Glassesbloke

Not a likely scenario during this window, while Nice are top of the French league and want to try to stay there. It would be a bit like Leicester selling Vardy last January, or maybe Saints selling both VVD and Fonte this (not to mention the latest rubbish we read, that China want Maya).

Irrespective of whether he's here next year or not, am I alone in hoping there's a bit of Saints media manipulation at work? Keep the fans thinking he's not so likely to play tonight, and that he's a loyal servant being treated badly by the club, then see them raise the roof when he leads his team out for what's almost a critical must-win match?

Exactly. Apart from the fact that a lot of people on here just don't get it, most of the big club-worshipping press don't either. The need to try to overcome the FFP handicap is constantly forgotten - but we've made good progress and can continue as long as the stability at the top does. Plenty of good players get fed up with being on the bench, and we have plenty of our own in the production line. Funny how these crap meltdown transfer stories emerge just before "important" games, last time round was Jose to Man U again, now this one (throwing McQueen in for good measure) comes just before an important one in terms of European progression.

Far too good for Man U

You've got to be philosophical about it. But frankly we have been treated extremely well in having owners with a long term philosophy, even if that is to sell off eventually, they left the football side in continuous and stable development, League 1 to San Siro and all that, and without interference, except possibly for sacking Cortese... The question for Saints supporters is whether new owners, whoever they may be and wherever they are from, will keep this same tried and proven methodology, - genuinely and frankly more honest than most, even if commercial considerations are there underneath - or whether they will interfere ("we need stars, we need to buy [some over the hill prima donna]") therefore knowing better than the football professionals in charge of day-to-day, or, worse, if they are asset strippers. There are plenty of dodgy or loony owners about, given that English football is badly under-regulated. More important to wear poppies than ensure financial probity? Let's hope KL does her due diligence properly

OK, easy opposition and all that, but as MLT remarked, it's not straightforward to play sides that come with double defensive walls. Almost all of our players increased their reputation, nobody had a poor game. Clasie's best game for us since signing, Romeu seems too go on improving, Davis worked his socks off, Martina kept trying, and as for the front three...what a wonderful advert for our recruitment process and for Puel's set up and training. And McQ must be delighted with an excellent debut. We can keep this level up on Thursday, by bringing fresh Shane and Pierre-Emile to supplement maybe J-Rod and a Charlie on song. Sam may face a big test, looked a bit knackered at the close, but sure he'll be up for it.

You mean like del Piero, Baggio, Shearer, van Nistelrooy...?

Appears to be 0-0 at half time

Guardian's preview of the Leicester match said he was out until January, not seen this elsewhere, and he doesn't even figure on the injury websites. Club are silent, so guess he has had yet another setback? Poor guy,

First time I really listened to a presser with Claude (indeed, were the second parts published before?). Has increased my respect for the decent common sense he talks, indeed some dry gentle humour creeping in (asking if a journo was writing an article about Charlie after his n'th question about him; also noting that the Tadic penalty question is getting a bit obsessional (but also saying that it was in future clear before each game who would take pens, and that we had a lot of good penalty takers including Davis and JWP). Some interesting comments about Shane and Redmond as well as Charlie, it's early days, all about confidence. Also said he wanted to see 12 or 15 people having scored by the end of the season, the team should be there as a unit, all attacking and all defending when necessary. True the language still restricts communication a bit, and this is not always helped by the translator losing subtleties - for instance, comparing Fraser and Lloris, CP talked about Fraser's "envergure" as his strength, meaning making himself big ("wingspan") - but the translator just came up with "stature". Similarly, (in effect) putting the game out of the opposition's reach was translated as "staying focussed". But Claude has already made enormous progress in a pretty short time.

OK, you can prove anything with statistics. But peoples' memories are short: remember all the same complaints last season about not putting chances away? How many times was Graziano criticised for aimless flicks, or Dusan for putting it wide? Last year, pass accuracy was 78 per cent, we are currently at 84 per cent, there were 14 or so shots per game as opposed to 18 this year. This year (OK, from TalkSport figures) in terms of number of key passes per game, Redmond is joint 6th and Tadic joint 2nd in the Premier League. All we need is a bit of patience.

Decent thread. Saw somewhere else that we have the second-youngest squad this season, which also bodes well for the future - and in a year or two the academy players will be a lot more likely to reinforce the side. Yes, it's a pity we didn't sign another striker for whatever reason and yes, of course we need to make the shots count, but the team and formation is a work in progress, with a start no worse than in most other seasons. We should do reasonably well in Europe, with this style of play, and maybe the cups. Those who have played with him say that Puel IS able to adapt to suit what he has available, give him a chance. Of course, he will have only a short time to do this with a merciless media goading fans into negativity, but he should be given at least the ten games, not three.

Excellent post, needed badly to be said, thanks.

Tempting to think that Pied, who was signed a bit out of the blue on a free, was purchased to give Sofiane a bit of francophone company at training. If so, he won't be much help for a while.

Not content with giving the manager even a few games to bed in, it seems many of the experts on here are now writing players off even before they have kicked a ball in training. I don't see any evidence that Boufal is injury-prone, he played most of Lille's matches last year. Then he had a nasty one, true, but this prompted the French players' union to call for a ban in the use of synthetic pitches in training because of the number of muscle and ligament injuries they allegedly cause.

This. Give the bloke a chance. People are maybe pre-judging him because he doesn’t speak wonderful English yet, but he is one of the best and most flexible coaches there is. The team is actually in a BETTER position than this time last year. Same number of points, but we have conceded fewer. Also last year we did not play Mourinho's Man U away as our second match (where we also dominated possession and chances created). Yes, some tinkering is needed, and we are lacking two attackers, but this will be sorted out.

The local Lille paper doesn't say he's flying, chances are it's Eurostar or car. He's coming both for medical and contract finalisation, according to this link: http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/sports/foot-losc-sofiane-boufal-a-southampton-samedi-ia182b204n3698850

According to the French press, he had an operation on his right cartilege at the end of last season. Expected to be in full training next month, but guess that means he won't contribute too much before the end of the year, if he comes to St Mary's.

if my memory is correct, Les Reed pulled out of a quite advanced negotiation to buy Rojo two or three years ago, on the grounds there were too many intermediaries wanting a cut from the proceeds, so he must have been on the radar at the time. United had no such scruples. But then none of the current press stories about him (or indeed about anyone else incoming or outgoing) have the faintest whiff of credibility. Perhaps the Telegraph and the Echo are slight exceptions, because the club is briefing them.

Posted this on the Puel thread last week, but it remains relevant to the ongoing discussion here... Puel seems to engender respect wherever he surfaces, it's not just Thierry Henry. For example, "Nice Matin" on 12 August had an interesting extended interview with Julien Rodriguez, defender ex-Monaco, Rangers and Marseilles. To the question of which trainer had the most influence on Rodriguez, he responded unprompted that this was Claude, "without hesitation". He was a complete package, trained with the players, was almost more motivated than them, had a real philosophy of the game. The interviewer then commented that the Monaco style of play at the time was very hard, and not dealing in subtleties - Rodriguez said that Puel at Nice could rely on good ball players, but when he doesn't have such, he will play differently in order to find the result he wants [so please don't assume the diamond is rigid either...]. Frankly it's ridiculous to write the guy off after one league match. His English will improve rapidly, he's plunged into an Anglophone environment and no doubt is taking lessons. Think the bloke is an excellent choice, in line with Saints' almost unique philosophy and approach, though of course the pudding remains to be eaten. Give him ten games and we'll see then.

The English will improve rapidly, he's plunged into an Anglophone environment and no doubt is taking lessons. Think the bloke is an excellent choice, in line with Saints' almost unique philosophy and approach, though of course the proof of the pudding remains to be seen. Today's "Nice Matin" has an interesting extended interview with Julien Rodriguez, defender ex-Monaco, Rangers and Marseilles. To the question of which trainer had the most influence on JR, he responded that this was Claude, "without hesitation". He was a complete package, trained with the players, was almost more motivated than them, had a real philosophy of the game. The interviewer then commented that the Monaco style at the time was very rough, not dealing in subtleties - Rodriguez said that Puel at Nice could rely on good ball players, but when he doesn't have such, he will play differently in order to find the result he wants.

The link from the Inside Futbol above is an extract of a longer and very positive interview with Claude Puel in today’s “l’Equips”. Basically, our guy comes across as seriously wedded to the Southampton Way. Loosely translated, in the bits not already reported in the Inside Futbol article, CP finds that Saints is an ideal place for him, there’s everything in place for him to succeed… The club is set up on a human scale, it’s got resources, like all English clubs, but there’s a pleasant, family atmosphere. He also mentions a five-year step-by-step plan to be up there with the big clubs. Sixth last year was good but we must remember that Liverpool, Man U and Chelsea had poor seasons… The canteen’s magnificent, everyone is there for breakfast and lunches after training. Everything you wish for is top level, video analysis, the medical aspects and the sporting side. CP says that he is taking English classes but has Eric Black as Francophone help, and that Pacal Planque has also joined him - he “manages” (think he means in relation to getting by in English): rest of the staff were already in place [so no Sammy replacement?]. He mentions Watford and Man U as the first two matches, then the interview closes with him saying he’s not an excitable person, and first and foremost needs to be comfortable ("bien dans ses baskets") - we're a super challenge and it’s all fallen into place quite naturally. Couldn't see the article on-line, the web is obviously talking about last night's match - but also there's a premium paywall.

http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2016/claude-puel-joins-southampton-until-2019/?

This story's in today's "Nice Matin", would give the link but there's a paywall. Says Claude Puel dreams of bringing him to Saints - so much for the black box...Amavi is said to be very appreciative of Claude and would be delighted to continue his career under him - maybe not hard if his other choice is staying at Villa. But the paper also says his return to Nice - previously anticipated - is no longer happening.

Always amusing to see the first post on this thread. A pity Mane couldn't wait to talk to the new francophone manager, but I have a small doubt that Ali Dia would've made us this kind of profit. And, as said above, he's not perfect (yet...). Hope his replacement is as good though.