Southampton New Signings All Giving Hope For Optimism Tuesday, 16th Aug 2022 09:26 It is early days yet, but after the first two games 5 out of our 6 summer signings have made a decent contribution to the side and that can only be good for the rest of the season. I would say I was shocked at the amount of pessimism on social media this summer when it comes to Saints chances in the Premier League for 2022/23 season, but sadly it is not much different from every other summer since 2014. But when I judge our squad at the start of a season I do so on whether we have improved the depth and quality of it. In essence we lost 3 players from last season's squad, Fraser Forster, Shane Long & Armando Broja, all contributed something to the season and it was sad to see them all depart, but their contributions were not irreplaceable. In Goal Forster only played 19 Premier League games, exactly half the season, Shane Long started 3 games plus 10 off the bench and scored 1 goal and Armando Broja perhaps made the biggest contribution with 6 Premier League goals from 21 starts and 11 off the bench. As I say none of these contributions are irreplaceable, Broja is perhaps the biggest, but to be blunt 6 goals from a striker is not a great total and certainly not a had task for any of the three strikers we currently have. So in terms of depth of squad we have lost 3 players, but brought in 5 players to replace them, so the depth of the squad has grown a little and more options can't be a bad thing, especially with the 5 substitutes option now in force. So what about quality, in goal as I say Forster played 19 games, McCarthy 17 and Cabbalero the other 2, it is fair to say although Forster came in and did a good job, there was still a need to improve, Gavin Bazunu has come in and looked good in the opening two games, all the more so given the defence in front of him at the moment. But that defence is no worse than last year, in fact with the arrival of Armel Bella-Kotchap in terms of quantity it has another option and on Saturday against Leeds ABK looked promising and an ability to surge forward in possession too. Yes the defence needs sorting out, yes it will be a case of sometimes we get away with things and sometimes we don't, but it is still better than last year both in terms of depth and quality. In midfield Romeo Lavia has looked a player and will only get better with experience, it is hard to believe that he has only played twice in competitive football, both cup ties for Manchester City and never in a League game until his debut at Spurs, he is still learning, but again he adds both more depth and more quality to the side. Joe Aribo has already turned heads and his goal against Leeds showed not only an eye for goal but composure, he didn't panic and perhaps see the keeper block his shot, he took another step, left the keeper floundering and fired home. At the moment it is a question of where to play him, is he played as the link between midfield and the forward line or do we play him as a striker, who knows but he has already made a positive contribution. Sekou Mara has been here less time than the others, but he didn't take long to make a positive impact, 11 minutes into his debut as a sub to be exact, with a little surge and then a inch perfect through ball for Kyle Walker Peters to get the equaliser, Mara also got away a decent shot from distance that made the keeper work. So although we are only two games in there have been green shoots of recovery and those have been provided by 5 of our 6 new signings making a positive contribution in their first games. Now I know that it is early days yet, but if some are happy to pick out every fault, then others have to look to find some of the good things happening. This is not glossing things over, we all know the centre of defence needs sorting out, it needs to get that experienced leader in it, at the moment Jan Bednarek is not that man, he is playing like a man who thought he was going to go to a big club, only to find out no one wants him, at least not the level of club he thought did, will he get over that and knuckle down and play a part this season or will he just sulk, we will soon find out. But in the meantime, lets just enjoy seeing what look like some half decent signings help the club move forward, Saturday was a game of mixed emotions, firstly it was the frustration of seeing some lax defending give Leeds a two goal lead followed by the sheer exhilaration of seeing two well worked and superbly finished goals, if you can't go to a football match and enjoy that, then what is the point of going. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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