VectisSaint

Nothing on Points West either, disgraceful.

Maybe the Armenians will pull back a 3 goal deficit next week, then booking flights to Kazak would be a bit of a waste.

Ramirez as well

Jordy Jordy from Haarlem (Angel of Harlem) I can't fit "friets mit mayo" into the tune though

No we won't. Roughly same size squad as last season and season before, both years proved that the size of the squad was on the small side, and we struggled to cope when we had injury and suspension crises in mid-season.

Matt Oakley - effectively discarded by Gormless George having just got back to his form after injury. Never wanted to leave and would have been another one club Matt if only GB had had some sense and offered more than a one year contract. Went on to give good service at Derby and Leicester, when we really could have done with him at Saints. Even Burley eventually realised what a mistake he had made when he tried to sign him for Palace. Mick Channon - at least he realised relatively quickly it was a mistake to go to Man City and came back for a few more great years.

In other words a perfect replacement for Toby. You do realise as well that he was born on St Markus day (8th July) so would be perfect for Saints (my birthday as well, though a few years earlier)

Roster is perfectly good English, but is hardly ever used in English (British English) in the sense that you are using it. We would normally use the word rota rather than roster, but again not for sport related descriptions. The word Squad is the normal term, and it is the term that is used by UEFA in their regulations (at least the English version assuming there are versions in other languages). In fact the word roster has its origins in the Dutch language (rooster), so as we are becoming more and more Dutch these days, perhaps it is appropriate. As you rightly point out next summer Stephens, Ward-Prowse, Turnbull, and Gape all have to be added to the full squad, but the good news is that they will of course be "Club trained" and so will enable more players to be added. Of course this is all rather subjective as we may not qualify for Europa League next season (possibly because we will have won the Europa League and qualified for the CL instead). One possibly interesting point is that if Vergil van Dijk plays for Celtic in the 2nd leg of their CL qualifier he would be ineligible for us (if he joins as is rumoured) until the I think Group stages, assuming of course that we leave a slot for him by omitting Mayuka.

You have missed Martina.

Novel writing from Dorchester?

And the same to you sir. Oh, I see what you mean. So where is he when we need him?

Isn't anyone hiding in the bushes to give us an update I don't recall which Forum member used to do the spying for us.

It was only the OP that called it the Premiership, term is not used by the Grauniad. The article also lists 20 players who play for Premier League teams "who could make an impact in pre-season" (very specific). In other words they are trying to see who might, if they do well, creep into the fringes of the teams, they don't seem to be claiming these players will break through into the PL teams this season. Indeed for Baily Cargill (former Saint now at Boscombe) they are actually suggesting a loan to a Championship side this season is the logical next step. Wouldn't surprise me actually if the outcome for Wood might be the same, i.e. loaning out to Champ/L1 side - maybe we can let Swindon have Wood this season to replace Turnbull or Stephens, one of whom will surely be involved in our first team squad this term (it looks more likely to be Stephens, although most Swindon supporters I know seemed to think Turnbull was the better of the two). Interested to see Cargill was ex-Saints (can't claim to have ever heard of him before), together with Tyrone Mings (who I do know) that seems to be two defenders on the verge of breaking through to the PL (and now both at Boscombe) that our famed Academy have let slip through our fingers.

Overall decent blog, it could have done without the crap paragraph about Cortese, making up stuff for comedy effect detracts from overall article.

Will Wood or MLG? Wood played in the u21 League Cup Final IIRC, seemed to go about his business without attracting the attention of his partner that day, which is often a good sign. He also was on the tour to Austria I think (MLG will put me right if I am wrong no doubt) but not in the training pics of the first team squad yesterday.

Well, if you have a nervous bladder, you should get it checked out, that would be my advice. Best of luck.

Is it because he's a bit like our own 'Arry Nero of Sandbanks, always on the fiddle?

Aha, but I'm not really called Mr Vectis, just like I assume you aren't called Ms Whistle (or Ms Sue) :-) Then again perhaps you are.

That would explain it. Should get mine around Christmas then :-) Usually alphabetical order benefits me.

God knows what people will do after November 1st.

How can this be? Morgan said Van Gaal is the best and thats why he joined Manure.

Cool. So you had no key people where you work. Lucky you. We are not replacing 3 out of 30, it is 2 from 10 (or 3 if you want to count Clyne). Who said anything about crumbling? Not me, but if you can't see that more than a band aid is needed when 2 key players (by far our best) are lost from the spine then really there is not much point in having a discussion. I guess I just need to pigeon hole you as a happy clapper, at least you don't show any symptons of incontinence.

Excellent analysis and write up, pretty much what I have been thinking (without the thought and care of why). The only area I think this does not cover is the keeper situation. The Club will obviously have a better idea that me of when FF will likely be back, but best bet seems to be end of the year (sounds remarkably similar to JRod last year). Stek looks decent (actually looks better than FF to me but thats a different matter), but keeping a clean sheet is very difficult when either FF or Stek are not available. Investing wisely in a CB and DM could all be undone if something happens that forces us to use Gazza, or even worse KD again for more than one or two games. I seriously think another keeper is a must, esepcially if we progress as hoped in the EL.

LOL. Of course replacing 3 key players (well I would consider Morgan and Toby as key, maybe not Clyne to the same extent) is a "touch up", a band-aid is it? Oh well, if you say so. Whether we knew about them leaving or not really doesn't make any difference to whether Ronald is "forced" to "rebuild" again. Fact is he is having to rebuild, that's why we have already brought in 4 new players and are looking for 1 or probably 2 more. Fact is there really wasn't much wrong with the 2 messages posted (ref Clasie and Krychowiak), and it certainly didn't warrant the infantile response about bed wetters again, which is my main bone of contention.

So you don't think Schneiderlin, Clyne (and Alderweireld, mentioned in the other linked post) were key men? OK. That's your opinion. Really think that there are some people on here who had issues in the damp bed department when they were little and now try to make up for that by asserting that anyone who actually shows any concern about what is happening has the same issues that they had when children.