Lee On Solent Saint

I don't think that's up for debate, what I am hoping is that Armstrong can develop into a very useful goalscorer for us in his own right.

Absolutely. Got more about him than N'lunduno

I'd be looking at 20m for Vestergaard. Had a decent Euro, actually looked a lot better than he did when playing for us.

Just about every area is a pressing need at the moment.

Same here. Moran first and then Clarke. When you look back over the years that I have been supporting Saints, we've had some superb forwards.

The team seriously need to buck there ideas up

Heart says 15th/16th, head says 18th or worse. If Ings had gone a bit sooner we would have been in a stronger position to take our time with his replacement, can't help feeling we are going to rush this and sign up the first forward who shows an interest. I really don't think the club were expecting Ings to go, they knew there was no top four interest, and were prepared to take Ings word that he would leave only for top four. If anyone is expecting anything less than a relegation battle they are seriously deluded.

How do Bilbao look in comparison to anything we will come across in the league?

It seems like Armstrong has been our primary striking target all summer. We went in with, what was probably a take the piss bid, no that we have a bit "extra" to spend, we seem to be backing away from it. It makes you wonder if actually Armstrong himself as shown no indication that he wants to come here. Maybe he sees Palace or Watford as a better option.

I'm not sure Abraham is all that. Sure he is a decent player, but I don't think he is what we need. Villa were credited with an interest in him, and he even spent time on loan with them, I would have thought they would have been more likely to go for him rather than Ings.

Trouble is the players that were in the 10/15m bracket two seasons ago, are now in the 20/25m bracket now. The vast majority of clubs, both home and aboard cannot sell at those prices anymore unless they are absolutely desperate for the cash. Not knocking the club, but we are shopping at the absolute bargain basement of world football. It can be done, but as others have said our recruitment and scouting needs to be the dogs bollocks.

There's no way Abraham joins us. Even if we had the means to cover the transfer and wages a player like that doesn't join us. We got lucky with Ings, he knew he had to get out of Liverpool to save what was left of his career, that's why we were able to pick him up.

Le Tiss and Virgil. Le Tiss because he was just the best player I have ever seen in a Saints shirt. Van Dyk because he is the complete centre half.

Am not sure if something else has gone on behind the scenes. All seems to have come out of nowhere. Wouldn't be surprised if Saints had put down an ultimatum along the lines of if you haven't committed to us by such a date, the contract offer is withdrawn. Ings suddenly is in a corner, does he take the risk that a big four club comes in for him, whom he must know, haven't shown a shred of interest in him, or does he take the first available offer that is on the table. It's pretty obvious he was never going to sign a new contract with us, his agent would have known if a really big club was interested. The testing himself at a higher level was just a load of bollocks. I believe it's just about the money. He had to move this window, if he got injured and had spells out of the team then that would reduce his options still further. Maybe Saints went even further, with another PEH situation, unlikely given his importance to us, but it's a possibility. Looking at the photo of him holding the Villa shirt up, he doesn't exactly looked thrilled to be doing that. I think he expected a top four club to come in for him. He's obviously said all the right things about Vllla having ambition etc, but I firmly believe they won't break into the top 8 whilst Smith is in charge.

Are Brighton turning into the new Pompey?!

I get what you are saying. Pretty baffling to me that we would let this one go. Ralph obviously wanted the lad, we've tried to get him for the past three windows. I don't agree with paying loan fees, but sometimes you have to suck it up. Not saying the lad is a world beater, but better to have him playing than the sheer lunacy that is Moussa at left back.

This comes up every transfer window now. He's no different than Lemina

Partnerships? These players have been playing together more or less since Ralph came in. Ings and Adams have a effective partnership, likewise JWP and Romeou. Jan and Vest had pretty much spent most of the season as a pair too. The players and Ralph will all know each other's game. Ralph will know his best time, I mean we all know our best team, the starting eleven virtually picks itself. The only real area you could say where that's different is the shitshow the keepers have become.

I agree. If City are willing to pay 100m for Grealish, then why should we just roll over and accept anything less than 45m? Of course JWP and Grealish are different types of player, but the fact we are looking at is their value to the respective clubs. Grealish is Villa's main man, and in many respects JWP is our main man. If other clubs want main players from other teams, then the buying club should expect to pay over the odds. We sold Mane short, we simply cannot afford to make the same mistake with JWP.

Yep. Agree. Although, I have been impressed with him in the two friendly games. No doubting there is a player there, just shouldn't be at left back.

For fuck's sake, it's a pre-season friendly. These games are just about fitness and maybe trying a few things out that you couldn't do in a Premier League game. Not sure how you got to that assessment of Perraud after he's played what probably equates to one whole game in minutes.

Can anyone remember the last time we turned down a bid for a "star player" and him actually staying?

Which often translates to add an extra 10m to that figure and we'll start talking

Exactly. Think currently I would worry if we lost him more so than JWP

Just thirty five years of supporting Saints