After a long spell on the sidelines, Watt View has returned to The Ugly Inside to give another perspective on all things Southampton FC.

The column may have been missing but I haven't and, following some extremely tough times after top flight relegation in 2005, everyone associated with the club has been lucky enough to enjoy much improvement and progression since.

I can't post my returning column without mentioning and paying tribute to the Liebherr family for the way in which they have transformed the club and overseen a new era and new philosophy.

The spine of the club is strong and, although we will encounter frustrations along the way, we would do well in those moments to reflect on the past three seasons and the good times we've experienced.

It's been a slow start this term and, in an ideal world, we'd be looking back on home wins against Watford and Sunderland. We're not, but we also have last season to think about; two defeats, three draws and two wins in the first seven games (August and September).

Of course this season is a different proposition - no Ronald Koeman, the loss of Victor Wanyama, Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane and a new manager with a different background and approach to his predecessor - but a sixth-place finish last season following a poor to average start gives cause and reason for calm.

The difference for me, though, is that coming into Ronald Koeman's first game in charge against Liverpool in 2014, the club had lost - most notably - Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Dejan Lovren but had signed Dusan Tadic, Ryan Bertrand and Pelle in July in good time for the start of the campaign.

Toby Alderweireld in the centre of defence and Sadio Mane, to provide a combination of attacking flair and goalscoring to complement Tadic and Pelle, followed at the start of September.

Of the three big names to depart in the summer, Claude Puel began the campaign with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to, in-part, fill the void vacated by Wanyama alongside Steven Davis and/or Oriol Romeu.

Nathan Redmond was recruited at the start of July in what was described as a move to replace Mane.

Although Redmond has returned a goal already and has all the potential to develop into a great English talent, I think any fan could be forgiven for having some concern over the notion of Redmond as a direct replacement for a player as established on the domestic and international stage as Mane.

But, following the unveiling yesterday of Sofiane Boufal, one the brightest young players in world football, we may now be in a position to talk of a replacement for the Senegalese international.

The 22-year-old Moroccan, signed for a fee believed to be in the region of £16m, has attracted the attentions of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Tottenham in recent months - if media reports are to be believed - having notched 11 goals and delivered some dazzling displays for Lille in Ligue 1.

Off the back of the exciting Europa League draw, Boufal's arrival has injected positivity around the club and, while he may be a few weeks away from match fitness, his signing has demonstrated at least a statement of intent for the club to attempt to maintain its progression.

Along with Hojbjerg, who quite clearly possess the quality to succeed at the top levels of the game, this leaves the club just one main signing away from replacing the big three in some form.

I say "in some form" as although Hojbjerg may not be like-for-like with Wanyama, his quality deserves mention as a more than adequate replacement for the loss of an influential member of the team.

The first three games of the season have shown that, not only has the team lacked creativity and pace in the attacking third, it has also suffered from the lack of a strong, powerful striker to pressurise defences and give the team a different option and threat.

Will Saints bring in this type of strikerbefore the transfer window closes this week? It seems a must. Will that man be Utrecht's France under-21 international Sebastien Haller? He may fit the bill for the club and manager.

If a signing occurs, then we find ourselves equipped with three players which will help to balance the losses of the summer.

If business had been tied up earlier then the club may have found itself in a stronger position performance-wise after the first three games. That didn't happen though, so we must look forward and envisage the possibilities.

With an exciting young talent to come in, a Europa League group stage campaign ahead and the potential of a further attacking signing before the close of the transfer, we can and should think positively.

It's great to be back with The Ugly Inside and I look forward to sharing my thoughts and feelings on SFC with you over the course of what I hope will be another exciting campaign and one that again demonstrates the club's resolve following another summer of disruption.

Photo: Action Images

bstokesaint added 12:48 - Aug 30 A good summary by and large. I think it's a shame that the club haven't reacted quickly enough in this window. The good work in getting a number of the senior players tied down on longer contracts has been undone by taking so long to replace Mane (with Boufal). I'm also personally disappointed that we haven't brought in a quality frontman and a centre defender to push/replace Fonte. Had the latter actually happened then losing Fonte for £10m+ might have seemed a good bit of business. Keeping a snubbed Fonte might end up going against us. So happy with all the long-term contracts, Hojbjerg, Redmond and Boufal. Disappointed with time taken to bring players in, the Fonte situation and ultimately the 2 points amassed from a relatively easy start to the season. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we take 7 points from the away game at OT and the home games against Watford and Sunderland last season? Our slow start off the pitch may be the reason for the slow start on it.

2

halftimeorange added 12:51 - Aug 30 I agree with all of this but I still have concerns regarding a) the apparent lack of cover at centre back and b) the run of fixtures from mid-October with our squad struggling to adapt to a new system and a number of key players not quite fit. Other weaker and less talented sides have hit the ground running whilst we have limped and been bullied into the new season. I can't see a short-term solution.

1

landerwal added 13:57 - Aug 30 Why all these calls for signing more players. We have three players ( JR,Austin and Long) vying for Pelle's place. In fact there was talk in the close season of us been top heavy with strikers. The defence is unchanged from last season ,same faces in the team and subs on the bench.As far as leaving things to the last moment in the transfer window, VVD and Mane , two of our best signings of recent seasons were bought in "at the last moment. Saints have been slow starters in the last few seasons, but the Premiership is over 10 months not 2 weeks.

1

legineloc added 18:15 - Aug 30 Hopefully it's our normal slow start but we should have at least got 6 points from the start of the season, I think we should have got a striker with the fitness concern of Jr & Charlie, I think we missed out on Remy & Zara, Bony has a proven track in prem, Jr has again been linked with Hull & West Brom, CB & RB is another concern will vvd & fonte last the whole season, yosh makes mistakes they normally result in a goal, chambers heading for Middlesbrough would have been a good signing as he can play as CB/RB, fans have said on this site about a CB who can play in mid field what about Rob Jones who is surplus at manure

1

DPeps added 18:38 - Aug 30 Agree with a lot in this article. It's way too early to judge the season or the manager. Other sides have had poor starts (e.g. Palace, Stoke, West Ham), so we're not the only ones having teething problems. The transfers aren't finished with yet, I hope. Can't agree with landerwol that we don't need another striker; Long won't get more than 10 goals, and Jay and Austin don't inspire confidence in me quite yet. I'd also get a defensive midfielder in who can push Romeu

3

Bettwsresident added 22:27 - Aug 30 sensible blog, sensible replies. I do feel we will come to see this opening run as 4 points dropped come season end. The next game will be another barometer test. We have had Arsenals number the last two years.
1

Blogs 31 bloggers

Blackpool Polls