The Kraken

Not really, no. Stones didn't make his Everton debut until this season, under Martinez. And Coleman was 20 when he came over from Ireland.

I'll give you odds of evens. What's your stake?

Buy 47 million scratch cards.

The other 39% can stay, we need them to keep the kebab shops open and clean public toilets.

Apparently I should be a labour voter. Although, perhaps more worryingly, I side with the BNP on 61% of issues...

Me too. Too early to make the call though, need to see who is staying, worst case scenario from press rumours we'll be playing the entire U21 squad next season. So maybe Omar Rowe.

Whoops. Poor old Strawlock just got totally found out.

Can see why Lampard is going, he's basically the Gerrard replacement. Apart from Henderson there aren't many other options at defensive midfield; Wilshere, Barkley, Lallana, Milner, Oxo and Sterling are all more attacking than defensive. Gerrard and Lampard have similarly changed their games to move into more of a sitting midfield position. It does show the lack of quality in reserve though that we still have to rely on both of them. Step forward Jack Cork, please. A spot in the Euro squad is surely a realistic target for him.

Or maybe some people had different opinions to the mainstream in the first place. Couldn't be, could it?

No-one is saying that Osvaldo and Mayuka should still be here; but in Osvlado and Mayuka we have nearly £20M worth of strikers out on loan. Yet despite that leaving only an untried 18 year old as the real backup to Rickie Lambert, no questions have really been asked in the press as to why we didn't bring anyone in to replace those we shipped out. A perfectly valid question that plenty on here have also asked.

Lawron

Any reporter that knows we've still got Mayuka on our books has clearly done some research. There's been various threads on here lamenting the fact that Sam Gallagher isn't ready for the Premier League yet, and why we're in a position that we have to play him as we have no other options. So it's entirely fair comment for a journalist to at least notice that the the question isn't even being asked of MP, as far as I'm concerned.

Even if he didn't have massive funding behind him and had to come through on his promise to run the club within its own means?

That is a weird way to gloss over what could be construed as destabilising the new regime.

It's all very hush hush, but I've seen 2 or 3 rumours now that it's Umbro. Only from facebook and the twittersphere though, so very much to be taken with a pinch of salt.

I don't think you have to do too much research to know why Osvaldo isn't here. It's pretty common knowledge. However, I don't see much wrong with the comment that we have a couple of strikers out on loan yet a dearth of available strikers actually here. Especially when it's not without precedent that some training ground bust ups happen without players being shipped out (Chico Flores this season for one).

If that's his benchmark of expectations for the finance he wants then I'd suggest it's an unresolvable issue.

He needs to go somewhere, whether its a move or a loan. Rotting in the reserves is seemingly doing him little good in terms of developing him into a Premier League goalkeeper.

We'll find out in the summer. But I'd say yes, it is. It always has been, when the big boys come calling. Cortese's "Champions League vision" may have tried to deny it, but when it turned out that we really don't have the money to complete with the riches on offer from the top 4 or 5 clubs then the players heads are turned, hence the constant utterings in the media. At least we're (hopefully) now in a position where we can fight off advances from the likes of Everton, Newcastle, Villa, the types of club we've lost some star players to before. Top 4 or 5 clubs though is a completely different prospect and always will be.

£25M doesn't get close, IMO. Jordan Henderson was £18M back in 2011. Eden Hazard is being rumoured as a £50M target for PSG. Andy Carroll for £35M. Juan Mata £37M. Given how awash with money the PL now is, I think £30M is the minimum we'll be looking at, perhaps £35M - £40M if clubs get in a bidding war. Value for money? Not a chance. But it's fast becoming the going rate for a PFA team of the year player.

Yep, definitely.

Agree with you there, Bear. In 2009 Saints' turnover was £8m. With the £80M+ prize money and all else, that figure must now be somewhere around £120M. A £30M bid to a company who turns over £8M a year is absolutely irresistible. You simply can't turn it down. A £30M bid to a company that turns over £120M? Really not the same thing. I still think Lallana and Shaw will leave in the summer, but it's going to take a massively hefty chunk of money for it to happen.

Well this is Saintsweb, so plenty. Although exactly what it is that is not to like is not entirely clear just yet.

I'm not sure if I'd care all that much either way Barry. Ok then.