 | News
Comment | Jose Fonte Could Be About To Return To Southampton
at 18:58:53
How many other ex Saints are we going to be linked with this summer? Why not offer a contract to Sir Ricky, Le Tiss, and Franny.
Fonte gives one interview with BBC Solent and the lazy journos out there are putting 2+2 = 5. I don’t have any issue with Fonte, he did well for us through the football league promotions and the PL. It was telling when his various defensive partners over those years were the ones signed by bigger clubs and sank without a trace whereas Saints continued to be pretty decent with Fonte. Winning the Euros with Portugal increased his profile and his agent profiteered of the back of it. They found West Ham in one of their sign any player at any cost moods and the rest is history. |
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Comment | These Are The Six Positions That Southampton Need To Fill For Premier League Survival
at 13:06:37
Couple of points:
Firstly I think in addition to the 6 positions above we need to secure a defensive midfielder. Ideally that is Downes but either way that will be a new signing (permanent or second year on loan). If not Downes we need someone else.
Secondly filling the seven positions won’t come cheap. Yes we have c£140m (or whatever the amount is from those linked to the play off win) but that is unlikely to stretch to spending transfer fees on all those positions. We have already spent £20m on THB and we have to consider FPP which as we have seen severely hampers clubs needing to invest in playing staff. Even if we get some return on players who were on loan last season and we can sell this summer, I would anticipate at least two of those roles listed being season long loans. Probably the GK if the club see Bazunu coming back as No 1, possibly also Downes on a second years loan if West Ham don't want to sell outright but both WH and player want to get regular minutes in the PL. it’s also possible that some of those loan players do make the grade for RM. ABK and Alcaraz are the two most likely which would save money on finding new players. |
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Comment | Southampton Linked With La Liga Striker
at 12:46:54
How many strikers do we need who are proven at Championship level but have yet to do so in the PL? Adams, Arma, Stewart and now Bereton Diaz. If this is a replacement for Che then it makes more sense if this is alongside a striker who we are confident can cut it in the PL. |
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Comment | James Ward Prowse Future At West Ham Said To Be Uncertain
at 12:42:18
Onetowatch. I’m not suggesting that JWP is the same type of player as Armstrong but he is a better player as an advanced midfielder rather than defensive one. Hence I agree the priority is Downes but if Downes can be secured and there is a deal for JWP that works then I would take him in a heartbeat over Lallana would also be in that number 8 role. |
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Comment | James Ward Prowse Future At West Ham Said To Be Uncertain
at 08:22:44
Would rather JWP than Lallana. With Stu Armstrong going JWP could fit that role, especially if Downes can be secured and be the defensive midfielder allowing JWP to play further forward. The main issue in his last season for us was we had sold Romeu and JWP was forced to play deeper which is not his strong area. |
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Comment | Saints 23/24 Season Review - The Goalkeepers
at 19:10:09
Saints have just issued the confirmation of released players at the end of their contract. McCarthy is mentioned in the context of trying to work out a new deal. Hopefully this will be a back up on back up wages. The article also confirms Stu Armstrong will leave the club :( |
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Comment | Saints 23/24 Season Review - The Goalkeepers
at 12:41:39
It’s clear there are positives and negatives to each of the 3 keepers. Will Bazunu improve on his areas of weakness , quite possibly. The same is unlikely of McCarthy or Lumley. It’s unlikely that Bazunu will feature much next season so I agree with the call of recruiting an experienced keeper either on loan or a shortish contract until Gav is back up to speed. If there is a need to keep McCarthy or Lumley as back up due that time then no problem but we don’t need both. Don’t forget we also have Lis who has been out on loan so could be the back up. |
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Comment | Leeds United Confirm Their Kit For Wembley Showdown With Southampton
at 15:14:42
It will be the socks that clash with Leeds. The Hull away game was mentioned as to why we played in white but although the tops were different (Yellow vs Red) the shorts were both black. My expectation is that we will go with the all black kit. At then end of the day I don’t mind as long as we win. After all we were in our changed yellow kit for 1976! |
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Comment | Could Adam Lallana Make A Surprise Return To Southampton
at 10:35:58
I have no ill will towards AL for moving on to Liverpool from Saints. He was looking to progress his career at a time when his stock was high. However I don’t see him coming back and fear it would be another Theo Walcott signing I.e. high wages for little return except possibly with slightly fewer injuries. |
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Comment | Southampton At West Bromwich Albion The Play Off Verdict
at 10:25:41
All in all I think a draw was a fair result and it was certainly the case of “must not lose” attitude in this first leg.
Positives - McCarthy was confident in claiming dangerous corners and saved well when needed. Downes was outstanding (again). Stewart when he came on gave us something extra in attack and was unlucky not to score.
Negatives - Stephens seem to be the main culprit when dwelling too long or misplaced passes. He needs to be a bit sharper in possession. Mara was a waste of space for me. If Che is not fit on Friday (and assuming Stewart cannot do a full match) I would rather stick Brooks, Sulimana or Wee man in a more attacking role.
Overall we are in the box seat so should have confidence in turning them over on Friday. That said this is Saints and we never take the easy route!
P.s. does anyone know the rules on yellow cards in the playoffs? I worry if Downes picks up another on Friday that will mean he is suspended in the final. |
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Comment | Southampton At Leeds United The Verdict
at 09:50:25
There was a freedom about the teams play yesterday which went a long way towards making the performance and result one of the best this season. They need to replicate that in the playoffs and if they do then we stand every chance of success.
Flynn Downes was again outstanding,particularly in the first half. But there were strong performances all over the pitch. Credit to the manager too for being experimental with the formation and tactics but still playing players in their favoured positions.
Playoffs here we come! |
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Comment | Southampton V Stoke City The Preview
at 13:00:38
I realise everyone is entitled to their opinion but this site regularly presents itself as being in tune with the fan base. I don’t know how you can suggest that the fan base is feeling like we have been relegated. Yes there is a degree of disappointment at recent results which have meant we missed out on automatic promotion. But this is nothing like the feeling I and most fans experienced last season when each week we turned up to watch expecting to get beaten regardless of the opposition.
We are in the playoffs and on balance this season the fan experience has been ten times better than recent seasons in the PL because we have been competitive and winning most of the time. So I for one hope we are promoted but even if we are not will be thankful to the management and team for bringing som joy back to SMS this season. Protestations that the fan base are bereft with the current side are way off the mark (in my opinion). |
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Comment | Southampton Need 8 Points To Secure A Play Off Place
at 16:18:18
Nick, give it a rest with the Stephens bashing. I see you pointing the finger at RM’s selection of Stephens but the results in the most recent two games were not down to the selection of Stephens nor the tactics employed for his use.
We dropped points against Boris due to woeful finishing with Che Adams largely the main culprit compounded by poor marking by KWP and THB for the late equaliser.
Against Ipswich no one was complaining about the tactics given we dominated the majority of the match. Two sloppy goals were again down to other players not closing down and Bazunu not making saves he probably should have.
Is Stephens the best player- not by a long way. But neither is he or his selection the core reason for the dropped points either. It would be nice to have a balanced view of the team performance on occasion. |
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Comment | Southampton At Ipswich The Verdict
at 12:59:09
Should add that the most significant point of the night was news breaking that Jason Wilcox had resigned following an approach from Man Utd. Long term this could be more significant for the club than this one result. |
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Comment | Southampton At Ipswich The Verdict
at 12:57:37
As the write up correctly states, the tactics worked for 65 mins. This included having Stephens as an inverted left back drifting into midfield to provide an outlet. The issue was that Ipswich changed their approach in the second half and Saints didn’t adapt. The damaging goal was the equaliser as a draw was not really any better than defeat.
It highlights that Saints aren’t as good as the three teams above us at present so RM has 8 games to work out how he wants to play for the playoffs and the players/tactics for that. |
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Comment | Southampton V Preston North End The Preview
at 14:20:04
Heads up for those attending the match tonight. There is a large factory fire in the industrial estate that backs into the family zone at the Chapel End of SMS. Britannia Road is closed to help the emergency service access.
No word on whether it will impact tonight’s game. Hopefully it will be all cleared before fans start their journeys. |
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Comment | Southampton Promotion Campaign Will Go To The Wire
at 12:46:51
All we can do is focus on winning our own games and then see where that leads to going into the final 2 or 3 games of the season. If it remains close with Leeds for the second spot then I don’t think my nerves will cope well on the final day! |
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Comment | Southampton At West Bromwich Albion The Verdict
at 07:15:42
There is no doubt that the performance and result was our best away from SMS this season. In a week where we had too tough matches I would argue our promotion credentials are now stronger at the end of the week than it was at the start. Saints could have easily focused on maintaining the unbeaten run and got two draws. But we are better off by a point and the spirit in the camp must be sky high.
We can’t control what Leicester and in particular Leeds and Ipswich do until we play then so let’s just keep taking each next opponent on its merit and do our thing! |
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