Dusic

Will be nice to have a keeper who very specifically suits the style long term. Also keeps a domestic loan spot free. Hopefully he can play at Cardiff.

An often overlooked element re O'Riley is that surely even if we had the cash he would have picked Brighton anyway? Perhaps thats as much a reason as any why we moved on? Regardless, just adding BBD and Archer in attack ic clearly not enough so lets wait and see and hope Alcaraz moves and perhaps someone is mad enough to drop 7 or 8m on ABK?

Echo a while back said ths intention is for him to join us rather than GozGoz. Could be a nice boost in Jan and imagine if KWP does go this week we will try to get him sooner. Torino also wanted him so he obviously has something and on a free its super low risk anyway.

For a super direct team that plays about as opposite you can get to us. If anyone in the PL wanted him he would be easy to get. There is a reason why nobody does.

Why? He wouldn't play. We were in for Delap, he went to Ipswich so we signed Archer, who is a central striker. We have BBD, Archer and Arma (plus the very much lesser spotted LND). IMO we much more need someone to create clear chances for those guys (like Clarke would have) than another person who will feed off scraps. IMO we have a load of midfielders, a decent stack of forwards but not much in between aside from Edozie and a raw SAA. This area is our clearest need.

Overall I like the business we have done, but still arguable we have mainly improved our squad rather than the starting XI that finished 4th in the Championship. Assuming we have nearly sorted GK I think the first two thirds of the pitch look strong and with depth. The final third we are still massively short of what is required to stay up - there just aren't enough players who will score goals and a lack of creativity and one vs one ability that you need in the PL - especially when under the cosh. Will be a massive shame if we fairly often play well and just don't have enough to get the goals our play deserves...and not something the manager can really impact either. Arma struggled big time at this level before and hard to tell what we will get output wise from BBD and Archer. Beyond that we have nobody who can be relied upon for more than a couple of goals really - so its still a massive issue.

Don't see Hugo as being a first team starting option. Downes is not a replacement for a creative player. Fernandes looks like he will add something going forward but judging from his record he isnt going to be getting 7 or 8 goals and a few assists. Someone like Clarke possibly would. There is definitely a need for a player like this in the final third. He is quite expensive but after about 3 good games in the PL will be worth more anyway.

I see the thinking and don't overly disagree but it still means there are basically three goalscoring players in the whole squad and neither of those three are particularly creative. If one of those gets injured or is in poor form, or you want to change things from the bench (when facing a low block like vs Newcastle) then the first options will be Edozie, Kamaldeen etc - players who will not be a difference maker in the PL because they weren't in the Champ. BBD and Arma suit coming in from wide areas but they aren't natural wide players, and aren't really creative players who will break down a defence - different skillsets to the wide players we have been linked with. There is space to have both BBD/Arma and an alternative option. The more threats the better as we seem light on creativity and goals. MOR would have helped that but he is going elsewhere and Fernandes is a differenr type. Clarke would suit our style very well and has a proven history of scoring goals - we have tracked him for ages so would be a blow if Ipswich get him. Re spending £20m on a Pelle type - we won't. We signed Archer who is a striker.

Re Clarke links - I can't see us going above £20m for him and sounds like Ipswich are close to that with their latest offer. However - we really do need to add a player in the wide areas that looks capable and scoring and assisting, and Clarke definitely does that. Our current wide options of Edozie, Kamaldeen and SAA for various reasons won't get enough goals and assists and it puts so much pressure on BBD, Arma and Archer because lets face it they look like needing to score about 80% of our goal total and would nees at least one to hit double figures to have much of a chance. Also interesting that so many of our current option playa from and prefer the left (just Arma and SAA on the right). Clarke is another left sider but we were clearly in for JRS who is a right sided player and that Pardo guy from Gent too. As others have said, handy to have that 2nd PL loan spot free buts whether loan or perm we need to add a player likely to provide end product - with CM and GK seemingly resolved this is our last key position.

GK and a wide player then done? Then wait and see on KWP.

Looks a top prospect, have to view it as a good deal for us and on a five year deal a solid investment. But...key question...are we going all in on the " "Fernansh" pronounciation?

Personally would have taken Broja over Archer - think he has a higher ceiling and we have already seen that at his best he can majorly trouble good PL defenders - I don't think Archer has shown that level yet. Also feel he would have added a different element to our team with his running power and ability to create for himself. I wouldn't be suprised if Broja scores more than Archer and Armstrong. Good signing for Ipswich.

As we see on here pretty frequently being a STH of a club doesn't mean you have a clue about what you are watching. No offence to them but Steele is excellent with his feet, its the entire reason he displaced Robert Sanchez and beyond what you can see is also demonstrated in the stats too: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12854916/jason-steele-s-passing-under-pressure-for-brighton-under-roberto-de-zerbi-has-seen-him-replace-robert-sanchez Basically plays a far higher proportion of "pressure passes" than other PL keepers and with a better completion rate. Literally what we will aak him to do.

Seems obvious to me that we will end up with Steele. Supposesly in for O'Riley and Kagioglu too. Stacked squad having raked cash in from big sales and recruited some absolute gems who are now worth multiples more. Amazing really that they could sign Ibrahim Osman for £16m and loan him straight out whilst Buananotte was probably Leicester's best player tonight. Will probably end this window with at least 5 signings of £25m + They will have no FFP issues as can easily sell players like Mitoma or Ferguson for huge cash and have them replaced from within. I reckon their squad overall is probably worth more than Spurs or Man Utds which is crazy.

Will be interesting to see whether it has improved since the home friendlies. You get so uses to seeing absolute carpets at PL level (and even many lower down) that it sticks out hugely if its poor. Really hope they can sort it as despite what the groundsmen say it absolutely does have a playing impact and our style relies on a good surface.

https://twitter.com/sachatavolieri/status/1825219734230409607?s=19 Another wide attacker to cross off the list - we have been linked with enough that surely we want one but must be way down our list by this point!

Annoying that Brentford won as I thought they were largely pretty poor. They have such a basic way of playing and such little quality in the first two thirds but a low risk style and very direct to basically allow the front three to put pressure on the opposition defence which they are good at. They will definitely be bottom third of the league and our game there will be a decent barometer of where we are - after their lucky win today we really need to get at least a point of them.

If its a loan, from the PL and someone we have been linked with then there is IMO one candidate that is by far the most likely and that is Jason Steele. He isn't the best overall GK around but is excellent (easily one of the PL's best) with his feet which is almost entirely the reason why McCarthy isn't suitable for this team. De Zerbi binned off Sanchez in favour of Steele because of his ability to play out from the back, in a very similar way to we do. He started for Brighton yesterday but only because Verbruggen, who is their clear #1 has a small injury. Steele started I think 17 PL games last season but eventually BV took over and is a considerably more valuable asset as well. Their other keeper is Carl Rushworth who is a top prospect and arguably the best in the Championship last season. There were reports this morning that he isn't being allowed out on loan - and if true it would be utterly pointless having someone of his profile as a 3rd choice. It points to Steele being allowed out. Add to this that he is good pals with Lallana (they lived in the same apartment block) and likely knows RM in some capacity then I think this is the obvious move. Not convinced we have £10m to spend on Sam Johnstone - and is he good with his feet anyway? Ramsdale due to wages, competition and the fact Arsenal want a permanent sale has always felt unrealistic. Dubravka was awful last season for Newcastle and would be a big disappointment. Steele is the obvious and realistic option and would at least suit how we play which at this stage has to be the main consideration. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12854916/jason-steele-s-passing-under-pressure-for-brighton-under-roberto-de-zerbi-has-seen-him-replace-robert-sanchez

I also don't think Fernandes and MO'R (and Carvalho who we bid for) seem of the same profile - look at the difference in goal output for a start which I assume is the biggest driver of interest in MOR - he is a difference maker in and around the box whereas Fernandes seems to play deeper from all the clips Ive seen this evening. Depth wise we aren't great in midfield and clearly Alcaraz will be on his way so seems like Fernandes will add competition for Smalbone and Aribo and also opportunity to add quality from the bench in a physically demanding league. Re O'Riley - listen to RM answer to Alfie House here, certainly didn't rule it out as of Thursday when he had a clear opportunity to (from 3.05): https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/video/press-conference-part-two-martin-on-newcastle-trip

I am ITK on this one so can answer for you. He is being sold and has no future at the club. I know that has come out of the blue but thats what I am hearing and that is why he wasn't on the bench.

RM seems confident we will get the additions needed and despite public defences etc he isn't stupid - he can see what we do well and what can be improved. Seems like we have a couple of sales lined up (eerily quiet on ABK though) and that will help.

From his interview he speaks very good English and comes across as very focused and confident. Everything read about him suggests he is a top prospect so could be a very clever loan deal with potential to benefit all three parties.

After these two additions, we obviously need a GK and attacking midfield option...anything else? Striker wise we would have 3 (4 incl Ross Stewart) - possibly enough? Out wide we could probably do with a right sided player which is why we have been linked with a few, thats probably the main one. Full back we seem to have a lot of options but a number of them with big question marks: KWP, Manning, Bree, also Wellington who is seemingly a Saints signing rather than Goztepe. If KWP goes then I would try to get shot of Bree (not PL level) and get in another RB. Quality still questionable but numbers wise we look fairly strong.

I think Archer could potentially be a decent addition - from the clips he reminds me of Craig Bellamy in that he he is very sharp over short distances and looks to be a composed finisher with both feet - and enough about him to create chances for himself. Also knows the level of the PL so won't need a year to adapt and had a good pre season with Villa so has some kind of form. Hasn't really been settled yet with various loan spells so good chance to find a home. Interesting that RM said power and athleticism was the biggest difference between PL and Champ - both these signings have those attributes. Also interesting how coy RM was about O'Riley when Alfie House asked about him in the embargoed section yesterday - certainly didnt sound totally dead.

RM made it very clear in that press conference that the amount of business we do will be dictated by outgoings. Seeing as he seems keen for KWP to stay despite only having a year left then thats ABK, Paul and Alcaraz. If ABK move falls through it will have a very unwanted impact - especially as CB is the one area we are stacked. Imagine he would go out on loan if the Hoffenheim move doesn't happen. I'm sure they are trying to renegotiate a loan with option at the moment!