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Who would you have back?


kwsaint

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Of all the Saints players who have left in the past three or four years, who would you want back and could fit in the current team/squad.

 

Plenty to choose from: Lambert, Clyne, Mane, Lallana, Lovren, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Alderweireld, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Chambers, Steklenberg to name a few.

 

I would have Clyne back, as he is clearly better than what we currently have.

 

Your thoughts

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Schneiderlin.

 

Second choice would be Alderweireld.

 

Mane is an outstanding prospect and talent, but I'm coming round to the hope that Boufal will lessen the loss (for a year or so, before he too chases a Chamions League dream elsewhere).

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Is it too much to hope that we can get Morgan back in on loan in January from ManUre where he is ageing rapidly and going nowhere career-wise, what with our new French connection. I'm sure Puel will know him, maybe even discovered him and how about Eden Hazard as a long shot transfer target Monsieur since he was one of your lads.

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When recruiting, whether a player has been at Southampton previously shouldn't be a factor but as an academic question, I suppose Clyne is a candidate but since we have a RB with a Euro16 winners' medal, I don't think I'd prefer him over Cedric. Mane for Boufal, nope. Morgan for Romeu, no again. The club has done very well with the players brought in but some of the old boys might be worth a place in the squad.

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When recruiting, whether a player has been at Southampton previously shouldn't be a factor but as an academic question, I suppose Clyne is a candidate but since we have a RB with a Euro16 winners' medal, I don't think I'd prefer him over Cedric. Mane for Boufal, nope. Morgan for Romeu, no again. The club has done very well with the players brought in but some of the old boys might be worth a place in the squad.

 

clyne is clearly better than the right backs we have

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Better than Martina yes. Better that Cedric no.

 

Lol you must be watching different players to the rest of us!

 

I'd take lambert back if he was the same player he was when he left sadly he's finished now. I'd take Toby in a heart beat him and VVD would be great pairing going forward. Morgan and mane would be great additions too, best way to think of this is if they had never played for saints would we want them and I think the answer is yes for all but lovren, shaw and lambert from the big name departures!

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I thought Cedric excellent last season but too many whingers had a downer on him because he wasn't Clyne, who was, bar the last 1/2 of his last season, also excellent for us.

 

What I saw of Cedric through the summer and up until his injury, he's been outstanding. The same cannot be said of Clyne.

 

The only player I'd want back is Toby as he'd suit our new style of play.

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Because of the passage of time only Bale, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain could come back without potential psychological impact on the squad, or at least the fans. Ignoring that, Bale would obviously be top of the list followed by Mane, Alderweireld, Shaw and Wanyama, in that order.

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If they didn't want to be here, goodbye, and I'm happy with the replacements. Of course I wish some of them hadn't left (Mane) but they did leave and we have replaced them very well and moved on. If they are stuck and disappointed, that's their problem. End of.

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Because of the passage of time only Bale, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain could come back without potential psychological impact on the squad, or at least the fans. Ignoring that, Bale would obviously be top of the list followed by Mane, Alderweireld, Shaw and Wanyama, in that order.

 

Shaw doesn't look the same player to me anymore we seem well stocked at left back. I hope he turns it round and proves me wrong because he was outstanding until he broke his leg.

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Would this squad win the League?

 

Forster, Boruc, McC

 

Clyne, Cédric, Fonte, Lovren, Toby, Virgil, Shaw, Bertrand

 

Morgan, Victor, Romeu, Hojbjerg

 

Lallana, Tadic, Mané, Boufal, Davis, Puncheon

 

J Rod, Pellè, Austin, Lambert

 

 

Okay, granted half of them wouldn't want to be here, sit on the bench etc. But if they did...

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None of them as they left without too much of a second thought for Saints.

 

 

Players moving on the pretense of furthering their career, international prospects, or ambition is nothing new though, just that it used to be done with a little more dignity.

 

Not saying they are enhancing those prospects, but that is how they have been dressed up over the years.

 

If they didn't want to be here, goodbye, and I'm happy with the replacements. Of course I wish some of them hadn't left (Mane) but they did leave and we have replaced them very well and moved on. If they are stuck and disappointed, that's their problem. End of.

 

I have read this on a couple of threads where we talk about someone coming back, and it is often said almost as a matter of principle that "they moved, so tough its not worked out... don't need them, don't want them etc.

 

Question is how did you feel, if you were around at the time, with Saints bringing Channon back in 1979 ?

 

I have to admit that, much younger then, I was of the view, no he moved on, wanted to go, its a retrograde step bringing him back. But I was proven completely wrong, he still had the enthusiasm for the club, and played some great stuff for the next couple of years.

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Would this squad win the League?

 

Forster, Boruc, McC

 

Clyne, Cédric, Fonte, Lovren, Toby, Virgil, Shaw, Bertrand

 

Morgan, Victor, Romeu, Hojbjerg

 

Lallana, Tadic, Mané, Boufal, Davis, Puncheon

 

J Rod, Pellè, Austin, Lambert

 

 

Okay, granted half of them wouldn't want to be here, sit on the bench etc. But if they did...

 

That squad could probably win the Champions League - and I'd have Pochettino as the manager, however I wouldn't want to be the one picking the first XI!!!

 

As per the OP question... I ask myself, where are we weakest? Attack IMO. "Past 3 or 4 years" in the opening post rules out the likes of Bale, Walcott, Ox-C etc. So basically, who is the best striker we've had in that time? Pellé and Rickie. Seeing as Rickie's best days are behind him, that leaves Pellé...

 

...So obviously, my answer is Mané. :-) Him and Boufal would tear up this league! Mane is one of the better players we've had in the last few years.

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Would this squad win the League?

 

Forster, Boruc, McC

 

Clyne, Cédric, Fonte, Lovren, Toby, Virgil, Shaw, Bertrand

 

Morgan, Victor, Romeu, Hojbjerg

 

Lallana, Tadic, Mané, Boufal, Davis, Puncheon

 

J Rod, Pellè, Austin, Lambert

 

 

Okay, granted half of them wouldn't want to be here, sit on the bench etc. But if they did...

 

Basing it on how good the players are right now (this season) I would replace Lovren, J Rod and Lambert with Yoshida, Redmond and Long (controversially, I would also be tempted to swap Puncheon for JWP as I believe he would add more given the other midfield options).

 

As for answering the OP:

 

I would have most of them back. Obviously, you have to look at where we are currently weakest if limited to the numbers. Also, the OP rather contradicts himself in saying from the last 3-4 years and then including the likes of Walcott and Ox-C in the list to choose from. So, including all ex-Saints still playing and capable of doing a job for us these are the ones I would take back and the order in which I would take them:

 

Bale

Walcott

Toby

Morgan

Mane

Ox-C

Clyne

Victor

Shaw

Pelle

Chambers

Boruc

Lallana (grudgingly, but only if he showed great humility and made a huge, multi-million pound, donation to a local charity such as Naomi House/Jacksplace)

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Better than Martina yes. Better that Cedric no.

 

funniest comment all year, clyne is in a different class to cedric who isn't that much better than martina & i think martina provides better crosses & assists than cedric

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