There was not much ti be taken from this game in terms of the result, but there was perhaps one position decided for the opening day of the Premier League season against Everton next weekend.

Once again Ralph Hasenhuttl put out a mixed team for the second St Mary's friendly of the week and again James Ward Prowse was missing through injury.

The game game to life in the 33rd minute when Athletic Club put in a corner to the near post and Alex McCarthy came for the ball and got nowhere near it for an easy header home.

The second goal for the visitors came just before half time when Villalibre rifled the ball in off the underside of the crossbar, again questions had to be asked of Alex McCarthy who seemed to be expecting a low shot and the ball went past him just over head height.

Saints made a few changes at half time and they paid dividends within a minute when Tina Livramento with his first touches is a Saints first team shirt broke forward and put a lovely through ball for Theo Walcott to run onto and fire home.

Suddenly there was a different urgency to Saints and they pressed forward, Djenepo at left back surging forward with a great run that was ended when he was seemingly upended in the box, but replays showed little contact and he had gone to ground too easily.

But the Spaniards restored their two goal cushion on the hour when Jan Bednarek stretching to block a cross deflected the ball into his own goal, for the final scoring in the game.

So what could be taken from the game ? in terms of form and formation not too much, it was like Wednesday evening a team made mainly from one half of the squad, so it was hard to conclude much, we were strong in some areas, but weaker in others.

But there was one position that looks to have been decided, Ralph Hasenhuttl is seemingly yet to decide whether his number one will be Alex McCarthy of Fraser Forster, these last two friendlies will surely have made up his mind.

On Wednesday Forster looked confident and positive, whereas in the game on Saturday Alex McCarthy could be said to be at fault for the first two goals.

Worryingly the second goal was very typical of the type he was letting in just before he was replaced by Forster last season, too many were at the near post with the keeper floundering and half going to ground with the ball fired over his head and that was the case here.

Ralph Hasenhuttl will have a good idea what his starting line up will be next weekend, this game answered one big question, the next biggie will be whether there is a new signing in place to replace Danny Ings.

As I said a month or so ago, pre season friendlies are in the main not competitive, they are about questions being answered for the manager in individual positions, these two friendlies were not a team trying to gel, but a different half of the squad in each game.

Some would say that this game should have been about playing what the manager would see as his starting line up, but that has not been the case, he has approached it from a different angle.

So a week to go and in football a week is a long time, a lot could change in the next few days.

Photo: Action Images

pintsizedsaint added 09:33 - Aug 8 Very clear in my mind about the GK question. McCarthy must be second choice. Forster not perfect but he’s miles better. With FF in goal I suspect we will recoup 6-9 points that AM will lose for us over the season.
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JoeEgg added 10:09 - Aug 8 So a week to go and in football a week is a long time, a lot could change in the next few days. And I'm not kidding - a lot HAS got to change
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highfield49 added 10:23 - Aug 8 Harry Lewis must be wondering why he's nailed to the bench whilst McCarthy flaps around week after week. JWP's continued injury absence is looking less and less like an injury unless jt's to his potential bank balance. The use of Romeu and Armstrong in the middle and significant game time for Livramento are suggestive of the team shape that will play next weekend. I feel strangely optimistic, on the back of Everton's loss to Manure, but the need for a forward capable of finding the net regularly is a must before the transfer window closes.

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underweststand added 10:44 - Aug 8 to be fair this was basically our " second string side" plus a few "regulars " and with Bednarek back in the line-up and clearly not up to 100% yet. The game was not up to the standard we had seen in the previous games, but also answered a few questions on some fringe players who might be leaving - sooner than later.. Ralph has seen everyone on show in the last few weeks and must surely know who he wants in the start side - except the eventual replacement for Danny Ings. I try not to be too critical of McCarthy, but must go along with "pintsized saint" ( above) and agree that AMc 's performances of late - have left a lot to be desired. On recent form I'd play Forster as first choice. ** Interesting point being that all 3 of our keepers are out of contract next summer, so expect to see a couple of new faces in this role in the near future.

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sandywelsh added 11:04 - Aug 8 McCarthy was at fault for two of the Bilbao goals. He is an accident waiting to happen and Forster played a lot better in the previous game. Forster to be the number 1 in the Premier League games this season. Why has Harry Lewis not been played in any of the friendlies is he that bad? When are we going to put in a proper bid for Adam Armstrong? We have the money spend it.

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dirk_doone added 11:24 - Aug 8 When I saw Harry Lewis warming up in goal at half-time, I was optimistic that he was going to play in the second half and disappointed when he didn't. Lewis should be second choice to Forster now. McCarthy was statistically the worst goalkeeper in the Premier League last season, with the worst saves to shot percentage, and he continues to get even worse. He is the only goalkeeper who gets consistently beaten at his near post, where a good goalkeeper should never be beaten. He manages to do this by crouching down and making himself small, leaving space to shoot into. He has slow reflexes and so starts his dives too late and he also shies away from physical challenge by retreating into his goal. He always looks indecisive and nervous and you can see the defenders don't trust him. He really is shockingly bad and should never be picked for Saints first team again unless we want to be relegated.

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SanMarco added 12:03 - Aug 8 Yes - FF is nowhere near perfect but he has to be number one. We simply have to replace Ings. All this 'extra money in the transfer kitty' talk means nothing until that player comes in. If we have to spend 25m on him then so be it. If JWP and Vesty really are going then get a move on and sell them. Everton is 6 days away - new players brought in at midnight on August 31 (or whenever it is) will not help us in the first three games, and we do need help. Do many of us think the likely starting line up next week is strong enough??

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halftimeorange added 12:21 - Aug 8 No, SanMarco - I don't think we are strong enough but, it is the first game of the season and perhaps the likes of Richarlison will be rested after his Olympic Games exertions. I certainly hope so. Sometimes teams are not up to speed in the opening matches and that might give us a chance. Saints let in a lot of goals last term and need bolstering in that department in addition to replacing Ings. We'll know a lot more in a few weeks time.

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dirk_doone added 13:13 - Aug 8 On a positive note, I thought Tino Livramento was absolutely brilliant. He looked a class above all of the other players on the pitch. He is going to be a real star. It's surprising that Chelsea let him go but they did the same with Kevin De Bruyne and Mo Salah.
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saintsfanbrock added 13:38 - Aug 8 Apologies if I have missed something but does anyone know where half the squad was? I know about JWP and Vestergaard. But where was Redmond, Adams, Walker Peters, Stephens and Elyounoussi? Just seemed weird to have such a small bench.
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saintmark1976 added 14:16 - Aug 8 The answer to your question SanMarco is “no”. Is anybody really surprised given our current owners and their management team? Our state of unpreparedness is just a symptom of their complete all encompassing ineptitude. halftimeorange, Richarlison may not make Everton’s starting line up next week but at least they have a proven Premiership goal scorer on their books.With six days to go we can’t even sign a Championship player who failed to score once in fifteen previous Premiership appearances for Newcastle.

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RedandWight added 15:16 - Aug 8 There were positives to be had from the Athletico game. Romeau was outstanding, Salisu looks strong and quick and is improving all the time, a faultless debut from Tino that left us all grinning....there were also performances that weren't so good; Imo we never looked like scoring. Shane Long has been a wonderful servant for the club; I hope he can make up the half-a-yard he's missing at the moment; we'll see. The penny hasn't dropped for Obafemi; will he suddenly 'click'? he's leaving it late if he's going to. That puts a lot of pressure on Che and he's not a prolific scorer neither is walcott. So for all our possession we need that 'natural' goal scorer in as soon as possible - its goals that win games.

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Boris1977 added 15:30 - Aug 8 Another pre season of I'll preparation for the upcoming season. Not particularly looking forward to the new season starting as I feel we'll have similar issues experienced over the last few seasons at the back and up front we do not have the reliable premiership goal scorer up. How have we again ended up in this position again?
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Peterx added 15:52 - Aug 8 Yesterday the team looked tired to me from what I saw till the you-tube link broke, which I am guessing would be typical of a team being worked hard in the 2nd last week of pre-season. We looked less solid at the back which makes me think Stephens could have a shot of starting with Salisu. I think RH will take the Levante starting line up as a basis, maybe change Elynoussi for Armstong.

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