VectisSaint

It is not a 39th game, it will be a regular game, but will definitely never be an El Clasico. Its also not yet set when this will start, only that it will happen at some time in the not too distant future. Quite honestly the US is welcome to it, whether they will be enthused by standard La Liga matches, which for the most part are deadly dull, is debateable. Can't see the PL sanctioning a regular PL match in this way, but the 39th round makes some sense.

The games where Yoshi was either injured or suspended or Stephens was suspended. Because we were playing 3CBs there was not much option for several of these games but to play him. He is not a guaranteed starter by any stretch of the imagination, unless Les Reed wrote it into his contract. Also I recall reading during the Summer that he was not happy at Saints, could be the malcontent that is being discussed on this thread. Would be a loss long term, he will be good one day, just a bit of a calamity at present due to his lack of concentration and high self-opinion of his ability

There is a PL Rule (K.6), but PL rules do not specify the exact sanction.

I think the article is wrong as well, regarding free agents. I have checked the Premier League handbook and there does not seem to be anything to prevent the signing of free agents that has been added since last year. But I think the issue of signing Ben Arfa is nonsense, its just arisen from some fan who is wishing that we might sign him. He's only linked because he was linked when Puel was here, seems more likely to me that he would go to Leicester if he wants to get back into the PL. He's also not our sort of signing anyway. There is also the matter of having space for him in the squad. We already have 30 over 21 players, so need to not register at least 5 of them (or get them loaned or sold to a non-PL team) just to get to the limit of 25.

So why do you ignore your own (good) advice? Forum "Are you satisfied with the current level of communication with the fanbase?" Krueger: "Yes"

Hoedt, guaranteed starter, you're having a larf. Pretty sure if Yoshida had been available Hoedt would have been on the bench (at best). Austin also is not a guaranteed starter, now that we have Ings. Only the first three on your list could presumably be included in this category, and not even sure about McCarthy to be honest.

To be honest it was not playing 3 at the back that was the problem, it was more to do with what was in front and playing Cedric who was clearly not ready, which was to be expected given his delayed return. We needed more energy and invention further forward, Lemina and Austin especially did not help in that regard and nor did Bertrand in the formation we started with (which Blackmore described as 3-4-3). Expect Hughes to continue with 3 CBs v Everton but with Yoshida instead of Hoedt, but with Ings and Moi up front instead of Austin.

As expected apart from Redmond. Would have preferred Yoshida to Hoedt but limited preseason doesn't help.

Perhaps we should just use the old Max Bygraves song: Ings ain't what he used to be.

The loan business is a complete red herring. We have purchased him in all but name. It had to be a loan to get it across the line before the window slammed shut. To all intents and purposes Ings has been transferred permanently for an agreed fee. We agreed to the deal because we considered that it was reasonable to do so, there is no more risk than if it had been (as it is in all but name) a permanent transfer. Not sure if the rules allow it, but if they do would not be surprised if the deal is officially made permanent in January.

Ings nhas and can play wide left , rather than just through the middle. Bit like JRod, he maybe better through the middle but wide left is a good option that will allow him to play alongside Austin or Gabbi and maybe Long or even Sam wide right. He does give some new options that should help to get some goals.

Damn shame for Saints, Danny was clearly instrumental in turning round the u18s fortunes since he came in. Let's hope Hardyman can continue the improvement now that Fleming has been shifted to the u23s. The top part of the academy coaching needed revitalising and Butters was the first positive sign of that happening. Can't blame him linking up with Tisdale again though.

The reason for the loan is that it is apparently easier/quicker to get a loan registered in short time (at the last minute) than a standard purchase. Its just a way of getting the deal done without all of the financial hoops having to be jumped through. Don't believe for one minute that there is any other reason.

or Long? It seemed like Long was going to Scotland a couple of weeks ago, and SPL can still sign players. It may be that the deal stalled because Saints could not get his replacement (Ings). Now they have the deal could be resolved. Ings and Long are very similar and it seems more likely that Ings replaces Long than Sam.

Eight days is taking the micky. He was supposed to have been back training last Monday (so flew in Sunday) and it seems like he is still not back. Don't think his fitness is an issue (although if he has had gastro-e it would be) he is known to be super-fit, but its not all about fitness, its being involved and working with the new players/tactics. Of course I don't want to have players that aren't good enough but getting ****ed off with prima donnas who go away, get their heads turned and throw a hissy fit to get a move away. Its happening too often. What I'm really ****ed off about is the club who don't seem to consider telling us what is going on and who don't seem to be taking any action to cover off this situation.

Surely no-one still believes the tummy bug story do they? The Echo believes he is due back today and Hughes will play him at the weekend. If you've had gastrentiritis you won't be playing PL football this weekend. Really surprised this isn't being covered more, player has clearly thrown his toys out of the pram and no-one seems bothered and the club don't seem able to tell us anything about what's going on. Meanwhile we rely on our beck up right back, oh wait we don't have one, even though super fit Jeremy Pied is still witout a club. Bloody shambles, it will be good in future if we don't have players who go away for big summer tournaments, this is happening more and more, Courtois seems to have done the same thing, its shameful of players these days.

Only two, Lewis and Sims. Not included Forster, Reed and Rose. Assuming Forster will go and Rose won't be named that leaves just one space. Then again Cedric also seems to have gone AWOL, so who knows what will happen. When does the squad have to be submitted, is it when the PL transfer window closes or after the FIFA window closes in 3 weeks?

Prett clear to me that Cedric will not play v Burnley (if he ever plays for us again). He's not back yet and if the reason for his absence is to be believed he is suffering from some seriousish stomach problem, so likely not to have done much in the way of training anyway. Hughes will play a back 3, and I think it will be Stephens, Vestergaard, Hoedt, I would prefer it to be Yoshida instead of Hoedt but suspect Yoshi will not be ready to start this one. Targett to play RWB in the absence of Cedric (pity we don't recall Pied, he is still looking for a club as far as I can see and his fitness training looks impressive, he may not be the greatest wing back but think he suits Hughes system better than MoPe's). Midfield Romeu, Davis, Armstrong, with Gabbi and Austin "up front"

Also noted for penalty taking. 4 of his 12 league goals last season came from the spot. If Austin is on the pitch I have a high degree of confidence that he would score pens as well. 15 goal a season strikers are a modern myth outside the top 6. What we lack is significant contributions (5.6 per season, not including pens) from the midfield and wing backs (our CBs contributed, Stephens got 2 or 3 and even Hoedt got one if I recall). I thought Long was on his way out, something seems to have gone wrong with the move to Glasgow. Also very disappointed that Sam G didn't even get on the pitch on Saturday, he has to be an improvement on Carrillo and at the moment that is our only difference between now and the 2nd half of last season as far as strikers are concerned (though I understand that Moi can play as a striker).

Burnley lost 0-2 to Espanol.

Pope is out for most of the season, Heaton is injured, they have brought Hart in (or are bringing him in). Having Hart could be a positive for us. They also have a friendly against Espanyol today, so we will be their 3rd game in a week with a trip to Turkey in between. It all looks good for us, trouble is we are looking decidedly crap so they will probably get away with it.

Clear demonstration again today, our CBs may not be great but they are being exposed time and again by our midfield players. Only Romeu comes.close to providing the shield. Hoj and Lemina are hopeless in that role, Lemina gave the ball away in dangerous positions so many times today. The focus on this thread on blaming the attack or the defence simply highlights how simplistic so many of our self opinionated forum experts are. That said Vestergaard is horrendously slow, and Hoedt continues to make dreadful mistakes, I was hoping he would start to learn and cut out the nonsense. Bednarek also has been given a chance by Hughes after showing well when asked to in our run in, but he is demonstrating now why he was not previously getting close to the 1st team. Seems to me that we haven't improved on our longest serving CBs, Yoshida and Stephens still the best we have.

Usual problem forthe goal, opposition completely missing out our midfield, leaves Bednarek pace-exposed and Hoedt doing his Danny Fox impression, hands on hips facing the goal blaming everyone else. With the pace of our CBs our midfield has to improve to close the ball down effectively and cut out the through balls. Please can we get Schneiderlin or Wanyama back?

How could Cedric have been back sooner? He played in the WC and was given the standard holiday time like all the others. Players have a right to their time off and it's important they get down time to recharge. Whether he is actually ba k as he should have been Monday is a different matter, does seem a bit odd that he hasn't been seen or mentioned, yet Yoshida has.

Interesting idea that even Spurs supporters are clever enough to see the problem. It's true, it certainly was last season, but all the Saints board intelligentsia think the problem is the defenders, Stephens in particular or the attack. The problem has been so much the midfield, the attacking ones, cannot hold the ball, give it away in stupid places, lead to situations where the defence have no way of recovering the situation. Tadic, Boufal and Redmond specifically were all guilty as sin last season, and only Boufal had the balls to get back and put a shift in defensively. Last night the same thing appeared to be happening, firstly with Davis/McQueen and then with Long. Players like this will.always give the ball away, it's part of their job, trying to create, it carries a high level of risk, but we need to have a strategy/someone to deal with it. It used to be Morgan and then Wanyama. Romeu is a good player but he is not of their stature and he gets overwhelmed and also has to cover for calamities from Hoedt, in particular. The plan has to be to have Lemina in there, and that was what was missing last night. Trouble is the jury is still out on Lemina. Until we solve that problem we will probably continue to struggle and the Saints Forum gurus will continue to blame individuals because they need someone to blame. I'm positive in as much as I think Armstrong will not be as dangerous to us as Boufal, Tadic and Redmond, but not convinced yet on the basis of 75 minutes in a preseason friendly and clearly we need someone else in there as well. I should have added as well that things were better when we also had VvD who would step up and support Romeu, his brains from the CB role helped paper over the cracks in the MF to some extent. Will Vestergaard develop this was as well, only time will tell, only Stephens of our other CBs seems to show these qualities, but of course Stephens is **** and cannot head the ball according to some of the learned few, the legends in their own minds, that haunt this place.