Saint Charlie

He is an employee like everyone else.

Quite a bit of our squad has a Championship feel to it anyway. Only a handful of genuine PL proven players.

Selling our two best English players and two best English prospects too. Not just the ability that goes but the squad dynamic changes.

Exactly.

It gets worse. Ben Smith BBC: I'm told Arsenal want Morgan Schneiderlin AND Callum Chambers from Southampton. Spurs have also made an enquiry for Jay Rodriguez

BBC saying he did have a medical today. So surely the Club Spokesman Sibley shouldnt have tweeted telling fans he was ill, which was a clear lie?

Wonder if we can get Clyne to sign a new contract seeing as next summer he will have a year left? Probably not, but maybe they can send him a letter.

Can add Chambers to the list now. JWP perhaps might do it.

To bes honest I don't think we have a leg to stand on if he says he wants to explore his opportunities with either Arsenal or Spurs. He must look at some of the other sales and know he is a better player than a few of them and really should be looking to move on IMO. A great four or five years at Saints but its the end of that ers and for his career he needs to push on.

I agree from seeing him tonight.

Really? Can only find him saying Lazio are in advanced discussions for him.

Who is making these decisions? They go on about the academy but none of the good players ever play more than 100 games for us.

**** off. He won't even be a starter there. Madness. Low fee for a player who will play for England soon. What is going on? Fonte not signing a contract. How have the board seemingly alienated half the squad in 6months? Ths likes of JWP and Davis are probably hoping someone comes in for them.

Just on way home from a pretty competitive friendly. Decent first half with Gaston and Tadic showing quality and composure on the ball. However, we had no threat in behind at all apart from Clyne who was excellent. Oh how we miss the Jay Rod runs to stretch a defence and create space for others. Pelle looked a handful and very strong but our crosses for him were poor. Isgrove took his goal well and was lively off the ball and chasing down defenders but didnt really run at them when he had it. Central defence was worrying at times with a number of simple balls down the channels catching out Yoshida. Centre mid did well on the ball with JWP in particular spraying some great crossfield passes but a bit lightweight without a ballnwinner with none of Cork, Morgan or Vic in there. Boruc's kicking utterly woeful throughout. Second half we werent as good and barely threatened the goal. Thought Cork looked frustrated, he hacked a man down a couple of times and hit a terrible shot and didnt seem his usual self and missed a chance to impress. No real impact out wide second half and as soon as Hooiveld came on we seemed more edgy at the back. He really is clumsy and generally a hoofy oaf. Centre back a massive area to improve because teams will expose us there. Gallagher couldnt keep the ball at all and hasnt really put forward a case to be anything more than an occassional sub. Jack Stephens impressed me in a midfield holding role and Reed looked tidy but by then we had no real threat in the team. Targett did ok but wasnt overly tested and didnt do anything of note going forward. Clearly composed, but PL ready? I couldnt say based on that. Mayuka won't do anything at Saints apart from post lots of Instagram photos. Overall, a good test and we won, played ok and were at times a class above Championship opposition. However, its pretty clear our squad is thin (see bench options) and to have any designs on getting around the top 10 or 12 we need some additions pretty quickly to replace the quality we lost. Didnt look like a side that will score a lot of goals particularly, but tidy enough at times. Signings have become of greater importance now than the friendlies - everyone pretty much did what they usually do.

No Chambers apparently. Some Arsenal lad on Twitter earlier said he had a medical today. Probably ******** but you never know.

Good stuff. Looks a prospect.

Was on the cards for ages. Decent fee but also the loss of an excellent centre back who made a huge difference to our side last year. Absolutely have to start spending some of this cash now if we want do anything this season. As of right now our centre back situation is **** so lets get moving.

Its not the young players like Reed and JWP that are the problem. Its the fact the older ones like Hooiveld is still there after two seasons of prooving he isnt good enough at PL level, that we have the worst second choice keeper in the league and that Sharp is back on the scene after not even shining in the Championship. Gallagher, Reed, Targett and JWP are promising players at the start of their careers who are good options to have. Agree we need 5 though.

He has been training for a few days so quite possibly.

Only player missing will be Morgan and possibly Lovren (if he even counts) so if we are under strength then its not just for the game tonight, that just is our strength level at the moment. We should be able to trouble them too.

They are certainly a big step up from the dross we have played so far and are in good form. Should be a good game and probably tougher than Brighton as Bournemouth have a better squad. Ideal pre season fixture I reckon.

No genuine first teamers have signed new contracts since Cortese left in fact. Really tough job for RK, would imagine he will be getting a little frustrated with the lack of incomings too. The squad he has worked with in most of pre season is certainly a lower half one.

Bournemouth Echo says Cork will be watched by another PL side tonight. If someone got him on a free next summer it would be a cracking signing, proven player coming into his best years. Got to get him signed up.

Sounds like he is hacked off at the way the whole situation has been handled it comes down to poor communication to the players from boardroom level.

Did I say say squad or starting XI? I said squad. So why ask about starting XIs when I didnt even say that?