Ralph Fastenbüttl

Still, at least we all here on these boards can show the boys how it's done by maintaining a calm composure in the face of adversity. Right?

Yeah, Kasper Schmeichel!

I know it's bad form to quote someone twice, but I can't quite get over the glory of this post. We're undefeated, we've got 10 from 12 points yet after one bad half you're how long the manager, who is currently overseeing his fifth competitive game for the club, has left before being given the boot? Both the very worst and very best post.

I couldn't resist popping in to see how everyone was coping. You're hitting expectations, SaintsWeb xxx Seriously though, after all this week's excitement and the unprecedented positivity seen from some normally right moaning minnies on these boards yesterday, a feeble capitulation was gloriously inevitable today. Honestly, I'm amused. It's been an unusual week, I think the lads largely get a pass. Tho Baz is pushing it, from what I read (I've not followed the game thus far).

Oh fuck yeah, Tall Paul's still here, isn't he? Still time to ship him out to a league where the window's still open, I guess. Can't the Saudis have him or something?

Fucking slammed like a motherfucker.

I wanted to see Ballard get a lot more action this season... although preferably for us. Really hope a season under the expert tutorage of Management Mastermind Selles doesn't fuck the poor kid over.

Well done.

Please mate, yeah.

Seems that no-one really wants Danny nowadays. If he moves that'll be, what, his third club in two years?

So, with the clock ticking, what are thinking? For me, dreamland would be something like: IN (CB) Harwood Bellis (CB) Wood (AM) O'Riley (CF) Stewart Could not give less of a fuck about Paintsil. LEAVE (CF) Tall Paul STAY (CB) ABK (RB) KWP (WF) Sulemana (CF) Che However, in reality I reckon it'll probably pan out something like this: IN (CB) Harwood Bellis (CF) Stewart LEAVE (CB) ABK (WF) Sulemana (CF) Che STAY (RB) KWP (CF) Tall Paul Which wouldn't be the end of the world. Folk on here would never, ever stop posting about RM saying Fraser was not a Tella replacement, which would be massively tedious. But KWP would be a right result. Our defence has been shit for years so I'd love a surplus of good options there. And who knows, maybe Tall Paul will turn it around? Stewart's recovery goes a bit slower than hoped and RM is forced to play Tall Paul, he gets a shock hat-trick. Starts the next game and gets another hat-trick. Fuck it, make a double hat-trick. By Christmas he's on 82 goals and counting. Next summer we sell him to Liverpool for £130m. Could happen?

Dear god man, the sheer gall of you calling out someone for being "better off not replaying to posts" when you endlessly reply to people saying variations of the same shit over and over and over and over. Just take the advice people are offering you mate. If you've got a point, make it once and make it well. You do not need to press the same point a dozen times. It reads like the rambling of a stroppy child and makes people dislike you. You're a passionate fan, which is great - some good forum etiquette would go a long way, dude.

Fuck me, I've gone from never having heard of the word "amortised" to reading it in what feels like every post. Suppose I should probably Google its meaning.

I love the idea of the club management braced against various bits of furniture around the manager's office; the assistant manager curled up in a ball under the desk, the chairman clinging to a pillar by the fire escape, the reserves coach with his back to one bookcase and his feet raised up pressing against another so he's wedged in place. All just waiting nervously lest the fax should spark into life.

So great home win. Edozie looked terrific today and tore apart that poor RB, Fraser was a menace form the moment he came on, and a cracking strike from the Championship's current top scorer, Adam Armstrong. But tell you what, let's glaze over all that and go back to whining and one-upmanship, yeah?

Get in. Delighted to see such a performance from Edozie. Adam A was brilliant. Fraser was brilliant. Fuck me, even Baz was brilliant. Manning too! So nice getting a home win. And, hopefully, we should be getting another striker in to replace Che to add even more firepower! We're gonna win the league!!!! (we're not, but we're gonna be in the conversation, for sure).

There is absolutely no reason to be anything other than relaxed about the situation. SR's recruitment policy is pretty clear to understand from what's transpired thus far: They will happily pay out for young, developing talent who they believe will grow in value and develop professionally from Championship level to Premier League level e.g. Shea. They clearly have a preference to loan in talent that should be well equipped for the Championship push, but may not be as useful beyond that e.g. Holgate. Both of which seem entirely logical. And this also means that we're quite sensibly not going to be blowing the extraordinary piles of cash we've accumulated in this window. the presumption will be that those funds will be available if and when promotion eventually occurs. As for the outgoings, I don't understand which of them have surprised people? And I'm all for getting rid of players who want out. Lavia, JWP, Tino - too good for the Championship, were always going to leave Orsic, DCC, Ely, Diallo - bloated squad needs trimming, off you go Tella - unsurprisingly quite clearly wanted out, as I would had I have been shipped out to the Championship last season while the likes of Djenepo were being rewarded with new contracts. The lad has earned his Germany move. It's a shame for him that Burnley couldn't/wouldn't match our valuation as he's earned a stab at the Prem. Good luck to him. Che - very obviously wants out, or else he'd have signed that contract. And honestly, he's not good enough in the Prem so I'm very happy for us to part ways. Yep, he'd have done well for us in the Championship, but players of that level are not rare. He's very replaceable. I also don't buy into the narrative that our business thus far has been universally uninspiring. Shea - has already put in a MotM performance. Looks legit. Downes - very well equipped for this league and a solid signing. Fraser, Holgate - I'm not sure why folk are so down on these two. Lots of Prem experience and Fraser has enjoyed long spells of looking very sharp at the top level. No reason at all to suspect they won't excel in the Champ. Manning - not exciting or inspiring, but clearly the manager trusts and believes in him. Lumley - OK, I've got nothing here. I still think the keeper situation is a concern, though I'm very prepared to back Baz and hope he comes good. I honestly think he's showing the early signs of finally settling and imposing himself a little. Plus, let's not forget about Amo-Ameyaw, who looks fucking lightning! AND we've got the likes of Ballard and Doyle waiting in the wings and getting better and better. I reckon there's a good chance Ballard in particular starts to push through a little bit this season. Wood, too, looks like a great signing if we can get that over the line. All of which just leaves potential concerns about up front. Che is going to leave - at least, the odds heavily favour it. As I said above, if he stayed I'm convinced he'd have a strong 20+ season for us, but his skills are certainly not at a level that cannot be replaced either by another Fraser/Holgate type loan or a £10-15m signing. Plus, look at the attacking talent we currently have in the squad: Armstrong is finally gonna score some goals for us now he's not playing with the big boys I'm convinced Amo-Ameyaw is gonna be big Alcaraz looks like he's committed and could tear up this league It also looks entirely possible that Sulemana could stay, which would be a good and potentially exciting surprise I think Fraser will be a goal threat at this level Ballard is an exciting wild card imo And we can add whoever comes in to replace Che to the pot, too Even if we go on to sell KWP and ABK (and hopefully get shot of Tall Paul, Lyanco, Djenepo and perhaps even Mara?) that still leaves us with a solid spine - the likes of Smallbone, Bednarek and the Armstrongs should be strong in this League, even if unspectacular. We have to remember that we are only a matter of weeks into the RM and JW era. The scale of the turnaround needed at this club cannot possibly happen overnight, or in a single window.

A tip for anyone who, like me, is finding this thread increasingly insufferable. Make a list of the the most annoying posters here and play a game of "Idiot or Child?". There are also bonus points on offer for correctly identifying the adult virgins. Really takes the edge off.

What sort of questions? Q: "Oi! Do you intend to replace all our players with highly experienced loanees who have a good chance in excelling in this division? Do you? And you call that a 'strategy', do you?" A: "Erm, yeah, quite possibly." Q: "And I suppose you have no intention of spending the £100m+ made in player sales in the next week?" A: "I mean, we're in the Championship. Not sure we even could if we wanted to? Especially when we're trying to reduce squad size, not increase it."

There ARE some 'indications' that some fuckers are barely literate and should be let nowhere near quotation marks. Dear me.

This is what folks are missing. As a Championship club there's a very definite ceiling to who we can attract. If we can loan in the talent we need for promotion then that leaves us with a bigger transfer coffer for Premiership-level signings. Loan in the experience + purchase younger players who can grow and develop as the club theoretically advances upwards. Lots of ifs and buts there, but I should imagine that's the strategy.

Aye yeah, fair enough. And to be clear, I was never saying I'd think he'd come back.

Some managers definitely advocate youngsters stepping down a league when on loan. Not saying they're right and you're wrong, but it is A Thing That Happens Sometimes.

I think it's more a case that having been a top performer in a side that won promotion, he could well feel like he's earned the right to have a stab at the Prem.

Che could stay at Saints, score close to 30 goals, look shit hot and quite possibly get promoted, or go to Everton, score fuck all, look shit and get relegated. But I guess scenario 2 comes with bigger payout, and the lad probably has enough self belief to think he can be prolific at Everton. Which is a shame 'cos he won't be, but hey, at least he'll be fucking loaded, so fair play to him.