Southampton midfielder says team’s chip on shoulder fuels Championship ambitions

Flynn Downes told one outlet Radio Solent that Southampton’s players and staff are united by a “chip on their shoulder” and are determined to win the Championship despite starting the season four points behind. The penalty stems from the club’s involvement in the Spygate controversy, which also led to head coach Tonda Eckert being charged by the Football Association for bringing the game into disrepute. Downes, who joined permanently after a 2023 loan from West Ham, said the team feels ready after a German training camp that produced wins over Eintracht Braunschweig and Preussen Munster.

He noted the upcoming Carabao Cup tie with Colchester United and the league opener at Watford as early tests. The midfielder, now in his fourth season at St Mary’s, claimed he is in the best physical condition of his career and expects his football intelligence to keep improving.