Chez

to a degree that we might have problems going forward?

is that true? I thought they increased significantly due to the rise in TV money?

Reeves made 3 sub appearances in PL Chaplow made 3 sub appearances

I agree. Once we had Cork and Shaw providing them with suitable protection they looked reasonably assured. I certainly have no problems with them as backup. It's Yoshida as first choice the is of greater concern as I don't think he's any better than Fonte.

Arsenal signed just three last summer (Podolski, Carzorla and Giroud) plus a 17 year old youth team player from Barnsley

Spot on pricing. If only every club charged us that including our own.

At least BWP chased the countless useless hoofs our midfield made to no one until he got tired. McGoaldraught hardly moved from a ten yard patch just past the half way line. The laziest player I have ever seen, including Stern John (just).

bring back Chamberlain. The best corner taker we have ever had.

Glad to hear Lovren is a ball winner. Yoshida is very average in the air so he sounds an ideal foil. Sharp is a middle of the road championship player, no more no less. Putting to one side what a nice guy he might be and concentrating purely on what he does on the pitch, he is crap in the air, the slowest non big man I've ever seen, has an average touch for a forward player, has no trick, doesn't dribble or hold the ball up all terribly well or link the play. He does have a good strikers instinct, gets in good positions and isn't a bad finisher, although he's more of a tap in merchant than a scorer of worldies. He did a good job at our place, his 9 goals were certainly handy, four of them (Doncaster and Peterborough) match winning, but if he was anything more than a mid table championship player Forrest would have snapped him up by now. He couldn't get in their side once Davies came back, with him preferring a Simon Cox/Hendersen partnership.

We argued all season abotu Jos, so I won't go over that old ground, but how do you rate Yoshida? Way overated on here for me, but I was very much in the minority that didn't rate his performances last season. Has anyone seen Lovren yet? Is he someone that dminates in the air? If not the partnership of him and Yoshida fills me with dread. With regards to OP, a striker would be high on the agenda of Mayuka is not going to get ay game time. Lee and Sharp are not even top championship class.

I would agree that it's almost impossible to play both in the same side. I can't recall it ever working. What a fantastic situation we are in though to have those two competing for a place. Now that is what I call a squad. Not sure he is wasted out wide. I always thought he was made for in the hole and his display at Reading four or five years ago justified that. He was unbelievable that day. However he has been very effective out wide giving us great balance. We certainly missed him when he wasn't in the side. he hasn't ever seemed to do quite enough damage to play in that off the striker role. He's better roaming in from out wide. I think he is still OK to play left side especially now Shaw is in the side as we are less exposed when Lallana has gone .

**** me if you want someone with a powerful shot then Dyer's you man. I've often thought he was the next Tony Yeboah. Sadly the little **** can't kick a ball more than about 15 yards. He's lightweight and I massively overrated. Seriously, would anyone on here swap those two players?

Very good observation. The link up play between these two is always seamless. Lallana is a class act. I don't think I've seen a player control the ball on the run as well as him ever at Saints. For me he just lacks a yard of pace, which means he can't go past a player quite as easily as someone with pace, and he struggles to stay with a pacey overlapping fullback every now and then. I think he more than makes up for that in tricks and skills and much improved work rate. These are the things I want to be watching when paying god knows how much for a season ticket. Hey, but the fella doesn't have a powerful shot, so lets start getting on his back (as we seem to have very few poor players these days) and maybe look to get rid ASAP.

It will be interesting to see how he goes in the Championship.

perhaps their new owner with his reported $1-2bn fortune might turn their fortunes round.

we seem to be running out of whiping boys

Scott McDonald, Wayne Bridge, James Beattie, Jelle van Damme, Peter Crouch, Mikael Nilsson, Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale, Marek Saganowski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

I thought Heinze was a left back by trade? Anyway I'd argue that when United played O'Shea at fullback he was absolutely woeful there and a massive weak link. Perhaps how poor he was didn't hurt United because they had Ferdidand, Vidic, Rooney.... Perhaps this has more to do with the type and quality of player. Wes Brown for example is pacey and far from unsuited to playing at fullback.

I first saw Naughton against us when he played for Sheff United and he was head and shoulders above the rest. Not seen a lot of him since the move to Spurs. How was he at Norwich? Surprised they didn't sign him.

people would and have argued that Yoshida can do a job there. I'd argue he can't.

the idea of putting a centre back at full back fills me with dread. By and large it doesn't work IMO (Stoke game apart). Maybe for a one off game, but if Clyne gets injured we might need someone that can play 15-20 games. Sam Byram perhaps?

where is trousers and his bill murray photo when you need it?

Rickie Lambert was signed on the 11th August. Just sayin like.

good spot. With some players you can see straight away that they have `it'. Whether they develop is another matter, but why Saints fans want rid of genuine talent before it has been given time to blossom is beyond me.

He single handidly won Villa at home