A week in the life of a Southampton fan

The Premier League season starts in exactly seven days. Time has seemingly stood still for us Southampton fans since the dire 1-0 loss to Stoke City on the last day of the season.

Despite the summer dragging on, we’ve been treated to new manager in Mauricio Pellegrino. We have also, had to endure many negatives like the ongoing VVD saga and the seeming lack of movement in the transfer market.

With each passing week though, there is always something for us Southampton fans to ‘meltdown’ about on the #SaintsFC hashtag. I am using this format to put across my thoughts on the events from the past week.

That Augsburg performance…

‘It was only a friendly’ I hear some of you scream. You are not wrong, it was only a friendly, but losing 4-0 at home to a team who finished 13th in the Bundesliga last season is just not acceptable.

Losing 4-0 at home to anyone is not acceptable in my opinion, yes, it is going to happen on occasion but does not mean I am going to be happy with it.

This may be a mentality issue from Puel’s season but MoPe needs to do his best to give the team belief that they are able to come back from these sorts of situations. Admittedly changing the team so much and so often as is normal in friendlies isn’t going to be the most suitable time or place so try and instill this.

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In going down 4-0 to the German outfit, there were some dire performances on the pitch. For me, Bednarek proved in the first half exactly where he sits in the squad, a fourth choice. I am counting VVD in that at the moment as we are looking at it as ability and not how much of an absolute tool you are being. I’m not going to say too much on Forster as I am not a fan of his so feel I may be a tad biased in my view, but I feel he could of done better with at least two of the four goals.

Oriol Romeu had an off game, in truth he hasn’t hit his heights all pre-season, but that won’t matter come the Swansea game if he pulls out an the kind of performance we know he is capable of. The positives to come out of the game for me were Pied looked comfortable, JWP & Hojbjerg both look like they have been putting in work over the summer.

All-round a shocking result and performance in a meaningless game, but nevertheless I hope there is not more of that to come.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 13: Matt Targett of Southampton in action during the Premier League match between Southampton and Watford at St Mary’s Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images) /

Matt Targett has a new five-year deal

I for one, am happy with this move. He is never going to truly threaten Ryan Bertrand for a starting spot this season, or arguably next season. But Matt is a perfectly capable back-up to Ryan and is learning from one of the best in the business.

A proper local boy, grew up in Eastleigh, doesn’t have the modern ‘footballer look’ about him. And that might be part of his charm for a lot of fans. There are also a lot of fans who have taken some serious offence to this news. As though the board have given him a new deal to specifically to rile that individual up which is absolutely baffling.

Targett has room to improve sure, but who doesn’t, still only 21 and in pre-season has laid on two assists in the win over Saint-Etienne and if James Ward-Prowse knew his forehead from his knee would of got another against Augsburg on Wednesday night.

Might be suited to a left-wing-back role more than a standard one due to the occasional lapse in concentration at the back, but under the tutelage of Bertrand and Pellegrino we can only hope he improves as the years go on. Could he go on to be part of Les Reeds vision of fielding a team that contains 50% academy produced players? Perhaps he can.

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ROME, ITALY – JULY 27: Wesley Hoedt of SS Lazio looks on during the SS Lazio pre-season training sessionon July 27, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) /

Wesley Hoedt? Are we sure?

Now before everyone starts jumping down my throat about this. I’m not even going to pretend I know who this guy is, or how good he is. I can only go on what I can find on the internet, as I’m sure most of you European football experts do anyway.

But this is seemingly the guy who is coming in to take VVD’s spot in the squad once he is moved on? A guy who played 90 minutes only 19 times for his club last season – a Lazio team who despite finishing fith conceded 51 goals last season, largely due to the fact they smashed in 74 down the other end.

He may be good, he just might be, but he isn’t going to get that luxury of 74 goals scored at St. Mary’s. And if the Lazio defence is the kind of defence we are going to be poaching from, why not go for Stefan De Vrij? I am aware he will cost more, but that’s probably because he is a better defender.

Now I have very little reason to distrust the Southampton scouting network and management team when it comes to unearthing CB gems, and if he comes in I’m going to give him a chance like I have any other player. But to see some fan’s quote this guy as ‘the one signing you would want to make this window’ is nothing short of absolute madness.

Next: How will Saints fare at the start of the season?

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 19: Fraser Forster of Southampton (R) kicks the ball in frustration after Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur (L) scored his sides second goal from the penalty spot during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton at White Hart Lane on March 19, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /

Confirmed squad numbers!

A goalkeeper as number 44? Excuse me?

I know in the era players have sentimental values towards numbers, but I am a fan of the classic layout. Goalkeeper should be #1, full backs 2 & 3, centre backs 5 & 6, so on and so forth. That’s probably me being ignorant and petty but that’s just how I like it.

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But yes, Southampton have confirmed the squad numbers for the coming season, and most notably to most fans, 6 and 9 were left unattached. New signings incoming? J-Rod left the 9 shirt vacant and whilst it was said Gallagher would take over his place in the squad he seemingly hasn’t taken his shirt number which has caused some rare optimism amongst the fans in regards to the transfer window.

Whilst Stephens took the number 5 from Gardos which to most signals intent that he has a more prominent role in the squad this season. As previously mentioned, Forster has decided to change form the number 1 shirt back to number 44, probably the amount of saves he intends to make this season…

Nevertheless, he has kindly decided to personally pay for any changes to shirts that have already been purchased with the number 1 on the back. So kudos to him for that!

VVD, just a quick one…

This saga is still going, yes. But recently a rumour has surfaced that Chelsea are rekindling their interest and set to make a formal bid. I just want to remind Virgil that London is a much nicer city and the chances of winning trophies is arguably a lot higher so… come on Chelsea do us all a favour here…

COLUMN: A week in the life of a Southampton fan

By Conor Dunford | Aug 5, 2017