Chez

If the only change to the starting eleven is in goal, I will be concerned. Bazanu would likely have made no difference to the result of any of the games in the run in. Nearly all the goals conceded were 'unsavable'.

Sure does. Big strong lad, with good feet and can finish. Exactly what you need leading the line.

We seem to loan players out when we don't want them, rather than to get the experience needed before inserting them into our first team side. Loan Smallbone out last season and then maybe he flies into our first team this.

did Small look sharp, busy and quick?

Excited but nervous. I've wanted us to spend big on youth for years and years. Now we are, I'm as nervous as hell. I really hope we are buying the right ones. As always, the success of signings is critical to our improvement and taking us from relegation possibles to UEFA hopefuls. Last summer's Broja and Livramento signings should give me a lot of confidence, but only time will tell.

Have west Ham really got £70m of loose change for Scamacca and Broja?

Was thinking the same thing, but relegation followed by them being kicked into the national League due to financial issues, currently being appealed, will no doubt be an issue.

There is no evidence of SR: A) not touching the £28m in the bank left over from the loan - and why wouldn't they use this money? It's the club's money in the club's bank account. B) paying down/off the loan this year - but I sure hope they are as the debt will continue to grow. C) SR investing/putting their own money into the club - the transfer fees paid so far could be covered by the existing money in the bank account. You could argue that the transfers we have made so far would have been made should Gao have remained the owner. Not sure we are now in a different league. I think I'll reserve judgement until I've seen a couple of years financial accounts.

people keep telling me SR are doing things differently, so who knows.but in reality we ain't spending £40m on a player. Jury is still out as to whether they are investing/loaning/gifting much at all. Have they just used the cash from the loan to sign these promising youngsters and are running the club as a self sustainable business? If that's the case, we probably need to sell Bednarek sharpish.

Some lovely volleys in there and one or two tremendously hit balls as well. Kind of like the Armstrong video, but maybe a little more quality.

Did Fred score 34 goals in 67 games prior to that season for a pretty poor Prem side?

If Broja goes there, can Scamacca come to us?

Didn't he keep playing him?

Hmmm. Forster was deemed 'pretty solid' by most on here during second half of season. So out of the GK, defence and defensive midfielders, only one (CB) is deemed as not being good. Yet, we were absolutely fucking shit defensively. I think my point is, that some of the players we think as good premiership players, Perraud, Romeu and even JWP might not be quite as good as we think. Whether Bella and lavia start is to be seen. My alternative point, is that perhaps it's not the players individually that's the issue, it's the system. If the system is retained are Bella and Lavia a better fit for it?

Broja was injured at the start. Five minutes into his first game, he was clearly first choice, in my eyes. Yeah, The highlights I've seen show a big lad, but not quick. That would make him a very different player to Broja.

It's funny, the general consensus is Forster, fullbacks, Salisu, jwp and Romeu are all fine yet we shipped a fair few goals last season. Are these guys good, or does the system let them down? We've added three unknown quantities. I think I'll wait and see before suggesting we've solved the problem.

How many loans are allowed? Is it just one from Prem teams. I thought we wanted to use that loan on the right back position?

I've not seen Delap, but would he be considered the young back up if he joined? Is Delap as good as Broja? Broja looked first choice immediately. Is Delap likely to be the same?

Looked very solid at sms. Once the new back four bedded in, they were pretty solid Don't think they lost too many in the last third of the season.

Both have sold players already, Roma about £25m worth and spent about £7m. Napoli have sold well over £45m worth but spent a few bob too. Kvaratskhelia was about £10m and could become a star if he keeps progressing. I wonder if the links were just agent placed stories.

Very similar types, tall, pacy, great feet. I'd be surprised if they signed them both, but if they did they'd have a lot of power up front. Sassuolo seem to have had one or decent players in the last few years. He looks another.

it's a very good question. Who are these terrific £25m strikers that would be happy to come to Saints? I've seen one or two names, Kalajdzic for example, but does he really see us as a good move? I wonder also if we are actually even shopping at that price level.

His goals and great attacking play helped to keep us up. He fit pretty well as far as I could see. He gave a shit side an actual attacking threat. What What's your alternative options? He ain't coming here. His goodbye message told me that. But I think he could become something pretty damn good.

I honestly thought he looked pretty decent in the euros. Never seen him before or since though. Is he actually worse than either of our two?

Isn't Winks one of those 'experienced (but not old) prem' players some on here think we need? I don't have an opinion about him. Really can't remember him in any game I've watched. Was he playing at their place when we beat them?