The Preseason Thread - 2025/26

Weather conditions looking good for Saints game. Cloudy with a temperature in the mid 20s

 

Yeah. But I'm not sure he'd kick up a fuss if he couldn't get a move to Leeds or Crystal Palace. Both him and his agent will know Saints have a good reputation of developing talent and then selling them on to big clubs where they flourish. We've got an excellent chance of going back up if he stays - Saints may have said to him help us get back up and then if a big club comes in for him we won't stand in his way.

 

Ok, own up... who's meant to be working but is watching the game?

 

Obviously a lot will depend on what he is being told by his agent, but Fernandes seems like a very humble kid as well. He really doesn't seem like the type to refuse to train or anything like that to force a move.

 

Yeah all quite possible. Think it’s hard to say how he’d react if we turned down an approach from a PL side. It’s his career after all and a season in the Championship probably wasn’t on his career bucket list. If he is here come September then I’ll be delighted, but I can’t see it

 

Castellon are playing some good attacking football, we aren’t.

 

They're very 'in your face' - a markedly different vibe to the previous games, I'd say

 

Saints score against the run of play, OG

 

Castellon 0-1 Saints

 

Stating the obvious of course, but my God does our midfield look much snappier on the ball when Mateus Fernandes plays

 

Is this the team we loaned Larios to? Is he playing if so?

 

No, he went to Cultural Leonesa

 

I've never heard of them but apparently they beat QPR 6-0 and Valencia 2-1 so far in their pre-season.

 

Fernandes withdrawn after half an hour, as planned. Sesay is on

 

Only in the last few minutes. He and Charles were both sitting too deep with neither of them pivoting into a forward position to move the ball forward.

 

Different Segunda B side beginning with C!

 

Baz having a great game so far.

 

Thankfully once the others are fit, Charles and Downes can fulfil the deep roles and leave the AM slot to Dibling/Fernandes/Fraser/new face

 

Fernandes & Charles both looked good in the middle but, aside from pressing well at times, our forward threat of Fraser, BBD, Arma & Archer look anonymous.