Chez

like or loathe, when the new man comes in will we realistically replace them with better or worse players? If the scouts stay the same then expect more Gasmi/Pulis/Peckard/Robertson/Holmes/Wotton downward sliding tosh.

I'd like to ignore the arguement about Spurs not winning games with Bale in the side, but it is so easy to counter I just cant resist. For starters he was absolutely fantastic at CCC level for us, he tore sides apart. I saw every single one of his games for us and he was head and shoulders above the rest of the team. But, and it is a big but, he actually now plays in hte Premiership and thats just a little tougher opposition every week. You stick Skacel in a Premiership side and see how well he does. He couldn;t get a game for WBA never mind Spurs. And another thing, a sides performance and win ratio is not dictated by one player. If you speak to Spurs fans that go to games you will know that he played fantastically well at left midfield and they thought they had got a gem when he first broke into their side. His form has dropped off (whats that another young player not quite managing to keep his form consistent) and he has struggled a little at left back, but that does nto make him a bad player. As for comparing Bale performances to Skacels in that season, Bale was a left back for starters yet he got up and down the pitch (right to the byeline) all day long doing far more than Skacel. You didn't see him tire after 60 minutes. What you did see was a guy with the ability to beat a man all hands up - has Skacel ever done that??? - deliver top crosses, but also defend stoutly. I do not agree with people who say his defending was poor. I never saw anyone go past him at CCC level. Bale was critical to that side, and wiothout him we created **** all the following season. Skacel was still here I might add but he is such an average player he had no impact. In short Bale is a far far better player than Skacel. Miles better. Returning to Lallana, he was our best outfield player at the start of the season. He was top notch right up to November (this September date you pluck from thjn air is total garbage. If you were at the Reading game on the 22nd November for example you will haev seen him run rings round them). I believe he got a ankle injury in December and quite obviously was carrying it for several weeks whilst still playing. When he returned his fitness levels had dropped and he struggled. We then started playignlong ball hoof ball and he never saw the bloody thing. Yes when we finally got the ball back on the deck about 5 weeks later he still did not perform but I still insist that right midfield is not his best position. He should have played where McGoldrick played. When was the first or last time you saw Hammill chasing back and sliding in for a tackle. Lallana gives you that. Very few ball players offer that side of the game as well. Hammill's had two decent halves. At Scunny and at home to someone I can't remember. You keep saying we need `senior pro's but you need a balance betwen young talent and old heads. Besides you offer no alternatives. I offer you Paul Wotton. Senior and ****e. Lallana is the futue of this club. If we can keep him for ten years and add a few with the same spirit AND half his talent then we might start going up the league. Skacel, pah, apart from argueing with you about his ability (which is fun by the way) I've pretty much put him out of my head. When I look back in ten years time I doubt ther is one thing he did that will stick in my mind. Actually I lie, in my mind he will be remembered for his trick of conning refs that he has been fouled, usually near the corner flag because at that point he has run out of steam and or ideas.

I stand by that. We could have played just about anyone in front of Bale he was that good and we would have been equally dangerous. Bale was the talent in that "partnership". I'm not saying that at all, I'm just trying to point out that just because Skacel "lead the assists" as you have repetitively stated it doesn't mean he had a great season. He crossed a lot of balls and we scored some goals. But he still was not all that IMO. Lallana is decent right now. He is a quality player. The finger of blame for our woeful season can be pointed to these experienced pros that quite frankly showed that experience counts for **** all if you are **** (Wotton, Perry, Holmes, Saga and Skacek). no one on here wants us to slide through the leagues. What a pathetic statement to justify you **** weak arguement. our scouts are amateurs, the Smith, Pekard, Robertson, Wotton, Holmes, Gasmi, Pulis signings proe tha beyond a doubt. I'll stick with Lallana thanks as I think my own judgement of a player is better than our scouts.

You certainly won't find me accusing Skacel of living off past glories. I don't think he was all that in his first season either. Bale was our entire left side in that season. Mind you Skacel did get those wopping 4 goals as you keep on saying (Surman got 7 this season by the way and he has been lambasted from all corners). Oh yes he also put in a few crosses that Jones and Rasiak scored from. Considering he took most free kicks and corners and we had Kenny J turning **** crosses into goals forgive me if I don't read too much into that statistic. Overall Skacel has been a failure in my opinion. We signed him as a creative midfield, but what we got was a slow, unfit, diving, cheating moaner. A professional footballer that is only fit enough to last 60 minutes is a joke. "But in the play off semi he last 120 minutes" yeah with him crying with cramp after about 85 minutes, or was that him cheating again, you never could be sure if he was injured or just getting his breath back. ...you're not writing Lallana off, but you are happy to slate him for failing to find his form after a serious ankle injury - he did coem good in the final few games IMO. You are absolutely right to cover your arse in case the lad improves in only his SECOND full season with the club and just in case in his 22nd year he finds a little more consistency. Lallana is a rare talent, is two footed, has an unbelievable touch, vision and awareness well beyond his years. He gives everything in games and is exactly the sort of player I want to watch at SFC. He is going to be a very good player indeed. Putting wages aside, if there was a choice between the two to play in the hole next season than I'd go for Lallana every time. As for your idea of a mystery senior pro against Lallana I haev to ask what quality senior pro is available on a free on lowish wages that will come here? I'd advice Saints fans to cross their fingers that Lallana and Surman stay because once you start slipping down the league quality players become few and far between.

Surman got 7 this season, he got four last and five the season before.

no one gives the full back a little nudge to allow him to head in at the back post better. To this day no one has ever told me why we brought Stern Lazy John to the club when we had a better player in Rasiak already here. Madness.

fantastic that there are two bids and hopefully the cluib will be saved at what is nearly the 11th hour now, however having read about the disasters at York City, Luton and the near dissaster at Mansfield (name change to Harchester United anyone?) I think I will reserve judgement on these bids and the people placing them. I have a question, is anyone better than no one and whats the worst a new owner can do to the club once he has it?

decent experienced pros like Skacel? I'll stick with Lallana thanks.

£100,000 on John alone. That is a shed load of cash for a club that has zero income until we start selling ST's. Rasiak could cost us another £200,000 in wages before he goes.

I was thinking of cover for James to be honest, but I think the club has had an enquiry already hasn't it? My concern with James is his lack of strength in the air. Having tall fullbacks can help a great deal especially if your midfield and strikers are all short arses (as ours have been). Lancashire might also offer a little more pace and he seemed very assured on the ball (as James is I know). What Lancashire lacks is brute strength - critical when you are marking Adebola etc. If I'm honest I'm more concerned now with Perry at CB that James at fullback. Perrys is a liability IMO.

Stern's and Euell's wages (about 30k a week combined is £3 million over the two years) have probably made all the difference to our financial downfall. We didn't really need to sign either and we certainly couldn't afford either. John and worse still Rasiak will now bleed us dry all summer.

not sure Skacel has played full stop.

Why? Surman is the better player by miles.

I hope so. Whenever he has played he has looked good IMO. He has height, strength, a little pace and a decent touch. He can also bring other players into the game. Play him alongside BWP and we have pace and height - the perfect combination. My only concern would be whether they can score enough goals. Neither has been prolific.

I can't stand Rudi Skacel, I hated the way he dribbled slowly towards the corner flag, stuck his arse into the defender then rolled forwads to get the foul. I am amazed that in three years only one referee spotted this cheating. I also hated how he waltzed around the pitch doing the bare minimum in games. The only time he sprinted was after he had had a shot and knew the crowd would have eyes on him. I hated how he failed to get fit. When playing in midfield he never last beyond 60 minutes...pathetic. I hope we get Mills tied to a contract and I can't wait to see him giving everything in games.

Commingues signed for Cardiff on a free last summer (I suggested him last May on here) from Swindon. He played qute a few games so doubt he will leave to join a L1 side.

Could Lancashire not play at right back? He was too lightweight at centre back but given time and experience he could well turn out to be a fine player (hard to tell with CB's) but for now could he not shuffle to right back (at worst provide cover next season) and learn the game.

broke my back in a serious car crash driving back from midweek Fulham FA cup game. Didn't even get to see the game in the ground as the bastards shut the gates early claiming the ground was full despite it quite obviously being half empty.

Let me state that I have suported McGoldrick on here all season in the face of non stop abuse (of him not me), but despite him having talent, a great first touch and a good footblling brain, McGoldrick is lazy, not as lazy at Stern John, but still lazy. He is not a midfielder and he lacks the genuine pace we need up front. If he left I would be dissapointed as we will no doubt replace with someone worse, but if and its a big IF we got decent money and we spent on young talent then I'd be happy with that.

posted this before but Dany N'Guessan at Lincoln is worth a look in my opinion. Left winger that is out of contract in the summer and not looking to renew. He would command a fee though as he is under 24. Sheff Wednesday have looked at him. The last two left sided players I have recommended have been Matty Taylor when at Luton and Matt Jarvis when at Gillimgham and they both turned out well. Neil Eardley and Chris Taylor at Oldham are worth a look as well. Andy Bishop singed a new long term deal last summer so he would not come cheap. Not so sure he has been all that good this season to be honest. Quite a few pens in his 18 goals.

I still find it amazing that we offered him a 6 month deal having put in two or three of the worst displays I have ever seen in a Saints shirt. Decisions like that sent us down. A drop in leagues won't hurth any player but I still wonder if Smith will actually show any end product. He certainly has pace and can dribble but can he cross or shoot or track back? I've cricified him on here but I think the same as you, maybe, just maybe he can come good. The thing is I'm not sure I trust those that will make that choice.

The 2008/9 Squad 1. Kelvin Davis - if the other big earners **** off then we will be able to afford him. 2. Chris Perry - slow, poor in the air and a weak link IMO. 3. Wayne Thomas - L1 may be about his level. No one will buy him so lets hope so. 4. Marek Saganowski - we'll need goals but we will also need pace and strength up front and he offers nothing. 5. Jan Paul Saeijs - Hopefully no one else has spotted his ability. Massive player for us next seasom if we can get him 6. Michael Svensson - all over 7. Rudi Skacel - a waste of talent, but I won't shed a tear. 8. Bradley Wright-Phillips - We need pace up front, should have played him all season IMO. 9. Gzregorz Rasiak - his wages will bleed us dry so must leave, and quickly. 10. Paul Wotton - Still has 2 years left on his deal. ****. 11. Andrew Surman - Hope we can keep him but agent will get him a move surely? 12. Lee Holmes - Unlikely to have attracted interest due to injury problems. Shame as he is ****. 13. Bart Bialkowski - too many keepers. Time for him to move. 14. Stern John - Out of contract. thank god. Laziest player in the history of SFC. 15. Jason Euell - Out of contract. Will need a pay cut to stay. Hopefully he will. 16. Romain Gasmi - Confirmed his loan will not be made permanent. Returns to France 17. David McGoldrick - Not so sure he has done enough to get a move. He can't play in midfield if we want to do anything next season. 18. - 19. Morgan Schneiderlin - has to learn to tackle or he is not of value to us. 20. Adam Lallana - Must keep him and build the side around him. 21. Jamie Hatch - 22. Simon Gillett - Essential to the team next season but needs creativity in the middle to support him. 23. Lloyd James - poor in the air, and struggles against pace. Much improved and will do well next season. 24. Oliver Lancashire - lightweight and that is a major problem for a centre back 25. - 26. Jake Thomson - lightweight and no where near good enough yet.

in my opinion its all about the quality of player and that is dictated by the quality of the scouting and the amount of money you can spend. Our scouts have unearthed **** like Wotton, Smith, Gasmi, Holmes, Molyneux...and when we have spent it we have wasted it on the likes of Thomas and Skacel,

I keep saying it but Saeijs is THE most important player in the side and essential to any sort of promotion effort.

Schneiderlin can control a ball and pass but hasn't got his socks dirty all season. Wotton hoofs at every opportunity, chases shadows and fouls people. Gee we are spoilt for choice.