Southampton have had a difficult start to the season after returning to the Premier League following a one-year absence.
The Saints have lost each of their first two games 1-0 – on the opening weekend at Newcastle and then last Saturday at home to Nottingham Forest.
They did break their scoring drought on Wednesday when, after making 11 changes, they won 5-3 at Cardiff in the Carabao Cup second round. In round three, they will travel to Everton.
Southampton’s 11-year stay in the Premier League ended in 2023 when they were relegated after finishing bottom of the table. But they bounced back at the first time of asking by coming fourth in the Championship and then beating Leeds 1-0 in the play-off final.
WHO’S IN CHARGE
Russell Martin was appointed Southampton manager in the summer of 2023.
Having signed a three-year deal when he was appointed, he was given a fresh three-year contract this summer after winning promotion.
This is the former Scotland international’s third managerial job. His first was at MK Dons, where he had finished his playing career, and he then moved on to Swansea – spending two years in charge of each club.
As a player, he made more than 500 senior appearances in his career, with more than half of them at Norwich. He also played for Wycombe, Peterborough, Rangers, Walsall and, as mentioned, MK Dons.
He also won 29 caps in a six-year international career.
LAST MEETINGS
Saturday will be our fifth Premier League meeting with Southampton.
There were two home wins in 2021/22 – we lost 4-1 at St Mary’s before winning the return 3-0 at the Gtech.
Then the following season, we did the double over the Saints without conceding a goal.
Our second successive 3-0 home win over the Saints came with two goals in the last four minutes of the first half from Ben Mee and Bryan Mbeumo followed by a late third from Mathias Jensen.
The return fewer than six weeks later – and once again a midweek trip – saw us come away with a 2-0 victory, thanks to a goal in each half from Ivan Toney and Yoane Wissa.
OPPOSITION VIEW
BBC Radio Solent sports editor Adam Blackmore analyses Southampton’s start to the season and summer transfer business, as well as looking at what’s expected from the club this campaign.
Q – What do you make of Southampton’s start to the season?
A – A reality check, but one I expected. They have shown quality in some areas on the pitch, but I just feel there’s a lot of players who need to grow and adjust to a new level.
Q – How do you assess the summer transfer business (with a couple of days of the window to go)?
A – At the time of writing (Thursday morning) Aaron Ramsdale is having a medical at Saints – his signing would give everyone a boost. Up to his arrival, the club have openly followed a transfer policy of trying to bring in talent that is young and promising for the most part, and have wanted to work within a sensible wage structure. They won’t break the bank – I guess cautious percentage ambition is a good phrase maybe.
Q – What are the expectations for this campaign from both the club and the fans?
A – They should be just to stay up. Period. 17th is fine, and anything higher a bonus.
Q – What do you remember of past Bees-Saints games?
A – Saints being spanked badly, and defeats at Brentford putting pressure on managers. “Ralph out” started after a woeful game three seasons ago, and that Nathan Jones should have been sacked after the last visit, and his rants about his coaching stats, and having a go at Romeo Lavia (not a bad player!). The beginning of the end.
Q – Finally can you give me a possible Saints formation and line-up please?
A – They’ve been unchanged in a 3-5 2 for two games – I expect it to be the same, with Kyle Walker-Peters at left-back.
McCarthy; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Sugawara, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Brereton Diaz.
PUBS IN BRENTFORD AND TRAVEL NEWS
For Saints fans coming to the Gtech Community Stadium for Saturday’s 3.00 kick-off, there are plenty of pub options pre and post-match and all are most welcoming and away-fan-friendly (as it should be).
The pub areas are split into two zones. There is the area around Brentford’s old Griffin Park stadium. The pubs there are still very busy on match day frequented by Bees locals before heading down the road to the stadium at Kew Bridge which is only 15 mins walk.
Then there is the area in and around the stadium in Kew Bridge.
It is possible, if you have a good early start, to savour a few pubs in and around Griffin Park and Brentford zone before heading off to the pubs in the Kew zone or even vice versa if you so fancy.
Pubs in Griffin Park/Brentford zone
When at Griffin Park, Brentford was well known for its four pubs – one on each corner of the ground. Three are still operating.
The Griffin is closest to the old away end and has always been very popular with both home and away fans and has its regulars who still make the journey down to the new stadium from there on matchday. The New Inn is on the other side which used to also be popular with away fans before the move. The Brook pub is the other option if you want to savour a pub in and around what is left of our old home. Worth a peep if you want to reminisce about old Brentford.
About five minutes’ walk away from the old ground are two pubs which are enormously popular. The Globe (Windmill Rd) is a “lively but comfortable” pub on matchday where many of the Beesotted crew drink on matchday. Incredibly friendly and cosy, it has always welcomed away fans for years – you can wear colours but also #manners are order. The pub has been popular with a selection of away fans who fancied having a beer a few minutes further walk away from the ground without having to queue six persons deep. After the move to the new ground, The Globe has retained many of lot its regulars from the Griffin Park days and with screens throughout the pub and in its sheltered beer garden, it shows both Premier League and EFL football before and after each match.
Meanwhile around the corner, The Lord Nelson (Enfield Rd) is another incredibly friendly and cosy away-friendly pubs about one minute walk from The Globe. Again with a TV screen for live sports and a lovely beer garden, this is another pub frequented by “away fans in the know”.
The other pub worth checking out in the Griffin Park region is The Black Dog Beer House, formerly The Albany, on Albany Road, if you like your real ales.
There are plenty of other pubs in and around Brentford High Street including real ale pub Magpie and Crown (Brentford High Street) and the cosy Brewery Tap (Catherine Wheel Road) near the river.
For a Griffin Park area pub crawl before heading over to Kew we recommend the following: Take the Piccadilly line to Northfields station. Turn left and walk for 2 mins and you will come to The Plough (Northfields Ave). Then walk to The Lord Nelson (10 min walk from The Plough) & then The Globe (1 min walk from The Nelson) en-route before hitting The Griffin (8 min walk from The Globe) and then The Black Dog (2 mins from The Griffin). You can also try and do the other three pubs on the corner whilst down here if you fancy.
Then you can then either walk (15 minutes from The Globe/The Nelson and The Griffin/Black Dog ) or take a train from Brentford station (which is five minutes walk away from both The Globe/The Nelson and The Griffin/Black Dog) or a bus (237/267) to Kew Bridge.
Trains run at 24 and 54 minutes past the hour to Kew Bridge from Brentford and take 2 mins.
Pubs in the Kew Bridge zone
Right next to Kew Bridge station, you will find the Express Tavern – an ale pub with a retro feel. The pub has been refurbished in readiness for the new football season and needless to say, is popular before the match due to its close proximity to the stadium.
Across the road by the river is One Over the Ait – a spacious boozer right next to Kew Bridge. This pub is situated on the location of the now-demolished Oxford & Cambridge pub where Brentford Football Club was founded in 1889.
Across Kew Bridge and the River Thames, there are two pubs on Kew Green – the Cricketers and the Greyhound – very close to the pier where Brentford fans have embarked on their away journeys by water to F*lham, Orient, Charlton, West Ham and even Southend.
North of the river along hoity-toity Strand on the Green, you will find The Steam Packet, in an old Cafe Rouge, and The Bell. A bit further down are The City Barge and the Bulls Head – two pubs side-by-side in which you would often see Ant and Dec hanging out.
There is also The Pilot which you can get to coming out of the BACK entrance of Gunnersbury station and we believe the old John Bull pub at the front of the station has been refurbed as The Gunnersbury but we have never been there so can’t give it a or a
Transport to Brentford and Kew Bridge
With no direct trains, we recommend people jump on the tube from Kings Cross or Euston and head to Northfields or South Ealing on the Piccadilly Line.
It is only 40 mins max station by tube to station meaning you could be in a Brentford pub within an hour of embarking your train at Kings Cross, Euston or Liverpool Street.
The other station option is Gunnersbury. You can walk to the stadium from Gunnersbury tube station (District line) in 25 minutes or take a bus (H91, 237, 267, 110), but note that it is closed for entry for one hour after the match.
For the Brentford/Griffin Park pubs you can get the Piccadilly line tube to Northfields station from King’s Cross or Euston (35 minutes) then walk down to The Plough, The Globe, The Lord Nelson and The Griffin and other pubs from there.
The new stadium is around 25 minutes’ walk from South Ealing station – if you don’t fancy Gunnersbury – or you can get on the 65 bus from across the road which will drop you almost outside in 15 minutes.
You can also pick up the 65 bus from Ealing Broadway (District and Central line) which will take you to the new stadium in 25 minutes.
You can check out Transport for London’s guide to travel on the Tube and Overground.
