Southampton have kicked off their pre-season schedule well after good performances against Fulham and Cardiff City.
A 1-1 draw with the Cottagers was followed up by a convincing 4-0 win over the Bluebirds as a number of players looked in good form leading up to the season.
Saints still have fixtures against Swansea City, Levante and Athletic Bilbao to come as the intensity of preparations steps up a notch. Ralph Hasenhuttl will certainly be pleased by what he has seen so far and the team could hit the ground running like they did in the 2020/21 campaign.
It is still about building match fitness at this stage but the fact that there were so many bright displays against Cardiff City means that things could be looking up after a fairly disappointing second half of last season.
Signings are needed and, if Hasenhuttl’s words are to be proven right, the club want at least three more signings to add some depth to the first-team.
Here are five notable things from the matches that Saints have played so far: