Willo of Whiteley

I’m more concerned at the lack of incomings. I hate the “scar tissue” phrase but Christ, at the end of last season there was only three or four players I’d have wanted to keep. Two of them look to be on their way.

He has a good start to last season but let’s not get ahead of ourselves like he was our Lord and saviour. I hope he stays, he’s a player with a lot of talent; all I’m saying is his age and the fact he’s English puts an immediate tax on how much the club value him, the fact he’s also from the academy bumps it up slightly more. He scored a couple of tap ins, how many of us expected him to kick on after his goal against Ipswich last season? I’m pretty confident everyone did. He then played in a poor team for the rest of the season, but it’s easy to be classed as a great player when you don’t have to do much because the ball is in our defensive third. His reputation is the first third of games under Russell Martin last season, he did extremely little after that. A year in the Championship would do him good, he’d probably kick on more and get a bigger club at the end of it. Signing for Everton is just a quick win to more money, would he be any better at this moment in time, I doubt it. He is one of the most talented players to come out the academy for years, but let’s not gloss over he was only decent up until Christmas, if that. If someone offers £40m, take the stupid amount of money and move on. Otherwise leave him for a season in the Championship and I think his valuation will grow.

If he was anything other than English, and the fact he’s a youngster, he hasn’t done anymore to warrant being a £10m player. It’s easy to look like a world beater when 98% of your teammates are utter crap.

Pretty much agree. If he goes to Everton I see him pending up like a Ross Barkley. Decent but never quite fulfilling what could’ve been. He admits he made a mistake leaving Saints for Chelsea a few years back, coming back a month later after many tears and homesickness. To jump at the first sign of things going south, a relation in his “breakout season” sums him up as the same as everyone else. Not entirely convinced he will go but we’ll see.

What kind of questions should be asked but 100% won’t be?

Would he want to move to Everton? I mean really?

DT meltdown incoming

I think the most alarming statement on this page is that Alex McCarthy wants to become a coach. God help future players

Bit of a non story really. ”Talented player linked with multiple clubs”

Sam Edozie was better than some of our wide players, but it’s a low bar to clear. That’s why the likes of Dibling and Fernandes some people class them as Messi-esque. Not to bothered about the sale, just hope we have a ready replacement lined up.

Can we have a look at the free agent market, some decent players in there - Josh Brownhill, but my moneys on him going somewhere like Sheffield United.

Everyone be honest, who the fuck is Edward Spertsyan? And had anyone really heard of him prior to two hours ago? 🤣

Jan Bednarek confirmed. A decent servant, eight years at the club, certainly not a world beater but definitely redeemed himself after his Villa spell and helped get us promoted again. Wish him well. Just Jack Stephens to go… Oh yeah… 😢

I’m pretty confident that even those with no knowledge of football could foresee that Aaron Ramsdale was going to be on the move, hardly groundbreaking 🤣

Ever the optimist, and there’s not even been a match day yet. 🤣

There is no redeemable proof that he is captain material other than the occasional chatter of him being good around the dressing room. He says he’s grateful for the new deal, probably knowing full well that he doesn’t deserve it and that he’s on probably more per week than what the average person earns in a year for being not very good at his job role. He shouldn’t be a starter and he certainly shouldn’t be captain.

The worst kept secret, the most dull kit reveals, and the most uninspiring choices of kit this season.

Rumours is a very loose term nowadays given that 99% of tabloid and social media chatter is bullshit.

I think ABK will be released or loaned out on the final day of the window. Ben Brereton Diaz will leave, probably on loan and I think that maybe Nathan Wood, Jan Bednarek, Aaron Ramsdale and Joe Aribo will leave. The rest of the squad I see staying. I think Dibling and Fernandes will be Saints players come September. My concern would be the incomings, because letting those go would mean we still have a Championship capable squad but you need those sparks from players, and there’s none at the moment that I see as creating that something special for us. They’ll be fifteen teams going for promotion this season at least, it’s that competitive, and the club surely won’t be selling to rivals, and these players are not Premier League level, so it’s either take the hit to a rival or keep an unhappy player, and they got on board for a season or they sulk.

I hope Spors phone is permanently on charge and loud as possible. It’s going to be a busy end to the window.

Will Still saying there are some that have said they don’t want to be there speaks volumes, I’d be hoping those that don’t want to remain were left out the Spain camp but given that three were injured, the only other ones that remain are Bella-Kotchap and Bednarek. We need to clear a few more than that; and desperately need to freshen the squad up with new talent. The squad on paper is a Championship squad, but we need a couple of special players to have us be fighting for promotion. Looking up and down the league and you could argue they’ll be at least fifteen times eyeing promotion this season.

The Ramsdale comments are just weird, is it an in-joke? Is there offence that has taken place?

I do find it odd that you wouldn’t have Sugawara at RB for one half and Bree at RB for the other. Ryan Fraser down the centre seems bizarre too (if that’s where he ends up playing).

I’ve certainly been encouraged that we’ve been playing a back four all pre-season.