Dusic

Its not breaking news. We have been in a relegation battle for a few weeks now. Big games coming up and we need to support the team not start protesting.

Reality is that most deals happen towards the end of the window. We obviously want Carrillo and I expect we will get him. An added difficulty is that clubs like Monaco or Spartak for example i.) Arent desperate for the money ii.) Know we are desperate for players and iii.) Know we just sold VVD for a record fee. Pellegrino seems happy with what the club are doing to sign players, and ultimately as long as we get them it doesn't matter now whetger they sign today or in a week's time.

Pellegrino seems fairly certain that two players will come in. Agree with him that its only worth adding good players and generally that goes til near the end of the window. The Watford cup game is irrelevant so as long as we have two in for the Brighton game then so be it. Will be glad if we are targetting quality.

Practical question: as we only really have Reed and Wilson who are senior enough full time employees to lead transfer negotiations, would we struggle to do two big deals at the same time? For example is Reed travelled to Monaco to work on Carrillo, woukd he be able to do much on another deal at the same time?

Russian report says Promes is not true. Even if we are interested, I bet they are a nightmare to deal with, and like any other club, knows we i.) Have money and ii.) Are desperate.

Support the team, make a positive home atmosphere. Stuff like this is counter-productive to the above and will help cause relegation, not prevent it. We have some massive games coming up at home, now isnt the time for stuff like this. (Plus the Manager is a part problem but not the biggest problem).

Absolutely bossed some games earlier this season and looked fantastic until his injury. When on form was clearly one of our best players and added vital pace, mobility and strength. Time to give him a run of starts again?

Agree, but in that context Carrillo is the sort of player you will end up with. £15m is the £8m of a few years ago. You will get a young prospect with few games, a Championship striker you aren't sure will make the step up, a reserve who isn't playing at a bigger club or an old past it has-been. £15m will not buy someone in their prime with a great goal record, who starts every week at a team in a good league. For those you start the bidding at £30m. For a player like Benteke.

Judging by the latest Wilson piece we won't replace VVD. I expect that circumstances will occur that will mean Bednarek starting at least one league game before the end of the season so hopefully he is good enough. Yoshida currently injured so he is our first backup. IMO each of our CBs is currently elevated one place above what their true squad level should be. Hoedt is a 2nd choice, Yoshida 3rd, Stephens 4th and Bednarek out on loan learning his trade. From Fonte-Lovren, Fonte-Alderweireld, Fonte-VVD to Hoedt-Yoshida is unquestionably a big downgrade. Ever since VVD got vardied we have shipped more goals than for the 3 years before - simply because the defenders are worse.

20 goals in 29 starts for Monaco (plus a number of sub apps, some for just a handful of minutes). Not as terrible as some make out. The problem, if there is one with this signing, is not Carrillo. It is that we are spending £15m. It it were double that then you get access to better players, with better goal records in better leagues. Simple as that. Source: Soccerbase

Start of the window puff pieces in Telegraph and Sky etc said we would be very active. One signing doesn't cut it. Simple as. Everton have done what we needed to. Addressed key areas quickly.

If we matched the financials and he picked Everton then you can't really blame us or him. Over the next 5 years its 99% likely they will fare better than us.

Stupid thing is that we actually have a good amount of decent players. We clearly are lacking in three main areas and if sorted we would have a good side: - Powerful striker - Defensive leader - Pace out wide With a world record fee for a defender having come in then we shoukd be able to sort these 3 in this one window. But we won't.

Could this window be set to rival last January as an omnishambles? As I see it: Carrillo will be the striker. We need one with more presence. Its a gamble but unless you pay big dough then you can't sign proven PL strikers, and we won't pay. At least MP knows what he is getting. I say at least, because its clear (even more so after Stoke's search) that we will be retaining him. Out wide we are badly in need of some pace and goal threat. That is why Walcotr would have been ideal. You wouldn't get a more proven PL wide player with 100 goals for that price, would have been a great signing and would have given the whole club a lift. CB a must. Backup RB at a push could wait til summer. Deals Needed: 1. Carrillo or similar targetman type 2. Pace out wide 3. CB who can lead the defence. Tick tock Leslie Arnold and Wee Ross... I think we will end up with just Carrillo, after hyping to all the favoured Journalists about Walcott, Tosun, Benteke, Shaw, Sturridge, Mawson etc. If so, would rather have kept VVD til end of season.

Guardian's Ed Aarons: Southampton still in talks with Monaco over a deal for Guido Carrillo. Striker has four goals this season ---------------- I reckon this one is quite likely.

I would rather have MP.

Looking back at those initial post VVD hype articles the links are either i.) Hilarious, ii.) Delusional or iii.) Both: Walcott - asking him to take a pay cut but probably the most realistic Benteke - never happening. Palace would want profit on the £30m they paid and he is apparently on over 100k a week which we will not pay Mawson - talk of £25m+ valuation which we wouldn't pay and it seems like we aren't even interested in a defender now Sessegnon - LOL Cenk Tosun - was already in very advanced negotiations with Everton, who paid 25m for him plus 120k a week wages which we wouldn't have got near Sturridge - still a slight possibility on loan but no way we would pay the fee they would want for a perm. Shaw - again we would be asking him to take a huge pay cut (probably 50k a week) and would be needing to pay a big record fee. The fact these were fed to the cosy Journalists is quite worrying: were the club just trying to soften the VVD blow and make themselves seem like a big player? We were never going to be able to sign most of these players, delusional if they thought they would, deceptive if they knew they couldn't. In terms of realistic signings: I think Guido Carrillo will join this Jan. We miss a big target man and he has a good goals to minutes ratio.

Jeremy Wilson: "Theo Walcott is also increasingly likely to depart shortly – with Everton still favourites to sign him – but he is in Arsenal’s squad today." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/14/alexis-sanchez-left-arsenal-squad-bournemouth-manchester-united/ Looks like this mini saga will be sorted either way at some stage this week. I wonder if he is one of the two targets MP was hopeful would be added next week. IMO either he makes a sensible career choice (Everton) or a lifestyle choice (Saints). Surely the former?

We are so weak in this position, have £75m and yet don't appear to see the need to bring anyone in. Negligent.

Worrying with a very tough home game next up. Has the feeling of a relegation season in so many ways. Certainly a lack of vocal leaders in the team.

It was a great run against Liverpool and he did well versus Everton, absolutely. I also saw him come on in a few games, especially away at Palace, and give the ball away a lot and look a bit out of his depth. He may well make it and it would be great to see him on loan in L1 or Champ to see how he goes. There are countless examples of players who briefly shine at PL level and thats the best they ever manage (transfer tipster Leandre Griffit being one), so Im not sure a.) Sims is better than the players we already have in his position (even if they are boo boy targets) and b.) you chuck in youngsters in a relegation battle. Let him develop on loan in a confident L1 side backed by a positove support rather than a toxic SMS in the glare of negativity.

Am I alone in not especially seeing the hype around Sims? Promising debut and a couple of good cameos mixed in with some very raw stuff but nothing to show he should be a regular PL starter IMO. A loan move to L1 or Championship would be the best outcome for him in this window - then if he excels at that level consider him for next season.

Essentially like the Pelle/Austin situation the replacement or lack of for Fonte can be argued various ways. What cannot be argued is that our CB options are as weak as for a long time, assuming VVD is not replaced. IMO each is currently promoted a choice level above where they should be.

Shame to miss out on Walcott, especially as the club have pushed his name to their favoured journalists very heavily of late. We aren't going to get anyone more PL proven/ready than him. Everton needed a striker this window and went and got one early. They are now seemingly signing our top target. Fair play to them.

Saints are trialling Dany N'Guessan.