saint1977

They were both in good form and fitness and Everton’s issues were more in defence and midfield. He won’t be as good as Ings but who would be? If Ings hadn’t had injuries he wouldn’t be at SFC. He could work well in RH’s system and might not even need to move house. More chance of first team regular than some of the other sides he was linked with. FWIW I dont think he is coming to SFC and in many ways I’d proritise a right sided CB like Ajer as Salisu will lockdown Left sided DC and Vesty is going. They will look at him but probably get a 20 year old wide forward from Ligue 1 with pace for 8m Euros instead and if Danny leaves go balls out for Eduaord or similar. I don’t think they would sign King and a first choice Ings replacement because of the wage bill but there are some sensible arguments for him as genuine competition for Danny and Che if the former stays.

Good post overall although not sure I’d see him as washed up, had the impression Brands signed him at Everton to give DCL and diver-ilson some competition but not posh enough for Ancelotti. People said the same about Ings when he was linked with SFC and we’ve said the same about Berty. Different environment, and some managers gel with some players. I suspect he fancied doing a Ryan Fraser and a free on big wages to Arsenal, Man U and saw Fraser end up at Newcastle only playing part of the season. I think he would be OK but only if we keep Ings, with Adams, not as a replacement. Obafemi would probably be sold to the Champ if King came in.

Caveat that it is in the Sun but Norwich linked with £10m move for Ajer at Celtic who is in the last 12 months of his deal. Would be an ideal Vesty replacement and IIRC right footed so good partner for Salisu. As for Zaha, optimistic to think he will have moved by pre season training. Doubt if CP will sell unless it’s a silly offer - which won’t happen with the market a bit down for all bar elite players like Kane - until the new manager in place and formulated their plans with him in and out of them. Plus Eze out effectively for most of next season at full throttle even if the Achilles has healed by new year.

Thanks for posting. With Gunn at least we’d be rid of one set of wages but the original fee from City stinks when there were already two first team level goalies at the club (debatable I know!). Not that City got that for him but that someone - either Les or Ross paid it. Something a bit awry there. Vesty will be off - if they haven’t offered a new deal and there’s interest. Multi bidders could push it to £20m, unlike most of the duo’s dealings at least that won’t be a thumping loss. Redmond and Theo as the first XI wide options is depressing, let’s hope Tella kicks on next year although RH may see him up front.

I’m still unsure of what Semmens meant by a new investment model coming in from the fans forum. If it didn’t mean a takeover, what did it mean? Seems unlikely Gao has an investor when the PRC has moved strongly against overseas sports investments including football. You’d surely only invest as part of a new buyer line up? Could be the PRC authorities moved the goalposts on asking price? Or due diligence is taking longer.

Quite. And the scientists who have been working on that theory - the parallel one being wet markets - didn’t refer to the virus as the ‘Kung Flu’ to appeal to their bigoted supporter base.

Lemina had just been a sub in the CL final but the feedback from Juve was that he was inconsistent when given opportunities. He started very well but quickly problems appeared with driving issues and other rumours about his lifestyle and level of focus. If Hoedt had starred at Lazio, he’d have been joining Everton, Leicester or possibly top 4. I’m not disputing your point that they have gone backwards at SFC, that’s evident for all to see. Lemina had a better season at Fulham which will help move him on with a year left on his deal, but they still were well adrift of safety. Hoedt’s attitude has been rank at other clubs which is why SFC are struggling to give him away for free. Ely is the mystery, not athletic enough for PL but clearly a good player. Boufal a similar issue I suspect, quicker and dynamic players like Mane are a better sell. Sofaine is more of a 10, if he’d have been fitter in Puel’s season it may have turned out differently for both, but Pellegrino got 10 behind the ball against all opposition, and he was never a Ralph player. To back up the recruitment point and getting the right players for the PL and pressing game, Gaston looked great under Nigel but lost under Poch and in other PL spells at Hull and Boro. Redmond has been OK for the fee paid but regressed massively since being POTS after Ralph joined even though on his day he is well suited to how SFC play, more so than the 2016-18 signings. Djenepo was signed after that but hasn’t developed offensively, probably worsened although improved defensively. The facilities are amongst the best around so it has be down to human factors as to why enough players aren’t kicking on and developing their games. That could be down to coaching but also a culture at the club of continuous improvement, both your own technique and fitness, and the team. JWP is a better example - get everything you can out of yourself and stay on after training to work on his set piece delivery. Perhaps player motivation and lack of club leadership are linked, although if you want to move on to a top 4 club after 2 years self-motivation has to be a factor.

Has to be shared responsibility between club and player. Also, the players leaving 2014-18 for huge fees hadn’t played at the really big clubs before (Celtic are a big club but limited league) and were on an upward trajectory whereas Lemina and Hoedt had been at Juve and Lazio. Boufal hadn’t but he didn’t suit the PL like Mane was obviously going to. Ely is clearly a good player but doesn’t suit the PL either. To have been at a big club and get back there requires a lot of hunger and willingness to understand why it didn’t work out, and listening to feedback. Doesn’t really chime with Mario or Wesley does it? Even basic research on attitudes would have flushed that out if Les and Ross could’ve been bothered in between sickening self-congratulation living off 2014. The coaching and development is also questionable, Ronald had a team in place who had the depth of experience to work with emerging top players and get the best out of them. RH’s fitness and strengthening regime brought huge improvements in JWP, Stuart and Ings, and KWP has developed really well. I’m less certain on technical improvement, some of which is coaching but some is desire by the player eg JWP with set pieces and the right attitude to prepare and practice with intensity. There’s too many games last season where that intensity was missing for 30-40 minutes per game. Whether that’s down to the compressed schedule or that some players have run their course at SFC already I don’t know.

Worse I’d say, there was some spontaneity about his play first season - Sheffield Utd, Brighton, Watford. That went last season, partly because of tactics eg Burnley away but Moussa never really got going. Wouldn’t be upset if he stayed as defensively better than Boufal and quicker, but not encouraging that he can’t oust Redmond when the latter has been playing like a League 2 winger winning a prize to play in PL games from a biscuit wrapper competition, although that doesn’t reflect well on Ralph either. Redmond needs to move on for his sake and given Theo has signed in and RH identified wingers as priorities he may be on his way out.

In which case their authorities might be even harsher - from a duffing up to something rather nastier - if exposed to the risk of relegation, which is very high next year. £150m better than £0 under interrogation by the PRC police. Also, have their authorities considered that a significant part of the reason clubs are making huge losses is a virus probably originating in Wuhan province? Typical politicians. Les and Ross didn’t help either at club level but the pandemic has had a huge impact across Europe.

At the fans forum there were quite a few Qs on the chat about Gao, why he bought the club, future plans etc. Semmens addressed them head on saying that Mr Gao spoke no English so direct communication seemingly not, and that Gao had been encouraged to acquire a club but the political mood music on investing in overseas sports changed quickly domestically leaving Gao in a ‘difficult position’. I got the impression he is pretty much a silent and reluctant owner. Which made the subsequent comment about a new investment model all the more intriguing. Some people read a takeover into that comment but it could taken a few ways. Theres been media articles further back saying there’s little or no communication from the Chinese end so that wasn’t a left field comment by Semmens. Which is why he’d be stupid to want £200m and for Kat to want full price for her 20% having made loads selling to him, assuming he paid the 80. He might have had more chance if he’d sacked Les Reed when he arrived but Reed’s splurge in 2018 of the VVD money on appalling shite - Armstrong excepted - has done him in. Will get nowt with relegation so sell whilst he can. He doesn’t need to know football to see the results trend, and where it leads. That’s why I think Les is spouting shite. Les ruined SFC 2016-18 for many years but won’t accept any criticism, needs to STFU about the club tbh as he’s been active in the media recently trying to defend his record having left the FA quite quickly. IMHO Les is worse than Lowe, Branfoot and Askham combined in terms of resources squandered and mistakes not learned from.

Don’t know, Gao’s itk network is thousands of miles away. Semmens admitted they don’t have contact. So not sure where Les gets that from or if he just made it up. KL would be less surprised at, and the MSD is fact. All I know is if they expect full price they will be left with nowt next May. KL made her profit first time assuming Gao paid the 80 pc, or a regional Chinese authority. Gao is set to take a partial bath if he sells this summer, total loss if he sells later

Les has been talking about takeover. With a pinch of salt coming from the man who bought Carrillo and Hoedt and hired Pellegrino eg full of BS. Better off relegated if he is even vaguely right, which I don’t think he is, given his track record. https://www.footballfancast.com/southampton-fc-news/exclusive-les-reed-southampton-300m-potential-investors-e123

I will agree with NTA and call this season a C. Overall about what would have been expected - 43 points - bar the fact that since January the decline has been spectacular. Owner - Can’t score as invisible, doesn’t take money out at least but wants to/needs to sell. Has to happen ASAP. Manager - first held of season 8, second half 2 = ave of 6 Goalies - Forster 6, flaws but some character to return. McCarthy 3 - some points for first half of season but displays in 2021 simply unacceptable. Full backs - KWP 7.5, exactly what a modern full back should be in the PL. Berty 6 - not right for this set up but great player for SFC. Vokins - not played enough for a score, whoever gave him a 4 year deal needs to be put in same stocks in August as whoever gave Long his new contract and pelted with rotten apples marinaded in out of date Strongbow by the fans. Valery - professional footballer - really? Bowyer soon sussed him out at Birmingham. Took him 24 hours unlike the dopey yokels in SFC. CBs - Vesty 5.5 - excellent first half, back to his rotten standards latterly. Beds 4 - sympathy with being played at RB, one of RH’s crack pipe moments, but dire since then. Salisu 6 - build the defence around him. Pace, power, reads the game well. Long adjustment period but may be worth it. Jack 6 - versatile, good on the ball but always a big lapse in focus. At least communicates on the pitch. CM - Romeu 7 - missed him badly after Leeds. JWP 7 - phenomenal fitness, great fks but needs a lot of work as skipper. Has to issue some bollockings when standards drop. Stu 7.5 - POTS, either him or KWP. Great engine, runs with the ball and does communicate as well. Smallbone - nasty injury, too small a sample of games. Diallo 5 - not sure what he is. Good engine, average passing and composure, bit lightweight. Could be a decent box to box MC if he bulks up over the summer. But would need to be 3-5-2 system to fit with the others. Wingers - Theo 5.5, contributed well early on but limited since injury. Redmond 1 - gets a point for the Bournemouth game. We all know the shortcomings from match threads but his worst season by a distance. Bowyer might get him going on loan at St Andrew’s next year. Djenjepo - 5, some good defensive winger roles at Burnley etc, but invisible as season went on. Another to sell. Tella 6.5 - bright spot. Needs to work on end product but something to work with. Strikers - Danny 7, missed a lot of games but very, very good finisher still. Che 6.5, 9 goals not a bad return, but needs better conversion on some of the easier chances (not all). Ings is not the same player if Che isn’t there though. Long 0 - added nothing. A rotten apple in the stocks for whoever approved that extension. Whole squad needs more power, pace and character/experience. Shame Delaney rumour not true as that’s the type of player needed, loan some of the others out.

Because he didn’t need to select McCarthy, Redmond and Bednarek. There were viable alternatives to all three in better form.

McCarthy, Bednarek and Redmond have been abysmally out of form for months yet he persists in selecting them like he has some form of OCD. I’m not Fraser’s greatest fan but to be benched for someone so obviously shorn of confidence and not enjoying the game must hurt. Ralph has viable alternatives to all 3, it’s not like the injury crisis Feb to April. Dreading next season without major changes to ownership, dug out and playing staff.

Danjuma out of price range but Carter-Vickers and Lloyd Kelly definitely.

Whoever gave him a 2 year extension at SFC last summer needs to be sacked pronto.

Toney does have very good positioning but has missed some genuine chances today not least the header 10 minutes ago. I know he scored the penalty but not sure how many he would score in the PL where chances at a premium. Woodgate has gone too negative too early, Brentford for all that pressure haven’t worked Begovic. And Brentford score. Desperate stuff when you rely on Shane Long to get you back into it. Goals goals goals.

Completely agree, the squad badly needs experience, quality and character through the spine of the first team. Look at how much Romeu has been missed Jan to now. Armstrong is better further forward and not convinced from the fans forum that he wants to play as a 6 although has done a job there. I see Diallo as more box to box like Lemina should have been. The younger buys will be in wide/striker areas, maybe a CB that is right footed if Vesty leaves.

Dike would be addition to, not replacement for Ings. If Danny leaves, vast majority of the budget needs to go on replacing him and bosmans elsewhere. Guehi is impressive, might depend how many other clubs are chasing him. Right footed by the looks, could play alongside Salisu or Vesty as left footers. Bednarek is fine for 4th choice but has shown his limitations second half of this season, too slow alongside Vesty who is also slow. Vesty may leave which means Guehi or equivalent is a replacement. Buying from Swansea or another decent Champ club would avoid the long period of acclimatisation that Salisu had.

Daryl Dike on loan to Barnsley from Orlando City in the MLS looks like a forward RH could develop. Has all the materials - very strong and quick, and good scoring record so far, might have to rein in the physical side slightly in the PL to stay on the pitch but rather that than another of Les’s lightweights. Only 20 and shouldn’t be north of £10m so would fit the mid table Championship budget Saints have.

Complete IIRC with the charming chant ’Oh when the Saints, Get kicked to fuck, oh when the Saints get to kicked to fuck. We’re gonna be around that corner, when the Saints get kicked to fuck’.

Good anticipation by Adams, and good contact. Homing in on double figures. Minamino wasting some good situations, including just now when Danny set him up. Clearly technical ability there, saw that v Chelsea and Newcastle, and Klopp/Ralph can see it in training, but this league half a yard too fast for him. And this isn’t the quickest of PL games either. Mind you, better there. Too close in for JWP to get ball up and over wall?

Overwhelming majority of electorate left or right would say ‘get vaccinated as soon as you get the opportunity’, no excuses. I would take a firm line with any anti vaccination sentiment, irrespective of the narrative. There is a very small part of the population who cannot have the vaccine because it would be more risky with their conditions than the virus which is fair enough. Historical narratives are broadly irrelevant for those not in the category in making a decision on this and I’d like to see some of the anti vaccine narratives left and right, and those specific to certain communities, challenged more strongly with the evidence. Faith leaders and community leaders have all said ‘get it done’ so if anyone is still believing a load of BS on social media, it’s at their own risk. Sounds like there is a firm push in the worst affected areas to get u30s vaccinated so shortly it could be down to the refuseniks who are risking their local NHS running out of emergency capacity if there’s another spike. Trouble is, the selfish bastards will take a few members of their community with them who have been responsible and vaccinated where the vaccine isn’t quite working as well for them, which is statistically possible.