Alan Pardew says Saints' pre season will move up another notch on Saturday after a 1-0 win over Farnborough on Wednesday.
The squad has endured a ten day workout in Switzerland, and yesterday a handful of the travelling party from Interlaken were given a run out against the Conference South side, to keep up fitness preparations for the new season, before the true test arrives this weekend.
"Saturday at Sutton will be the first real game for me in terms of how we prepare and how we play," the manager revealed.
"We haven't really nailed down how we play with the team yet, we've just let them get fit, get through games and use the games as an exercise to get fit. Sutton will be the first time we really play full strength with both barrels loaded, but it will be a tough game, as it is never easy away from home against a non-league team.
"At the moment we are at a nice even keel, we worked very hard in Switzerland, it was a real grind for the guys and that showed in the two games that we played. Now we are back we are just working on the finesse of the team, so that when we kick off against Plymouth we are ready to rumble."
The gaffer is happy with many of the players at his disposal, and was particularly encouraged by the performances on Wednesday evening of the younger professionals that he was yet to work with this pre season.
"I liked young Ben Reeves. I thought he did terrific when he was introduced tonight at left back. I think he has great quality on the ball, and he might be a player that could threaten the first team maybe in a year's time. I really thought he did well.
"The other guys have all improved, when I came here last year when I first arrived, they were nowhere near, but they are a lot closer now so they are progressing. Jordace (Holder-Spooner), (Ryan) Doble, (Ryan) Tafazolli, (Aarran) Racine and (Sam) Argent are all trying desperately to be professionals at Southampton, but it isn't easy as the first team keeps getting better and better, so it makes it hard for them."
Pardew added that Saints remain in the market for recruiting, but are waiting patiently to bring in the right players, which he has been able to do in this close season, as well as equally importantly, holding on to others.
"I think the market hasn't moved really, there hasn't been much business, so there are still a lot of players to be freed up. If you pitch in too early and take a player that you feel is the best right now, it could change in eight days' time. The market is very much like that. We can afford to be patient because we have a very good starting eleven, so we will be patient and hopefully bring in the right players that take us forward.
"I think it's been a good summer in terms of keeping the players that were important to us last year, and we've brought in two or three, because I don't think we need to bring in many. We do need a couple more, obviously we have lost Frazer which was a massive blow, and we almost lost Ant (Pulis) tonight, but his shoulder went back in - but two dislocations in pre-season isn't good. Danny (Butterfield) has come in and looks terrific, so I am very pleased with him.
"I won't bring in three right backs though. We knew that it was a position we needed to strengthen and we have done that for sure with two very senior quality players and that is the competition we need in other areas, which we don't really have that at the moment. I'm a little bit concerned about my wide areas, there's not really a lot of competition for the starters. We have a few concerns, but nothing major. I am content at how things have gone.
"I still think we need another option (in attack). What that option will be, will depend on the market and what becomes available. Rickie Lambert is a quality that the other forwards need to progress to. Lee Barnard, David Connolly and Ryan Doble were tonight all trying to make their mark with what they do."
