Saint Charlie

Only takes one to make a contract. Two to get it signed.

What do the Stokies think of Hughes at the moment?

Of course they might have tried. But Koeman said a couple of weeks ago they were looking to open talks and the Echo said they understood no talks had taken place yet. In summer everyone said that they must have been talking to Cork about his and they obviously haven't.

You think he is honourable based on what? He refused to sign a new deal at Palace where he played since early teenage years to mean he was a free agent and they only got compensation for him despite being in hard financial times. Why would he be any more bothered about us, he knows we will get a fee because we will likely not want to lose him for free so will look to sell in the summer should he indicate (as is his perogative) that he will see his contract out. If he still has the same agent then they will likely think that approach worked very well previously.

Of course not. But why not try to extend Clyne's deal a year ago, or Jay also? Of course we can't match the wages of others, but have even less chance now than we would have had then, when Clyne especially was still relatively under the radar. The club have said via the media that they accepted the bid for Chambers because they felt when they analysed them via the mysterious black box that Clyne was a better right back long term. Which is great (and true) but in that case surely when you let Chambers go you also try to secure Clyne or else you end up with neither of them long term and the analysis of them and time spent developing them counts for little. Its easy to snipe but at the end of the day if Jay and Clyne want to go they effectively force us to sell in the summer due to their contract statuses so its not all that ridiculous to wonder if more could have been done to avoid the situation. If yoy sign a player on a four year deal and he does very well then a year and a half into it you try to extend it, like Swansea have with Bony.

So basically you agree with me then Clyne won't sign a new deal and will go?

Didnt include because its 100% obvious he won't be staying. Would say player deals haven't been the strength of this new board. Only Fonte and Davis from the first team have signed new ones in almost a year.

Clyne being linked with United, apparently they want him as part of a £150m splurge in the summer. He is mentioned as a target in at least 3 different reports. Pretty much nailed on he won't be signing a contract with us you would think. Our 40k a week would be peanuts compared to what he could get elsewhere now he is England's best right back and still only 23. His agent wouldn't be doing his job if he didnt wait to at least see if something materialised. IMO was a no brainer to sign him up before the end of last season but sure the board know best. Still nothing re Cork too. Writing is on the wall there. From an English majority in the squad it could look quite different next season perhaps, if Cork, Jay and Clyne were all to go in the summer.

Played well against a good team who we made look pretty average. Ultimately though, we haven't got a squad nearly deep enough to get a top 4 finish and still 6th would be a brilliant effort. Now Tadic isn't managing 90mins we are seeing more of Mayuka who is just not up to it. Size of the squad is our biggest problem and we haven't even had an injury to Pelle or Forster yet.

Intensity of the PL starting to take its toll? Tough matches every week and a frenetic pace. I would say re Tadic that he has been a lot better st home than away over the whole season. Arsenal away in the cup he was superb but struggling to think of other away games he excelled in so far?

Don't think people will be dropped because in midfield and attack the only two players who don't start every game are Long (often underwhelming when he does start and a better sub IMO) and Cork who will probably start anyway if Morgan is out. We have no attacking options to give someone like Tadic a rest.

No, but Forster might be.

Poorest spell was just after Mangala was sent off. Really had a chance to put some pressure on them and we fannied about passing at the back and then got done for the second goal. Was suprised that the players didnt seem to have a lot of belief, even at 1-0. Just a bad day from a good team, against an excellent team.

Koeman said Wednesday will be tough for Morgan. Hopefully Cork in for him and then Toby and Fonte at the back. Problem we have is that aside from Long and maube Cork none of the other squad players are anywhere near the quality of the first team players.

Koeman said Wednesday may well come too soon.

Well beaten by a better team. Too many off their game. Wanyama the only Saints player who played to his potential. You can see from our bench that we are not genuine top 4 candidates. No shame in that!

Maybe Reed has long fingers which help attract players to the Club?

Good news: Dzeko (who often scores against us), Kolarov and especially good, Silva, are all still out and won't play against us.

Would play Mane over Long because he is a better player and is playing in his actual position. Long a great impact option like in the last game.

Echo sources say talks not opened which if true, is slightly bizarre. Although wouldnt suprise me if his agent has already told us he intends to see out his deal and move at the end of his contract, afterall that is how he joined us and it gives us the choice to either sell in the summer or keep another season and then lose on a free. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/11614350.Liverpool_interested_in_yet_another_Saints_player/?ref=twt

Re Clyne we could lose him on a free so for our model to work, getting a transfer fee is essential.

Or play almost a perfect season and somehow get 4th. Agree any less than that and at least 3 will leave again in the summer, but not much you can do if they have good offers.

Would be a massive statement for a sought after player to re-sign with us (like Bony did yesterday at Swansea). Madness if its the first new offer we have made to Clyne since he signed but would be great to get him secured. Jeremy Wilson is a good Saints source, but is a little odd that the same report is in another few papers, club leak to show fans they are trying, or to put pressure on Clyne like we tried with Jay Rod?

Possibly not, although he had greater competition to get first team appearances. JWP is a good prospect and if he gets anywhere remotely close to achieving half of what Scholes did (718 Man Utd apps, 155 goals, 11 league titles and 2 Champions Leagues) then he will have a truely memorable career. But of the two, I would have to pick Scholes! Haha.

JWP will most likely never get near Scholes level. He was a genius, JWP a good prospect and to be honest those kind of comparisons don't do JWP any favours. For a start he has nowhere the goalscoring instinct Scholes had. Thats not being negative, but Scholes was on a diffetent level. At 20 years old not a huge number of Saints fans would put JWP in their first choice team. Let him develop withouy comparisons that are nigh on impossible to live up to.