A week ago I suggest that the weakest Saints would be all season would be against Norwich City at St Mary's, but sadly injury & illness has taken it's toll, so for the second week running we will be at our weakest all season.

This week has been a tale of woe for Saints, the departures of both James Ward Prowse & Romeo Lavia was expected, what could not be predicted was the injury to Will Smallbone and the illness for Flynn Downes, meaning that neither will be playing for the team at Home Park.

This leaves Russell Martin with a problem in the centre of the midfield, it looks like he will have to give a full debut to 19 year old Shea Charles as the holding midfielder and then he has to find someone who can sit there with him, that could be Stuart Armstrong, but there is a problem at the moment with the Scotsman completing 90 minutes and this could be an issue as the game goes on, who would replace him ?

The only solution I can see in that situation is that Lyanco is brought on in the centre of defence and Jack Stephens moved to a holding role in midfield, but this is far from ideal.

The other matter is the rumours surrounding Che Adams as Everton openly pursue him and Nathan Tella who is the subject of interest from Germany.

So it's a problem weekend for Russell Martin and if we can get through it still unbeaten it will be a minor miracle.

But it is only a short term problem, with Lavia, JWP & Livramento now gone and somewhere around £125 million in the bank, as the manager confirmed, we will be dipping into the transfer market.

This is a test for both the manager and his squad, they have to show they have the attributes to get through it.

We still have a good squad, but it does need strengthening in key areas quickly.

I don't expect too many changes from the starting line up of last week, Smallbone aside, but it will be interesting to see how Martin adapts his team to the challenge they face,

Plymouth have started well and have mirrored Saints with a win and a draw in their two openers, they are on a high after promotion, but we have to make sure that the bubble bursts.

This will be a difficult one for Southampton, no one can deny that, but this is only one game in a season of 46, it could go either way, but whichever way it does go will not mean that Saints are going to get promoted or fail badly.

We know what the issues are, we know that you just can't click your fingers and get a replacement in, but if I am still writing the same preview next week, I won't be so understanding.

Photo: Action Images

AgrellaSFC added 19:09 - Aug 18 Bit of a reach but I’d rather parraud in at defensive mid than Stephens. Seems more capable of knocking the ball about and a bit more agile. Still don’t think Plymouth will threaten us too much but expect to concede once again. Up the scum!
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kenis added 19:24 - Aug 18 I would have thought it would be pretty clear, Shea in. Alacarez and Stu start ok the more advanced midfield roles and then later on if one needs to come off either Aribo comes on or Armstrong slots in behind Adams (either on from bench or moving from the striker position) into the other no8/10 role. Issue with that is will Adams be available to play or even be on the bench with the Everton interest. Could we see a rare opportunity for Mara or Tall Paul? I would have thought very little chance Stephens moves out of the back four. More likely if the above didn’t work that we’d see a change of shape. Perraud would be a good shout in an emergency or one of the u21s, got to assume he’s looking for a move as can’t see him being happy to be a bench warmer in the championship when was playing a fair amount in the prem. Surprised no one has bought him yet.

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Saintaxidriver added 19:52 - Aug 18 Cant see Stephens moving. How about Doyle in midfileld. If Adams out I would play Mara or Ballard. Good time to give a few youngsters a chance. Maybe 3 at back with Lyanco
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Bowlercow added 21:47 - Aug 18 Lyanco could do a job as a DMF alongside Charles and Alcaraz Let Stu play further forward behind AA and Adams Could then use Ndozie and Sam Amo as impact subs against tired legs
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saint22 added 22:40 - Aug 18 boy oh boy it has come to something when we are struggling to field a team capable of getting a result against Plymouth Argyle ffs - no disrespect to them but wtf As for RM being ready to dip into the transfer market he should have done it already, he knew there would be money from Lavia JWP and Tino so those players should have ready made replacements but oh no now we are chasing our tails for the umpteenth summer in a row Lets hope he has strikers lined up as they ar next out the door

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SanMarco added 22:54 - Aug 18 I would have thought that we would line up players to come in as replacements before or at the same time as the expected departures happen. Yes - it is ludicrous that the window is open after the season starts but is also pathetic if SR are being 'taken by surprise' by all the departures. As for a tomorrow - a draw would be a pretty good result all things considered.
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highfield49 added 10:23 - Aug 19 To be fair I think that there were players lined up to join the squad, and maybe be in the team today. Didn't we all anticipate Mason Holgate and Flynn Downes featuring in pics holding a Saints shirt with smiles on their faces? To have replacements lined up to replace the replacements would be a tough call with limited financial resources. Frustrating it may be but if the players lined up to fill the gaps in the squad either won't sign for personal reasons or won't be released by their current clubs then we have to accept that we need to be patient until the transfer window shuts.

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Boris1977 added 10:59 - Aug 19 Bit of a mess isn't it.
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saintmark1976 added 11:28 - Aug 19 Nick, there is absolutely no way whatsoever that we have around £125million in that bank from the sales of players so far. For a start it’s been suggested that Chelsea will pay us in instalments over seven years for Lavia in order that they can comply with the Premiership financial rules. I very much suspect that payment for the other departures ( past and in the future) will be made in similar fashion. We spent a ridiculous amount of money in the last window attempting to retain our Premiership status and our owners borrowed a very large sum to purchase the club in the first place which it’s been said needs to be paid back ( or refinanced ) by the end of next year. Don’t forget also the severance payment for our past three managers which I imagine are still ongoing. In summary, the impression I get is that the Club are making every effort to get back on a more secure financial footing hence our lack of action in the purchasing side of the current window and the constant suggestion that we can only borrow players from other clubs.

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