In the final pre season against Real Sociedad, Saints fans may find out a little more about Mauricio Pochettino's thinking for the season.

The long weeks of training and preparation are nearly over and with only a week and one pre season friendly left (well in public anyway) Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino will be getting near to knowing just who will be his first choice players etc, however will he share anything with the fans against Real Sociedad or will it be another game of mix and match with little being given away by the Argentinian.

In days gone by friendlies were a lot more competitive and worth watching, nowadays though they are mostly virtual training games where the result matters little, most of the real work is done behind closed doors and its highly likely that there will perhaps be a private friendly before the start of the season, although with the Football League season starting two weeks before the Premier League this year that may be more difficult than usual to arrange.

Saints supporters probably know what sort of formation Pochettino likes to play by now, but the big question is who will he prefer to play in it and from this point of view its worthwhile to go along and see it.

In defence the big question will be who plays in the centre of defence, presumably Dejan Lovren will be a given but who will play alongside him ?

In midfield there are a host of questions, who will make way for Wanyama ? who will play wide ? and indeed will Pochettino adjust his midfield 5 a little to perhaps play 3 holding players allowing the wide men to push on more,.

Up front there is also a question, ironically just as Rickie Lambert is selected for England, never has his place been under threat more, the fact that Saints have seemingly been trying to spend big big money on a striker doesn't bode well for Rickie as to be blunt a £15 million pound striker is not going to sit on the bench, but with Pochettino's high tempo pressing game it calls for a more mobile lone striker than Rickie and he knows Jay Rodriguez is also breathing down his neck.

Whether any of these questions will be answered this afternoon we will soon find out.

Photo: Action Images

Macclesfield Town Polls