Saint Charlie

Could add Targett to the list perhaps. Captaining the U20s tonight. Was an article (Sky I think) in the summer saying we were looking to tie him down to a 5 year deal to warn off any potential suitors. Would be good to get it sorted soon.

Rickie is such a top guy.

Clyne won't start against Estonia. If he was going to play either it was San Marino. Hodgson is just doing what a non top Manager would do. Okay with a squad that could do a bit more.

Wasn't that the lowest competitive Intl attendance for ages? Edit: Competitive att since the new Wembley opened. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2787156/England-record-lowest-Wembley-attendance-5-0-rout-San-Marino.html I went to the San Marino game 2 years ago and it was pretty tedious. Another part of the problem, way too many pointless games. Our whole group is so dull. As a product, when compared to something like the PL, or CL, its way behind, partly because of the structure and setup.

Why is anyone suprised at the choices Hodgson makes? The England football team has been dying a death for about 15 years now. International breaks are annoying, and all Saints fans value the fortunes of our club way, way above those of England. The same of fans of every other club. In fact, there is a large apathy towards the England team, and I admit at times, I quite like watching some of those players struggle. Would have been pretty funny on one level if somehow we hadn't managed to win last night.

Lallana probably our best player. Just imagine what Tadic would have done tonight!

Completely fair view, and certainly we have a better chance than most due to facilities, coaching quality and the importance the club places on the homegrown talent. Just adds an extra spice to some of these players situations I guess. Also worth considering that Kelvin Davis also counts as homegrown and would have to be replaced soon too. We aren't close to having too few homegrown players, but if we let a few leave in addition to those last summer, then we certainly start to have a foreign majority in the squad.

I know you don't like my posts much but re read it and then comment again if you think it was negative. My Post:

Just reality I guess. Unlikely that every intake of Academy players is going to produce someone capable of playing PL football, which is a very high standard obviously. The U18s team this season is struggling a lot, doesn't mean there are no individuals who may be PL quality in future, but with Shaw, JWP, Chambers, AOC, Walcott etc we knew of them way before they hit the first team, some were hyped from age 14. Sims aside, I don't see anyone that you would bet a fair bit on making the grade - which obviously doesnt mean there arent any but its not realistic to think we are always going to churn out players - especially given the standard needed to get into our first XI has risen.

Once he gets settled, both personally and also in the team and used to the players around him, I reckon he will be class. Has everything to be a really dangerous player, and certainly one you wouldn't like to face as a defender. Real astute signing. Articel says he might not be at Saints long, and if we sell him in a couple of seasons surely it will be for mega money so win, win all-round.

Mane won't have long to recover as his game is Wednesday evening I think. if fit however, he should defeinitely play. Exactly the type of player for these games where it is about that piece of magic to break someone down. Not impossible, but hard to see Long trying that backheel for the Bertrand goal. Also won the pen and corner that we scored from at Arsenal. A must pick IMO, rather than an out of form striker being asked to play a role he isnt totally suited to.

With Jay Rod, Clyne and Cork there is also the homegrown element to add in. We have recently lost 4 key players who also happened to be "homegrown" and the prices for English players are so high that we are forced out the market to a certain extent, or have to pay very high fees like for Long and Forster. Whilst homegrown status makes the likes of Clyne and Jay very appealing to the top sides who sometimes struggle with those quotas, they are also vital for us, and to help retain the British core to the squad. At some point the conveyor belt from the academy will slow up, and we may have a couple of years without producing a PL ready player - so keeping those at the club already is very important. If it was a sign of ambition and intent to keep Fonte, then to do similar with Jay or Clyne would be massive. Fonte would have one well to find a better club than Saints, so was in his best interests to ultimately stay. The others will have more options, for sure.

I'm not so sure. He will also want to play and if he is 4th choice here (which he may be) then would he be happy with that? Im not sure if his Japan place would be under threat though as not sure if they have many other good CBs. Also depends how highly Stephens and Turnbull are rated and whether we view them as first team possibilities or ultimately noy good enough.

As we are in an Intl break, maybe a good time to assess where we are with various players. There are a few key ones/players of note with contracts up relatively soon, if anyone can think of any others then feel free to add. There are a few delicate situations here... Nathaniel Clyne - Contract Expires: Summer 2016 Options: 1. Sign a new deal 2. Sell in summer 3. Get two more seasons out of him and then lose on a free Likely Outcome: Personally I hope he signs a new deal but if he doesn't by mid next summer then it will be difficult to do anything apart from sell, as we surely wouldn't want to risk losing a £15m asset for free the summer after. Worth noting Clyne let his contract run down at Palace to join us. Playing wise, if he gets an England chance then he would do well to stay here, but as we know, heads get turned by CL football and Arsenal, United and Liverpool are all ropey at right back. Jay Rodriguez - Contract Expires: Summer 2016 Options: 1. Sign a new deal 2. Sell in summer 3. Get two more seasons out of him and then lose on a free Likely Outcome:IMO once he is back from his injury he will probably ask to join Spurs in the summer. Would be suprised and delighted if he signed a new deal here and we won't want to let him run his contract down as would need the sale money to replace him. His style is made for Poch, and Spurs don't have anyone like him. Maya Yoshida - Contract Expires: Summer 2015 Options: 1. Sign him up 2. Sell in January 3. Lose for free in the summer Likely Outcome: Tough one. Good player but probably 4th choice. Would happily keep him, but would he be happy with that? I can see him leaving on a free next summer, and Saints bringing either Stephens or Turnbull into the squad after their loan spells (which are going well). Jack Cork - Contract Expires: Summer 2015 Options: 1. Sign him up 2. Sell in January 3. Lose for free in the summer Likely Outcome: Absolute no brainer, and (without having all the facts) quite odd nothing has been done when he supposedly wants to stay. Koeman said it would be looked at in December, so would say its either option 1 or 2 that will happen. Gaston Ramirez - Contract Expires: Summer 2016 Options: 1. Sign a new deal 2. Sell in summer 3. Get two more seasons out of him and then lose on a free Likely Outcome: IMO - we will look to sell in January and again in the summer, and will probably end up doing so for a knockdown price, a fraction of what we paid for him. Clearly not going to be offered a new deal here, so its damage limitation for us and trying to recoup as much as we can for him.

The worst thing the Board can do after this past summer is believe that they can get away with a similar approach in future summers. We were in turmoil, we have come out of it well. But June and July were largely dark days for Saints because the Board did not handle the period immediately after the end of the season very well.

Quite a lot. Why is Schneiderlin talking about CL with Saints, or Pelle saying we will be in the top 3? We won't do either. Last year many on here said ot was cringeworthy and embarassing when MP, Lovren, Wanyama etc talked of the top four as if it were a genuine possibility. Why is it now not cringeworthy or embarassing? If we come 7th will Pelle/Morgan then be disappointed, when in reality it would represent the best we can do and would certainly indicate a fine season?

Match graphics and movember are pretty low on the list of why people play FM. Best versions were around 2002/3 IMO.

Im not pessimistic, think we could easily be 7th this season which would be fantastic. Just think the double standards on here are funny when if it had been Lambert or Poch who said this last season they would have got stick and been told to focus on what is realistic.

Koeman wants and wanted the best squad he could get. He obviously wanted Morgan to stay, as we all did. But based on the info that is out there, it was Reed and Krueger that "kept" Morgan, not Koeman.

Me too. But people on here didnt like it last year. So surely don't again? Also many over the summer were saying that it was unrealistic to keep Shaw, Lallana, Lovren etc because they want to play CL so does the same apply to Pelle, Tadic, Forster, Wanyama, Clyne etc? Lovren was sold by a CL dream and once it became clearly impossible he looked for the exit. Im sure Pelle doesnt seriously think we can be in the CL spots but if he does then he will ultimately be disappointed even if we have a great season, ie come 8th or 9th again.

Well, it was the miss-selling of the CL "dream" that caused a lot of our problems this summer, so just posing the question as to why its different now? Various players mentioned it last year, and were slated on here. As for the point about him saying we hope to be 17th etc....of course not. But no need to publically state we will do something which it is nigh on impossible to do.

Of course it does, and I'm sure he genuinely doesn't think that. These things just have a habit of biting you on the arse. Its a difficult one, because you want players to show ambition, and can't in any way blame them for that. But, as with last season, once they realise they can't achieve those things, players minds can wander. Would rather we just tried to go under the radar, seeing as so far the only "top" sides we have played in the PL, we have ultimately lost to.

Quote from Graziano Pelle this afternoon that at the end of the season the top three in the PL will be Chelsea, City and Saints. Also says he will be top PL scorer. So - seeing as these kind of claims from Poch, Wanyama, Lovren etc were ridiculed last season, what do we think of this and the Schneiderlin talk of Champions League qualification with Saints? Seeing as it won't happen, surely it just sets us up for to not be able to meet the ambitions of the players we have, if they are genuinely talking in the squad about qualifying for the CL? Is it just harmless trolling, or actually quite stupid to say in public?

Yes. Prost and Jeff Le Taxi I think.

"This act shows the warmth of the club, the burning passion of the fans." Ralph Kruger, the day after SMS burned down due to supporter protests over player sales.