28 Jul 2025 17:43:06
Sorry to see Jan Bednarek to leave, always liked him as a player. I feel some criticism against him was unjustified. Ramsdale looks like he's off, I hope it works out well for him, another player who I feel always tried his best
My worries are : AA has been woeful preseason following on from the same whilst on loan at WBA, Brereton Diaz ditto but with Sheffield Utd. Archer also has not stamped a claim on a strikers spot and WS doesn't seem to rate Stewart.
From what I am told no club has moved heaven and earth for Dibling but today Brentford have enquired but want a deal much lower than Saints valuation. Ipswich have enquired about Downes, Rangers want Fraser not Edozie. Ajax want Sugawara on loan and Birmingham want Edwards but Saints are not going to sell him.
Interest is starting to hot up.

1.) 28 Jul 2025
28 Jul 2025 23:52:30
Given the absolute state of last season, anyone being sold wouldn’t upset me too much. If we get money in from them, it allows Still to build his own team. I imagine we are as always tight with the figures so need to sell to buy, but the more we get out of the door the more quality we can hopefully get in.

Dibling will go, so will Ramsdale - they’re too good not to. THB, Sugawara, ABK, Downes, Armstrong, Diaz and Archer aren’t as good as they think they are, but would all be handy in the Championship. Any of them going wouldn’t be a bad thing.

I still think we will get a lot of movement - the big clubs are sorting out their front lines, meaning the mid table clubs will then use the cash they have to sort theirs, and will look to find deals or spend big on quality - once that’s done, they’ll buy in other areas. As we don’t fall into the first category, it’s just a waiting game or seeing what interest we get overseas.

We need a GK, RB, CM, CAM. With Ramsdale and Dibling money, we should be able to do that. I don’t think they will go for CBs - we bought potential players two years ago in Edwards and Wood - and we have five strikers on the books all of similar quality. We won’t be able to afford to splash out for more.

Problem area for years has been in attacking midfield - we haven’t had a properly good winger since Mane left - but if still goes back 3 then it’ll be more on #10s hence the importance of Fernandes, though I think he may be off too, purely for the fact that we could double or triple our money in a year.

Two weeks to Wrexham, I think we’ll be unpleasantly surprised by a 1-2 loss!

2.) 29 Jul 2025
29 Jul 2025 10:34:09
It’s deeply worrying. Broadly speaking, we’re looking to off load the better half of the squad, recoup some money and rebuild. All that with a novice manager and a pool of players who struggle to beat Eastleigh among others. Granted, they were pretty meaningless friendlies but nevertheless one looks for green shoots of optimism. Nothing.

So what baffles me, is how some of our respected posters on this forum believe we are strong candidates for promotion? Our squad was far better last time round when we dropped into the Championship.

This time, as I’ve repeatedly said, we are mid-table at best. As I said, deeply worrying.

3.) 29 Jul 2025
29 Jul 2025 16:04:44
I still think we have a good shot at promotion. Our defence is more inexperienced than last time but a Downes, Charles and Fernandes midfield would be solid. Robinson is a good upgrade on Edozie. We have a fit (for now) Stewart, plus Archer, Armstrong and Downs so 4 good 2nd div strikers vs 2 last time.

I can see a slow mid table start as the team and manager adjust then climbing up to the playoffs with our superior squad depth and fitness over the winter months.

With Saints nothing would surprise me though and depends who stays, fights and finds form.

4.) 29 Jul 2025
29 Jul 2025 17:37:24
If you’re right (and I hope that you are) the January window will be key. By then we should know where the gaps are and who can and cannot cut it. I think a lot will hang on whether we see the Armstrong of old or the latest version - slow in mind and second best in challenges.

5.) 30 Jul 2025
30 Jul 2025 04:52:44
Completely agree @Millertime

A lot will depend on 5 things
1. If our strikers can replicate previous Championship successes
2. If players that excelled at mid table sides like Edwards, Charles and Wood can perform at top 5 level
3. How fast an almost new 11 vs last season, plus young manager can gel
4. How well Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry and Wrexham perform
5. Who comes in and who goes in the summer and Jan.

10 sides have a shot at promotion. I am hedging my bets and predicting 5th/6th behind Ipswich, Leicester, Sheffield Utd and Birmingham, plus maybe Coventry/Wrexham.

6.) 30 Jul 2025
30 Jul 2025 08:53:21
Birmingham have recruited very well, could be a dark horse for top 6 finish

7.) 30 Jul 2025
30 Jul 2025 17:10:02
It’s definitely a hard league to call.

Outside of Southampton, fans across the other clubs are tipping Saints as one of the favourites to go up.

Which can be a hindrance if we set up to not lose rather than go out to win games.

That winning mentality has been a scarce commodity of late and I just hope that Will can boost confidence levels.

Each day brings news of other leavers - Rambo all but gone and a surge of interest in Fernandes.

What will give me nightmares is seeing McCarthy back in goal.

Still 10 days to go!