mcbendy

Adam Leitch, in a now-deleted tweet, says it's done

I just watched the full 90 of the Koln game (which is available to watch on YouTube - you just need to install the free Windscribe Chrome add on and set the VPN to Germany - completely trivial) Anyway - Boufal was really really good. Lots of clever touches which came off and put defences on the back foot, or was fouled and won us a free kick. He hardly ever gave the ball away and he *did* track back and press etc. If that had been a new signing playing their first 45 minutes for us (e.g. say Adams or Djenepo's first game) we'd have been absolutely creaming ourselves. If Ralph decides to keep him around I'll be really interested to see how he performs.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the starting eleven and shape is the same as we saw against Feyenoord. For me, Romeo is a big miss. Even with five at the back we look vulnerable.

Interesting that on the one hand he was (for whatever reason) excluded from the Austria trip but has now been given a new contract. Suggests that Ralph sees a good player in there. It will be interesting to see what happens for the rest of pre-season.

With Charlie, or other player/s?

http://sportwitness.co.uk/french-offers-little-compete-southampton-german-bid/

Linked with French League 2 striker

Most of our first team players seem to me to have unusually *good* attitudes, for the Prem. Lemina is the outlier. He's very obviously a monumental bellend.

Bertie only just faster than Hoidt, and Stephens slower than both...

He's quite a bit slower than Ings... Watch the day 2 pre-season vid just released. Bednarek and Hoijberg neck and neck. Sims and Redmond both rapid.

Here's my take on that squad, with Armstrong, Boufal and Djenepo added: * = Prem quality p = potential ? = unknown quantity X = proven to be not up to it - get rid if possible... GK • Angus Gunn * • Alex McCarthy * • Fraser Forster X • Harry Lewis ? WB/FB • Yan Valery * • Cédric * • Ryan Bertrand * • Jake Vokins p CB • Maya Yoshida * • Jannik Vestergaard * (in a three...) • Jack Stephens X • Jan Bednarek * • Wesley Hoedt X • Christoph Klarer ? DM • Pierre-Emile Højbjerg * • Oriol Romeu * AM • Stuart Armstrong ? (I want to see him after a RH pre-season...) • James Ward-Prowse * • Will Smallbone ? • Mohamed Elyounoussi X • Josh Sims p • Nathan Redmond * • Moussa Djenepo ? • Sofiane Boufal X CF • Shane Long X • Danny Ings * • Che Adams p • Michael Obafemi p • Dan N’Lundulu p So to summarise: GK - more than adequate at the moment but I assume McCarthy will probably go leaving FF and HL to fight it out for number 2 (or will we sign someone once Alex leaves?). WB/FB - a lot depend on how good Vokins is (anyone know?) and whether Cedric leaves. If he does, I assume we will sign a new RB as understudy/competition. CB - our weakest area. If RH wants to play four at the back we need (at least) one new first-choice CB to play alongside Bednarek. DM - has RH decided that neither Reed nor Slattery are good enough? Smallbone? If we're playing 4222 then only having two players for two starting places is obviously high risk (assuming Lemina leaves). Unless RH thinks that JWP is adequate cover? AM - an area of considerable uncertainty... Assuming 4222, I assume that Redmond and Djenepo are first choice, though Djenepo is an unknown quantity at the moment... Then who? Assuming Boufal leaves, then Armstrong, JWP, Sims? CF - Ings and Adams as starters in a 4222 with Obafemi and N'Lundulu behind them in the pecking order? Will Long be retained as less-than-ideal cover? Where would we finish in the league with this team?: Gunn Valery Bednarek Yoshida Bertrand PEH Romeo Djenepo Redmond Ings Adams Subs: Forster Vestergaard Vokins JWP Armstrong Obafemi Long

A reminder that there were noises about FF suffering from mental health problems. If this is true then he is unlikely to want to expose himself to a new environment and new anxieties until he feels mentally ready.

I'll admit it. I watched Jan Bednarek's first few appearances for Saints and decided he was crap. Now he's one of the first names on the team sheet. The discussion about Alfie Jones had me wondering 'what do we know?' Who else have we basically written off and then been proved wrong? Mane, Wanyama? Who else?

https://www.firstonetv.live/Live/Canada/The-Sports-Network-3-(TSN-3)-14

A few years ago, being a Saints fan felt great. We had the core of the team that had seen us win double promotions, with a smattering of bought-in quality. We had Mauricio Pochettino, then Ronald Koeman. We had successfully recruited some up-and-coming stars. Then many of these stars - who had been patting or kissing the badge - got a whiff of interest from top-six clubs, had their heads turned, and they were off. How did that feel? Like some kind of betrayal. The vitriol directed at Jack Stephens today, both on here and on Twitter, has me seriously thinking about what I actually want our club to be. Would I really prefer it if the club was awash with cash, so that it could recruit mercenaries to be parachuted in to tap the badge until a better offer comes in? Or would I prefer to be a bit lower down the table and to watch the likes of Jack, JWP, Slattery, Targett and before them Bale, Walcott, Shaw, Le Tis etc? Players who actually have some connection to the club and at least some sense of loyalty. It really does sadden me that fans are so quick to turn on Jack, who has developed well and has been playing some good football lately. Yes, he's more limited in the air than some CBs, but he's got pace and he's gifted with the ball at his feet. Who remembers the through-ball for Redmond not long ago? Has anyone noticed how well he carries the ball out from the back, and starts off attacks? Would I rather watch Jack, and support him and the rest of the lads, or would I rather the club spunked a load of cash on someone from abroad who I've never heard of? Honestly, I'm a bit torn. Obviously I want us to stay in the Prem, but I also want the club to have a soul. So many PL teams have very little connection to the area other than the fans themselves. There are quite a few without any players from the UK in the first XI, let alone from near the club. So - to those people calling Jack a **** because he made a mistake, I say **** off. If you're only interested in results and league position, why not support Man City? I prefer the Southampton Way, and I like the fact that the club seems to be getting back in tune with those values. If you're a Saints SUPPORTER, then how about you actually show the lads some SUPPORT?

How good was Bednarek? He must have had 10+ headed clearances, several blocks, several interceptions. Would love to see his stats from that game. Rock solid. Redmond is incredibly important to this team - he covers an unbelievable amount of ground at high pace, tracks back well, and his final-third quality is improving, as we have seen. Ings had a good game - important for us up front. Solid performances all round. The weak points were Cedric and Valery. Cedric was reasonably solid defensively by weak passing. Valery pretty good but makes me nervous. Hacked it out for a corner in the last seconds, when it should have gone out for a throw in. On another day they equalise from that corner... PHEW! Three massive points.

Anyone found a stable stream yet?

I find it staggering that people think Boufal is the answer. Ralph wants relentlessly energetic high pressing, tracking back if the ball isn't won in the first phase, then incisive clinical attacks once we have won the ball. He also wants people who are prepared to play for the team, to make the team greater than the sum of its parts. Boufal is capable of moments of magic, but he absolutely isn't the kind of player that Ralph wants. I'm sure he would rather free up the wages and get his own man in.

These two players?

Watch the action at 8:22 into the game. Nice triangle, and then Armstrong sets Redders free to run forwards into space. Redders is one of our quickest players, right? Then watch the run from Armstrong. He gives Redmond and their number 24 about a 10 yard head start and then shows unbelievable (sustained) pace to catch up with Redmond and get past their number 24. I think we haven't yet seen the best of Armstrong. My take on it is that he has the technique we need, and the raw pace that we need, but not yet the fitness. No surprise, coming from a league in which the standard was so much lower. He might get better as the season goes on, or he might need a full pre-season to reach the level that Ralph wants/needs, but I think we have a good player on our hands.

Are there moderators or senior people on this forum with the power to block, suspend or ban users? It's seriously tiresome coming on here and having scroll through so many posts which are obviously just trolling (and reaction to trolling). This post is +1 on the reaction to trolling score... Seriously... I've followed/lurked on SaintsWeb for years and I know what to expect, but it seems particularly bad at the moment.

Anyone got a good working stream? Mine has just gone down...

Ali Dianoussi

So, what do we think about the omission of Hoedt?

Quotes in the Sun, apparently from Ralph, confirming interest in Shoya Nakajima. "We want to give him the chance to make the next step". Make of that what you will...