Claude Puel started his Saints managerial career with a win in a behind closed doors friendly in Baltimore this afternoon.

OK it is only a low key friendly, but all eyes were on Claude Puel and what he would do formation wise in his opening game as Saints boss.

Of course with all the players who had featured at Euro 16 in France still on leave it was going to be a far from conclusive run out with no real pointers s to how strong Saints will be next term either way, but a win is a win when you are starting at a new club.

The opponents were MLS side DC United's Under 23 side, so it was not top class opposition by a long chalk, Puel unsurprisingly opted to give his full squad a run out changing the entire starting XI at half time, giving all 24 players on the tour a chance to impress the new man including new signings Nathan Redmond and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The game was won by a goal in each half, the first by James Ward Prowse and the second by Jay Rodriguez, but it was not about the result but the formation, Puel did not use the formation favoured by his predecessors, instead of two holding midfielders he preferred to use one to shield the back four with two further central midfielders in front of him, Rome, Hojbjerg and Reed all at some point playing this solo holding role.

This saw a central striker with two attackers playing off of him with the width provided by the two full backs.

Whether this will be the preferred option when the rest of the squad returns remains to be seen, but it is n interesting formation.

All in all it was a game where Saints could have won by more, after all it was not top class opposition, but it was not about the result, it was about getting the first game underway and setting the wheels in motion for the real tests in a months time.

Saints first half: Gazzaniga, Martina, Turnbull, van Dijk, Targett, Romeu, Clasie, Ward-Prowse, Tadic, Redmond, Austin.

Saints second half: Lewis, Valery, Stephens, Jones, McQueen, Hojbjerg (Sims 68), Hesketh, Reed, Rodriguez, Isgrove (Gallagher 74), Olomola.

Photo: Action Images

SaintBrock added 20:55 - Jul 18 Not many biters on this one Nick. A win that was hardly worthy of the epithet against a second string bunch of somewhathapless lads who would find it hard to get picked for a start at Sholing or Totton!
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