Saint_clark

I'd written Rodriguez off after the first half of the season as a lost cause, but that Bournemouth game and being the first choice up top has completely reinvigorated him. He's holding the ball up well too which was never really his thing - he got battered tonight though and got no protection at all from the ref. Definitely Rodriguez first choice, but still a big fan of Long - think he has a big part to play for us for a few more years at least.

I thought Kelvin still wrote them? Admittedly haven't bought a programme this season.

I don't see much difference between him and Redmond to be honest.

Where's your source on the £100-£150million from the Prem? Also, we have spent the £230million we've received. Since 2013 we've spent a net total of £1million. Which means we've spent more than we've brought in.

Wages on players and staff. Let's take 25 players and include the manager in that. Would you say it's reasonable to say their average wage is £40,000 a week? Possibly even a conservative estimate given the amount of contract extensions last summer. That £40,000 a week times by 25 equals to £52million right off the bat. Add bonuses on top of that plus the fact we have a hell of a lot more staff than 25! Our wage bill across the entire club is probably over £60million a year. Isn't that what we received in TV money last season? EDIT: In fact, after a quick check our wage bill for just players was £80million last year, our TV revenue £84million. £114million turnover, £80million on wage bill leaving £34million...and we've spent at least £32million every summer since we got promoted. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/25/premier-league-finances-club-by-club-breakdown-david-conn

Except your conclusion is based off of what you want to believe rather than the evidence at hand. If the club have a policy of not giving in to transfer requests unless they're formal, I'm very much happy with that. It's the reason Lallana was so sh*t on by the club when he left, he never put in a formal transfer request and instead threatened to refuse to play.

Probably, but not a formal one which means he forfeits his loyalty bonus.

I think he's suffering from a dip in form that is across the team. I keep banging on about it, but at the start of the season we were playing fast, one touch passing football through the middle of the pitch and he was a big part of it, getting forward quite regularly. We haven't really seen that since Leicester away, even good performances away to Arsenal and Bournemouth saw us playing a different style. Not really sure what's changed or why. As for the big crowd-pleasing tackles/weaker parts of game etc, I think that's nonsense. Diving in for those tackles WAS the weakest part of his game, and he rarely does it anymore. What he does fantastically is intercepts the ball and keeps the ball under pressure.

Yep, but people refuse to believe it.

Yeah, but putting in a formal request and it being in the headlines is clearly taking it a step further. If he's gone that far it seems like he's had enough of waiting around.

Actually Fonte played in every round except for the last one, I believe.

They won't have given up on the title considering they're second in the league and only 5 points behind with almost half the season left...

Finish higher than 12th and get to the league cup final would be a great season. For me results haven't been the problem - it's performances. We're playing such negative football, never mind compared to last season, but even compared to the start of this season. Remember when we were lamenting the lack of a goalscorer because we were creating 15-20+ chances a game? The last time I saw us play the quick, one touch passing football through the middle that led us to creating those chances was Leicester away. Even games we have won - including Arsenal in the league cup - we didn't play as well as we did earlier in the season.

It's infuriating isn't it. I'd love to earn even what League One players are earning.

Most Liverpool fans I know hate the fact that he's labelled dodgy on the ball because they actually really rate his passing skill.

He left before we properly challenged to be fair, and our promotions happened so quickly that no-one had time to properly judge our players abilities. (Although he did sell Chamberlain at the first opportunity, don't forget).

​DARREN POWELL.

I'm quite happy for him to continue his fine form and get let down by the rest of his team, he's been looking better and better in recent games, going past people with such ease.

May have been a bit crap, but not really a random one is he? Doubt there are many, if any, Saints fans that don't like him.

Darren Powell.

In fairness he has more cause to be annoyed than any if this is all true. He got well into double figures in basically half a season last season playing a more pacy, attacking style.

But you can't take a freekick from behind the goalline so...how would they give one for offside?

Thank god we got rid of Pelle.

Who cares, spend money ffs.

Short memories, he was awful there in the league cup game.