Saint-Fred

I think it's funny that people chose to downplay last year as an excuse for Puels performance so far. It's early days for him but slating last year as evidence that he is great makes no sense? The two aren't related at all? Actually looking at last years home record...we only drew three...against the champions, Sunderland and Villa I think? Ok last two were games we would expect to win. We had five defeats..Man U, Chelsea, Spurs...well even then teams worth hundreds of millions of pounds (and we beat all three away)...Everton (yes that game-no VVD and hit on the break like we had never played football before) and Stoke. OK the last two you would hope to be winning. So really out of all the games at home we had five (IF we include Leicester) where in reality we should have done better...that's not bad is it? Especially when we beat arsenal Liverpool and City as well at home.. This season we have already dropped points in two home games that we would expect to do better in so we need some turn around to perform anywhere near last years home performance already!

Not sure that's true..without the black box, how do they find them? Liverpool apparently had identified Mane before we bought him but decided not to go for him..I suppose it is cheaper for them (and Barce etc) to let them be proven elsewhere and pay more later to buy a first team player rather than purchasing potential players and them not making it? They could end up buying loads who don't make it as they don't get the same game time that they get with us?

Agreed they should get rid of the if the ref saw it and just do the right thing!

There has been some blatant decisions that do make you wonder though? Remember the penalty for us given for Jose, I think it was, which clearly was outside the area? The Liverpool one we didn't get, some of those decision against Sunderland were just bizarre. It can't all be incompetence..perhaps they may have a brief about not upsetting certain teams perhaps? If they are influenced to say they didn't see something is it not possible they are influenced towards being biased for certain money making clubs?

Everything is made harder than it need to be these days it seems! Rather than just reffing the game they have to manage the politics and be managed by those managing the politics for their own means.. So does this mean we can call the refs a cheat legitimately?

Did he? Crikey..he said something along he lines of seeing an incident but being told to say he didn't see I t..the mirror have picked it up now so expect to see it back on the back pages!

Not sure how to post a picture but Mark Halsey has admitted to outside influences on his Twitter. Gary Neville has questioned whether what he said was an admission of corruption! It explains a lot of those decisions against the big clubs though! :-)

, Stoke don't spend more than us?

Ok for all your post then..the infrastructure is all been spent by money borrowed from our owner so doesn't relate to other clubs investment surely? Better commercial deals definitely but that isn't hundreds of millions more for the clubs we are talking about (the ones at our level)..been in the league longer? Ok but for example Palace have been here for less time, others have run at a loss so the time in the prem might not have given them significant advantage funds wise? And finally the players again I just gave examples every club has them..Stoke spent 10m on crouch for little return!

You'd think we would learn and actually do something different so we don't always have a bad start wouldn't you?

I used him as an example...alright Darren bent..bought by villa for what 16m let go for free? Wolf winkle or whatever he was called Norwich record signing scored three goals or something stupid...alves for boro? Soldado for Spurs, actually there are loads for Spurs, Andy Carroll? Schevchenko, and that's just off the top of my head...

Personally net spend is not relevant but even if it is...what do we spend the money on? Sisoko was 30m Benteke 30m Mane 34m....it seems we either spend 30m on a player to improve the team or we get a player who might not be any better than we have already, so why bother?

All clubs have had those type of players (sometimes also record signings) not just us...Most high profile recently has to be Ballotelli!

In recent years we have spent a lot more than the Stokes and Palaces etc on the squad. Perhaps we haven't spent more just because the players we want weren't available so we chose not to spend it on just anyone?

RK got the best results.

I don't personally believe that is what is happening. I don't believe we are stashing money away for relegation. We do spend money, 30 odd million this year, 150 odd million in the three years before that.. Yes we got a lot in but loads has been invested in the first team squad. Anyway If we went down selling Forster, Bertrand, VVD, Tadic , Boufal etc will fund a championship team for years!

K https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/25/premier-league-finances-club-by-club-breakdown-david-conn This suggests most clubs, based on results reported in June 2015, including Saints made a profit for the previous year? Only 5 or 6 didn't?

If we are putting money aside for relegation it's shows a distinct lack of belief in the Southampton way surely? I thought we were looking for champions league not championship? Storing money for a raining day is fine but if it's at the expense of today then it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy? That's what the parachute payments are for? Also if we are paying off the debt to Katrina surely we don't need a back up contingency fund..surely she can bung us another loan? What else is the benefit in a billionaire owner? I am not advocating her funding the club just the contingency fund which hopefully is never needed and even then if it is needed will protect her investment?

Ok so VVD, Forster and JWP signed before RK left so it's not them. So the director is saying Tadic, Bertrand, Long, Cedric and Davis wouldn't have signed if RK stayed? Tadic..there has been rumours and he was in/out of the side so maybe...Cedric..RK didn't seem to fancy him so maybe.... But Long Davis and Bertrand? Really? I think he is trying. To put a positive spin on it to be honest and pulling your leg. Actually Davis signed before Puel arrived so I can't see him being one of them who wasn't going to sign? If he was considering his options and not going to sign as he was unhappy with the previous manager he surely would wait to see who the new manager was?

Not saying there is un rest but you did state several players wouldn't have signed if RK stayed so it seemed that you had some knowledge of who it was or it's meaningless statement? It's the same as those saying they know there is un rest in the camp but they can't name the players, it's absolutely irrelevant.

Crikey your anti Cortese agenda and re writing of history -quoting facts that Just can't be supported with any evidence is amazing!

Not doubting you but which players wouldn't have signed? VVD, JWP and Forster at least signed before RK left?

Well according to this the money is not going to Ralph or Les...our suits are not paid anything like some of the other clubs! https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/25/premier-league-finances-club-by-club-breakdown-david-conn

1 Man U 2 Man City 3 Arsenal 4 Spurs 5 Chelsea 6 Leciester 12 Saints Relegated Bmth Palace & WBA/Hull

Back to the purpose of the "Fred" lol.... The signings look good, definitely all 4 have real potential to be v good. Wasn't convinced by the Puel appointment but based upon what I have read of his teams I am prepared to give him a a bit of time. Think the squad is slightly weaker than last year. Think the window has been an opportunity wasted to further strengthen the squad.(CB especially) Overall for us was disappointed with the window. But for the premier league it's quite exciting with some potentially great new players in the league(including Boufal and Hojbjerg) I think if we don't get a win in the next two Puel will be massively under pressure already. Don't like the diamond system but again I can't change it so will see how it goes and I hope we start playing with style using it. Don't think we will come close to last years finish and think we will be replaced by Everton as best of the rest as RK knows how to get results. Don't think we will be under any threat of relegation Can't see us buying in Jan unless forced to by injuries.. I think we will be out of Europe by then and with only the league (and not in threat of relegation or a threat to top 6) to focus on there will be nothing to strengthen for. Unless we buy a replacement for someone who will leave in the summer. I will enjoy Europe, win or lose! Looking forward to seeing Boufal. Looking forward to seeing some good new players for other teams too!