January 2015 HCDAJFU

A month to go until the sales are on, no doubt the club have already been doing their homework and a few cracks in our squad are starting to appear. If a Championship quality player like Mayuka is getting on the pitch, I would suggest we definitely need more fire power up front.

Let's open up the floor to wild rumours of houses being bought in Winchester, dodgy photos taken through a hotel window, ear lobes, friends who do player medicals at Solent Uni and of course Carsten Janker.

I would suggest we need an AM, ST and in a perfect world permanent deals for Ryan and Toby.

Edit: Youtube compilation videos and Football Manager stats are mandatory for every suggestion.

I feel we need another option up front. We can't just expect JRod to come straight back in.

When Mane goes of to the ACON, we'll have little or no backup in that position and no option to play Long up top if Pelle is injured or needs rest/out of form.

Clasie, Grimes, Ings.

Guidetti

Guidetti

I'd be tempted to give him a full season up there before taking a punt. Hasn't managed an injury free season in like..forever.

But I imagine a few clubs are following that same mindset...

I don't see the appeal in Guidetti TBH, he has only ever done it in Holland and Scotland but had little impact at Burnley and Stoke.

One thought that did occur to me was Januzaj on loan. He doesn't seem to be getting any game time with Rooney, Falcao, RVP, Mata, Di Maria and Fellaini all ahead of him.

I feel we need another option up front. We can't just expect JRod to come straight back in.

 

When Mane goes of to the ACON, we'll have little or no backup in that position and no option to play Long up top if Pelle is injured or needs rest/out of form.

Classie would be a brilliant signing. We are too reliant on Davis linking to final third and this guy is known as the Dutch Iniesta.

Definitely another forward to help out Pelle. Ings would be an option. Connor Wickham is looking better these days. However if they are seriously wanting to challenge top 4 then you would need some a bit better. Doumbia of CSKA Moscow looks a real handful in the CL when I've seen him but would cost some serious cheddar.

Sinclair on loan maybe as a back up,must be better than Mayuka

Salah from Chelsea is sitting on his arse warming the bench,make the Bertrand loan permanant and get him in on loan ? again must be better than Mayuka

I was just about to mention Salah. I think Mourinho would happily loan us some players he's not using to improve us against some of their rivals.

I don't see the appeal in Guidetti TBH, he has only ever done it in Holland and Scotland but had little impact at Burnley and Stoke.

TBF.... he was rarely used by them - except as a late sub. I read (somewhere) that he was disappointed that despite being loaned-out, he wasn't getting any real game time.

He did well for a season, in Holland but the freak illness he contracted wouldn't clear up and he was out most of that season. You'd need to ask Koeman directly what he seriously thinks of him.

If we don't have much of a budget, I'd like to see the Bertrand deal put on hold until the end of the season (by which time the club would surely have earned enough again to afford him) and use the money now for someone else we don't have. Oddly, I'm not sure where needs strengthening the most. We have back up in most places, just not necessarily of the right calibre, or available when we need it. Up front is probably the most urgent, given Pelle's recent drought and Long's inconsistency (although otherwise strong performances). J-Rod won't be back for ages, and we can't guarantee what level he'll be at, or that he'll commit long term. Mayuka is toilet, unfortunately. Not sure who we could get in our price range, other than the likes of Ings, but doubt Burnley would sell unless we offered silly money, which we wouldn't. Another midfielder wouldn't go amiss. It's our strongest area generally, but as we are seeing at the moment, is the most vulnerable to injury and suspension. We've been linked with Clasie of course. I'd take him.

If we don't have much of a budget, I'd like to see the Bertrand deal put on hold until the end of the season (by which time the club would surely have earned enough again to afford him) and use the money now for someone else we don't have. Oddly, I'm not sure where needs strengthening the most. We have back up in most places, just not necessarily of the right calibre, or available when we need it. Up front is probably the most urgent, given Pelle's recent drought and Long's inconsistency (although otherwise strong performances). J-Rod won't be back for ages, and we can't guarantee what level he'll be at, or that he'll commit long term. Mayuka is toilet, unfortunately. Not sure who we could get in our price range, other than the likes of Ings, but doubt Burnley would sell unless we offered silly money, which we wouldn't. Another midfielder wouldn't go amiss. It's our strongest area generally, but as we are seeing at the moment, is the most vulnerable to injury and suspension. We've been linked with Clasie of course. I'd take him.

How have we not got much of a budget? We got 80 million in the summer and spent none of it.

How have we not got much of a budget? We got 80 million in the summer and spent none of it.

Except for the 45/50 million we did spend? Pelle, Tadic, Gardos, Long, Forster...

I don't see the appeal in Guidetti TBH, he has only ever done it in Holland and Scotland but had little impact at Burnley and Stoke.

 

One thought that did occur to me was Januzaj on loan. He doesn't seem to be getting any game time with Rooney, Falcao, RVP, Mata, Di Maria and Fellaini all ahead of him.

Doubt they'd loan him to anyone above them in the table...

Sinclair on loan maybe as a back up,must be better than Mayuka

 

 

Salah from Chelsea is sitting on his arse warming the bench,make the Bertrand loan permanant and get him in on loan ? again must be better than Mayuka

Call me cynical but I don't see Chelsea allowing any Bertrand deal to be completed until we've played them twice.

Except for the 45/50 million we did spend? Pelle, Tadic, Gardos, Long, Forster...

Except for the 45/50 million we did spend? Pelle, Tadic, Gardos, Long, Forster...

Guess you are forgetting the sales. Made a large net profit and thus spent very little or none of the 80 million.

Reed has indicated no major signings in January.. and Koeman is saying we don't have the squad to compete in a congested December schedule... something has to give or we will have some issues.

I would take a chance on Ings and maybe get in Clasie if midfield injuries are long term.

I think Burnley will risk losing Ings on a free transfer. If they sell him in January then they are relegated.

Guess you are forgetting the sales. Made a large net profit and thus spent very little or none of the 80 million.

Eh? The 80 million you refer to was from the sales. We spent more than half on players, plus there was outstanding debts from the previous season and the building of Staplewood to pay off. Don't get your hopes up that we've got 30 million sitting around waiting to be spent on players. Naturally, I'm hoping we do, but not expecting it.

Reckon I'm going to get shot down for this but....Axel Witsel. He went to zenit for just over 30 mill, and he's added more goals since he went. Very creative midfielder, good ball distributer and got a defensive head also. had a quality world cup as well. apparently zenit fans have mixed feelings about him, but thats just because they hate foreign palyers... (http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/17/sport/football/football-racism-zenit-russia)

heres a good article about how good he is: http://www.benefoot.net/why-big-european-clubs-should-target-zenits-belgian-midfielder-axel-witsel/

Apparently he was "jealous" of his belgium teammates who got to play in the PL, and if we signed Alderweireld permanently I really think that could be a big pull factor for him.

I know that 30-40 mill sounds like a bum load of money to shed out and it would be the most we've ever spent by a long shot, but if Schneiderlin goes (I'm seeing him as a direct replacement) for 25-30, and maybe we get a few for osvaldo/mayuka, I dont see why we couldn't spend that amount.

I don't think this is a jan signing - summer if anything...but...thoughts?

A month to go until the sales are on, no doubt the club have already been doing their homework and a few cracks in our squad are starting to appear. If a Championship quality player like Mayuka is getting on the pitch, I would suggest we definitely need more fire power up front.

 

Let's open up the floor to wild rumours of houses being bought in Winchester, dodgy photos taken through a hotel window, ear lobes, friends who do player medicals at Solent Uni and of course Carsten Janker.

 

I would suggest we need an AM, ST and in a perfect world permanent deals for Ryan and Toby.

 

Edit: Youtube compilation videos and Football Manager stats are mandatory for every suggestion.

I'm on the case. Kodak Instamatic at the ready.

I think Burnley will risk losing Ings on a free transfer. If they sell him in January then they are relegated.

This is what I was thinking. Is he right for us? I don't know, but do Burnley cash in now (in Jan), or lose him for nothing in the summer? Do we have a first refusal deal? Lots of talk linking him with us in the summer.

Eh? The 80 million you refer to was from the sales. We spent more than half on players, plus there was outstanding debts from the previous season and the building of Staplewood to pay off. Don't get your hopes up that we've got 30 million sitting around waiting to be spent on players. Naturally, I'm hoping we do, but not expecting it.

No it wasn't. The 80 million was the broadcast money. We added another 115 or whatever it was from sales. I don't think we will spend much in January but we spent precisely none of the money set aside for the summer because all the money we spent we had already made in sales.

This is what I was thinking. Is he right for us? I don't know, but do Burnley cash in now (in Jan), or lose him for nothing in the summer? Do we have a first refusal deal? Lots of talk linking him with us in the summer.

I also thought it noticeable that when Ings was mentioned to Ron in the Manchester City pre match interview (I think) that he didn't immediately dismiss it as he has with other names in earlier press conferences. Might be nothing but just something I noticed.

Reckon I'm going to get shot down for this but....Axel Witsel. He went to zenit for just over 30 mill, and he's added more goals since he went. Very creative midfielder, good ball distributer and got a defensive head also. had a quality world cup as well. apparently zenit fans have mixed feelings about him, but thats just because they hate foreign palyers... (http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/17/sport/football/football-racism-zenit-russia)

 

heres a good article about how good he is: http://www.benefoot.net/why-big-european-clubs-should-target-zenits-belgian-midfielder-axel-witsel/

 

Apparently he was "jealous" of his belgium teammates who got to play in the PL, and if we signed Alderweireld permanently I really think that could be a big pull factor for him.

 

I know that 30-40 mill sounds like a bum load of money to shed out and it would be the most we've ever spent by a long shot, but if Schneiderlin goes (I'm seeing him as a direct replacement) for 25-30, and maybe we get a few for osvaldo/mayuka, I dont see why we couldn't spend that amount.

 

I don't think this is a jan signing - summer if anything...but...thoughts?

I don't think we are likely to spend £30m on a single player and I don't think anyone that good would be willing to come to Saints.

Toby wont be any kind of factor.

THE REAL PROBLEM ..is that coming back from injury is no guarantee of a return to the same form. It takes time to build up to real match form. That's a big ? on JayRod's eventual return.

Famous Alan Shearer quote...." there's a lot of difference between being fit enough to play and being properly match-fit, " Does anyone expect Jay Rod to come back all guns blazing? Maybe not.

I'd like to see Boruc back...IMO..it's questionable how he compares with Forster, but the last thing we need now is a goalie injury ...KD and the other two are just shirt numbers and not seriously Prem.

Jos Hooiveld may well be back (from Norwich), I admire his dedicatation ...but (like Yoshida) can only be rated one game at a time. Look to get Jack Stephens back from Swindon loan.

We need another " big striker " - even if he's not a record goal scorer it will take the pressure off Pelle.

In theory at least, we have enough midfielders, but Jack Cork is still without a definite contract extension and we need "another DM" like Wanyama.

A " fully fit squad " looks (and has played) quite well, but when the gaps start to appear it spells big trouble.

I think Burnley will risk losing Ings on a free transfer. If they sell him in January then they are relegated.

but on the other hand ..at least they'd get something back....if they do go down....he walks anyway... Certainly a few Prem. clubs would look to sign him for £nothing in the summer.

I don't think we are likely to spend £30m on a single player and I don't think anyone that good would be willing to come to Saints.

 

Toby wont be any kind of factor.

but wouldn't you have said that about toby also last season? belgium international, won the title with athletico madrid (ok only played a third of the games but still)...?

but wouldn't you have said that about toby also last season? belgium international, won the title with athletico madrid (ok only played a third of the games but still)...?

He was a back up player who only cost £6m. Other than being Belgian these two players have nothing in common.

He was a back up player who only cost £6m. Other than being Belgian these two players have nothing in common.

fair enough....just thought he was a close like for like with morgan but agreed it's probably the longest shot in the dark yet

Javier Hernandez please.

Amongst others.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Javier Hernandez please.

Amongst others.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, been keen on him all along. But he won't come cheap and he has just said that he will only go to a club that will see him as a first choice starter, not a bench warmer or final 10 mins of a game.

Even so, I would love it if we got him, just lurve it.

I like the idea of Clasie, and some of the suggestions made on here, but one position not mentioned so far is back up GK.

I like the idea of Clasie, and some of the suggestions made on here, but one position not mentioned so far is back up GK.

I thought Artur was back in January?

I thought Artur was back in January?

He wants to be first choice so will be looking to leave in January. Wouldn't be surprised if his loan to Bournemouth gets extended to the Summer.

Call me cynical but I don't see Chelsea allowing any Bertrand deal to be completed until we've played them twice.

irrelevant really, considering he can't play against them anyway.

irrelevant really, considering he can't play against them anyway.

I believe he can if we sign him permanently as a Southampton player, which I think was the crux of the statement.

so forgetting witsel....Johannes Geis: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2079055-scouting-report-will-manchester-united-target-mainz-maestro-johannes-geis

very versatile midfielder....good ball distribution...young...wins lots of tackles and gets interceptions a la Schneiderlin, under 10 mill and would be a good prospect if morgan goes.

irrelevant really, considering he can't play against them anyway.

Yes,, but if we bought him, he is our player and COULD play against them after January. So they are unlikely to approve a sale in Jan. If we had been 17th in the table maybe, but we are still competition to the title for them as it stands.

I like the idea of Clasie, and some of the suggestions made on here, but one position not mentioned so far is back up GK.

.it's been on a number of other threads, but it's obvious that, compared to Forster(and even Boruc)...the other GKs on the books are little more than shirt numbers.....not Prem.quality at all.

Except for the 45/50 million we did spend? Pelle, Tadic, Gardos, Long, Forster...

Thats ******** and all though isn't it... we have the record turnover from tv monies that we haven't even touched, let alone the £30m profit from summer transfers.

Daily mail ran a story that Koeman wanted to spend big to attack the Champs League spots . Doubt the there is much truth in that though

I'd like Clasie as a long term Schneiderlin replacement assuming he does go next summer. If we still have injuries over the tough period why not go for him in Jan?

I'd like Clasie as a long term Schneiderlin replacement assuming he does go next summer. If we still have injuries over the tough period why not go for him in Jan?

Clasie will be overpowered in the PL..he probably knew that hence he's seemingly gone for soft Portuguese football. No CM at 5ft 6 can exist in today's PL, blokes like Victor just walk all over them.

Clasie must be top of our list, we know RK rates him highly and Clasie has said himself how much he enjoyed working for RK, Pelle would welcome a former team-mate knowing that they have already a good understanding of each others games. We were very strong in midfield at the start of the season (one of the reasons we didn't buy Clasie along with Pelle in the summer) but recent injuries may cause the board to use this as an opportunity to bring in this talented, young, affordable midfielder.

Admittedly, midfield is not our most pressing position to strengthen, many would say we need another striker. We have Long (who i think would do a good job as the central striker, he is tough, yet delicate (best "touch him and he will get you a foul" player out there), excellent jump, and proved he can hold the ball up in a central role in his previous clubs. Not a dancer with the ball, but an honest, intelligent and hard working player. Jrod - injured, unknown recovery, Myuka (given a chance the last few games, not impressed the fans, maybe he shows attacking flare in training, so much hyped promise, will RK persist in using him? Gallager - still raw and off the radar at the moment. We really do need another top striker if we are serious about challenging for that top 4. Think there are three ways you can go...

1) young, talented, full of potential, still a bit raw. (we have one, Gallager (19), Ings (22),Guidetti (22), Saido Berahino (21),Antoine Griezmann (23), Alvaro Morata (22), Divock Origi (19)

2) Older, twilight of their career, but still can produce the goods when needed -Ricky lambert (32), Miroslav Klose (36),David Villa (33), Antonio Di Natale (37),USA winter loans - Robbie Keane (34), Defoe (32) or even Henry (37).

3) Prime time! big players, wanted by all (but only a few are chosen) -Jackson Martínez (28), Andre Pierre Gignac (29), Christian Benteke (24), Hulk (27), Álvaro Negredo (29), Carlos Vela (25), Tevez (30)

These are just a sample of what is out there, here is were our BLACK BOX and crew will find the right player, style, temperament and price.

If i were to chose one from each catagory:

1)Antoine Griezmann - striker/left winger, young player already showing tonnes of quality and an eye for goal/assist.

2) Miroslav Klose - a legend that still showed he can produce at the last WC. Would be an inspirational super sub or a game changer.

3)Andre Pierre Gignac - in the best form of his career, playing even better under the Bielsa style (we are similar to this philosophy), would be real competition for Pelle, not just back up, He is not the biggest star out there but one that could be in our price range.

Each transfer gets more difficult as we try to improve in what we got, like it has been said before, buying a bunch of squad players that can do the job is not going to push us on, we love our best players, but we need to aim for the players to be better than them! One or two more quality signings, each transfer window will keep us moving in the right direction. Personally I would like them to try to get a proven player, a game changer to help us stay in the fight for top 4. A gamble on talented youth has been our usual way, but this time we should opt for a big player even if its a loan or short term contract to add instant quality and experience. Top 4 would be immense, lets give it a good go this year! we can return to the sensible building approach in the summer. March on, Saints March on!!

Clasie will be overpowered in the PL..he probably knew that hence he's seemingly gone for soft Portuguese football. No CMat 5ft 6 can exist in today's PL, blokes like Victor just walk all over them.

portugal when was that???

portugal when was that???

Last summer, Porto were interested, he said he would like to go there rather than the PL, trouble is Porto only thought him worth 6 million € maximum. So he stayed where he was and took a new contract a couple of weeks after.

stevegrant - please can you sort out an RSS feed, webservice or something else clever to feed data from the Black Box, so this thread has some substance. Thanks.