Matthew Le God

People still bringing up Charlie Austin being "injury prone". Lets look at the last 5 seasons... 2011/12 Saints played 46 league games, Austin played 41 2012/13 Saints played 38 league games, Austin played 37 2013/14 Saints played 38 league games, Austin played 31 2014/14 Saints played 38 league games, Austin played 35 2015/16 Saints played 21 league games, Austin played 16 In total in the last 5 seasons, Saints have played 181 league games and in that time Charlie Austin has played in 160 league games = 88% of the number of league games our club has played in the time period.

3 centre backs worked well vs Watford because we had a centre back on each of Ighalo and Deeney and one spare as cover. West Brom are likely to sit deep in numbers with only Rondon upfront. Little need for us to have 3 centre backs vs one striker, so I think we'll go back to the usual 4-2-3-1 system.

The press reported he was on £50,000 p/w at Hull... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2541257/Playing-Long-game-Big-spending-Hull-splash-6m-land-Ireland-striker-Shane.htm After a £12m transfer t Saints his agent would have to be pretty **** for him to get a wage decrease, if anything it probably went up.

Its about time some Saints fans realised £12m is not a big fee anymore. £12m is not a lot of money in the current transfer market for a domestic transfer of a striker. A decent season in the Championship sees a striker valued at £8m to £12m. Shane Long has proven to be a pain for every Premier League defence for a few years. Yes, he isn't a prolific finisher, but if he were he'd have cost £25m+, not £12m. Top Premier League striker now cost £20m-£25m+. The days of a £12m striker being one of the league's best players have gone, the market has moved on. There is however better value to be found abroad as the prices aren't as inflated when trying to sign a player from a club that doesn't have the Premier League TV money aiding them financially.

That is what they are paying Tottenham, I doubt we'd get the same level but would be extremely impressive from the commercial team at the club if they did... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1364276/Tottenham-announce-50m-kit-deal-Under-Armour.html

West Brom are likely to sit back in numbers and only have one striker, in which case there would be little need for Saints to have 3 centre backs like last night.

I'd rather Bournemouth win against West Ham. Wins for Saints this week vs Watford and West Brom both at St Mary's and we won't be far from West Ham.

Why? It is Marcus Barnes (a teammate of Hesketh) on commentary using his nickname. No different from teammates calling Jack Cork... Corky, Richard Chaplow... Chappy etc

That doesn't include substantial agent fees, signing on fees etc. Plus I also said "circa".

Since promotion in 2012 Saints have spent circa £200m on incoming transfers.

How would you suggest Saints keep players who are good enough to attract interest from clubs with huge incomes that can offer significant wage rises and Champions League football? The time to worry isn't when Saints lose their best players to Champions League clubs. The time to worry is when we don't have players the top clubs want as it would mean our quality has dropped.

He has let his contract run down once in 16 years of being a manager.

Wanyama is suspended for the Watford game.

He says its Bristol City. Saints will be looking for better players.

This is a ridiculous statement. Which youngsters do you want to see play ahead of our large number of senior internationals? There is a huge gulf from under 21 football to the level of our first team. The Southampton first team is packed with internationals and the bar is very high for any young player to jump straight in to that level. Its a lot easier to blood youngsters as teenagers as a Football League club, than it is as a mid table Premier League club. The player has to be exceptional to get a place ahead of a senior international and may be better off gaining experience on loan and the breakthrough into the first team may be in their early 20's rather than teenage years.

So... - If Koeman was the manager in 2012/13 and had the choice between Shaw or Fox; you think he'd pick Fox? - If Koeman was the manager in 2013/14 and Clyne was injured, who from our squad that season do you think he'd play at right back instead of Chambers? - If Koeman was the manager in 2013/14 and Osvaldo, Lambert and Rodriguez were our only senior strikers and combinations of them were missing at different points of the season, who do you think at the club he'd have used other than Gallagher? Gallagher, Reed and Hesketh mainly got game-time due to injuries of senior players ahead of them in the pecking order. There are now more senior players (many of which are internationals) in the Saints squad than in 2013/14 under Pochettino or last season under Koeman.

Florin Gardoș ‏@floringardos5 37m37 minutes ago Good news. Fully recovered. Now fighting to regain match fitness. Still difficult, but we never get down, do we?

Its likely to more be a case that these are the two players we have out on loan that aren't getting games. Saints will probably want to see them in training fro a bit and loan them out to a club more likely to give them the gametime they need. Probably. I doubt it, Stephens has already shown he can be a top player in League One. He wasn't able to be a starter for the team at the top of the Championship, but that doesn't then mean he needs to go back to League One. A lower Championship team than Middlesbrough would be a better option.

Stephens is better than League One quality now, he is good enough to get regular game time at a lower Championship team. Going back to League One after performing so well at the top of the table with Swindon isn't helping him progress.

Its not really their story, they are merely rehashing the story from other sources and link to them.

He really wouldn't. I'm at a loss why some people say this. Ok, he shouldn't be starting every game for Saints but he has shown he is good enough to play in the Premier League. Playing in the Championship doesn't gain him experience, he already has a lot of experience at a higher level for 3 seasons. Many have written him off at 21, an age when Lallana and Schneiderlin hadn't played above the Championship. Ward-Prowse is one of the best central midfielders in his age group in the Premier League. Loaning him to the Championship also means Saints have one less first team player. How do you propose that is filled without bloating the squad? Why have you written off Cedric? Out of sight, out of mind? I don't see the club signing a right back to move ahead of him in pecking order.

Wanyama misses Palace and Watford matches... http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/suspensions

If you read the article it says... £30m in transfer fee + £32.5m in wages on a 5 year contract = £62.5m

Rasiak didn't play above the 2nd tier for Saints, like Beattie and Le Tissier did. Nor did Rasiak score 20 league goals in a season for Southampton, the best he managed was 18 second tier goals in 2006/07.

Which versions?