virgil ends up staying but if not then it is clear that either he or the club must be acting in a less than honourable way, and at least Lukaku has been honest and up front with everyone.