saintant

Just my opinion based on what I'm seeing. This is walking football at its worst with no passion, urgency or dynamism. Driving me mad and the BBC panel agree.

Currently we look one of the worst sides I've watched at this tournament. They gifted us our goal and we've done nothing other than that. Making Hjobjerg look cultured.

Total shambles.

Southgate doesn't know how to use Foden.

Trent is like a fish out of water - he's our main problem.

Every Southgate team wants to defend not attack. Barmy!

Well deserved.

We look like a pub team.

Let's not sign the Denmark left back 🙂

You know how poorly we've started when Hjobjerg is running the game.

Isn't he the guy who travels around looking for potential signings rather than actually doing any recruiting?

Like all players Downes is only worth what other clubs are prepared to pay for him. They will need to be realistic if they want to sell him to raise funds and get him off their wage bill.

Like the look of Turkish left back Ferdi Kadrioglu who plays for Fenerbahce.

With an expected low budget we must hope the scouts such as Mowbray come up trumps. We'll probably need them to uncover a couple of young unknown gems from left field who prove worth the gamble and blend that with one or two newly sourced older heads who bring experience. Add a capable new keeper and mix in existing squad members who we expect to step up and we may create a decent team. We've had mixed success but must hope for signings along the lines of Lambert, Berkovic, Eklund, Mane, Svensson, Lovren, Van Dyke, Schneiderlin, Davis, Wanyama and Romeu - the gems within our budget are out there and need to be identified but we know how tricky that can be because there's an awful lot of overpriced dross - the wheat needs to be sifted from the chaff.

Don't mind Newcastle away as first game - we rarely win our openers in the Prem so it's kind of a free hit provided we don't get battered.

The 5 existing Prem teams you mention are currently far better than us and have much stronger squads. If we don't strengthen significantly and do so astutely we will be struggling as much as we did in the season before last.

He'll have a full pre-season training and friendly games to demonstrate his fitness and skill levels. If he's got what it takes he'll make his own case and RM will have to give him game time. I just have a sneaky feeling he will be ready and raring to go come the start of the season. The guy deserves some luck for sure.

What a simplistic view. None of us realistically expect to be one of the big dogs but it's clear that the Premier League would be more interesting, exciting and fair if something was done about the ridiculous spending power of the clubs owned by consortiums or countries that spend absurd amounts and thereby inflate the price of even the most ordinary players.

It has become far worse now. Back then Saints would often give those teams a bloody nose but the squads of the elites these days make it almost impossible to do that.

Time to expel Man City from the league and any other team that is funded by a foreign nation. Let them play in their own super league - they won't be missed and most fans are sick to death of this buying of success. The playing field needs to be levelled to make it more interesting and enjoyable. Chuck them out.

No thanks to Brereton Diaz or Delap. We need better.

That would be absolute madness. We need to get Alex McCarthy off the wage bill not give him another year on massive wages just to keep Baz's seat warm. Don't believe SR would be that dumb.

Whatever the truth of our actual budget I'm afraid that these days £15-20 million does not constitute big ticket players in the Premier League. If it does for us then we are likely in for a rude awakening unless some shrewd deals can be done. SR seem intent on building a team that can hold its own in the top league - if they are true to their word then Dragan will have to part with some serious dosh with an eye on the fair play farcical rules.

Yeah, what a weird idea - accepting an offer to earn more money in your job...who'd do that?

The money was good though and I'm sure he's happy he made the right choices.