gio1saints

There was one giveaway during the 2nd part that revealed something I suspect he did not want to giveaway. His whole demeanour adjusted when talking about bringing in a quality player who (loosely paraphrasing) likely knew what it takes to play in the championship / (inference probably that they had already done so). That body adjustment / demeanour change which also came with a micro second of introspective thought Usually means “ oops that’s a leak “ in body language terms. Remember he’s trying not to give the game away on transfer targets but to appear open and forthcoming at same time. That’s not startling news because both Benson and Brookes tick that box for Burnley and Bournemouth respectively but there are one or two others that do fall into that category - Carvalho of course we missed but there’s an ex Sunderland player at Man yoo and one or two others similar but not quite as fitting the “ quality” standard that RM says is vital potentially also on radar or even standby. Also RM strongly Suggested it’s not gonna be another green back like Joe O’Brian but potentially somebody ( by inference) not phased at having to fight v established experienced player / internationals for that starting slot. Just my observations / impressions from his words and how he said them body posture his breathing & colouration , gestures etc.

Coalporter rowing club? I thought it was free or time restricted parking in that under bridge kind of area ? I saw they’d blocked off the space near the ( open on match days, fairly rough but authentic clubhouse bar) with some cars at the last match but hitherto it’s had free spaces as long as yiu are there early. After 1.30 -2pm forget it. Disadvantage of paying a tenner to park at the various unofficial places nearer stadium is that with all our sell outs it’s usually going to take ages to get away. Unless you leave with five to go ( which is more like ten with injury time -BOOO!) If you are willing to watch us score our usual injury time goals, wish to give three cheers to the team at match end etc and don’t mind having a little walk post match you can avoid the frustration of just sitting in traffic ten minutes, save that tenner, get your 10k steps under your belt and probably get home quicker by parking a little further out.

Yep sorry. More like 22-25mins.

Free Park in and around Junction Inn, nr St Denys station - a pleasant water facing walk via The Itchen walkway leads you straight to SMS. That’s also 25 minutes but it’s quite a social one as it’s 99% Saints fans.

Spoiler alert : Do not read below if you wish to know who did it. ❌ PS it was not the Butler. But it was close. ……..;It’s possible this clue alludes to EManuel Benson, and the analysis is moderately compelling though not absolute. I dare say one could make a case for any number of applicants for this positional vacancy out of the pic - there’s also a nice reference to St. James Park in there if you look close and if anyone is actually bothered that is as that’s not the point of this entertaining smoke and mirrors fun. 100% transfer info records - like 19 games unbeaten records - are not to be taken for granted and sullied by wild google searches etc. I can get you in touch with a bloke for “ aBienvenu Manuel” flag if you need as he’s getting a nice stream of biz from me whst with the Polish Jan and Scottish Stu flags plus “ Saints are 20 match unbeaten record breakers” 85ft foot long mega banner me and all my volunteer chums are unfolding after full time later today. 🤥 But Maybe it’s Amed Diallo after all. Or Mason Mount. 😂

Bitterne Br station or nearby. 22m walk from there.

Westminster Abbey ✅

With saints supporters like you who needs opponents.

Thanks Whitey. Agreed Kinks were well ahead of their time in so many ways. Bit like MLT in his prime. The world by and large didn’t “get him” so he just got left out of the England squads. Think I might try get myself to one of these (or more) gigs. Went Oslo for Bruce again recently and hoping to see him again this year Europe or who knows , feck it , the States. Rare Talent must be appreciated whilst we have them around. ( and are around ourselves!)

Both Jan and Stu are on the cusp of 200 appearances for Saints. This is a major milestone. If my research is correct, Jan is currently on 197 and Stu is on 196. Both are well short of our all time appearances players but if both remain fit and playing this time next season they could make the Saints first 11 all time for EPL and Championship (or Div 1&2) - if I understand correctly. Corrections humbly accepted. Which enters at least Saints Hall of Fame category if not “Legends”. A Polish flag from the international team with “congratulations on 200 matches for Saints Jan “ written in Polish, and ditto a Scottish international flag saying “ congratulations on 200 matches Stu” written in Scottish dialect might be a cool thing to get created and display perhaps present to them after the respective matches?

No. im sry v WBA. My mistake. But you knew that I’m sure. 🤡

I meant get to SMS.

It’s a historic fixture. One day, 🤞, all 30k saints fans will be able to say they were there the day that an unbeaten league games record was matched. If you ain’t got a ticket then, frankly, you need to get off your backside and do what it takes to get one pay whatever is required to get in and be there. History can be made and no saints fan should miss it.

Yes Injury prone, yes not playing much but also yes he is still registered to Saints and will be back next season unless sold or loaned out again. He gets fitness back and a decent run of games the last half of season it’s like a new signing at CB.

Celtic are keen on this guy. A pacy winger highly regarded at Austria Vienna. Left footer. £3m gets him apparently. Unlikely to be on much wages either. Cheap alternate option to the GB based winger options we linked with? We would usually buy this guy from Celtic next season for £8m so why not get him now before he gets more expensive?😂

Man of the Match his last full game suggests otherwise in this league. His standard transfer fee and standard wages demanded would rule him out for sure- but his suitability for the squad- no- he’s suitable and a useful squad asset being able to play at CB or FB so in this league that’s not really up for debate. What happens if we go up is another story. It’s unlikely THB, Jan or JS would leave if we go up - and possible Saints might consider keeping the same four in the EPL including Mason. Big Mistake imo. Of those four only THB is top EPL class, imo. JS and Beds I love them to bits but they would not be top top cb’s in the EPL. Maybe good enough for bottom ten clubs at best. Which, hate to say it, is probably gonna be our level- if we do well. Mason, if repeating his mom form and ironing out his silly mistakes potentially may be the same but probability suggests not. Says to me if we go up Saints will look to get at least one top top CB prospect or half finished one. We do have a possible coming back from overseas loan…😉* *ABK - though he does not start for them he’s getting the experience in a team thats best in the Eredisivie and in a ridiculous unbeaten league run so it’s hardly surprising he’s not breaking in. They smash teams every week.. Current transfermkt value €19M - which is more than what we paid (€11m) so objectively the markets says he’s improving…might be the potentially great new Cb without a fee for us - or his sale may fund a replacement.

God I actually agree with both you are saying. The Kinks are so badly underrated but they massively inspired The Jam ( and so many others ) - two of my favourite bands. But I’ve got a heavy cold plus injured my calf reffing on Sunday so I’m obviously not 100%. Both excellent song choices. Only problem is, of course, - and frankly I am rather surprised that neither of you picked this up - but there is absolutely NO reference to Pompey in either song. Despite that, if DB joins and performs a half decent pass ( better yet a goal) I will be solo starting “ I wish I could be like David Brooke’s” from Block 41…..😇😁

Why just leave it at that cheery possibility? 11 goals in 46 games is not rubbish but you’re making it sound so. If you are looking to put the fear of God in to give Russ and Saints that little bit of extra “motivation” so obviously needed to ensure it’s promotion we get not just some “almost did it just lost in the playoffs “ rubbish why not go full catastrophe mode? Surely you should up the ante?😁 If we’re talking what happens ( for definite mothers life 100% gods honest not gonna lie to you) if we fail to get promoted why not add in that we will lose all not just some of our good players. Relegation to League one season after next a real prospect, humiliation in the derby when we get stuffed by Pompey a stone wall guarantee - Oh and that season tickets will cost more, concessions beers will cost more, and away fans will sing “ we’re just a small club in Portsmouth” to us. And we will only be able to dream about having a French u21 international in our team then. Not that Russ will mind- Russ gets sacked off rest of his contract and pockets a 7 figure sum either way so that’s a real bummer for him I’m sure. And it will all be his own fault too. 😃 That shyster. 😎. Why oh why couldn’t he have listened and dumped sekou when he had the chance and bought another proven goal scorer from Scotland or other top top league not kept faith with that Mara nil points. Beats me. Someone should write a stiff letter to the Board. I’m sure they are oblivious to this, the idiots! 😆

Almost as if, in training, the winger is told to….get to the byline….and cut it back for ( insert advanced midfielder often Will Smallbone?? ) rather than what many of us recall as the standard put it on a plate for a half decent CF roll it across the six yard box with a more horizontal pass. If I remember correctly Sekou scored recently by gambling at the back post from a Ryan Fraser cross expertly placed for him to slide it into the net. It’s possible Ryan was given a rollicking for not cutting it back correctly as per training instead of placing it there.😂 Could it be that because we haven’t had a half decent CF for so long the team has forgotten that pass is usually a rewarding place to put the ball? And Sekou was acting on instinct to be there not holding back his run so he could be on edge of the penalty box?🤣🤣🤣

SFC to other team/ striker / agent “ we’d like to take xyz on loan for 6 months” We can match his salary or go halfsies if he’s a big shot. Perhaps even lob you a negotiable fee if you get this over the line. Agent to SFC : “ will he play?” SFC to OT/S/A : “ only if Che leaves to be honest “ Agent to SFC : “ so is Che leaving then?” SFC to OT/S/A : ” we do not know yet. Maybe. It might be a last minute thing. Agent to SFC “Yeah, gotcha, whatever, maybe, hear from you at 10pm on final day of the window then. Bye. Click…,

Did you see the recent RM article about this? The one where he said we’d be mad to let Sekou go out on loan right now?

We’ve seen by the arguments above that it is a gamble either way with Che. Nobody has so far been able to accurately identify the stakes of the gamble or its constituent parts though -so here’s my attempt to at least sort them into two groups - Che intangibles and Che tangibles 1. Che Intangibles : Che’s presence in the squad ensures competition for forward starting places is high, driving standards up. Would a new striker have that same presence straight away? How long? Che’s experience of PB football under RM is high (there’s no time lag to learning it). How long would it take a new forward to match that playbook knowledge? 5-10 matches? 15? Does he start in that time if he does not know the playbook yet? Play off the bench? Che is physically fit, in form and immediately available. You’ve got to assume following the RS situation that the replacement is 100% fit - but in form and immediately ready and desirable he plays- as above it’s unlikely. Che is a respected professional, liked in the squad by players and management. Settled at SMS. Hopefully any new loanee comes is character checked accordingly. It takes time to settle in a new city. Sekou is also liked & respected. New loanee comes in does he take Sekous ‘ chances of playing away? Will he settle? Impact of that on SM and squad togetherness/ morale - and ultimately results? The closer to end of contract Che gets the more worrying & costly an injury could be to his entire future, his hopes & plans for himself ( and family if he has one) and ultimately career. All of which risk negative impact on his match day reflexes - despite his professionalism. The new loanee will look to make an immediate impact - and do whatever it takes to impress - this is a different mindset to potentially that of Che above. If that mindset is linked to ability/ class it could be the most important factor. See Ryan Fraser. 2. Che Tangibles. Che Adams fee achieved + his salary for next six months versus the salary (and fee) of an incoming replacement forward. We know roughly his wages and we know roughly what fee we might get. We do not know replacements’ salary or fee but my guess is they will roughly balance out. Value of promotion to the EPL: £100m + Opportunity Cost of not getting promotion to EPL : £100m+ Che’s goals and assists. Currently it’s a goal or assist every c. 145 minutes. Extrapolate that until end of season and assuming he plays every game it’s c. 6-8 goals inc assists between now and season end. Those are the tangible and intangible factors as far as I can tell. There’s more to add but which way do the scales weigh down on as the “best” choice? My best guess is that Saints will continue to research options and be on standby if an offer comes in for Che - but be reactive not proactive. I feel Saints would be happy to let Che see out his contract because the net money we get for him will probably mostly be going out on his replacement and a few Mil is small change in the grand scheme of things. Saints know what it has in Che and what it might get from Che between now and season end. Cannot guarantee same from any incoming. But if the right offer comes in they are prepared to act.

Good point. He won’t “down tools” but it’s his last big payday and one simple injury could cost him literally millions. I hope his agent sits him down and tells him that it’s better to get a new two or better three year deal with ANY club at a moderate salary than hold out until end of season for a sign on bonus in the EPL but don’t get injured as you’re ducked. Should be a win- win for him - and Saints. He could literally bust a gut for new team knowing he’s got that contract rather than having that fear back of his head. And in his place we could get someone who IS determined to do whatever it takes to earn a new deal AND a small fee which may be put towards new blood.

Ah I see didn’t know he had cancer and was out the game a while. Anybody fights back from cancer gets my vote! Consider me converted! Sign him up! 😇

No not really. As I said: Maybe I’m not up to speed on this guy perhaps I’m just ignorant. When did he have his period of being a superstar? 2019?