Our new correspondent Matt takes a look at three big questions that will have been answered by the end of October

The 28th October 2017. It’s ten games into the 2017-18 Premier League season, and Saints have just faced off against newly-promoted Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

It’s at this point in any premier league season that we begin to see a team’s true colours. Was that opening day win a sign of things to come, or a one-off in a season spent hovering perilously above the drop-zone (don’t tell me you’ve forgotten those late-90s seasons…)?

As is now the norm, for Saints, this will be a more revealing start to the season than most. Another summer of change, another unknown quantity (Hi, MaPo), another turbulent transfer saga.

So, after 10 games, what will we know? Here’s 3 burning questions that we will (probably) have already had an answer for come that day at the Amex.

1. Where are the goals going to come from?

Anyone who has followed the meteoric rise of Southampton over the past 5 years will know that it was achieved by scoring goals. Lots of goals. But last season, the heady days of a sub-3-minute Mane hat-trick felt like a distant memory.

By game 10, we should have a pretty good idea of who our most potent threat is up front. Pellegrino faces a challenge in that he has Austin and Gabbiadini, both potent finishers who hit a rich vein of form at different times last season. He favours a 4-2-3-1, so it will be interesting to see which of the two fill that number 10 role, if at all. Arguably a midfield trio of Redmond, Boufal and Tadic is potent enough, and so you feel it will be one of the two, not both, starting regularly.

2. How are you feeling, Virgil?

The moral ins and outs of VVD’s summer of discontent are for a different blog - I don’t want to go into it here. However, by the 28th October, we should know whether or not VVD has his head in the game, or whether he’s still dreaming of Jurgen’s open arms. At time of writing (3rd Aug), the club are still standing firm, with VVD reiterating his desire to leave and the club likewise reiterating theirs for him to stay.

It would seem he has two options: play, and play 100% for the team, or don’t. By game 10 we will find out which one he’s chosen. I know which one I’m hoping for…

3. How good is Mauricio Pellegrino?

The similarities between Pellegrino’s appointment and Pochettino’s are too close not to be excited by. It’s all too familiar: little-known Argentine manager from the depths of La Liga (i.e. not the top 3), favouring a 4-2-3-1 and a high press, arrives on the south coast with big ambition but no reputation… Oh, the possibilities…

…and then a 0-4 thrashing at the hands of FC Augsburg happens. At St. Mary’s, no less.

It’s a different mood to the one after the Saint Etienne match just under a week ago, so what are the positives here?

The play is more attacking than Puel’s, with more emphasis on the wide areas (step forward, Matt Targett), the high press is back although taking a while to fully click, and the ball is moving around quicker, all of which we missed last season.

Defensively, however, our weaknesses remain all too clear (seriously, 0-4!?). In my book, Maya Yoshida is still a top Championship defender, no more, and Jack Stephens has performed admirably without setting the world alight. If VVD does not return, a new centre back is absolutely vital, even if we have to spend £30m to get him.

What I’m also yet to see is the kind of incisive passing that defined the Koeman era. Saints have the players in the likes of Romeu, Ward-Prowse and Tadic to play a midfield-splitting through ball, but they need to be given the dynamic shape of a 4-2-3-1 and the team’s old work ethic to do it.

No ideal so far, but let’s leave the real evaluation for 10 games in. Let’s hope that trip back from Brighton is a happy one.

Matt Tilling

@tposmatt

Photo: Action Images

charlie357 added 11:14 - Aug 4 Excellent article. I think it says a lot about our current fan base when you consider the mood after the Saint-Ettiene game compared to now. There seems to be a good majority of fair-weather, reactionary "fans". I'm quietly optimistic. Providing we sign 1-2 quality CB's and get someone in that can cover with Romeu, then we can really make a push for top 6.
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helpineedsomebody added 11:22 - Aug 4 there s bob hope & no hope
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1970 added 11:29 - Aug 4 Good Article Matt, (charlie357) I think the fans are not happy with a number of issues at the moment rather than being fairweather though, I also think we can all share the frustrations that we only need a couple of quality players and a few tweeks and we are a fantastic side but then the media get to work and we start all over it's a shame, this season though I don't think will be so attractive as Poch was because we don't have the personnel to play a high press game we have little pace and playing JWP on the right wing is absurd in the prem but hey ill be going to the games with hope like everyone else coyr.

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SaintBrock added 14:02 - Aug 4 An optimist is a pessimist without much experience of life. Optimism has to be based on something other than 'gut feeling' and 'hope' you know. What have you seen this close season that most of us have not? For a start just look at the body language of some senior players in training at Staplewood. VvD won't be the only one leaving soon, just wait and see.
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gpsgm added 11:59 - Aug 5 A pessimist is a person who sees the negative in everything and has no confidence in their own ability to make things better Football is entertainment, try and be entertained
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gpsgm added 12:21 - Aug 5 "An optimist is a pessimist without much experience of life" - Collen Wilcox "One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself" ~ Colleen Wilcox
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