 | News
Comment | Southampton Summer Signings The Initial Verdict
at 11:19:13
On the strikers front, Diaz is no left-winger and should be tried in the centre, Archer appears to be short on confidence as does Armstrong and Ross Stewart is still not quite match-fit. But, whatever their situations, we aren't creating chances at speed for any of them and, until we do, we are destined not to score many goals. |
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Comment | Kyle Walker Peters Giving Russell Martin A Dilemma
at 11:14:18
I've often thought that KWP's defending is somewhat let down by his height (5' 8"), although his skill on the ball and battling qualities can't be denied however, if he doesn't want to stay at Saints, then Sugawara seems to be a reliable replacement and Charlie Taylor is a robust and natural left-back. If KWP does sign a new contract then, fine play him at right midfield. If he doesn't sign then he should sit and watch until necessity dictates otherwise. |
| News
Comment | Kyle Walker Peters Giving Russell Martin A Dilemma
at 11:14:18
I've often thought that KWP's defending is somewhat let down by his height (5' 8"), although his skill on the ball and battling qualities can't be denied however, if he doesn't want to stay at Saints, then Sugawara seems to be a reliable replacement and Charlie Taylor is a robust and natural left-back. If KWP does sign a new contract then, fine play him at right midfield. If he doesn't sign then he should sit and watch until necessity dictates otherwise. |
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Comment | Southampton V Ipswich Town The Verdict
at 10:59:15
Although the outcome was disappointing we did look like a team with some fight and, going by Ramsdale's earlier heroics, I reckon he might have saved Morsy's shot but for the deflection. We were the architect's of our own downfall by repeatedly giving the ball away, particularly towards the end of the game. It should be noted that Ipswich's attacks were often sharper and incisive than our pedestrianism. We haven't overcome the need to process the ball from midfield to front as often as could be. Sadly, when we did, our forwards didn't have their shooting boots on. In two words "slow progress" summarises Saturday's outing. |
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Comment | Southampton At Brentford The Damning Verdict
at 11:59:28
There are , to my mind, four possible outcomes to our current problems:-
Allow RM to continue with his ways and accept the consequences
RM changes his method of play to suit our players
The players change the style of play to suit what they can do best
RM is dismissed and a less fanciful head coach is appointed
We really don't want to see another 0-9 at St Marys (or elsewhere involving Saints)
I think we do have a good enough squad to see us through but, time is not something we'll be given in abundance in this division. |
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Comment | Southampton At Cardiff The Carabao Cup Verdict
at 15:15:29
I'm glad James Bree got some positive words in this report. I've always thought he's a tidy player and, whilst not possessing exceptional skills, is a useful guy to provide cover when necessary. Edozie was openly wasteful again last night and we can't afford crosses to no-one. Agreed that Archer should start as a number 9 in our next game. Amo-Ameyaw was a constant nuisance, but did lose the ball a fair amount. I thought Dibling started well but, faded out of the game until late second half. Fernandes looks to be the real thing. I wonder if RM has taken Colwill's name down in his Christmas wish list. |
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Comment | Southampton V Nottingham Forest The Verdict.
at 11:19:45
I also believe the inflexibility shown by RM at this game was a large contributory factor to our defeat. Forest started predictably quickly and we were overwhelmed in midfield. They detected a weakness on our right, with Smallbone drifting to the centre leaving Sugawara to mark both Hudson-Odoi and Aina on his own - and he did it reasonably well however, as Forest continued their all out assault our crowd went quiet, all home advantage atmosphere evaporated and our team failed to respond. The obvious lack of playing a centre forward was unforgiveable before halftime. Even if Edozie had come on on the left (oh, for Ryan Fraser) and Diaz had moved to the middle it might have been more fruitful but, no, Russell sat on his hands until it was far too late. Home fans did get behind the team with the introduction of new blood but, they scored and we did not and a feeling of doom for the season descended and marked the exodus. We've missed out on O'Riley and Carvalho, and what we've spent would have surely got one of them if we'd moved early enough. Due to these omissions and Russell's slow reaction to obvious trouble, we are already in a position where we could be cast adrift within a few weeks. Then the supporters won't be leaving early, they just won't turn up. If we don't have the class that's fair enough in a finance dominated league but, at least give us some fight. One weak shot on target might as well have been accompanied by the waving of a white flag. |
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Comment | Southampton Nearing Cash Plus Player Transfer Deal
at 10:28:27
We can only speculate as to why RM is agreeable to Charly leaving. Maybe his sale is the best bet, at this late stage of the window, to generate some cash so that we can resolve the more urgent GK situation. Alternatively, perhaps his somewhat fiery temperament makes him difficult to manage in terms of playing the RM way. He always appears to want to go forwards even if that's not the best option and, therefore, does sometimes lose possession. Nevertheless, I'll be very sorry to see him go as we don't have many attack-minded players in our squad. |
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Comment | Sekou Mara Departs
at 12:47:39
I don't think Mara would have cut it in the EPL without someone laying on opportunities for him, rather than him creating them. He was, in my opinion, something of a carthorse and his recent laughable penalty attempt finally made my mind up for me. Good luck to him but, I doubt he'll be missed. |
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Comment | Russell Martin Confirms No One Is Refusing To Play
at 14:31:28
It seems to me that the ones who won't play for us are those on our shortlist e.g., O'Riley, Carvalho, Ramsdale and Jack Clarke and any number of wingers, including Ryan Fraser. Are Saints really that cash-strapped? If we did get those aforenamed we'd surely have a real chance of survival next season but, as things are, we're on the road to humiliation and relegation. Russell Martin must know this, as will the board but, why invest so much last season to go up and then watch that success fizzle out? There has to be some movement in and out within the next few days for us to have any chance. |
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Comment | Southampton V Oxford United The Verdict
at 10:15:44
I take little notice of friendlies since I saw Chris Marsden turn in a park standard performance against FC Utrecht which made me feel embarrassed in front of my Arsenal-supporting guest. Marsden then went on to have the season of his life for Saints. The point about McCarthy's strengths and weaknesses is, however, valid. I'm still of the opinion that his re-emergence at the end of last season is one of the main reasons Saints were promoted. RM needs to consider what Alex can do well and play accordingly if he's to be between the posts for us. |
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Comment | Southampton Ready To Break Transfer Record In Next Week
at 13:16:28
Shea Charles impressed me whenever he got the chance to fill in towards the end of last seson. I think it would be a mistake to let him goas he's only going to improve further, something that can't be said of a few others in our squad I could mention. |
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Comment | It's Official Adam Lallana Returns To Southampton
at 11:03:13
I recall that Adam had a heart problem which initially deterred bigger clubs from coming in for him when Saints were in the doldrums. At his best he was an outstanding playmaker for us and now that Stuart Armstrong has gone we lack creativity. The fact he chased the dollar is symptomatic of all talented players and he won't be the last we lose. If Lallana can help us gain points next season that's really all that matters. If his son turns out to be half the player his dad was we'll all be happy. |
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Comment | Stuart Armstrong Weighing Up Options
at 15:35:32
Although he's injury prone, Stuart Armstrong possesses something that nobody else currently at Saints has, and that is the instinctive aptitude for splitting the opposition's defence with a single pass. Add to that his ability to test the keeper from dead-balls in the way that JWP or Rickie could and he is genuinely well-read, having a law degree. He's got to be worth a couple of years contract as not many have a CV like that. |
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Comment | Saints May Have To Cash In On Star Defender
at 09:26:06
I'd try and keep him. To my mind he had his best season just finished and his partnership with Harwood-Bellis is only in its infancy and will surely only improve as Jan probably has another four years in him (and he knows RM's preferred method of playing). |
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Comment | Saints Can Now Start Planning Their Transfer Strategy For The Premier League
at 09:13:31
We need experience if we are to survive in the EPL this time. We already have one example of experience paving our way to promotion and that, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, came in the return of (and return to form of) Alex McCarthy. Llalana and Ings know how to play successfully in the EPL. Look how the battle-hardened Tarkowski has performed for Everton this season. We could with a couple of defenders in his mould (and he's thirty-two). |
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