Dusic

I'm not a moron with an agenda. I like and respect Yoshida and have bought his book which I am reading now (and is quite interesting). I just feel that we were so weak at CB last season, but can't see us selling Hoedt, Bednarek or Stephens. We need to bring in someone who is better than all the other CBs we have, and Yoshida is probably a player who wants to be starting every week. I think he has improved massively but if we really want to be a team fighting for top 10 then you need better centre backs than Yoshida and I don't feel he would he happy moving back to third choice, which I fully respect. Would not actively look to offload him, but had he left this summer it may have provided an opportunity for more change in this position, something that is badly needed. Instead the club will probably put faith in Bednarek, Hoedt and Stephens to kick on alongside Maya. IMO that set of centre backs is what we were last season, a bottom third club, fighting relegation. For example, both of Brighton's centre backs would have got in our first team once VVD left.

Would be silly as a Saints fan to turn down someone of Shaqiri's quality but I don't necessarily see him as being really what we need in an attacking sense unless Tadic left. Think we miss pace, power and someone to carry the ball in the opposition half and for all the good Shaqiri does, he doesn't really offer those things. At £12m he is a steal though and certainly a good, proven PL player.

Seems to be a united belief that we need at least one better option than we currently have as we conceded so many headed goals last year and this area has become a clear weakness for us since we lost a settled partnership in Fonte and VVD. I wonder though, whether we will buy a CB as we have four on the books and it seems unlikely any would be sold? Yoshida - for me a 3rd choice PL quality player but has been a first choice for 2 years or so now, probably an indication of where we have dropped off in quality as a team. Were some rumours about him leaving, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Not a natural leader. Hoedt - largely poor last year although better in final few games. Bought for a big fee so will be given a chance to establish himself. Not a natural leader. Stephens - young Academy player who has definitely got quality but also goes missing. Little chance of selling him as he is the Academy player who plays the most games. Not a natural leader. Bednarek - Promising if raw in his first games. Now he has been picked for the WC by a semi competent nation he would hardly settle for being a 5th choice at Saints, and no way we will sell him as seems a good talent. Too inexperienced to lead a PL backline. If we play with 3 CBs as the main formation next year then possibly could get away with bringing in a first choice but even then some of the above would barely figure. Be interesting to see... IMO it wouldn't have been a bad time for Yoshida to leave as would have freed up one of the 'established' slots and allowed for some needed change.

Ralphy clearly said all the VVD cash could be reinvested so there is still a big chunk of that, even before the eye watering TV money. Things will get interesting if they do play that card though! Hopefully we are setting things up quietly behind the scenes, a few clubs are starting to be active now and we arguably have more to do.

Hudds signing Sobhi from Stoke. Good signing, player with high potential IMO.

Staying up slightly masks just how absymally **** that January window was. I'm not convinced that the wee boy has ever had a good window at Saints, so very low faith about this one.

The season we finished 6th we were dire for almost the whole winter at there were some calls after Norwich away for Koeman to go. At that stage we were 13th and it wasn't great to watch. The Pochettino season waa about more than just results, it was the style, the players, the connection with fans and the fact that for the first time in my lifetime (31) we went toe to toe with the best sides and were often better than them. He is a brilliant manager.

Will be very suprised if we sign Promes. It will be too pricy for us.

He has. You wouldn't know as have only just joined the forum, but quite a number of wazzas on here thought Spurs would sack Pochettino before Christmas of his first season. They didn't like that he only played with one striker and had no "plan b" - whatever that really means. LOL

Makes Mane at just over £30m look an absolute steal. Salah too of course. The days of spending £20m on proven quality are well and truely gone.

http://www.claretandhugh.info/fredericks-to-meet-hammers-on-monday/ Interest in Ryan Fredericks who is potentially available on a free should he decide not to extend with Fulham (which he should do IMO). Certainly no way he would sign anywhere to be a backup, so if true must be question marks over Cedric, as expected.

If Targett wasn't an academy player then I doubt anyone would be overly fussed by him.

He has always struggled at PL level though. Similarities with Danny Fox for me. Lovely left foot, good Championship player but always gets done for pace by good PL wide players.

Big downward step that. The type that we have done in other positions (centre back especially) that has caused us to be in a relegation battle... IMO neither Targett or McQueen are good enough as a PL first choice player.

A couple of years ago he was quite close to leaving for L1 or L2 so Bristol City would be a good move for him. He is a good player, but not a PL quality player IMO (which is absolutely no disgrace). Probably, like Targett, he lacks that yard of pace that you need at PL level.

Don't think so, Klopp loves him and he was excellent has season. If anyone, Clyne is probably a way off being a regular.

What about Player of the Season Alex McCarthy's coach?

Of the two its clearly Davis who is more questionable...

Thats so poor to get in that position and lose.

Good night for the revised player pathway!

Would let Targett go if Fulham offer decent money for him. He is ok, but struggles against the pace of PL wide players and I don't see that changing any time soon. Bertrand to Targett would be a huge step down in class.

We track potential Managers extensively through a black plastic computer with fibre optic wifi, able to watch 300 You Tube videos simultaneously. Once we identify the best Manager for the job out of everyone in the world we just wait until they are out of work to avoid paying compensation. Our last 5 Managers have been out of work when appointed, which shows just how spot on this planning is.

If he was quicker and a little more aggressive then yes, but he isn't.

This shouldn't be about Tadic but if it is then in both no10 and wide positions I would pick Tadic every day of the week ahead of JWP. What JWP should be asling himself is why he cannot get a game in central midfield.

- Further away from the Saints starting XI than at the start of last season. Barely got a start under Hughes when it really counted and has never been a particularly effective sub. - Further away from the England squad even though Southgate rates him and central midfield is our weakest area - Six full PL seasons now so hardly a young player in terms of experience Does he need a move away to get outside of the comfort zone he has found himself in at Saints or is he just not quite good enough to be a PL regular? IMO after 6 seasons he still doesn't have an obvious position (due mainly to his physical attributes which won't change) which is his main problem.