I was quite impressed actually.... the whole team did well. Clyne was very impressive, as was Fox, Ward-Prowse, Lallana and Sharp. Hooiveld and Fonte were as steady as always.

Nick, could you please get someone to check your writing before you post it? You always have tonnes of typo's.

Don't forget to add Jack Cork to the list of returnees!!

Agree that Lambo looked well off the pace but showed good touches.

Fonte worry's me more than Jos at the back.

I'm actually more worried about the Wigan game than the other 3 - we are expected to win that one - but have a gander at their results at the tail end of last season - awesome!!

4-3-3 is another man's 4-5-1.. If you play this way, your centre forward needs to be quite an athlete. I dont believe the 'A' team has scored a single goal yet in pre season in this formation. Good that we are playing nice football - but C Forward is a real worry. We have been reliant on Lambert's goals for 2 years, but playing in a formation where he had a partner to do some of his running. I think even playing as a pair this season would be a big step up for Lambert and I dont think he will get in the condition to play on his own.

What about J Rod? Does he look like he can step up and play C Forward on his own? We are clearly still in the market for a new winger (enquiry abt Theo but I think Lens or Zaha are more likely) - which is still needed for me. Other than Lee, we dont have anyone in attack who naturally wants to go outside a fullback.

Fonte is a big worry, his sloppiness led to their goal. we are desperate for quality at CB.

I thought Saints did ok after a slow start. We created some chances which we could and should have scored. Adam and James stood out in the team who all looked a little short of fitness which is understandable. A good work out against a good team. A lesson was learnt also. Back off and let the opposition shoot and it will. Oat you. Last word is on the admission prices. For a training game and on TV why do Saints charge £20. £5 kids free and get the fans in creat the atmosphere.

I went to the game and then watched it back on my Sky+ last night. I thought the new formations worked well with JWP and Lallana playing a key role in this. J-Rod & Guly out wide worked well too but Lambert lacked the pace to get into the box when we broke quickly. I was also impressed with the link-up between Guly and Clyne so early playing together. Like saint22 said, Fonte is still a worry for me giving a very sloppy goal to Ajax instead of clearing the ball from danger.

Why do people keep going on about attendance and prices at these games? I've been going to the pre-season games for yrs and they are never well attended, even when the prices were a lot lower.This is the start of summer holidays for the schools and most families are going away or saving money, so with this on tv, it was hardly ever going to be a packed house.

As for "kids free and get the fans in to create an atmosphere"; when you have a load of children at games there is no atmosphere! Most get bored as they have to sit and behave on a seat for 90 minutes, and they want to keep getting up to the toilet or get a hot dog; hardly going to inspire the lads to a victory! It makes the place start to sound like the Women's football with screaming every time someone goes anywhere near a goal! I know, 'cos I had one sitting right over my left shoulder who nearly deafened me when Billy fluffed his chance!

We are not going to score many with a single striker. As lambert had no one running alongside him or past him, especially in the first half, his main option was to pass it back. He is most effective when he has a runner nearby. Rodrigues was always too far away. A single striker needs to be quick. Lets play to our strengths.

Ward-Prowse looked useful, always looking for the ball.

Nick's comments are fair enough, but even taking into account that there are still a few weeks to go before the campaign start I think there are issues to be addressed

1. Like others I don't feel that this formation is playing to Lambert's strengths (and yes he does look weighty and slowish all of a sudden) As it happens I don't think it much plays to Rodriguez skills either. Lambert and Rodrigues, or (my personal preference) one of these plus Sharpe feels a better fit. Of course this touches on whether you choose players to suit the tactics or tailor the formation to best suit the players skills
2. Lallana played well and Ward-Prowse looks a great propsect; but I didn't feel there was sufficient drive from midfield (hopefully Davis will supply this, I think that I have read that he was a 'box to box' player and we certainly need someone like this. One point that I find worrying is that we so rarely have a player on the edge of our box or on the edge of the opponent's box to either clear our lines or collect the loose balls from their clearances and threaten the goal from 20yds+. Guly also looked happier on the right, yet I'm not altogether convinced that his delivery of crosses from the right are good enough. Perhaps Tadnari Lee can do this better from one wing or another, he still seems to be our only quality player with pace (de Ridder only qualifies on the latter criterion). Morgan is a solid and dependable player but I would like to see a little more in the way of combativeness in the centre of the pitch (perhaps this is Davis' role too).
3. In defence (and attck) Clyne was very impressive (and seemed to work well with Guly), but as others have commented Fonte was less convincing although occasionally both he and Jos brought the ball out of defence well. Despite his faults Jos sets a really good example to all around him with unflagging commitment, even though his place may be at risk, I wonder if he should be considered as a potential captain he seems to have the personality and is prepared to lead from the front.
4. We still gift the ball to the opposition too frequently (typically with yesterday's goal) but at other times all over the pitch.
5. Nevertheless Saints did sometimes more than match a reputedly good Ajax side on the day (though I felt the Dutch potential was rather more limited than expected) without creating much in the way of clear chances

It's better to havev a few thousand families there than 500 hard core fans. Empty seats generate no atmosphere. Fact.

It was ok for a friendly against a decent side.
I thought that lambert Richardson and Sharpe looked very sluggish.
Almost like they had been doing too many weights.
Very lead footed.
Fonte made a bad error leading to the goal and his place must be under threat.
Sharpe should have scored but was too slow.
Real plus was Ward Prowse.
Mature beyond his years - Jack Wilshire like in his movment and distribution.