SNSUN

Points. 😄 And yes we had enough points but our end of season form sure didn't make it feel comfortable. Hence why I'm pleased it seems the club have realised our squad was poor and it needs overhauling in most positions. As to the quality of our recruits, well that remains to be seen but it looks positive based on people gushing about them. I'd like to see Broja back but we hope the club have attacking options in their scouting notes with the potential of Bazunu and Bella-Kotchap.

Starting their business well. It also probably means someone will get Dubravka which is a good signing. Everton getting Tarkowski it looks like.

I'm not sure I could describe our most recent survival as comfortable! 😬

Swift and unexpected. Welcome to Saints ABK (as he might be known). Everyone seems to be gushing over him so I hope he's the insane signing we got with Tino.

I like the sound of this.

If this is genuinely the case then I put my faith back into our recruitment team. I've been worried about this "signing kids" thing as I think it is a decent strategy for a mid table team but a risky one for a squad of poor players likely to be in a relegation battle, but we're showing positive signs if they can see the current players aren't good enough.

We do need full back cover while Tino recovers (particularly if Valery joins Goztepe) but I'd rather Brandon Williams (whom United have said is free to leave) than Neco Williams. We were interested last summer but the loan fee was too high and we went for Tino. I wonder if we're still interested and could get him on loan with a view or obligation for permanent. Plus he can play both sides like KWP, would give us great versatility even when Tino is back.

A decent centre back that can score 15+ goals then maybe. We are still woefully short in attacking areas. Adams is a decent striker if an inconsistent goalscorer, Armstrong was out of his depth last season and has yet to show he can step up and... my god we still have Long and Walcott on the books (and are apparently renewing Long's contract). Oh and N'Lundulu who will never be a Prem striker. Then we get to the 10s, the only half decent one of which is Armstrong. We need reinforcements in attack or we will go down. I'm not saying we won't bring them in by the end of summer, I think we will, but the idea that we'll survive just signing one more CB is hard to believe right now.

Even if not he'll only have to wait for a couple of poor displays from Alex Mac to get a look in. That and Carabao. If anything hopefully this will push Alex to play better. Welcome Gavin. I'm not going to lie I wanted an experienced, Prem ready number 1 like Pope but people seem to rave about this kid so I reserve judgement! Our new model of signing talented youngsters does worry me though, especially in a season where we could be fighting relegation. I don't mind seeing then brought in but I'd hope for a couple of more experienced heads too. We were basically shit for the last third of last season so we definitely need the recruits.

From Matt Le Tiss to Matteusz Lis. There's a song in there somewhere.... Welcome. It seems the club see the raw GK credentials of a decent keeper but at 25 he's no spring chicken, even for a GK. Maybe he can be molded into a decent keeper. At worst, hypothetically, if we do get relegated we'll not have to worry too much about GK cover.

Better start spending the £80 million we'll get for JWP then. 😜

Ooh interesting - I wonder if Ruben Selles has joined and told them to get over there for a player or two that he knows... I still think it makes sense for a season if wages are OK - makes more sense than renewing Long's contract anyway. Mind you we'd be bang in the media spotlight if it happened.

He's a righty isn't he? Either way I do think he'll be the one to go too. His game isn't perfect although he's not far off entering his peak as a footballer. We signed him as a cheap back up player and he's ended up being our number 1 CB - credit to him but we need better. Salisu is decent but needs somebody better alongside him, then we keep Lyanco, Stephens and maybe even Simeu as back ups. Hopefully someone will give us £20 million odd to fund the next CB signing - someone in the mold of Tarkowski but achievable. Chris Richards had a decent season at Hoffenheim from what I've read, and has a bit of CL experience too - seems like the sort of signing we'd make.

A quick search seems you may be right excluding youth players perhaps that didn't play for us. I did notice we had a Jimmy Carr play for us. Bet he was funnier than the modern day version.

And perhaps putting himself in a better position to be first choice England midfielder. I wouldn't begrudge him a move as long as we are well financially compensated and not short changed. That means 60 million plus.

This. McCarthy, Bazunu and Caballero should be enough in the GK department. It's the other 6 or 7 outfield players we need to be spending money on now.

Of note... tough first game, tough first month, our run after the World Cup (post Christmas) looks decent, and the run in looks OK bar the last game which hopefully won't be relevant by then. Could be worse could be better. No easy fixtures. We need to be beating the likes of Fulham, Forest, Bournemouth, Palace, Wolves, Brentford, Leeds, Everton who will all be direct competition if we want to stay up as well as getting our usual few points against the big boys. Still I think it will be a long season. We need attacking recruits and we need them fast.

It’ll be a fixture we’d rather have once we’ve got our shit together and a missed chance for 3 points. So Brentford away. As usual I hope our last few fixtures are fairly easy, especially as I think we could struggle next season.

Caohmin Kelleher, whom Klopp rates extremely highly has been their most recent keeper of choice, and will probably be Bazunu's main competition in the next few years for the No 1 Ireland spot. They also have Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers who isn't bad too so they have 3 young good keepers coming through. With Caballero supposedly retained, I guess that's our three keepers sewn up. With McCarthy the liability we know he can be, I'm really hoping Bazunu steps up and proves to be top stuff even at a young age. Now please sort the attacking side of issues out. Yes we need a CB, RB cover and CM but the lack of decent AMs and Strikers worries me.

For cheap? Sure. Last day of the transfer window and we still only have Adams, Armstrong, Long and N'Lundulu as our strikers? Sure. Him for cheap AND another new young striker? Defo. Him instead of another striker we deem to be good enough Broja style? Nah. Ings had his time here and left. I could get on board with it as a signing alongside another young striker but not as our only striker signing of the window. Anyway I bet his wages are high.

I'm normally quite positive but I feel that If we're not careful we are slipping back to our 90's staple of being perrenial Relegation battlers, only this time we've traded the genius of MLT for the engine and set piece wizardry of JWP. We've seen the likes of Wolves, Villa, Newcastle, West Ham all come up and strengthen and next season we will have Fulham and Bournemouth, both who still have Premier League quality players, and a Forest side that will be determined to do well. Next season will be our toughest test yet since we've been back in the Prem - not only do we need to sort out the CB situation but we desperately need attacking players to come in and do well from the off. We don't really have any game changers in the ranks - that is what I'd like to see us bring in more than anything. It has been a roller coaster ten years - we came up and upset the applecart with players that just kept getting better through the leagues (Morgan, Lallana, Lambert, Fonte), then strengthened under Pochettino and Koeman. I worry about next season - I await to see what transfer miracles we accomplish but I'm not holding my breath. I think we needed a fresh vision in management and decent investment in the squad. We're not getting the former but may yet get the latter but I'm not holding my breath.

If re-signing Ings means not starting the season with Adams/Armstrong/Long as our attacking trio "ably" backed up by Tella, Redmond and N'Lundulu then I'm all for it, at the right price. However I'd hope we had better on our shortlist than a player knocking on for the end of his career. Erikson - no chance, would love him but he'll go to better. Maybe even back to Spurs. Long new contract - FFS. Been in and near Portsmouth and IOW for the last week on holiday so only been checking in. How close is Bazunu to signing? At least that would set the ball rolling.

Sure, if the money tree we planted has started to bear fruit. Also... #ziyechwatch

Welcome Bazunu. Wait, thats Pazuzu. Anyway I know nothing of this keeper apart from the fact he's an international and played for the skates... but this sounds a lot like Gunn mk. 2. Hopefully (as we're almost definitely having Alex Mac as number 1) he's got a calm head about him and takes his opportunities when they come. IMO we really needed a top number one like Pope but these aren't markets we appear to be able to afford. As for City's youngsters, I hope we sign Delap on a Tino-like perm and bring in Palmer on loan.

His best moment of last season that i remember was his header against Spurs in the comeback win. He made a great run that JWP crossed it to him and he headed it in. He needs to do that more. Personally I’d have shot of him, and keep only Armstrong of the 10s, then sign replacements but I suppose we don’t have the money for that so need to keep a couple. I suspect Tella will still be here too. Please can we get at least one decent 10, if not two.