CSA96

Apart from the bit where he changed formation in preseason, then admitted that he’ll shelve his preferred formation for a little bit to cater to the players that he’s got available and revisit it after we make some signings? I can’t remember those kind of words or thoughts ever passing the lips of Russell Martin, that’s for sure If you think he’s not being honest or pragmatic then I don’t know what else to say, quite frankly

We’ve had enough of Russell Martin’s dogma and arrogance, we want honest, straight talking pragmatism! No, not like that! I’ve had enough of this honest, straight talking pragmatism!

Give them a double reach around, one with your own arm and one with the bitten off arm

Alan Nixon (yes, I know…) is reporting that Wrexham have offered £7.5m for Will Smallbone

Not sure, but you must be thankful that it will keep you out of the dole queue, based on the above

Yes I’m sure that would’ve been met with a totally balanced reaction. Honestly, I can’t believe we’ve now got people saying Stephens should’ve got himself deliberately sent off and criticising the fact he didn’t. One defeat has sent this place barmy

Writing a new manager off after four games (2W, 1D, 1L) because he lost a game by one goal and is waiting for new signings. Some lily-livered elements of this fanbase really do deserve everything they get

Not if Gladbach or Koln go anywhere near him. He looks a handful and tricky, though, although his career path is a bit unusual and he's risen rapidly

I think you're right that it'll be three permanents: GK, Winger, 10. But I am pretty sure we will use the loan market. There's no reason not to just take a punt on another wide player, given that a few will eventually get told by their PL club they can go out in the final week of the window

We are THREE games in. Downs has started zero of them and Quarshie has started two (the two which we didn't lose)

Oh ffs. The owner of the dinlow farm is going to have a long Sunday rounding all of these up

I spy with my little eye, something beginning with shortsighted, histrionic moron

We don't know how good Stoke will or won't be yet. On early showing, they're decent and they have a seasoned manager who has built top half sides pretty solidly. No promoted team wins every game at home, everyone is going to drop points

Agree, I know some like to think of him as a 10 or a creative midfielder but I think he's more of an industrious, workhorse midfielder than he is somebody who splits a game open or carves teams apart for the forward players, although he has flashes of it from time to time

Just back in from the game and I'm a bit surprised by the strength of reaction today, to be honest. Well, I am and I'm not at the same time... Our midfield had an absolute stinker, I can't defend them and I can't recall seeing a midfield three where all of them are as bad as that all at the same time. So many sloppy, underhit and mishit passes all afternoon. They continually opened up the back three to be run at by Thomas and Manhoef especially. I actually thought the back three were fine, the wing backs were contributing and doing what they could. In front was just so stodgy We are just painfully missing that way of adding variation and unpredictability to our game. There's such a heavy dependency on Manning and Fraser at present, whereas Manning and Fraser's deliveries (which I thought were pretty fine for the most part) should be part of an arsenal of different approaches, which include playing through the No 10, diagonal runs from the striker, getting the wingers in behind, forcing overlaps etc. Unfortunately, we don't yet have those players... I'm not putting any blame on Stewart either, that ball was smashed across at thigh height and he did what you'd ask of a forward and that's get something on it. I've not seen the highlights yet so maybe I'll feel different later, but from my seat in the Kingsland (B35) it was a bloody difficult one We hit the post twice, forced a couple of big saves and on a different day, we come away with a win. We were easily the better side (IMO) and on another day we win that and score three in the process. But goodness me... that midfield has to tighten up, it was honking. I'm hoping that once we flex into a 4-2-3-1 the roles will be simplified for Charles and Downes and they won't feel like they need to create, as well as hold the midfield, the issues come when they start running all over trying to do multiple jobs at once and leaving too much of an expanse or over-exerting themselves and rushing into bad passes or slack play Clock is ticking on getting people in now though. I still feel like we'll get the four I've mentioned before in (No 10, winger x2, GK) and one of the wide men will be a loanee, but it will be interesting to see if we start chasing a midfielder if Smallbone or Fernandes exit before the deadline too I can't quite make my mind up if the international break will do us a favour or not, but I certainly feel like that's when our season will actually feel to me like it's truly starting...

Yawn

Why would we sell a promotion rival the striker with the best track record in the squad at this level?

David Ornstein saying £40m+ and then a 20% cut of whatever the next fee is whenever Dibling leaves Everton

Alfie House reporting that Everton and Saints are now close to an agreement for Tyler Dibling

He did mention movement before the end of the week, but not sure if that was Roerslev or more specific to some outgoings. I felt at the start of the week that we'd sign five more before the window shuts - those five being: first choice RB, two wingers (one buy, one loan), a No. 10 and a backup GK - and I still feel like that's a realistic return

Signed before the cut-off of midday today, so presuming no paperwork issues then yes, he should be

Another interesting answer from WS on styles of play in the written section of his press conference... on Stoke being a direct, vertical team, different styles of play and which teams he enjoyed watching growing up... I just love football. The thing that's always stuck in my head goes back to the first coach that I worked with. He said that we can try to play the most beautiful football in the world, but the ultimate goal is winning - because that's what you're judged on. People say 'oh you need to play this way, or that way...' like the Southampton way or like with Sam Allardyce, the West Ham way. But what is the West Ham way? What is the Southampton way? You got relegated, so obviously there's something that doesn't work in it. Our way now is win, because that's all we have to do. You also depend on the profile of the players that you've got. You're not going to ask big physical players to play the tiki-taka that some teams want to play. Which is why when people ask 'what's your coaching philosophy?' or 'what approach do you like?' then it's just: you've got to get the best out of the players that you've got, deal with their strengths and their weaknesses with whatever squad is in front of you. Our job is just to win football games because if we don't win them then you don't get time and you get sacked. I've never been a fan of keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession. We want to be positive. As long as the players enjoy it, get a kick out of it and the fans can identify with what we're trying to do then I'll be happy. Ultimately, I'll only be happy if we win games.

Just watched the embargoed section of WS press conference - thought this bit was interesting: on Stoke being a direct, vertical team, different styles of play and which teams he enjoyed watching growing up... I just love football. The thing that's always stuck in my head goes back to the first coach that I worked with. He said that we can try to play the most beautiful football in the world, but the ultimate goal is winning - because that's what you're judged on. People say 'oh you need to play this way, or that way...' like the Southampton way or like with Sam Allardyce, the West Ham way. But what is the West Ham way? What is the Southampton way? You got relegated, so obviously there's something that doesn't work in it. Our way now is win, because that's all we have to do. You also depend on the profile of the players that you've got. You're not going to ask big physical players to play the tiki-taka that some teams want to play. Which is why when people ask 'what's your coaching philosophy?' or 'what approach do you like?' then it's just: you've got to get the best out of the players that you've got, deal with their strengths and their weaknesses with whatever squad is in front of you. Our job is just to win football games because if we don't win them then you don't get time and you get sacked. I've never been a fan of keeping possession for the sake of keeping possession. We want to be positive. As long as the players enjoy it, get a kick out of it and the fans can identify with what we're trying to do then I'll be happy. Ultimately, I'll only be happy if we win games. Stoke have been winning games, so they're obviously doing something that's working for them and is efficient. Like you said, they've scored six goals, they didn't concede in the last game and they look really good.