labibs

Looks like John Terry may be leaving Chelsea, why don't we put a bid in for him as well? He's at a prem club that has just qualified for European competition and he is probably on wages of around £15-20k p/w. Why would he want to come and play in League 1?

I think Rasiak is a decent player and will still score goals, but you need to play to his strengths. He's not really a target man and he doesn't have much pace. But if you put someone along side him to do some running and stretch the defence a bit, he will convert chances. Play-off season he had Surman putting in balls from the right and Skacel from the left and he was doing well. I was at the game on Saturday and that was arguably the most defensive team I have ever seen saints put out. Three holding players in the middle, a left back on the left wing and Lallana stuck out wide. No way was Rasiak going to have a chance with that kind of formation.

Think he's playing for Barnsley in the CCC. Unlikely to drop down a division. Agree he would be a great signing for us though. Why do people mention the likes of Camara? I'm not sure he would even consider the Championship, let alone league 1! A bit more realism needed perhaps.

Couldn't agree more. I'd run around all day if you wanted to pay me a couple of grand a week...

It is a worry though. The last two seasons have been thrown away on not having a decent season and getting off to a slow start (Burley was still claiming his team needed time to gel at bloody christmas in the play-off season!). Say we appoint someone for the QPR game. They only have a month to get players in before the deadline and it amy take a month to get a team together and playing well after that. How many matches have we got in the 1st 2 months of the season? 10? That's 30 points right there, plus the 10 points we are already deducted. We'll do well to get a solid season of consolidation out of a start like that, let alone the promotion push that some on here are predicting.

Coming back from Cardiff for the game Saturday. I agree, it's more about a chance to go the footy with your mates, having a few beers in town first, welcome Markus to the club etc. We'll almost certainly lose, but as long as it isn't a complete embarrassment, I can't wait.

I would love to know what kind of wages he managed to secure down there. As I have said about before, he does have talent, just seemed to lack the attitude to apply himself and get the best out of his career. Far too happy to take the money and go out on the lash. Maybe a new start will bring out the best in him, but I can't see him setting the world alight. He would have done well in this league, but I don't feel we were ever going to see the best of him, given all that has gone on during his time here. Time to forget about him and move on to other targets

It's fair enough, although it does mean that we are almost certain to get a tonking on Sat. I remember the Lazio game in pre-season before Burley's last year. That was horrible.

I agree completely. I think he does have talent, he just doesn't seem to want to knuckle down and make the best of himself. Thing is, he'll probably be able to get a decent career as a CCC striker, based purely on his name, so if no-one pushes him to do any more, what do you expect?

Rumours are that Cardiff may go in for him if they lose Ledley. Can't see him agreeing to play in league 1, or us being able to afford his wages. Would prefer us to go from some hungry players with something to prove rather than older players looking for a big contract. That's what got us into this mess.

I think Lallana is a quality player, his touch and close control was clearly better than most last year (IMO). He is a bit weak and lacks some of the physical attributes (pace, upper body strength) to be truly top class at the minute. He reminds me a bit of an exceptionally poor man's Alex Hleb... I do think that with the right coaching he could go on to be a very decent prem player, but he does need the right attitude and the right people around him. If he doesn't want to stay, then I would a bid for him, provided it wasn't completely outrageous (rumoured that Wolves bid £500k, far too low in my book) and it came with a sizeable sell on fee. Should Adam want to stay, then I would hope that he would be fully committed to the cause and work hard to improve himself and that we can back him and play him in the right position

I would imagine Lita would want massive wages as well.Awarding massive contracts to players is what got us in to this mess and the one thing I really, really want the club to move away from now. He's far, far too good for league 1. Beckford is on the list as he wants to play for a club in a higher league. Cannot see him coming here.

I would be massively surprised to see England win the series 5-0! I'm getting really worried by the weather here in Cardiff. It's filthy today and not looking good for the rest of the week. I've got a feeling we could see rain-hit draw in the 1st test, a test which many are saying represent England's best chance of a test win...

Massively looking forward to this now. I agree a lot depends on Strauss and Cook. If they go early, it puts a lot of pressure of Bopara and KP to stay in and 'score ugly', stifling their natural game (particularly KP). I'm slightly concerned about Prior's keeping, I have a horrible image of him dropping Ponting on say 15 and him going on to make 150+... It's been raining pretty heavily here in Cardiff for the last few days, plus it bucketed down this morning. I know they are talking up the drainage system at Sofia Gardens, but I don't think the pitch will be the spinner's paradise that people have been talking it up as. For that reason, I agree that Onions should get the nod ahead of Monty. I think England will win the 1st test and hopefully the series, but it'll be tight. I'm worried about our ability to consistently take 20 wickets, so I think there could be a few draws. Massively looking forward to it now!

I think Thomas is a decent centre back and I agree he would be very good by league 1 standard. However, if he is on the reported 8k p/w, that would undoubtedly make him one of the higest paid players in the league (probably only behind the likes of Rasiak and Saga...). I don't think we can justify spending that amount of cash on a 'decent' centreback. You could prob get a decent prem youngster on loan for very small wages who could do the same job (Leicester had Jack Hobbs all last year). Obviously we may get to a situation where due to Burley's profligacy, no other club will pay his wages and we'll be forced to keep him for the year, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave on loan or even a free. Definitely another example of Burley's crazy spending coming back to haunt us.

Friend of mine is a Bristol City fan and he reckons he was very poor last year. He wasn't getting anywhere near their first team by the end of the season. I would definitely take him back, but only for a very low basic wage and the rest in incentives (goals, games, promotion etc). Certainly nothing even approaching the contract he had before. How old is he now, 33?

I think Pompey will struggle if their takeover doesn't go through soon. They've lost Johnson and Campbell looks set to go. Clubs are sniffing around Distin and James was pretty poor last season. If Crouch leaves, they don't really have any truly class players left and the dour Paul Hart as manager...

Presuming that Both Rasiak and Saganowski will leave, surely we can't go through the whole season with just paterson and white up front? We'd have to try and get a player with some height and power to play as a target man, probably on loan.

My first ever game at the Dell, beat Ipswich 4-3 towards the end of the 92-93 season. Le Tiss got the winner right at the end. Loved Saints ever since.

I remember a match against Leeds around the turn of the century I think, we lost 1-0 (think Bowyer scored right at the death) Ferdinand absolutely dominated our attack without breaking a sweat. Just seemed to glide through the game and never looked troubled. Always stuck with me that performance, obviously he's gone on to fulfil his potential since then.

Schneiderlin is still away with young france team isn't he? McClaggon is definitely still out injured, won't be back until November time I think. I wonder if the likes of Boyle will get a run out on Sat?

Great thread! I would go with Forecast James - Perry - Lancashire - Mills Lallana - Gillett - Wotton - Holmes Paterson - Rasiak Is Wotton fit? Maybe a shade ambitious with Rasiak and Lallana.

Surely Gillet is out longest serving player though? He came up through the youth ranks didn't he? He's been here for years. Fair play to Surman, he would have got a nice contract and a chance to sit on the bench in the prem. He is a decent player, I think he struggled as he never really established himself in a position, he's too lightweight for centre-mid and lacks the pace of a true winger. Arguably his best form came on the right side of midfield under Burley.

So DMG is gone, Rasiak and Saga won't fancy league 1 and will probably loaned out to cover their wages and BWP and Euell are out of contract. Am I right in thinking that the only strikers we actually have at the club under contract are Paterson and White? What happens if they both get injured? Holmes up top on his own?

Don't think he can be faulted for this move. He could be on around 10k a week at West Ham, prob on a 3 year contract, and moving on a Bosman would likely secure him a decent signing on fee. He'll be back up to Green, but Green may want to move on sometime soon. As backup it enables him to look into doing some coaching badges if he was that way inclined. Alternatively, he can sit here and maybe get a contract for a 2k p/w in league 1, playing for a team that may well be battling relegation, given the ill-prepared nature of the squad, impending fire-sale and points penalty. Fair play to the man, I just hope that one of either Bialkowski or Forecast is capable of stepping up to the plate.