SNSUN

Just reading North Stand chat and there seems to be some uncertainty about the future there, about the fact the don't seem to have a managerial target in place (despite being the "well run" club they are and planning for every eventuality) and that players they have could want out. They also have some ageing players in Welbeck, Milner, Dunk, Gross and Veltman so I can see why they'd be uneasy. As you say (and as we found out), you're only a couple of bad transfer windows (or the wrong managerial appointment) away from relegation in the Premier League unless you're one of the big seven.

I believe Man City are 25-1 which is crazy for a team that just won 4 Premier Leagues in a row. I guess the Bookies figure that even if they got a points deduction they'd still have the quality to be well clear of relegation by the end of the season.

Leicester City - 4/9. Everton - 10/11. Ipswich Town - 10/11. Nottingham Forest - 7/4. Southampton - 7/4. Wolves - 7/2. Brentford - 4/1. Fulham - 5/1. We are, somewhat surprisingly, only 5th favourites to get relegated next season according to the Bookies. Leicester are obviously favourites because of their impending points deduction, I assume Everton likewise.

Probably the only way we'd keep him. I know the game is about money these days and the club might be tempted to sell him before his value disappears but he's one I'd absolutely keep for the season and happily lose on a free next year (if we can't get him to sign a new contract). He's rarely been anything but excellent since the day we signed him and I still can't believe he stuck around in the Championship with us for a year without any complaining. We have been very lucky to have a position filled for so long without having to worry about it. KWP and Bree means RB is not a priority this summer. (Awaits dodgy transfer business from Saints and bringing in 3 new RBs and no strikers...)

Similar to us having a throw in specialist in Rory Delap and not realising it until it's too late.😀 As for the rest of the Premier League, I don't think we're going to see much movement for a while yet, although there always seems to be one club that likes to get in there early with their transfer business. Apparently Enzo Maresca to Chelsea is done.

He's 22 in July. He may be a late developer and I do think there's a player in there but I've seem very little from him last season to show that he's going to be of use for us next season. I do think he should be loaned out and retained in case we end up back in the Championship but I'm dubious of whether he'll ever reach his potential but a loan spell away will give us all the information we need. We currently have Stewart and AA next season assuming we lose Adams and Mara so IMO we need two strikers to come in. That is unless the club need to budget and just bring one striker in, in which case I could see them wanting to retain Mara.

Rangers linked with Ben Johnson, Crystal Palace linked with Ronnie Edwards. Weak link to O’Hare https://www.givemesport.com/southampton-interested-in-callum-ohare/

We're Southampton, we're more likely to get

Ah hail Loom Tuna. We're in a weird situation where we should be building towards being a Premier League team but keeping one eye on making good signings that would bode is well in the Championship in a year's time should the worst happen next season. As mentioned by others, players like O'Hare on a free might be good acquisitions for the longer term either way. I suspect we'll renew our interest in Ban Johnson too as he's OOC and available and we've previously been interested.

Personally I'm not a fan of bringing back players that used to play for the club, even if both Lallana and Ings did very well for us at the time. I can understand Ings more than Lallana in a way but right now neither fill me with confidence that the club knows what direction they want our transfer dealings to go in. If we were still in the Championship I would have taken both happily. In the Prem? A 36 year old with an injury history and a nearly 32 year old with an even worse injury history? Hmm.

He has definitely improved. I said the other day I notice similaries with JWP, works hard, excellent passing, positionally good and usually available, just without the JWP engine. He's not the quickest and I don't think he's a particularly good tackler but that's why he's better playing further forward. When Downes was out and we sat Smallbone back - that's not his position and we perhaps should have had more faith in Charles but ultimately I think he's earned his place in the Premier League. He's in my first XI over Aribo to start next season.

Crank it up Whitey!

Not sure on Lallana but I'm edging on positive. Was excellent for us in his first spell and took us through the Leagues, he's an academy graduate so that's a good advert and I personally don't mind that he joined a bigger club, something I'm sure most players would do if the opportunity came along (there are exceptions like MLT). The issues are his age and his previous injury history, although I am surprised to see he wasn't injured at all last season. (EDIT - and of course the way he left which should have been handled better - but has enough time passed since that?) However - as a (hopefully) cheapish, squad filler I wouldn't be against it. 22/23 Thigh problems Jan 22, 2023 Apr 14, 2023 82 days 12 22/23 Calf injury Aug 26, 2022 Sep 28, 2022 33 days 3 21/22 Hamstring injury Mar 12, 2022 Apr 1, 2022 20 days 2 21/22 Hamstring injury Jan 14, 2022 Jan 22, 2022 8 days 2 21/22 Leg injury Dec 1, 2021 Dec 14, 2021 13 days 2 20/21 Groin strain Jan 3, 2021 Jan 26, 2021 23 days 4 20/21 Groin strain Dec 28, 2020 Jan 1, 2021 4 days 1 20/21 Groin strain Nov 29, 2020 Dec 15, 2020 16 days 2 20/21 Groin strain Nov 22, 2020 Nov 27, 2020 5 days - 18/19 Knock Apr 1, 2019 May 31, 2019 60 days 10 18/19 Knock Jan 6, 2019 Jan 18, 2019 12 days 2 18/19 Knock Nov 9, 2018 Dec 4, 2018 25 days 4 18/19 Groin strain Sep 4, 2018 Oct 19, 2018 45 days 9 17/18 Hamstring injury Mar 31, 2018 May 13, 2018 43 days 11 17/18 Hamstring injury Jul 31, 2017 Nov 25, 2017 117 days 27 16/17 Hamstring injury Mar 27, 2017 Apr 27, 2017 31 days 5 16/17 minor knock Nov 17, 2016 Dec 1, 2016 14 days 3 16/17 Groin strain Sep 29, 2016 Oct 17, 2016 18 days 4 15/16 Calf problems Feb 11, 2016 Feb 25, 2016 14 days 3 15/16 Thigh problems Aug 24, 2015 Sep 17, 2015 24 days 6 14/15 Groin injury Mar 23, 2015 Apr 23, 2015 31 days 6 14/15 Hamstring injury Jan 1, 2015 Jan 19, 2015 18 days 4 14/15 Knee injury Jul 24, 2014 Sep 1, 2014 39 days 3 The problem we have with Downes is that if we want him, we'll have to wait. Can we afford to go into pre-season with only Charles as a DM whilst we bide our time for Downes (a move which could ultimately not happen if they want to keep him)? Personally I'd be bringing in another DM or CM that can play DM anyway even if the move for Downes proves fruitful long term.

I retract the last comment. 😀 Genuinely didn't believe we'd do it. I'd also like to raise Martin to an 8 and add the final to 'best match'.

McKenna has been courted by teams too. We might be the only promoted side that still has the manager that got them promoted come August. (Assuming a bigger club doesn't come in for Martin, though I can't see it).

He has an almost unique, leggy way of holding on to the ball but what has surprised me most recently if his engine and, at one point for someone that looks like he's just jogging around, a huge burst of speed. He has good acceleration. He has done well and, to his credit, we've not particularly missed Stu because of him. Is he Prem quality? I was excited when he signed but was more disappointed with him in our relegation season than anyone else but he's done enough this season to warrant being an option in the Prem next season. If not first choice then definitely as a regular squad player. His versatility will help too, as well as the fact he's left footed. And at 27, he's just entering his peak.

Fantastic support you lot.

Such a shame the weather sucked today but it looks like it didn't dampen any spirits too much!

I want quality not quantity this summer although you could argue we need both. Whilst I'm concerned about our current team in the Prem, I do think there will be first choice players coming in. That said a lot of it depends on whether we can offload the players that are out on loan. What we do know is we need to recruit well, something we've been iffy with of late. For me, I would like to see the squad something like this: (this is just my thoughts) GK - New first choice (someone Baz can compete with when he's fit again). A good GK is now the priority. I hope we don't intend to bring Lis in as first choice, despite his apparently decent season at Goztepe, although as a back up I wouldn't be against it. That would leave us with: NEW GK, Bazunu, Lumley/Lis. RB - Obviously we need to keep KWP as replacing him with anything as close to as good as him would be very difficult. Bree as back up is Ok in my book. RB is fine as it is. LB - New first choice is a no brainer here. We cannot rely on Manning in the Prem though he'd do a job as back up/wing back. Larios? Who knows whether he'll be fit or whether he's even good enough. We've only seen fleeting glimpses of him (although when he did play I was impressed by his speed). Meghoma is promising but will probably be loaned out. Perraud? I know some Saints fans would give him a chance but after being loaned out I don't think he has a future here. He'd be the cheap option to keep in place of signing someone but I'd rather we replaced him with better. Jake Vokins... haha yes he's still here. He's out. So it would be New LB and Manning. CB - New first choice* - now we have just signed THB and Bednarek is impressing so I'm not so confident this will occur. I think we keep Stephens for 4th choice. Obviously we have ABK and DCC still on the books - I think DCC will probably go (I read the Lyon forum - after translating it - and they really like him and want him to stay). ABK is a strange one - he looked good at times in the Prem, is still young too and was courted by bigger teams but seemed to have a lot of injury problems. *IF we keep ABK, I think that will be the cost saving option of not bringing in a new CB, in favour of other positions. Personally I DO hope we bring in another CB even if we keep ABK but then I'm just greedy. I think spending the £20 million on THB will be an issue with bringing a new CB in, even if we did budget it in advance. So THB, Bednarek, Stephens, ABK it may be with Lawrence coming through. I can't see Lyanco coming back either. A lot depends on whether we are going to continue playing 3 at the back too. IF that's the case you could argue we need 5 CBs not 4 (although I'm aware Charles can play there). DM - DOWNES on a permanent please OR New First Choice, Downes is so key to the way we play and I think he's a Premier League quality player. Will he want to leave his boyhood club permanently? He seems happy here under Martin. If not? We need a midfield enforcer but someone a bit more like Schneiderlin than Wanyama, someone who can play. I think we're going to have to accept Charles is second choice here. So Downes/New DM and Charles. (Greedy me would like all three of those!) CM - New CM definitely needed. Question marks over Armstrong's future, question marks over whether Aribo and Smallbone can cut it at the higher level - we need at least one new CM if not 2. A CM that can also play DM would be nice - and I do think we lack a playmaker that can unlock defences (although Smallbone did a great job of that yesterday!) unless Alcaraz can be that man. I think Alcaraz will be back, just a hunch. So it's be New CM, Alcaraz, Smallbone, Aribo. (Possibly one more?) Wingers/AM - New first choice left sided - Ok it's getting difficult now! Will we keep Wee Man? Probably as a cheap squad option as Martin's mate. Sulemana? Depends if we can offload him. I doubt it but you never know. He'll be the Djenepo of our last Premier League campaign if he stays, used fleetingly because it doesn't look like he'll reach his potential. Edozie? Fine as a squad option. Brooks? I'd sign him if we could, I know he has his doubters but there's a talented player in there. I'd send SAA out on loan but I'd keep Dibling in and around the squad. So New first choice, Fraser, Brooks, Edozie, Sulemana and Dibling. Good enough? Striker - New first or second choice - Will Ross be our first choice in the Prem? Can we rely on him to be fit? I think a lot depends on whether Adams stays or goes but I suspect he'll leave for pastures new. Mara is another difficult one - do we ship him out? Could we ship him out? Either way we also have AA who has more than earned his spot in the team next season, whether it's wide or up front. So it's: New Str, Stewart, AA. So GK (the most important right now), LB, Downes or new DM, New CM (or even 2), New left sided winger/AM, and a new striker. 6/7 new players needed. I don't think we'll bring in that many though, just a hunch. I think a lot depends on whether we can ship out players first. At the very least I want to see a GK, LB, Striker and Downes come in and I'd be somewhat happy but I fear we need more. A first choice team of New GK, KWP, THB, Bednarek, New LB, Smallbone, Downes, New CM, AA, Ross, New LW wouldn't be a bad start to the season for starters with some money left for the January window just in case.

I was up in the Gods for the JPT and I agree, I spent a lot of the game just mesmerised at the support and size of the place rather than what was happening on the pitch. Apparently the attendance at Wembley for the Play Off final yesterday was 85,962 whereas the attendance for the FA Cup final with the two Manc teams was 84,814. Impressive stuff.

I’ve said it so many times… Leeds had the best attack in the League this season. However, What surprised me is that not only have we scored more goals than them this season but they only had 2 shots on target all game and only 11 on target against us all season in their 3 defeats. To me that shows that Farke wasn’t getting the best out of those attacking riches, and that Martin set us up to be difficult to beat. According to the Leeds forum they have faith in Farke next season but they will definitely now lose a few players. Do I care? Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

At the end of the day... we loaned Jan to Villa because we believed we had better options in the squad. But... a) Villa must have seen something in him to loan him in the first place, b) He's a Polish international with loads of caps which don't come if you're crap and c) If we were Premier League already and were looking to sign a defender from the Championship who has had an excellent season, we'd be delighted. Jan is 27, he's entering his peak as a footballer. He has absolutely earned his chance back in the Prem.

Better get used to this tune...

Will leave this here... what a day for Saints fans. Respect to Steve and son. Atmosphere is everything.