Holmes_and_Watson

For those not versed in the subject, in this context, it's the correlation between the inflation of Ankerson's self confidence and the corresponding drop in confidence of Saints ever getting a win. 🙂

A stepping stone club, as SR look to capture the US/Netflix market by appointing him as our manager next season? Beard Elite experience to go with asst manager Lallana Consistent playing philosophy ín the face of dreadful results. Looking to bounce back after "failure" / The Mr Football test. 🙂

He's a busy man, so I guess only the flagship team in the group gets one. 😀 It can't possibly be him trying to bask in any credit from the club doing well, avoiding the others.

I'd have thought that would go against SR's core of Keep individual wages low So that profit on sell on is maximised. I think all parties could win with a move. With the possible exception of fans 🙂

You are using technology with a maximum of the speed of light. Only someone with vast experience of navel gazing over minutiae travels at the speed of lint. You didn't stand a chance. 🙂

From TV Licensing Live TV means any programme you watch or record as it’s being shown on any channel, TV service or streaming service. It’s not just live events like football, cricket, news and music. It also covers soaps, series, documentaries and even movies. So, if watched as it aired, Wallace and Gromi would be live TV. Not just because they're real, which they are. 🙂

There's the scenario where, having not settled at Chelsea's player farm, he looks to develop further here, getting lots more minutes next season, to ensure the best landing at an elite club. Lots of game time with us...in the Championship...which he's already better than and in which the last manager didn't play him. A scenario skidding across the road in the first sentence and right off it in the second. 🙂 His performances and potential this year will allow his reps to negotiate a much better deal than the last time he left. He backs himself, and can hopefully develop at a higher level, or use it as a base for loan minutes at worst at a level probably higher than us too. Dibling can follow the Tino, Lavia departures as validating part of SR's approach and making us attractive to similar players. Fernandes and THB may also be others to come.

Thanks. My point still stands about the club not being averse to moving him on. We may get more pennies, with the extra year.

But following it through, Musk's Martian expedition would encounter Martians. Everyone knows that Martians are telepathic. When they teach us how to be telepathic too, we'll have no need for spellcheckers. Darn, the high wind here makes it hard to keep this tin foil hat on...

Absolutely. We're building for next season. But next season, we'll be looking to get back up and stay in the PL. So, if the talent is available and within our reach, we shouldn't rule anything out. At the same time, we can be arranging deals for any departures we can, if possible. But they had a long time to get Sule, TP and ABK (other circumstances there) deals done and couldn't last summer. Even at the wage levels SR are aiming for, there's only a limited number of clubs able to meet them.

Assuming B'Mouth aren't well drilled and already downplaying him ahead of a bid... 🙂 He was frustrated not to get minutes last season. He's got lots of plaudits this season. But yes, he's still developing in lots of areas and in a team that is likely to remain glued to the bottom of the table. Loads of talented players that age would love to be getting the game time he is though. If anything, picking up 2 different styles in Martin and Juric will help his all round game. He has to keep doing what he's doing and learning. With a contract ending in 2026, I imagine SR wouldn't be averse to cashing in this summer. The funds can be used to pay off debts or put into the transfer tombola.

I thought that was why Bree stayed. On very good wages, from where he was, even if not getting a game. Bree and Manning were both decently thought of as strong Championship players. Bree in particular could have been playing more regularly at that level.

Various transfer rumours from someone's link yesterday. No clue on sources or veracity, but at least we can pretend there's some things going on. https://www.transferfeed.com/clubs/southampton/61

Rasmus shuffles in front of his screen...curses...egg has sussed my new left field plan...

Patch

SR want to pay the lowest wages they can individually. They will buy multiple players, but as long as they are in that range. All clubs have a wage structure. SR looked at ours, and decided that they wanted to lower it significantly on an individual basis and look to get some return on everyone brought in, as well as regular big hits. If any PL team wants one of our players, we're likely to lose out (O'Riley). If it's a bigger club, then we've little to no chance(Gakpo). Historically, you generally get what you pay for wages wise. We're trying to go against that and get them on cheaper wages as they have been relegated (Archer, BBD), injured (Stewart), out of favour (Fraser) or young, but would have got into other sides (THB). But we're pitching at championship level players, anticipating they will then step up. So, for that level... 2022/23 season Hits - Lavia, Aribo (got what we paid for in a squad player, even if wages are apparently high for SR), Bree (got what we paid for. Dependable player at least) Unproven - Bazunu (limited shot stopper, but important to Martin's possession game), Edozie (could still work out well), Alcaraz (was on his way to being a hit, but didn't fit with Martin system), Onuachu (might be about to see this change hopefully for the better) Worth a punt, but a miss - ABK (Talented, but not wanted by club/managers), Ćaleta-Car Miss - Lis, Mara, Larios (not for the injury, but because we were stacked with LBs at the time), Oršić (no idea what happened there), Sulemana (panic buy that has not worked in any party's favour), Maitland Niles 2023/24 season Hits - Downes (key in promotion and developing in PL), THB (England international already, and mainstay in PL team), Manning (Got what we paid for here) Unproven - Charles (doing better away from Martin and developing), Lumley (Hard to say miss considering what he was brought in for) Worth a punt, but a miss - Fraser (dipped since initial impact, sadly), Brooks (a bit hit and miss.) Miss - Holgate, Rothwell (what was his best position? Nice goals though), Stewart (What you get thinking you'll be the club where a player becomes injury free) 2024/25 season Hits - Wood (Getting what we paid for here), Fernandes(Becoming more influential as season progresses), Ramsdale(An all round 'keeper upgrade) Unproven - Taylor (Vanished?), Sugawara (First season with ups and downs), Archer (With 2 struggling PL clubs. Hopefully better to come), Welington (just here), Les (starting to get minutes again under new manager, so hopefully a very strong second half of the season) Worth a punt, but a miss - Lallana (Was always going to be a bit part player, so we really got what we paid for, rather than it being a miss), Edwards (no sign of any progress to first team squad), Juan (?), Miss -Brereton Díaz (There is a reason why he was a regular scorer and no PL club would buy him), Cornet Each season we've brought in someone who will go onto much better things (Lavia, THB in all likelihood, Fernandes, and Dibling is now in team too). We've then got a number of players who've shown they can get promoted from the Championship, but have yet to push on in the PL. They could all have done with SR managing to bring in a Hit for a striker and a replacement for Romeu. The biggest misses are the gaps in the squad.

From our relegation season onwards:- 4-2-3-1 (back-ups in brackets) Ramsdale (Forster) Livramento (Suga), THB (Wood), Bednarek (Taylor), KWP (Manning) Romeu (Lavia), JWP (Downes) Tella (Dibling), Fernandes (S. Armstrong), Fraser (Redmond) Adams (Archer) 3 - 4 - 2 - 1 Ramsdale (Forster) THB (Caleta-Car), Bednarek (Stephens), Wood (Taylor), Livramento (Suga), Romeu (Ugochukwa), Lavia (Downes) KWP (Perraud) Fernandes (S. Armstrong), JWP (Lallana) Adams (Archer) 3-4-1-2 Ramsdale (Forster) THB (Caleta-Car), Bednarek (Stephens), Wood (Taylor), Livramento (Suga), Romeu (Lavia), JWP (Downes) KWP (Perraud) Fernandes (S. Armstrong) Adams (TP) Archer (A Armstrong) There weren’t many from the seasons before relegation who’d get into these lineups either. It says a lot for the job Ralph was doing, combined with the PL having moved forward. 2021/22: Ings, Bertrand (but on the form the season before at least) 2020/21: Højbjerg 2019/20: Davis For the formations above, here's the selection in and since the relegation season. GK: (Selection: Bazunu, Cabalerro, Lumley, McCarthy, Ramsdale, Forster, Lis) Fullbacks: (Selection: KWP, Manning, Sugawara, Bree, Perraud, Taylor, Larios, Meghoma, Livramento, Holgate, Valery, Small) Central Defenders (Selection: Lyanco, Caleta-Car, Salisu, Bednarek, ABK, Stephens, THB, Edwards, Wood, Taylor) Central Midfielders (Selection: AMN, Aribo, JWP, S. Armstrong, Alcaraz, Diallo, Lavia, Downes, Smallbone, Rothwell, Charles, Lallana, Fernandes, Ugochukwa, Romeu) Wide Midfielders/Attackers (Selection: Orsic, Djenepo, Sulemana, Edozie, Elyounoussi, Walcott, Fraser, SAA, Brooks, Tella, Cornet, Dibling, Redmond ) Forwards/Strikers (Selection: A Armstrong, Adams, Onuacho, Mara, Stewart, Long, BBD, Archer)

He tried a few through passes. They didn't come off, but had more vision than a lot of what we'd been trying. With the number of players we were looking to replace in the summer, he was a free, experienced player with leadership that the manager felt was badly needed. I could see the logic in having him in the squad.

Running in parallel with the popular high speed racing unicorns that can also deliver messages. Yeah. There's a fund on the Guardian to support the conflicting, exploding heads should there ever be another trial. As my original provider got taken over, I've just stayed. I don't think I'm saving much or have a great deal. But it's reliable and works fine for me.

Palace were quicker, stronger, sharper and fitter and basically better. We have a front line that has little idea how to create a goal, let alone put one in the net. Added to that we started with no midfielders capable of holding them up, and we were punished for it. The whole squad is having to move from being drilled in a style against their natural footballing instincts into a pressing team. A team without leaders being asked to stand up as individuals. We stopped the onslaught of Palace chances after we made some changes. But then, a goal ahead, they no longer needed to do as much. They were safe in the knowledge we wouldn;t create much. We looked well off the pace today, as if a single game under the new manager has been too tiring for them. Pluses are we did get a goal. Fernandes worked hard, although we really need a better set piece taker. Les is getting a bit more space, and has looked a better with it. Ramsdale made an excellent save.

Sule needed to get that in first time.

a few mins to go, and we're poised for an equaliser...

French 'tator a little excited as we get it near their box. Probably just the surprise of it, I guess.

No one out there strong enough to lift one, let alone throw it.

They are made out of the snood he'd like to have worn.