sambosa75

Everton v Liverpool Chelsea v Man City Forest v Palace Saints v Boro Is the ideal draw.

It would be great if that turns out to be the case but I'm sceptical that Saints will be prepared to turn down serious money for one of these players just because they happen to have already sold a player or two in that window. I think what is more likely is they'll take that money and back themselves to re-invest it, use the sales as 'success stories/case studies' for other young, promising players and start the cycle again. Basically every time we get within touching distance of closing the gap to the big boys like under Koeman, we'll get dismantled and have to start over.

The trouble with this is, a few years ago under Koeman we were pretty much seen as THE place to go as the stepping stone to one of the big clubs. The likes of van Dijk, Lovren, Mane, Wanyama, Morgan, even Toby knew that we played a good brand of football that would put them in the shop window. The trouble is, fans, and I include myself in this, became dismayed at always letting these players go so the club bowed to pressure from the fans and instead signed players up to long-term contracts like Forster and made life difficult when it came to time to leave. This resulted in a bloated squad and a much smaller talent pool to choose from as players no longer saw us as a club that wouldn't stand in their way once they earned their big move. The strategy now has been clearly laid out. We give players at clubs like Chelsea and Man City the platform to build a career away from those clubs where realistically they'll never break through. Unfortunately to continue benefiting from this approach I think it is important that we do have to be as transparent as possible with our approach. It's not nice to hear and I hope they don't continually go on about it at every opportunity but it is pretty much our one and only USP that makes us an attractive destination to the best young players around that are at the stage in their career where they need meaningful games and a platform to perform.

If you can include Jay Rod then you should be able to include Mane. Both played similar positions.

I understand why some have an issue but that is just the unfortunate circumstances we find ourselves in. The PL agreed to the postponement, they can't now just change the rules on account of their takeover giving them increased spending power. Where is the line in the sand if that happens? Man City prior to their takeover was always a very winnable game. Do we retrospectively null-and-void all their wins against us since Mansour bought them on account of all the money they have spent and the fact they wouldn't have been able to spend it without the takeover happening?! Nobody seems unduly worried about Brentford going out and signing a load more players before the re-arranged fixture.

What a huge, massive crock of shit. What happens if Newcastle sell a few players in the meantime too? Do they get to come back to Newcastle to fulfil those fixtures? The PL agreed to postpone the game. They can't just turn around after doing it and say "oh, by the way you cant play any of your new players for the Saints game". Interesting to note nobody seems to be talking about the also postponed Brentford game with the same concern. Its just one of those things. Get over it.

Can someone post when the Saints stuff is on I was about to "Turn Around" to another radio station...

We are going down. There aren't 3 worse sides than us in the league over the course of a season.

Good goal that though. Lesson in moving the ball forward quickly and taking the chance. Some of our passing looks nice at times but we dont half move the ball forward slowly.

Yeah that was begging for his trademark up and down to the near post. Ramsdale left loads of space for it too.

Hi Che. Great to have you posting on here.

No mention of Gomez? Bring It On is an absolute classic album. Must admit I was a bit of a Paul Weller/Ocean Colour Scene fanboy back then.

Fair play to Villa. Seems to have all been done pretty quickly. Assume conversations were taking place already, ahead of them sacking Smith.

Anyone else uneasy about his being pulled out of position to take long throw-ins when they don't appear to be particularly good - or long - in the first place?

I'll jump on the bandwagon for the major tournaments but I'm not fussed in the slightest about qualifiers and friendlies unless there is a particularly likeable Saints player playing like the Scotland game with Rickie Lambert a few years ago. Think there was also one or two games a few years ago when Jay-Rod got a game that I might have watched too. What a player he was/would have been without that nasty injury, by the way... Have no idea when or whom we are playing and won't be watching unless I chance upon the game when flicking through the channels or am up the pub having a few scoops.

I've wanted to sit down for a while and come up with a full XI of players where just 1 letter has been added, changed or taken away from the name. The forward line is looking pretty tasty... Kane, Mane, Sane Kante in midfield. Dante (plays for Nice) at centre back Any additions?

They've had 3 ex-Southampton managers in the same time-frame too...

Delap best throw-in taker in the world and we never even knew it.

Throw enough shit at a wall and some of it will stick. As long as the new owners are there to finance it, Newcastle will become a major force regardless of this ridiculous cluthing-at-straws notion of geography somehow being a factor in attracting talent. It is inevitable. Get used to it.

But then surely that problem is then passed on to the selling club? Any replacements they are looking to sign will have inflated asking prices as the selling club will know the buying club has excess funds sloshing around due to receiving an over-inflated price. With their newfound wealth I think the last club that will worry about that kind of scenario will be Newcastle.

Absolutely love the bloke. Reality is he had fantastic backing to get us out of League 1 but you can't take away the achievement of getting us out of the Championship at the first time of asking. Have no doubt he would have kept us up in his first season in the Prem too. Met him on a couple of occasions and he's been nothing but the perfect gentleman too.

Niemi Clyne Richards van Dijik Bridge Schneiderlin Lallana Mane Le Tissier Bale Shearer Jeepers there wouldn't half be some goals in that side.

Not a great deal out there but my choice would be Lampard.

Hell of a shift lads. Well done. Be great to start picking up a few wins now though.

I tend to agree with this viewpoint. Easy to look a good keeper when in a shit team with a defence that is allowing you to be peppered constantly. Loads of examples of keepers who looked decent in similar circumstances.