Saints take on the Cherries this evening in what most Southampton supporters feel is the most pointless pre season home friendly in living memory, with low ticket sales, just who is to blame for this game.

Like it or not Bournemouth are not a big draw to Southampton fans, whilst one has to applaud them for their progress over the years, rightly or wrongly in Saints fans eyes they will always be little Bournemouth and will never be seen as true local rivals, indeed most Saints fans will be happy to see them survive next season in the Premier League, I don't think there is one of our supporters who are hoping Portsmouth are promoted.

So just what are they part of our pre season programme, from a on pitch perspective there is nothing to be gained from playing a Premier League club at this stage, from an off field one there is absolutely no attraction to going to the game.

We laughed on Saturday that we had almost as many fans at Reading as the home support could muster and now the situation is about to be reversed, we seem to have pre sold not that much more than the number who bought ticket for the Reading game, its going to be a crowd of about 5 thousand Saints fans joined by a load of Bournemouth fans who will spend the entire 90 minutes singing about our demise and of course the obligatory "Your grounds too big for you"

On the pitch we are trying to mould a team together from a squad where a fair few players will leave in the next few weeks, Russell Martin doesn't know who will actually stay and who will go and add to that we are trying to introduce a new system of possession football.

There is absolutely nothing to be gained from playing this game and everything to be lost.

So what does Russell Martin do in his team selection ?

Does he put out a side that will maybe best reflect the one that will start and indeed play through next season, or does he play his best side that will perhaps include those that will leave.

I would hope that this is the first game of pre season where we stop giving everyone a game and get down to business.

In goal I would hope that Gavin Bazunu is again played, the system at Reading showed that the foundation of it is playing football from the back and that needs a keeper who is good with his feet, Bazunu is and McCarthy isn't that is a fact, we have to stick with Bazunu or sign a keeper who can play from the back.

In the outfield, Martin can now start to fashion a side, the absence of Salisu, Bella-Kotchap,Onauchu and Sulemana perhaps tells us something beyond the minor injury spin, but that still leaves us able to put out a reasonable side even if we leave out those who are rumoured to be on their way.

So I would say that there is more to be gained from putting out a side that looks something like this, than one that includes any of the aforementioned players including JWP, Lavia & LIvramento, perhaps even Kyle Walker Peters.

Bazunu

Bree, Stephens, Bednarek, Manning

Tella, Charles, Smallbone, Alcaraz

A Armstrong, Adams.

Subs. Mara, Aribo, Edozie, Amo-Ameyaw, Larios, Djenepo plus a smattering of those who might stay.

I don't expect Russell Martin to pick this side, but I would like to see the core of this team given a run out, one thing it does show is that there is life after the Premier League, this side is experienced and proven at both Premier & Championship level, it can compete.

Of course by the end of August there will be a few players gone, but not many from this line up and we will of course have improved the squad with some new signings, hopefully in the centre of defence which was the weak link at Reading.

There are a possible 10 players who could still leave St Mary's this summer, half of them we would not miss, but keep just a few of them and we would be a force to be reckoned with, but sell all of them and we would have the cash to replace them adequately in the Championship and still cash in the bank.

There is nothing to be gained from this friendly apart from blooding the new duo of players in along with some of the youngsters, we have to base our side in the two remaining friendlies on who will be staying this season and not giving those that will leave a chance to get their game time up ahead of big money moves.

From this perspective the actual scoreline has no relevance whatsoever.

Photo: Action Images

stmichael added 12:33 - Jul 25 Too much talk about this game. Yes it is an opportunity for their fans to take the piss which is going to annoy the few Saints fans that turn up but really what does that matter? From a footballing perspective it is a good game. Local for both sides with no travelling so logistically makes sense. A good test for both teams which is what they both require at this stage of pre season. The logic with regard to players leaving and/or staying could be used for ANY friendly so are we just supposed to train until we sort that out? Of course not.. I am very interested to see how we line up how we play and how competitive we are. Just people getting their knickersd in a twist about AFCB something I have never been able to do in decades because I just don't care about them at all...

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DPeps added 12:44 - Jul 25 You have a real bee in your bonnet about this fixture! Imo it's no more or less pointless than our other friendly fixtures, but at least Bournemouth is local and so it's easy for the clubs to arrange (plus little unnecessary carbon footprint). Surely a test against a middling PL club has some value too? In terms of player selection, we might as well accept that the team that starts the season won't be the same as the team we have on 1st sept. For that reason I'd play any player who wants to play at the start of the season, even if they might be gone by sept. Some of the players who are linked with moves away might not move...

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Monksway added 13:14 - Jul 25 I agree with Dpeps and focus on the squad that is likely to play at Sheffield Wednesday rather than second guess who might be here in September. I think they must have a pretty good idea about who is likely to be moved on in the next ten days and those are the ones to miss out.
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SaintPaulVW added 14:16 - Jul 25 Just a pre season game, so a further chance to have a run out against a team who also want to get something out of the game and keep building up familiarity with the new system. Probably the right level of team to play against - bottom lower half of PL. I'm sure we would have taken the P if the situations were reversed. So good luck to AFCB fans - they'll need it this year. Hopefully we can play the reverse fixture next year! COYR

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LoisDeem added 15:09 - Jul 25 Significant in your line up, is that with all the potential comings and goings yet to fully decimate us, you have managed to retain the 'so solid crew' in central defence. Rather than stick with two younger improving centre backs Southampton Football Club have conspired alongside your 'tired' selection of retaining the services of the only two players left standing that managed to concede 18 goals in those two games. Progress Southampton style. This depresses me more than playing B'muff -especially when we could've all fitted in at their cosy little space.

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Boris1977 added 18:44 - Jul 25 I was going to dip in and out of this match online but the mercenaries who run the club are asking for payment. I thought we were owned by sports direct not Ryanair. Whenever they have to make a decision sports direct get it wrong. The programme for tonight's game is only £2 for a double sided A5 magazine. This lot are going to kill the club with misinformed bloody minded business decisions. How long before they sell the ground and we end up renting it back.

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