Dusic

Best case scenario is he is fit for Wednesday. Nobody cares about Arsenal in comparison and if he is able to play Saturday then dose him up and get him out there on Wednesday even if he then had to have a couple of weeks off. Reed will be hoping he plays or the Fonte timing looks ludicrously short sighted, especially given a.) West Ham havent got a game til next Wednesday and b.) Fonte would surely have been willing to play this semi final as his bow out game.

Les Reed, Daily Echo, 5th Jan on Fonte: We will bring someone in, there is still plenty of time left this window.

Puel has already said it isn't possible for the same team to play twice in 3 days, so there will be a couple of changes at least regardless of VVD availability. Would hope Jay stays in ahead of Long but would bring Davis in for Hojbjerg if available. Good to keep JWP in following his best performance for a year or so but not if it means him and Clasie together as those two plus Romeu just doesn't work as we lack any mobility from that area. Wonder when we might see Boufal again?

We will obviously get someone in to replace Fonte. Reed said that was a comdition of letting him go and he clearly meant a new player when you listen to the interview Solent posted. Puel is just saying what he needs to in front of the media.

Gardos isn't the answer unless we want to become worse. He should really be loaned out and sold in the summer or sold now.

Our last transfer window that could be considered a success was summer 2014, quite a while ago now.

Its just the same as Lallana. He was so **** lol and we have Tadic.

Seems a few on here will be turning up to the Leicester game in a Saints shirt with Million, 9 on the back. Unless you adequately replace the player then the fee means absolutely nothing to a fan of a PL team. We have money, we need good players and he is a very good player so not sure how people can celebrate a transfer fee?!

Yes, but to just stay up would be quite a drop. Currently teams like Burnley and Bournemouth ahead of us and West Ham who are considered to have had a ****e season. We were bound to be overtaken by Liverpool, Chelsea and probably Everton but if we finish anywhere beneath about 12th then its not a very good season because some pretty mediocre teams who we were miles better than last year will have overtaken us.

You should have higher expectations. We came 6th last season so just staying up would be pretty terrible.

On one hand, a French Intl with top club experience and who is only 26 and has a point to prove would appear to be a great signing if it happened. However, there are some other considerations: - He royally ****ed off Klopp, who generally seems fair and quite relaxed, on a pre season trip and hasn't played for Liverpool since despite central defence being their weakest area, with the likes of Klavan and Lucas preferred. Attitude issue? - Served a doping ban earlier this year ans hasn't played proper football for ages - Would be making a step down to join Saints, we usually target players on the up but admittedly would have no chance of signing him he if was regularly playing for Liverpool - Has been very poor against us in the past and would likely come in as one of our highest earners. - They want to sell, we want a loan but if he came in on loan and did well then he might have other options in the summer and we would then need 2x starting CBs once VVD goes. What do people think?

Genuinsly sad if Fonte would rather go to a basket case West Ham than stay here where he could have ended his career a Saints legend. What the **** has gone on here, it can't all ve about money, surely?

He is ****e anyway, behind Stephens and will only be on the bench because our CB situation is best described as precarious.

Turned down by Oliveira according to this, he wants to join a club that will challenge for titles even if it is a weaker league than PL: http://www.sabado.pt/ultima_hora/detalhe/southampton_nao_agrada_a_sergio_oliveira.html You would imagine that is the kind of thing you check before making bids so hopefully haven't wasted much time on it.

After a few outings what are the opinions on this heap of ****? Add in that our skipper who allegedly had the idea as the story goes seemingly cannot wait to leave. Bin it IMO, it will never catch on because it is woeful and too American.

Alternative view: 1. Definitely leaving in the summer 2. Possibly leaving in the summer. Has been great but overall the midfield has been far weaker than previous seasons 3. Great. Second leg vital for the entire season. Lose and its been a cluster**** 4. Injury prone and too in and out of games. Certainly hasn't replaced Mane or even got close 5. Great if they are good enough. Only really McQueen has consistently demonstrated that so far this season. 6. Possibly leaving in the summer and hasn't been nearly as consistent as last season or the year before.

What a weak squad we seem to have all of a sudden! Not sure Tadic will start either as he will be needed in the Leicester and Liverpool games and has started the last few.

Bayern Munich steal the best players from other teams in their league and rarely sell until they are beyond their best (Schweinsteiger a great example). Not sure how we are anything like that?! Personally felt then and now that we sold Mane too cheaply. He is probably the best attacker of his type (run in behind player but not central striker) in the PL and given the wild fees quoted recently for far inferior players then he was worth more.

OP spot on. The squad Pochettino had in his first full season in charge did not have the depth that we do now but the first XI was better.

Part of the problem with the (required IMO) rotation is that players never really have to worry about getting games, they all will regardless of form. JWP is a classic example of this. He always plays every other game and is nearly always disappointing. He never does anything to earn his place back because he doesn't need to whilst we have lots of games and whilst Clasie is unable to play more than one game every 7 days. He seems like a nice lad but just doesnt have what it takes to influence a game aside from set plays. I also feel he should be left for games which will likely be played at a lower tempo or against less physical teams. Something like Burnley away or the Liverpool away leg are not suited to him at all. Hopefully when we have less games he will need to earn his spot in the team. After nearly 5 years and over 100 apps the jury is very much still out for me. He will be one of those players with stacks of Eng U21 caps who will see younger players come through and beat him to full honours. Tom Davies from Everton probably one who will develop far quicker and with ultimately a far higher ceiling in that position. Every summer there are "this will be the year JWP kicks on" comments and he never does.

Steve Stammers whose name is on the Mirror article is on about the same accuracy level as Alex Crook. I don't see Fonte at Liverpool myself. They already have Matip and Lovren, plus they recently signed Klavan and have Joe Gomez who is very promising. They would need to sell one of those to buy and older player with limited shelf-life. Don't see it myself.

So, what type of striker do we need? First and foremost someone who can finish. But its is apparant that we have zero physical presence up front. Someone with a bit of power who can hold the ball up would be nice.

Aside from the league cup this season has been very poor. Take an ok looking league position aside and we havent really played well in many league games, certainly not from an attacking perspective. We simply didnt replace the goals of Mane and Pelle and have negated Long by playing a style that doesn't suit him - he is a waste of time at the moment. Feel a bit for Puel as he has inherited a squad short on attacking quality, a thankless task of trying to match our highest PL finish and having lots more games to negotiate. That said, the rotation whilst necessary also means too many players get regular games without earning it - the likes of Hojbjerg and JWP have been dire for ages now. Long too. This coming summer is vital because we are going nowhere fast. Having the likes of Bournemouth, Burnley, a limited WBA and fiasco WHU above us after half the season is not acceptable given we were miles ahead of these sides last season. We probably won't spend in Jan but its ****ing obvious where we are short and the leadership of the club have largely ruined the season by leaving us woefully short in goals.

Bid in for Gabbiadini apparently: http://sportwitness.co.uk/southampton-favourites-sign-west-brom-target-new-bid-submitted-past-hours/

We have improved squad depth without doubt but our best starting XI now is nowhere near the quality of last seasons, nor the season before (which was probably our best overall) with this side most weeks: Forster; Clyne, Fonte, Toby, Bertrand; Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Davis; Tadic, Mane, Pelle If we were to add 4 more players of genuine quality, who are nailed on starters out wide, up front, in central midfield alongside and a good Fonte replacement then we would have a really good team again backed up by able deputies, and will have benfitted by improving the overall standard of the squad although may well have some unhappy players next season if as is likely there is no Europe and far more weeks without a midweek game. In that team above its the central midfield that is miles better than now IMO, perfect mix of strength, mobility and technical ability. Plus also a maverick player in Mane which Boufal may end up being of course. Summer 2017 is crucial. Need to go back to fewer additions of higher quality and I don't think we need to sign anyone who isn't a nailed on starter unlike this summer when we needed back GK, RB etc. Get it right and without the European distraction we can have a great season. But a mediocre summer will see us fall away from the top 6 and probably the likes of Everton if they spend their millions well.