There's no such thing as an uneventful mid-table finish, anyone from 9th downwards could be in trouble as the gap is closing
New season, new manager. How about we give all of the players a new chance to impress before we start moaning about them?
You are painfully negative though. Just enjoy the first few games until the inevitable slide into drudgery, won't you?!
My expected formation: ----------Austin------- --Ely--------------Armstrong-- Berty-Lemina-Romeu- Cedric -----Hoedt-Vest-Yoshi----- ---------McCarthy-------- Austin: if he can stay fit as long as he did in any other season in his career before he joined us then he should score goals. I think he will be better in a team that doesnt play possession football. Ely: our most promising signing and im hopeful of good things though he's only played 45 minutes. Armstrong: has looked good in pre season and like Ely has scored a lot of goals from midfield, there are a lot of goals in this front 3 if we can create the chances. Berty: was voted best Lb in the league at one point. we all know how good he can be. Lemina: has shown flashes of being brilliant, also of being awful. If he can improve on his weaknesses then i think he will be a very good player. Romeu: was fans player of the season the season before... Cedric. Good defensively. one of our most established players. Hoedt: Wasn't sure who to put here, i dont particularily rate him and mightve had Bendarek instead, i just dont expect Hughes to drop him. Vestergaard: hoping he will add both defence against long balls into the box and physicality against targetmen we've been lacking. im also hoping he will be pushed a little bit forward to win clearances in midfield with Hoedt and Yoshi covering for him. is also known to be a leader in defence. Yoshida: decent speed for a CB and has a great recovery challenge which he demonstrated again in the world cup, known to make some mistakes and switch off but im hoping Vestegaard can help a bit with that? McCarthy: was great last season and we have Gunn as well if his form dips. Overall we have some fast wingers there and a decent number of goals in the side if we can create the chances. i can see each of those front 3 scoring 10 if we have a very good season. I can also see none of them if we cant create the chances. biggest weakness is i don't see any way to control the game with this squad as its light in midfield with only 2 in the middle and we don't really have a targetman to bypass the midfield and hold the ball upfront. I can see us getting under pressure with nowhere to release the ball to. We're also vulnerable to a counter attack with Berty and cedric pushing forward and Vestegarard apparently very slow. I can see us sitting back and absorbing pressure then trying to capitalise on a mistake and counter quickly with the pace and our two FB's and wingers, i think we could do decently at that as long as we don't immediately lose the ball and i think it suits hughes too. I also see us doing well at set pieces, but i would still like to see some method of making the ball stick upfront as while Koeman often used similiar tactics he had Pelle up front to aim at.
Last year: Top 9 (47 - 100 points) Bottom 11 (31 - 44 points) 4 wins the difference between relegation or 10th!
Just an open mind and no expectations from me, it's a totally clean slate for Saints for me. If we try to play purposeful football and are competitive in matches and obviously are not around the bottom for a period of time then I will be satisfied. I do think the SMS crowd will back the team even if we are not in the top 12.
Hughes isn't a great manager but we aren't exactly a great team. I am prepared to give him a go without the need of reminding everybody every 5 minutes that i'm not his greatest fan like some feel the need to. It's like some are building up to a I told you so moment.
I suspect that after last season their ambition is the same as us....stability under the new owners. Doesn't mean that ambition is fixed for all time....will change as the situation changes. People think that the only way is up and any downward movement is permanent....it isn't.
Indeed. I've been making this point on here for a couple of weeks now. Putting the top six to one side, my personal view is that Everton, West Ham and Leicester will all be a step ahead of the rest. But of the other 11 of us, take your pick. One of us (minimum) will get a top ten finish; three of us will go down. But we'll all in it. I think I'd be more worried if I was a Watford, Bmouth or Newcastle fan, than a Saints fan. But to be honest, across all 11 of us, I would suggest that only Brighton fans can legitimately be sitting confident and happy right now as a result of the past two months. And even they aren't safe, I'd suggest.
