Patches O Houlihan

It was you who used it. Road sweepers and violinists was what Lawrie Mac used to refer to. You need both.

BBC iPlayer Link to last night's highlights. Watch from 38m30s - Analysis of how the disciplined Spanish midfield trio operate. Rodri sits, but when he comes forward one of Pedri or Ruis covers for him. Rodri is playing the 'water carrier' Rice role. You remember - the crucial 6 role in most teams. The one played by Lavia and Flynn Downes - and notably when they didn't play we would usually get humped.

So Palmer & Bellingham who have had free roles up to now are suddenly going to offer you the discipline of the Spanish midfield three. Bellingham is going to play as a 6 and not a 10? As an attacking right wing back you'd chose Walker, rather than have Walker play as RCB and have TAA outside him? Who's playing as the target man and who is the support striker in your team? Dunk and Saka are first choice defenders in your plan.

Are you smoking crack?! That midfield!

RM did try to sign him to Swansea, and they describe a player with his head on straight. He's just played the season of his life and not been picked for the Euros because of the standard of the league he's playing in (and also potentially because he's too creative and too young for the Danish manager) If I were him I'd want to continue that run of form and join a team where I would play more often than not. He's 23 so likely another big move before he hits 27/28. I'd say we are favourites if we have £20m + add ons available

Reading their forums its VVD / Wanyama level

Yes - that's why I quoted the article. More Celtic fan forum discussion here. Apparently he won man of the match in a Champions League game playing as a 6. So he has proper defensive midfield ability too.

Links to London might give us the edge over Atletico Madrid or Roma (?!!)

Matt O’Riley speaking in Sept 2022: “Russell Martin is the one who I am still in contact with the most. He was a big influence on me at MK. He's the first manager to really understand me as a player and more importantly as a person.” Full article worth a read Celtic Fan Forum MoR thread - discussion about Saints & Denmark squad

In the event of a crush anyone who ends up on the ground by the gate can roll under to safety?

We could be playing Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, Ukraine or Netherlands.

There are four other teams we might play - its not guaranteed to be the cloggists

This team is surely improved with Gordon & Shaw on the left so that we have some genuine options (🤞). Everyone knows to gang up on Saka & Bellingham. They know Kane is safe to leave on the ball provided he is outside the area (ie most of the time) Can Cole Palmer play on the left? I really haven't seen him play

The source doesn't fill me with confidence when the article refers to Rasmus as our Director of Football...

That's a great article, and particularly the comments reading with hindsight. 😁 Reads like SaintWeb did for most of the last 10 months! Came out the morning of the home game against Leeds when we put 3 past them and started the 25 game unbeaten run.

There is nothing I would like more than to sign a statement striker. But unfortunately it takes more than just money - Unless you have wheelbarrows full, which FFP won't allow us. Remember what happened with Cody Gakpo. We'll be the 'smallest/least sexy' of 5 clubs in the running and we'll loose out. (Either that or we're reliant on the mentalist religious nut we're signing scoring the correct number of goals in the game where god gives him a sign 😔 🙄 😆) Unfortunately the chances of us pulling another Potters Heron seem unlikely

I completely get this train of thought. However it was easier to persuade Che & Arma to come to Saints than it will be to get your average consistent PL striker down here. (Callum Wilson is possibly an easier one because having been at Bournemouth he may well still have some ties here?)

Japan national team defender Sugawara Yusei is most likely to transfer to Southampton, another Moriyasu Japan player to join the world's strongest league [ June 24, 2024 03:00] It was revealed on the 23rd that Southampton, which has decided to return to the English Premier League after one year, is the most likely destination for Japanese national team defender Sugawara Yusei (23) of Dutch first division AZ Alkmaar. According to sources, Southampton highly values Sugawara, who has a proven track record in Europe. With one year left on his contract with AZ, the two clubs have been negotiating the transfer fee behind the scenes, and if an agreement is reached, the transfer is likely to be completed. 　Sugawara signed with AZ in June 2020 at the age of 19, and has continued to grow with each passing season. In his fifth season in 2023-2024, he made a leap as an offensive right back, scoring a career-high four goals. He has also established himself as a member of the Japanese national team, and has attracted attention from several European clubs, including Serie A's prestigious Inter Milan. 　In the past, Southampton has had former Japanese national team defender Yoshida (LA Galaxy) and midfielder Minamino (Monaco) on its roster. Most recently, forward Takaoka Reiha (17) from Nichisho Gakuen (Miyazaki) has just been confirmed to join the team. In 2023-2024, the team was relegated to the second division for the first time in 12 seasons, but after a playoff, they were able to return to the first division in just one year. 　AZ has already acquired defender Maikuma Akiya (26) from Cerezo Osaka in preparation for the departure of Sugawara. If Sugawara joins Southampton, he will join Endo, Tomiyasu, Mitoma and Kamada on the pitch of the world's strongest league next season. 　◇ Sugawara Yukinari Born June 28, 2000, 23 years old, from Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture. A product of Nagoya's youth academy, he started in the opening match of 2018 at the age of 17 years, 7 months and 27 days, the second youngest player in J1 history at the time. He moved to AZ Alkmaar on loan in July 2019, and made a permanent transfer in July 2020 on a five-year contract. He made his debut for the Japanese national team in October 2020 against Cameroon. He has scored one goal in 13 international A matches. He is 179 cm tall and weighs 69 kg. He is right-footed. The above is stuck through google translate. Gives some useful extra detail - 2nd youngest ever J1 player & 13 caps for Japan 👍

This was my view at Wembley for the playoff final. My first time watching dead on the centreline, at height behind the goal. You're right that it gives you a better view of the tactics on display. It certainly added to what was already going to be my best ever football experience.

Yoshida did, yes. Maybe he gave Saints a heads up?

Sugawara does look like a classic Saints signing with some potential benefits: Unsexy nationality & league = good value Coming into his peak years Japanese culture suggests a head down, work hard mentality (just like KWP & Yoshida) Seems to like a raised cross more than KWP - might suit Ross Stewart? He looks great in the videos; but there does seem to be quite a reliance on slide tackles and we know PGMOL in their attempts to destroy the game are coming down harder on them... Would love for KWP to re-sign, but if we were replacing him this guy could put a smile on our faces

Probably - but he'd still be pissed off!

Did you watch Che and Danny play together?! They worked well as a pair because their games contrasted so much! Signing Danny so Che can be support striker might encourage him to resign. Might piss Arma off though

How Brentford's Moneyball Approach Works

Lockdown interview when Ghoddos joined Brentford (Sept 2020) Number 10 apparently his favourite position, and good from long range. Maybe he really is the Iranian Joe Rothwell https://griffinpark.org/forums/threads/saman-ghoddos.134246/page-58 Brentford fans thoughts this time last year when he was out of contract and left to get married. He was resigned by them for a year.