TWar

I was impressed by Redders tbh but it very much seems like his best games are up top, including today. Theo was dreadful today imo, we need someone quality opposite Armstrong.

Yeah I think Salisu Vestergaard will be the future of our defence if we can retain Vest. KWP had a bad game, way way off his normal standard, but tbh not that bothered by that. The lad is proper proper quality and everyone has off games. Normally one of the most reliable players in our side.

Same people knee-jerking after 20 minutes of poor football are the people who were knee-jerking after 12 or so bad games. Maybe some people need to see the bigger picture better. Safe now, put everything into the FA cup.

Showed character to turn it around after two mistakes. Clever substitution to bring on Salisu who won a few important headers. Significantly better side and are now safe. Wonder how long this will shut up the "Ralph out" mugs for. Give it maybe a couple of hours.

Deserved win, played well, two goals from dodgy mistakes which is a slight concern but over all happy.

Maybe Adams needs resting having played three times and started twice in the last 7 days. Still surprised not to see him. JWP fit is good but means we will have to wait a bit longer to see Jankewitz get another shot.

I love Ings as much as any saints fan does but he's not wrong. City are being linked to Haaland, Kane, and Lukaku, Ings is definitely a few levels down. Ings is europa league pushing CL quality, City are arguably the best team in world football.

https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport/football/transfer-news/danny-ings-manchester-city-transfer-5258011 Ralphs comments on this seems to be that he will only go to a big club, but if a big club come in for him we'd struggle to say no. Also seems to imply at the end that he's not good enough for City. I think there is still a chance he stays but if a big chain of transfers takes place I could see him replacing Kane at spurs and them reinvesting most of the Kane money elsewhere in their team with a new CB pairing and keeper wanted.

Still will be good for his confidence. Strikers thrive off momentum and that will build it. Alongside the fact he is on a mini-hot streak in the league. Got to start for me.

Che has scored in each of our last three league games and has just got a goal and an assist in two starts for his country. He shouldn't be dropped when in this form. If he's fit, he must play imo.

Fitness related issue got him sent home from international duty. It is some indication. I agree he is probably fine but he could be rested or benched to allow him to return to full steam.

Ward-Prowse potentially injured, Romeu injured, Armstrong just come back from international and may need resting, and Jankewitz just had a great couple of games. Stars might be aligning for him to start.

I think he often fails to find the corners though. Has very much improved of late though.

https://streamja.com/6B31a Here it is, beauty. Bit of skill to make space on the turn and lashes it in from 22 yards out or so.

Che with an absolute belter. Fantastic goal.

Moments after I posted he was still on the pitch. Always the way. Either way atleast it protects him from injury

Andre Marriner reffing, John Moss on VAR

Japan are battering Mongolia 7-0. Minimino got the opener, still on the pitch.

Difficult selection dilemma for this one in attacking mid. With Ings fit and Adams on form surely those two will start up top but Walcott also back, Redmond and Djenepo coming off the back of a very good game at Bournemouth, and Armstrong being our best attacking mid it leads to a tricky choice and that's not even mentioning Minimino. Personally I'd play Armstrong and Djenepo against Burnley as I think the pace and directness will be important against defensive playstyle. Maybe Redmond in for Djenepo but I like that Djenepo is better against the ball which should help us recycle it quickly. Rest of the team picks itself really.

Yeah that's probably where the main disparity lies. I think Ely for 8m is realistic but the others are definitely on the high side. As an aside I saw that Barry Fry (former manager of Peterborough or something) has said we will ask for £100m for Ings! So hopefully he is right and that can fund the whole endeavour 😂 I personally can't really get a grasp on Ings, on one hand he was the 5th best goal scorer in europe last season (not inc. pens) but on the other hand his contract has run down and has had a lot of injuries. I expect £30m personally but if he goes for £20m or £40m I don't think I'd be shocked, it is such a hard thing to predict. Hopefully a bidding war can drive the value up a bit.

I didn't realise that for Gunn. Thats a shame, he was a reasonable keeper at championship level and is still pretty young. Would have thought we could get £5m atleast. Maybe we are wanting to give him more of a chance. And yeah, I actually do think that we might want Fulham to drop given Lemina. He has actually looked pretty handy recently and has benched Anguissa a lot who also looked good. He isn't a world beater but at his age after a season like this I expect we can get more than the £4m we agreed. Not a lot more but maybe closer to £8-10m.

Atleast we aren't playing 3atb as well as two defensive mids like we usually do. Southgate is so boring.

Yeah, realistic summer without investment will be Ings, Vestergaard, and Bertrand out. Dead wood retained as we can't shift them. Young striker from belgium league or something in and a chase for a high profile attacking mid going right to the last day and then missing out and the club apologising and saying we tried. But maybe this summer we finally shift Gao and can do what teams like Villa and West Ham do. The annoying thing is that what I suggested is 6 players in for just over £100m, if we flog Ings and Vestergaard for good money this should be very doable, but it won't be. We will pocket most of the money from the two and then try and sign some young unproven players to step up.

Ideal summer Shift: Ings (30m) Vestergaard (30m) Gunn (5m) Forster (7m) (I think Celtic might pay this, they seemed to really want him) Elyounoussi (8m) Lemina (8m) Hoedt/Sims/Valery/Volkins/Obafemi (10-15m combined maybe, probably have to pay Hoedt off like Carrillo) Bring in: Abraham (40m) de Frutos/Brooks/competent AM (£20m) Minimino (8m) Quality LB (20m) Young CB who can cover at FB, like Tanganga (10m) Quality Keeper like Dubravka/Johnstone (15m) Net spend would be about £20-25m out. Maybe unlikely but you can dream

Yeah the guy is nuts but I think they turned down £40m from Arsenal recently so probably a little beyond us.