EURO TIME.....

well this wont be an easy tie, Vitesse have been in Europa league last couple of seasons though have not got past qualifying stages. saints will clearly sell out for the away leg, loads have booked travel already but don't know ticket allocation but likely to be around 15-1800.

plenty of easier ties but at least not a trip to deepest eastern europe

That's what its like to be Pompey,
That's what its like to be poor,
They're going to Dagenham
We're on a European tour, a European tour

repeat, repeat.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/ronald-koeman-fears-jordy-clasie-6168693?

A worry that Clasie may miss the start of season. Watched the match on TV, thought Saints looked pretty good first half (especially Mane, Tadic, Cedric and Davis). But we faded badly second half......didn't look fully fit yet to me. Still, I thought the keeper seemed reliable although he wasn't called upon to do too much.

Will try and add a report tomorrow been working in London so knackered. great result, wanyama was immense but we need a back up for him as Classie is smaller than ward prose! As you say Mike goalie did okay not much to do but good save when at 2 nil. Good play by Juanami to help Long with 3rd goal.

Good atmosphere full house and Dutch fans were noisy. back 4 played well especially Yoshida and Targget but again Soares is quite small. Some good inter action between players sign me a big defensive midfield player and will be happy with squad

Just got a chance to catch up. Thought it was a good overall performance for start of season. Defence looked quite good Yoshida and Fonte looked good together, Yoshida had a couple of moment holding the ball to much but recovered well. Soares looks okay at RB gets forward well but is not tall so that could be a worry. Targett had a good game at LB and looked stronger than last year. Classie looks like a potential good player but is not a like for like for Schneiderlin and we definitely need another strong defensive midfield player. Classie, Davis, Reed, Ward Prowse, Tadic is not the land of the giants and you need to win the ball to allow the skilful players to have an effect. Wanyama was excellent and on this form will be gone next summer, CL clubs will not ignore his improvement! Goalie did not have much to do but looked okay, doesn't roll it out much, likes to kick, so will see how that pans out in the season, another reason I would have signed Lambert

Up front Pelle was frustrating at lack of effort early on and still cannot work out why we did not look to sign Lambert at £3m a bargain. That said he took his goal well and hopefully he will start the season like last year. Tadic had a decent game and like Targett looked stronger, Juanmi looked a good prospect when he came on and laid the ball up well for Longs goal. Long was typical and his lack of ball control showed when through for the goal as kicked to far forward but got lucky with the bounce but not bad player for the bench. Mane was first half almost unplayable and set up Pelle for first goal and won the penalty, again if he has a great season will be good news/bad news as CL will become interested but a good season should see him in the £30m category!

Vitesse were decent, well organised and fit but not a lot of threat up front. Their main threat came from Pantic who came on as sub, Chelsea player, looked good and might be the threat if he plays from start only joined them last week

Thanks Matty.....make sure you're there for the return fixture !!

I see Saints are being linked with a defensive midfielder....
http://www.teamtalk.com/southampton/9934353/-?

mmm if prone to injuries.

In the interest of the you and Pete I will go over and do a match report from Arnhem, though depends how much beer I have in afternoon as to the quality of the report!

At Eindhoven airport recovering from night before. Great day with the Vitesse fans. Very professional job by saints. Early Pelle goal took sting out of game saints then sat back and absorbed the pressure without ever really looking in danger.
Well taken goal by Pelle controlled the ball well before shooting across goalie. Mane was a threat and took his goal well though the goalie cod have done better.

Wanyama was again immense, def fans favourite now with the Hes a Kenyan, a mighty Kenyan the victor wanyame song ringing out. Yoshida played left back which gave Martina and Caulker a chance, dont rare Martina but better at rb, Caulker did okay but would still expect Yoshida to start against newcastle

Lets see who we get next round but on holiday so wont be going, just as well as not cheap with the beer!

Thanks Matty

not going to Denmark as in Spain on hols, hopefully can get through to group stage and will see if I can get permission to go to another away game

bit late but thought would add some scores, home game Vittesse and away game

Stekelenberg 6 7
Targett 7 -
Yoshida 7 6
Fonte 7 7
Caulker - 6
Soares 6 -
Martina - 6
Classie 6 -
Wanyama 8 7
Davies 6 7
Tadic 7 6
Pelle 7 7
Mane 8 7
Long 6 -
JWP - 6
JRod - 6
Juanmi 6 -

Thanks again Matty, much appreciated

Play-off round tomorrow seems to have come around quickly. Hopefully a decent display, so the team can put last weekend out of their memory

1-1 in the home leg, can Saints get an away win (or a score draw at least) and get through?

Well that's it, the end of the European dream.....and, let's face it, Saints are going to have to pull themselves together very quickly if they are to qualify again this season.

More than a bit worried that Koeman seems to genuinely believe Saints were the better team and deserved to win. Surely anyone could see we didn't have a clue.......

I think Koeman is just trying to pull a Mourinho. He knew we were poor.
Maybe more worryingly, he seems to be setting us up on the basis that we are poorer than we actually are. All on the back of a bad loss to Everton, RK seems to have lost all faith. Bizarrely though, Harry Reed can't even get on the pitch yet he started in two of our best wins last season, against Everton and Arsenal, but not good enough to play against FC Midtjylland

Thanks for that Bestest, could be a lot in what you say. If he really thinks we were the better side and deserved to win then wea are in trouble.