Dusic

Ings seems to play much, much better when playing alongside someone and Spurs weakness is their defence. I would keep two forwards, whether thats Adams or Redmond, and add Armstrong for Boufal as he can drop in a bit when needed. Then either Redmond (if Adams or Obafemi starts) or Djenepo on the other side. Armstrong good as he gives the option to change towards a 4-3-3 without making a sub if we need to strengthen central midfield. Spurs virtually play 4-4-2 anyway as Alli plays so high.

Tenuous link to Morgan Sanson, central midfielder: https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2019/marseille-expecting-offers-from-the-premier-league-for-morgan-sanson/ Good player but would imagine quite far outside of our price range, especially as we will obviously be after at least one full back as a priority.

I reckon starting RB would be more useful.

After the game RH said he hopes they can do something fairly early on in the window. Speaking to Solent.

Thought he was good, just as he was when he started games earlier in the season. Worked really hard, strong, good movement. Away at one of the top sides that is what you want from your striker.

Hopefully just one change: Ings for Obafemi.

I would be amazed and slightly annoyed if we spent the £20m or so that Bowen would cost and then didn't sort out our actual issues which are all defensive. Bowen, or any attacker, would be 4th or 5th on the priority list.

Wonder how much we will rotate considering we have a much more winnable game vs injury hit Palace on 28th? Surely Ings can't start both considering his injury history and how vital he is to us? No real full back options to change but a few elsewhere.

Probably the best performance of the season. We aren't a good side by any means, but come on.

Can't argue with beating all three sides in the relegation zone in recent weeks...takes some bottle. Sounded like our best performance of the season today. Great team selection from Ralph.

My Favourites: Clyme away at Arsenal Jay Rod away at Fulham Pelle away at Chelsea Lambert's second away at Ipswich Fonte away at Brighton Lambert away at Derby

Well three well paid players are out of contract and will leave: Cedric, Yoshida and Long. Forster will surely get a move somewhere as well. Thats a start.

Ralph very clear today that we need and will get defenders. Over to Glover and Semmens...

The clubs scouting setup must be able to find a CB who is better than Stephens, Yoshida or Vestergaard who wants half a season in the PL shop window, or to get gametime before the Euros. If not, it really sums up how poor the recruitment is and has been. We don't need a long term signing with resale value, we just need a competent CB and have the whole world to find one in.

Perhaps this is the 2019 version of the Sessegnon, Sturridge, Mawson, Shaw, Walcott DT article. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11700/11889673/joakim-maehle-southampton-consider-move-for-genk-defender

Thanks for responding twice Chas.

The question is, which was worse? Jan 2017: The Dream We still had a decent squad, if signifcantly weakened by the departures of Mane, Pelle, Wanyama and ultimately Koeman in the previous summer. With a chance of a cup final and still a decent finish, fans were looking to kick on and rediscover our form from the season before. We really needed something extra going forward as we missed Mane and Pelle badly, but arguably were ok in other areas. The Reality - On 20th January, following a protracted worsening of his relationship with the club, Jose Fonte joined West Ham for £8m. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38694821 Most Saints fans were not happy with this, but the club tried to spin it as a great offer for an ageing player. In reality, he was the leader of the team, still a very competent PL CB and would almost certainly be our best CB now, almost 3 years later. Later there would be spin that he came back from the Euros as a disruptive force. To compound this, just a day after the sale of Fonte, Virgil Van Dijk was KO'd by Jamie Vardy, ruling him out for the season, and meaning he would miss the 2nd leg of the LC semi final, and the subsequent final. By this stage it was clear we needed a CB and fans had expected one as a replacement for Fonte. We were not safe from relegation by then, and with VVD's injury were left with a rookie in Jack Stephens, plus players like Maya Yoshida who had always been a back up option. We failed to sign a CB in the window, and fans were mad. We then signed Martin Caceres on 16th February, an Intl defender of great experience. We barely gave him a minute. We did sign Gabbiadini, who we had been linked with for while, and he started his Saints career really well. But the lack of a CB and loss of our best two made this a window of frustration for Saints fans. The Comedy Little to laugh about here apart from rumours of Caceres off-field behaviour - not exactly the model pro! Jan 2018: The Dream: With VVD sold right at the start of the window, Saints briefed their favoured Journalists with the list of our ambitious targets. Ryan Sessegnon, Theo Walcott, Luke Shaw, Daniel Sturridge, Alfie Mawson https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/12/27/liverpool-agree-world-record-75m-deal-virgil-van-dijk/ Exclusive: Saints agree to sell Van Dijk to Liverpool for a world record fee for a defender. “The structure and timing of the transfer reflects Southampton’s desire to now make major signings of their own and they are committed to reinvesting the entire fee. They hope to add an attacking player next week and are also lining up other deals.” https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/12/27/liverpool-agree-world-record-75m-deal-virgil-van-dijk/ Exclusive: Saints keen on Daniel Sturridge and make audacious move for Ryan Sessegnon Southampton have also been linked with several of their former players who are now struggling for regular football, notably Theo Walcott and Luke Shaw, and would be interested if they could match their wage demands. https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/15808325.southampton-hope-to-sign-former-player-theo-walcott-from-arsenal/ Former TSP Stalwart Adam Leitch: Saints hope to sign Theo Walcott: Once Walcott's move failed to materialise, Saints chased after Quincy Promes. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11700/11212994/southampton-want-spartak-moscows-quincy-promes-with-winger-keen-on-move-to-england SSN: Southampton want Spartak Moscow’s Quincy Promes The Reality: Walcott went to Everton. Saints chased Guido Carillo and Wee Ross and Big Les were absolutely schooled by Monaco. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11700/11214369/monaco-reject-southamptons-offer-for-guido-carrillo Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim in January press conference: "We do not typically sell players in the winter transfer window. But the month is long and many things* could happen." * desperate English teams with inept recruitment departments. We ended up paying £19.2m for Carrillo: @Southampton FC: Southampton Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of striker Guido Carrillo from AS Monaco. https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2018-01-25/announcement-guido-carrillo-southampton-signing Vice Chairman (Football) Les Reed said: “A huge amount of work has gone in to completing this transfer, and we are thrilled that we have now been able to push it through to completion. “Guido represents a very exciting addition to our attacking options ahead of the final months of the season, possessing plenty of experience at the highest level, while also having the potential and the desire to improve even further. “We are confident he will benefit us not only in the remainder of this campaign, but in the years to come.” - We didn't sign Promes, instead pushing out some limp crap about agreeing a deal for the future: @Adam Blackmore, BBC Solent: Southampton’s signing of Quincy Promes looks set to be delayed until the summer. #saintsfc happy to pay fee, player happy to come, but Spartak Moscow can’t replace him in this window and are set to block the move for now. Saints hope to get agreement on a summer move. - We didn't sign a centre back to replace Van Dijk - and really still haven't. The Comedy A toss up between Saints almost embarrassing briefing of interest in unobtainable players to selected Journalists or SWF's Pamplemousse who insisted Guido Carrillo was great but just hadn't played much. Best mins per goal return since the start of the 2016/17 Ligue 1 season (10+ goals): Edinson Cavani - 85.2 Alexandre Lacazette - 86 Neymar - 89.8 GUIDO CARRILLO - 91.1 The reason he hasn't scored that many is because he hasn't been played much.

They are exactly the type of side we struggle with. Solid at the back, happy not to have the ball and fast strong players in attack.

Biggest difference is that every player is comfortable on the ball, especially in central defence and midfield. That makes a massive difference.

Low expectations for this window but we badly need as a minimum one competent CB who can lead a defence. Doesn't have to be fancy, or a long term option. Just someone who can come in and be better than what we have, which should be easy. Are there any CBs at other PL sides who never play? Phil Jones is one, maybe we could afford him on loan for 6 months and he certainly has something to prove and is better than what we have.

Our squad couldn't do what Allardyce would ask of them. We clearly don't have the players to dig in and grind out wins with defensive football. Our defenders are simply not good enough. Replacing the Manager won't sort out the problem, which is the players.

The players are mostly crap, and thats the primary season we are struggling. There is nobody not playing who is available and definitely better than the player ahead of them. In some areas of the pitch we are woefully short of PL level and you get exposed. Fact is that none of our current players would have made our team 4 years ago and very few even the bench. Thats the problem.

What team would you have picked?

Absolute drivel. Its by having better defenders who are better one vs one against some of the best attackers in the world. No coach would stop Stephens make mistakes, make Vestergaard less clumsy or turn Yoshida into a beast who doesn't get easily brushed off the ball.

So they got another guy in and had an x-factor style training session where the players voted which guy they liked best? Unlikely.