vectraman

He also had a season long loan with Watford in the PL, not just Bournemouth. He also scored 3 goals in 10 games for Bournemouth, we could do with that from our strikers, let alone a DM...

My take on things is we should get more points next season. Whether that will move us up the league who knows? Everton I believe as other have said are the most obviously catchable, assuming we don't lose any first team starters. As others have said, we really do need a second quality centreback to partner VVD, another DM to partner Romeu, and an attacking midfielder who knows what the goal looks like. Would be a handy double bonus if these players were experienced in the PL, and tall, as we seem to have an unbelievably small team, and seemed to be bullied off the ball a lot. I'd like to know the stats for keeping possession of the ball when Forster had to kick long - our tiny tots in midfield invariably lost it to the opposition. If the new manager likes to press teams, I'm not sure that Tadic or JWP have the speed and stamina to play that style of game either...

Bingo. Well said. Some Saints fans are living with transfer fees from several years ago. Ake at £20 million is proven PL quality. If we want to sign proven PL quality it will cost Saints that as well. You don't get something for nothing - yes, you can buy unproven young players from abroad, then the risk is with Saints. They may, or may not make it. Boufal and Hoijbjerg cost 12 and 16 million each, but have far from been proven as great signings so far (they can improve obviously, but they may not...). Why is it Saints signings are amazingly brilliant, in some on here's eyes, but everyone elses are a waste of money? Bizarre.

I thought the strategy of a football team was to win football matches? Last season we couldn't score for toffee, a PROVEN, guaranteed 15 goals a season man is up for grabs, yet saints fans care more about value for money, and future resale value. We have some odd fans. I want to see Saints win, am I just weird then?

Report I have read said £65k a week, over 3 years. I don't think that's a bad deal, with no transfer fee involved? For guaranteed goals, 10 million over three years sounds decent? We've blown 12 million plus wages on Clasie, what's the best deal?

Ake would definitely be a decent signing, particularly as he could double up in the cb position as well. Above all, he's experienced and proven in the premier league, which most of our signings are not...

15 goals in an appalling Sunderland side....Mmm we can just smugly, and conceitedly laugh at that because he's 34, and signing someone with proven pl experience is just not "the Southampton way"... I genuinely cringe when I hear that "southampton way" ******... We need some proven experience in our young side...but no money to be made in that is there..? So yes, he most definitely could have done a job for us...

No chance, jwp top right corner. Redmonds absolute dog sh1t attempt pretty central and low. How can that be similar? (Unless you are on strong beer, in which case fair enough!)

Vvd mentoring Stephens would be a very good thing for Saints. Would like to see that happen next season.

I'd love to know who you think is a better, pl experienced centre back, that we could afford, better than Smalling? Someone who could go straight into our team and do the job from day 1.

Playing one up front and the midfield 30 yards behind did not help with scoring goals either. That WAS the manager's fault. He was too inflexible in his approach. A bad workman blames his tools. The squad is decent, and I think the majority of Saints fans knew we should have had more points last season with the squad we have.

Two experienced players that would in my opinion makes sense (wage dependant):- Chris Smalling - would be an excellent straight in the team proven pl player. Samir Nasri - a definite upgrade on our midfield, also proven quality. We need to get some players in who have played in the pl, so we can get off to a front foot start for a change...

Agreed. Feel a bit sorry for him, but style of play was his downfall sadly. All the best for the future Claude. Next...

We need to come out of the traps on form, first fixtures up to November all winnable (maybe manure at home excepted!) Conversely we don't need to be struggling for points the last couple of months - real toughies! If we are as good as our 8th place suggests, we should be right up in the top six looking at August/Sept/Oct fixtures. Come on Saints, let's have a good start to the campaign, and start off on the front foot for once

Who cares? Can't get upset about someone I've never heard of, never seen, not joining Saints!! Will we ever sign someone I have heard of again..?

Agreed.

I hope we are better at it this summer than last.... Hoijberg, Boufal and (and to a lesser extent) Redmond have been less than wow last season. I know they can still get better, but underwhelming would be a fair description about last summers dealings.

Can't exactly blame him though, I'm sure we'd all do the same?!

And I don't think he is great. Not in the in the premier league. I'm not sure competent would be a word I would use. Either. With the squad he had at his disposal, imo he should have done better. Much better, especially in a terrible Europa league group. Playing for a 0-0 at home to Hapoel is not, imo a sign of a competent or better coach. That was the game when I had real doubts about him as a coach, with his European experience. Coupled with poor recruitment, last season was poor. If we took Puel on because he wouldn't question our recruitment policy, and would go with what he was told and sold, it also reflects badly on Saints as a club. I believe Puel was never our no.1 option, but we got him because he would go with the flow. This summer is critical for Saints. If we sell some of our top players, and replace with average/ poor like last season, we will really struggle under Puel. Just my opinion of course

It's a forum, people have opinions. Just clearly not the same as yours, but nevertheless entirely valid. A cup final we lost, and 8th place 20 points behind last year. I genuinely believe that MP or RK with our squad from last year would have exceeded that points total. The football at home was boring, his absolute insistence on safety first was boring, and his substitutions throughout the season were at best safe, at worst boring. I haven't renewed my season ticket until I know what's happening. If he stays I will pick and choose my games, no point watching the big boys because the games were dire. You clearly have watched us at home this season, and I say this year was absolute gash at home. Started cr4p against Watford and Sunderland, ended cr4p against Stoke. Lots of ****e sandwiched in between. Call me entitled. Call me not a fan. Call me what you want. I have my own mind, and what my own eyes saw was gash. My two kids wanted to go home at half time on more than one occasion- they are the future Saints season ticket holders, and they were....bored. Our opinions differ, but I can accept someone's differing opinion, can you?

I can recognise a superb coach, and Puel isn't. Easy. Next...

Claude, okay with you if we practice passing the ball backwards and sideways from corners back to our keeper? Oui Cool. ;-)

Love it! I'd buy that, unlike this season's awful effort. It's a yes from me

You would like to think so, but just like in the classroom, you always have the stupid ones who are sadly lacking in brains, so spend their time acting the fool instead. But a poor teacher doesn't stamp down on it and put a line in the sand. Remember koeman dropped Mane for his lateness, sets the standard.

I guess it depends how many of our decent players leave this summer, and if we replace them with mediocre players as we did last close season. We do need to clear some dead wood out, and get better quality in.