Last month, Southampton denied Flynn Downes' Ipswich return rumours, and the midfielder needs a strong performance upcoming to have the fans call the decision a success.
Southampton's reputation in the footballing division has been stooping low lately, but there's one aspect where Europe respects them, being still thankful to the club. Not a hard guess, that's been aiding player reunions all the while.
Having loaned Ben Brereton to Sheffield early this year, while letting go of Sulemana to his ex-boss Juric this summer, Saints have earned great goodwill from players and managers in recent years. But pinpointedly, that was the primary reason too, which left the English division shocked when the club abruptly closed down Flynn Downs' return case.
Now, not to group the tireless midfielder along with these two flops, but letting go of Downs wouldn't have caused an uproar on the back of an unforgettable season. Yet, for some reason, the Saints stick with him, and now fans are ready with their decision reports as Downes faces his former club Ipswich tomorrow.
Well, having made his way into the best midfielder charts in an overall mediocre season, Saints fans hold high expectations for Downes to prove Southampton's call fair. But will it be an easy challenge? Not at all.
In fact, the Ipswich game comes as a relatively conquerable challenge collectively, but it's tipped to be a tough battle for Downes individually.
Downes needs a composed Ipswich evening to have the fans clap for him
That's because, off to a two-win streak, Southampton has had a convincing season start, while they enjoy their promotion rivals face the wrath of the English division. Combine it with their results in the last meetings, and Saints must aim for nothing less than an Ipswich thrashing.
Yet, while a comfortable reflection on Southampton's part, the grass isn't that greener on Downes' reality.
That's for, while Will Still's reliability on Downes has been a convincing aspect, the midfielder has been off to a worrying start again. Though comfortable in his overall show, the 26-year-old has 2 yellows stacked to his record within two games in the season.
And for the fans who saw Downes' priority going downhill after punishment suspensions last season, fears dwell again on what if the same follows suit.
Well, at least that's certain to be in Still's plans, who might be cautious of the midfielder's game time against Ipswich tomorrow. The question is, will Downes do enough in the on-field minutes he gets to have the fans call his stay a wise choice? Let's see.