Chez

since you jojned, five minutes ago, every post has been negative. Naturally, I thought you were a skate...just adding fuel to the fire. I guess being positive after watching Saints isn't easy.

You're not missing anything. When Lyanco went off we went to two at the back. Maybe it was last ten minutes (I was including injury time) not last 15. My bad.

He's 20. but you are spot on. However, I have a feeling he will jump straight in and thrive.

Larios will be key here. Closer to his age. Good to have Cabellero offering a bit of experience too though.

Yeah, but starting with two at the back would have been pretty bold. 😉

liked him before, like him more now. Hope we plan for the beto plan.

he looks like he has the technical ability. I bet other technically gifted players like Lavia will take to him straight away, help him settle quickly and he'll then be a starter in no time at all. Hopefully his fitness isn't too bad. Its been a long time since he last played.

Lavia, Edozie and Bazunu are all to 2027, Lis too, for some reason.

The way I see it, is if we are going to play one up front, then Che can do that job for the next couple of games, we just need more `on a plate chances' that these first couple of signings can hopefully help create. I think the new striker won't be too far behind these two, be that Jackson, Moffi, Beto or whoever. These signings are not going to solve all our ills. We have to get things going as a side, get confidence back, get things going. I know things looks terrible right now, and they may get much worse, but should we somehow beat Everton, (yeah I know) things could really change very quickly. I live in hope, always.

Arrives in the UK 8am, medical at 2pm, contracts signed/exchanged, photos and promo done. yeah, late tomorrow or early Wednesday you'd think. Wondered what peeps thought about the speed of our transfers. There was the usual moaning as to why we dint have players lined up on day 1. Two signings in first ten? days of the window - is that good enough for everyone?

Oh dear. Not sure we need an error prone CB, although they all make them.

I know that no one wants to hear anything positive said about Jones right now, but I have to post this otherwise the time will pass it will be lost forever. I don't know how many noticed, but he actually changed it to 2 at the back against Forest with a good 15 minutes left. I was horrified at the time, but it was a bloody brave decision. Didn't work of course as all those extra attacking players seemed lost and did fuck all, but when's the last time you saw a manager go for it like that?

I remember his first touch in his first game against Millwall. Can honestly say that it was immediately obvious that we had a proper player on our hands. I've never seen a young player look so at home. He was absolute quality, right from the very first touch. It was gutting that he left, and horrible seeing him prosper at Spurs, but brilliant to see him become the world's best (or thereabouts) and know that we helped him on his path. What a fantastic player.

played 80 odd games for Racing, so has played senior football. Not sure that makes him more exciting, but it's what is different from those signings. So more of an ABK type signing than an Edozie.

My Spanish is woeful: Start with the sentimental part, this farewell is difficult because what I love the most is my family and leaving now without them is going to be difficult, but I know that soon I will have them with me. This is a surprise? The truth is that I was about to start training and they told me that everything was closed and that I had to leave because I had a flight now at 2:30 p.m. I'm about to leave Racing to follow my dream. There was a lot of talk in each transfer market about a possible transfer. Do you think it was the right moment? I really don't know. I know I'm going to miss racing a lot. I'm going to miss the club a lot because it's my home. I'm really going to miss the day to day with my teammates the people who made me feel great. So its farewell, unbeatable, not with a title, but with a very important goal? Yes, yes, amazing, that you tell me if I had thought like that, maybe not, but I didn't think that goal was going to be the last in racing, but I think that there was no better way than that to end it, that's how it seems to me anyway. We were very close, it was very close, but today I talked to my teammates and I know that they are going to give it 100% to grab that title, we really deserve it, so a lot of good luck to them. The next stage is Southampton and the Premier League. What expectations do you have? The PremierLeague is a great league. I know I'm going to have to work hard, play against the best rivals, the expectations are good because I know that I have to earn my place, as at Racing, so that will be beautiful. What do you want to say to the racing fans? I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart because these two years have always made me feel very, very comfortable despite the occasional bitch that I received, they were always very good to me and my family for their treatment, so it's not goodbye but see you later and I hope to see the pros

Not everyone. Personally, even in this window, I'd still we rather bring in a 21 year old ABK than a 29 year old Keane. Quality, over experience, perhaps goalkeeper being a slight exception. However, judging quality is tough when players come from youth football and lower leagues. That said, I don't know if Keane is good or not. Can't remember watching him, so not saying he wouldn't be a good signing.

For the youtube video I saw was he might be more of a replacement for Diallo. A central midfield guy that will nip in, steal the ball and then drive into space to turn defence into attack. However, he has the ball skills to perhaps plat in the hole - as Aribo did on Saturday. Hard to say as our formation changes by the hour.

...thus he wont be much behind the rest of the squad. God knows what our style actually is by the way. It's not as though we have played long ball in all the games. The Forest game might be more of an outlier than the norm. who knows? You are right though, going to be a tough ask for him to make an immediate impact, especially as he has not played since October is it?

the Keane deal will perhaps be the most straightforward. Everton don't want him, we obviously do. I suspect Everton want to sell, but are not daft and know that isn't going to happen, so will be happy to lose the wages, which wont be small. Villarreal are maybe happy to get rid of Jackson, due to a fall out with the manager (mentioned on here), so I'd of thought that might be next, with Alcaraz perhaps the trickiest. Jackson didn't play against Madrid, so maybe that deal is done and he's across for medical? The Argentinian season finished a while back, so perhaps we have been negotiating that deal since then, fingers crossed, as don't imagine that will be quick to conclude - they never seem to be.I have zero knowledge about the current UK work permit rules. Jackson has a couple of Senegal caps (hopefully Mane put a good word in for us) which will help. Alcaraz is uncapped. Anyone able to provide insight as to what is required these days?

certainly missed the game against Madrid, perhaps due to injury, perhaps due to the transfer. If it's not either of those things, I wonder if this relates to the fall out with the manager. I hope he hasn't chosen a tactical injury and we sign a player that causes us an issue down the line. If its a loan then maybe those type of fears are irrelevant. I'm hoping he can provides some similar threat as Broja did, with the ability to turn and show pace and power.

Jacob Tanswell on the Saints podcast seemed pretty confident the Alcaraz deal would happen, and similar positive vibes about Nicholas Jackson (loan with a view to a permanent) and Michael Keane.

looks like he might get the Portugal National team job.

that's the spirit JRM. Positive thinking.

Excellent, some all Prem ties will get rid of some big/decent teams. Lovely.

In this article before xmas on an Inter website it said Racing wanted €15m outright or €10-12m plus a percentage: https://www.fcinternews.it/esclusive/i-fcin-i-conferme-su-carlos-alcaraz-promosso-a-pieni-voti-dall-inter-il-ragazzo-apprezza-ma-c-e-concorrenza-912432