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Comment | Southampton Lining Up Move For Modern Target Man Striker In The Summer
at 17:27:21
and apparently Bodo-Glimt beat Inter Milan 3-1 last night with Hoge scoring their 3rd goal.
The return leg in Milan should be interesting, although if I were Saints I'd be keen to look and their defenders, if they beat Man City AND Milan and only conceded once in each game. |
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Comment | Will Southampton Invoke Extension Option For Ross Stewart
at 09:20:26
As a response to your headline (Nick) ..Saints would be daft not to - don't you think?
The transfer fee was not insignificant, and successive injuries made things worse, but in recent games he's beginning to look like the player we wanted in the beginning.
His input of late has been very good. His " cheeky" opening goal in the 4-3 revival at Leicester (and a couple of assists) showed he still is a force to contend with.
Ironically, the transfer of Adam A. seems to have opened up new opportunities with the arrival of Lerin, and now we have 2 big men available up top for the first time in a decade.
If he stays reasonably fit, is managed well and isn't forced in to 96 minute games every week, I'd say, the answer is the proverbial " no brainer". |
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Comment | Southampton Look For Another Home Draw In FA Cup 5th Round
at 14:15:35
home draw against one of the "smaller fish" still left in the competition would be nice, but
when it's down to the last 8 sides, it really gets interesting. Those who were around in 1976 might recall that by the semi-final stage the whole city wanted a ticket for the Final. |
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Comment | Southampton V Leicester City The FA Cup Verdict
at 16:28:07
Not a classic game in terms of Cup football and the lack of familiarity between players was obvious at time but nevertheless we held out in the first half. Edozie's persistent runs were rewarded with a penalty, converted by Larin who seemed quite relaxed about taking it.
As noted above, Cam Bragg strolled through the game with almost faultless passing and good movement around the pitch. I won't criticise "the other Cam", who clearly looks like a man out of form despite his energetic input. The later introduction of other Academy lads seemed to settle the side, unsurprisingly as they play together regularly in the U21's.
NOT letting Bree leave in the summer was either a masterstroke, or a fortunate oversight after Will Still dismissed the experience of JB, Charlie Taylor, BBD and Ryan Fraser in favour of the " foreign imports" unfamiliar with the complexities of this league in England.
A good outing for the new young names who all "passed the test" and who may appear again on the bench periodically before the end of the season. Eckert's half-season with the U21's (before his sudden promotion) had given him a good look at our promising young talents and he wasn't afraid to give them game time, and this game was the perfect opportunity.
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Comment | Southampton Defender Set To Miss The Rest Of The Season
at 08:15:48
Suddenly RB is a role that is overloaded and the return of James Bree complicated the issue, but clearly Bree is the best of the bunch. However as this post is about Mats Roerslev, it should be noted that a.t.m. he is a minor piece in the game and his unfortunate injury does help solve the selection problem. On paper he is a useful member of the squad. A 26 y.o. international, who cost just 3 million on a 4 year deal. After his surgery there will be rehab and a pre-season which (hopefully) will make his a major asset next season. |
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Comment | Southampton V Watford The Verdict
at 12:01:17
Not best game of the season, but 3 points, a stable back 4, and yet another clean sheet. Agree with highfield 49 (above). You only see the real ability of players when they are played in a formation that suits them. A high ball into the box should be meat and drink for tall strikers (and so it was recalling the likes of Pelle, Lambert and even Beattie).
Good showing from Sam Edozie, back in the reckoning with a new chance to impress. Both he and Scienza give more left-sided options up front, and supported by Welington who really has come on in the last month. What a good decision to recall James Bree, he really looks the part, and we have real defender who can DAJFU.
The departure of Adam A. maybe lamented by some, but his long "dry spells" were always worrying but suddenly it feels like a whole new squad. Hope this new form stays, before we start talking up "the P-word" too soon, (but there are still 45 points to play for.)
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Comment | What Do Southampton Do With A Problem Called Edozie
at 09:37:31
I think you are a bit unfair (Nick) calling Sam -- a problem. He was in the young group that came from Man City's Academy in 2022. It took time to settle and Sam signed while still a teenager, and although he showed up well at times, and scored goals, but obviously lacked the consistency expected of more experienced players. Like everyone, he wants to play every week, but when managers come and go, it's easy for anyone to fall out of favour.
Sam has been a victim of that, and some unexpected injuries, (or maybe the fellow who has his position in the team deserves the spot because he's playing better at the time).
We have the rest of the season to analyse the now 23 year old Sam, who is another man than he was as a newcomer. He may move on, but might become a future squad asset. |
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Comment | Are Saints Arguably Stronger At The End Of The Transfer Window Than They Were At The Start
at 08:58:04
Difficult to say that we've made any big strides this window, but (unlike some) I'm enthusiastic about Peretz's, and although he's not totally faultless, he is mobile and not afraid to get involved. One or two saves reminded me of Niemi's acrobatics.
Somewhat sad that Armstrong has gone, but Larin fits the bill regarding physique and experience, but we need to see him in our formation.
For the rest, youngsters who need to test themselves in "the man's game" may improve , or they will end up in L1/L2 in a year or so, but we still have a large group of "square pegs " from previous managers who must go in the next window. |
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Comment | Southampton Confirm Adam Armstrong Departure
at 08:16:20
It has to be said that at a time when the club was yo-yoing between leagues, Adam was one of the few names who earned his place and - given the chances - did score goals.
Like all strikers, had periods when his form likened the proverbial sauce-bottle.. (long dry spells, and then all at once). This season was typical, when it took 11 games before he got his first, but then he scored 6 times in 5 games, after which he had blank 10 games. Has reached an age when he is still a first-choice candidate to play, and even if Wolves get relegated, he is experienced in the Championship where he is known to succeed. Overall, I must admit he DAJFU, even in the worst times, but I just hope we don't have to face him too often. good luck Adam. |
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Comment | Saints Announce Signing Of New Striker
at 07:55:33
sounds good enough on paper.. a mature, 6 '2" tall striker, able to speak English, and even with a somewhat erratic goal scoring tally, he's no better or worse than the other strikers we already have on the books. 4 months to see how he might fit in with our playing style.
If he's scored half-a dozen goals by the end of the season, might be worth a permanent deal - especially as we don't know what the future holds for Ross Stewart. |
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Comment | Has The Southampton Revolution Started
at 10:59:53
This squad has grown out of control for the last 3 years. "Tradition" says a new manager expects to buy a few of his former players but, this often involves a change of formation and established players are often left out in the cold, but it seldom works out well without a knowledgeable DoF who knows the league and the value of such purchases. Some of the past deals have been very costly. Carillo, Onuachu and Sulemana were prime examples. Historically, only a handful of "club record buys" have been successful (Davies, Rodrigues and Ings are rare exceptions). The majority of our most successful players cost a pittance,(or were " zero cost"), and many of these moved onto other clubs for large fees. The remainder didn't make the grade under successive managers, and they stayed on to see out their contracts and rarely contributed much to the overall team performances.
Every decade, we have a major "house-cleaning" and only after the dust settles, do we see the result of such changes. Harking back to the days of old, we see we looked best with one or two big men up front, with wingers to supply them...and a decent back four.
Attacking full backs who can't defend, and three at the back (who have the capacity to make it work) may be the answer on occasions, but zonal marking often destroys a good team formation. Most of the new summer crop look to show some promise, but the remainder of "the old brigade" will (or must) go in the next 12 months.
We should not seek to blame Tonda for "inconsistent results", as the newer players were mainly bought in by Spors " for Will Still's sake" but the introduction of Bragg and one of two current Academy lads shows he's not afraid to experiment with younger talents.
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Comment | Rangers Have Surprising Southampton Striker Target In Their Sights
at 17:32:24
Archer (?) ... I suppose there's a goal-scoring striker in there somewhere, but he's rarely had enough game time for the rest of the team to realise that he's with them on the pitch.
Instead of seeing him as a liability (which financially speaking) he maybe, it would be nice to think that he can get regular games in a club who can appreciate and use his talents.
A professional footballer is like a man on a death sentence, never knowing when his "last day" may come. It might be that career-ending injury) but for some, whilst others play on into their 30's - and beyond (I noted that Billy Sharp (soon to be 40) and the player who actually most helped Saints get promotion in 2012 ) can still get minutes with the Blades.
..but back to Cameron Archer. He deserves a chance of a fresh start, having lived through a succession of managers who scarcely noted his presence and if (like Dom Ballard) he starts
scoring goals again, it will be a condemnation of someone - other than he, himself.
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Comment | Leo Scienza A Doubt For The Trip To Stoke City
at 14:44:23
Not unexpected surely ? It doesn't surprise me, and some of those fouls were quite brutal.
One commentator said that he was already "the most-fouled player" in the Championship.´
It's only sense to play him for just 60 minutes as we are still halfway through the season. |
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Comment | Southampton Linked With No One In Final Days Of Transfer Window
at 09:12:59
Linked with " no-one" ...that we know about (that is).
There are sure to be a few new names but no-one likely to walk into the first team squad.
Hopefully, some others will move on, not because they aren't good enough, but every footballer wants to play every week, but when it doesn't happen they end up in the wilderness between the bench and that first-teamer who is clearly better than they are.
I hope we are sure about those who we let go, or are on the move.
Only one or two of each Academy group will get anywhere near the first team, but we must avoid another mistake like selling Dom Ballard, which may come back to bite us.
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Comment | Southampton At Portsmouth The Verdict
at 13:52:42
With just 6 shots (and 4 on target), we lacked much in having only Armstrong up front, whilst Pompey's 14 shots came to nothing, and in the end they only won by a handball. Where was VAR when we needed it, as a proper check would have disallowed their goal and we'd have taken all 3 points. Well-taken effort by Scienza, who'se been in that same situation several times before this season, but nut-megged their keeper to give us the lead.
I didn't think we were going to concede, but there was no way that the ref. was going to disallow their goal and walk away. On another day he'd have booked half-a-dozen players.
Aside from comments about Bree's high ball, I thought he did well. He was always a sub. for KWP after signing for us and he seemed to fit seemlessly into the back 4. I though that he (and Charlie Taylor) got a rough deal when Will Still sent them out on loan, (probably because they knew more about the game than Will did (and it embarrassed him).
Bree is the only established RB at this level, and should keep his place based on this .
Welington also showed he wasn't afraid to get in the mix, and Matsuki, (though not so skilful) wasn't shying away from tough challenges either. Look forward to NOT meeting them again next season, but not sure about the final outcome for both sides.
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Comment | Portsmyth Or Portsmouth Innit ? Take Our M27 Derby Weekend Quiz
at 11:38:12
Interesting points here Nick. There are several versions of "the Dockers saga", but many workers were employed in the Docks in those days and lots of them were also Saints fans.
The history of Henry V taking his army over to France in 1415 is well-documented from various sources, and there are even claims that the Red Lion pub in High Street was the gathering point for Richard the Lionheart's army prior to departure to the Holy Land. Of course those figures are dwarfed, if you count the estimated 2 million men who did travel through So'ton Docks - and over to Normandy - after D-Day in 1944.
I happened to be working in Southsea at the time of the '76 Cup Final, and was unable to travel on the day, but I did put a fiver on Saints to win. The Portsmouth bookie gave me a nasty look when I turned up on the monday morning to collect my winnings.
Pompey did get 50,000+ gates at times, (in the years either side of WW2) but that was (prior to 1986 ban on standing in stadiums) and thus reduced attendances enormously, but I was in the old Dell record crowd (31044 in 1970 v. Man Utd). - hence my tag name.
There wasn't always such animosity between the clubs and my late father (a teenage fan in the 1930's) told me that in the post-war period (when Pompey won two titles) some Saints fans would travel down to Fratton on those occasions that Saints were playing away (at far-flung grounds up North), and travel back and forth on the day was almost impossible.
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Comment | Burnley Chasing Southampton Defender
at 16:17:04
I read a posting that mentioned " loyalty ", a word that had disappeared in the Saints vocabulary after MLT retired. So will THB wait until the end of the season, or has he already accepted we don't stand a chance of a quick return to the Prem. and will go now. The answer to that one will be clear after Feb.2 in which case we will need to sign a new CB from somewhere PDQ before the window shuts.
The fact that the interest comes from Burnley (who like Saints) have twice yo-yo'd between the divisions in the last 4 years. In their first promotion Burnley had both THB and Nathan Tella on loan. Tella was their top scorer by a country mile, and THB showed up well, but Burnley then insisted they would only pay 9 million for Tella (Saints wanted 14), and so they let both return to their clubs. We later sold Tella to Germany (for a reported 22 mill.) and then we bought in THB in at the same time. Both these mistakes led to Burnley's instant relegation in the first season.
Burnley may have learned the lesson, because if we do let THB go, we must be sure to get a good deal in the process. |
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Comment | Southampton V Sheffield United The Verdict
at 16:04:18
More than enough rain before the start turned accurate passing into a lottery, but we kept a clean sheet in the nd. A "flukey" goal from Scienza was enough to get the points.
Had we had VAR we might well have had a penalty for the "double fouling" on Fellows.
Whatever the tactical advantage of playing 3 at the back, I agree with others (above) in that I prefer playing 4 at the back - at least you know who should be where .
Good to see Stewart back on the pitch -even for 60 mins- as his height gives us a target man who can shoot, or hold up the ball when necessary.
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Comment | The Daily Echo Hints At Where The Problems Are In Saints Dressing Room
at 11:48:19
without Quarshie (inexperienced but not as bad as some suggest) the back 3 will pick itself. There hasn't been a satisfactory midfield quartet all season, and although each has a talent (of sorts) they don't play as a unit. With 2 wingers (Fellows and Scienza) the midfield is redundant but without the likes of Armstrong, we have no central striker capable of scoring regularly.
(We could have used Leo and Tom last season whilst we still had Onuachu. (now 11 goals in Turkey this season). We've had a leaky defence for seasons past but no other reliable goalscorers since Danny Ings and Ché Adams left. Ironically, Prowsey was our top scorer
with 10 goals in the season before he left.
We may see one or two of the Academy lads getting minutes, but we need a proven reliable goalscorer PDQ, ( if /when Armstrong goes ), we must hope that Ross Stewart stays fit and that Archer is available, (if only for for the sake of appearances).
Regarding the issue of "player power" in the dressing room. My message would be ..some of you are grossly overpaid for the job you're (supposed to be) doing, so man-up and try and behave professionally - if only for the underpaid fans who continually support you.
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