NickG

I watched last week's motd and motd2 both on iPlayer. There is just delay until available and only available streaming.

First half hour thought he was much better than Lallana. Good work rate, chasing down, challenging unlike AL, with pace. Ramirez seems most dangerous

JP leaving for a loan fee (possibly) Ramirez would leave for profit (IMHO)

Agree with all of that. But totally disagree with " Now if after 10 games we have, say 20 points, then that would be the time to get very excited." No, now is time to get excited. Why not? I preseason is exciting. Add to that quality signings, a young squad filled with players who may become top four level, and a win! Then it is time to be excited. If we do great for the first 10 games then we can continue to be excited, if not then nothing lost. I appreciate some struggle to enjoy "now" fearing it will end. When we had the great run in league 1 one poster on this thread stated he couldn't enjoy as knew it would end. that is just humans having different characters, but your rationale isn't stopping me being excited!

Attacking five; 1 Osvaldo 2 Lambert 3 JRod 4 Ramirez 5 Lallana 6 Ward-Prowse 7 Davis 8 Isgrove 9 Puncheon 10 Guly 11 Mayuka 12 Lee 13 Sharp 14 Barnard Playing five, maybe three max more on bench, maybe one injured. Not hard to see that he may not have had much game time this season and a request from him and a fee from palace all made sense. Played well last season though. Hope it goes well for him.

Exactly. If alcohol was new the situation would be very different. Having seen the damage caused by drugs, including the softer drugs, I want them under the tightest controls possible. Some wet arguments come out such as its a battle we can't win. Ok, sod it, let's give up and watch young people die.

At the moment think four clubs are out of reach from the rest of us. Manchester x2, Chelsea & spurs - can't see anyway those teams will be outside 5. Arsenal could have a problem. Think they are very likely to be in the top group and miles ahead of the rest, but if pressure builds, no signings, fans revolt etc they could fall out of top group into the catchables. If Wenger isnt the man to keep them there they may react too slowly. Unlikely but wouldnt be stunned. Liverpool are at the moment, IMHO, still in a catchable group. The rest are all catchable, not just for us but for decent squads who perform well. Our young team may make us inconsistent but can't see many clubs with better first 13 or so (maybe none outside teams I listed)

Made me smile

Hard to say how many were on wind up, as being wrong once happens - but every year? early business, players fans wanted, not sort comings overlooked - and MP's attraction as a manager the clincher.

What was alpine's? Corner shop / amateur NC in transfer windows? Showing his inexperience? They won't learn.

The clincher...to play for MP. Thought read on here no decent players would sign for him? exciting season ahead

Think its the discussion bit you need to work on! finding someone to disagree with, then repeating yourself for days on end, isn't discussion - but if its your hobby guess up to you! You misunderstand me anyway. I am positive and enjoy saints - if I didn't I wouldn't bother but genuinely don't mind anyone with different views (if genuinely held not trolling) If someone disagrees on something, and have a negative viewpoint I don't care, happy to discuss. What is different is when arrogant posters write off others views, as "deluded" etc. Strangely the negative posters are ones more often wrong. Looking at the board over last few weeks it appears most posters are finding the repetitive point scoring tedious. But saintsweb seems a big part of your life and the world takes all sorts, so even if I find you bit weird, expect you feel same about those, like me who want football debates without needless moaning. Hope you enjoy your season

Can we all just agree with Turkish? Would make this forum a lot easier to catch up on Who knows the impact the numerous variables have on a players choice. Never seen him play buy noticed his form started under MP. How do you think he would change our play?

So loads of articles about him coming, line in sun rumours and signed for spurs? Can't believe people are saying disappointing window??!! Either not supported saints long or short memories. We have England's CF! If he is injured sure the JRod of Liverpool game could do a job, even likes of Lallana - all good enough for top half attack. I'm happy for club to chase targets to take us up a level but this line up doesn't make me disappointed about window.. Boruc Clyne Lovren Yoshida Shaw Schneiderlin VW Ramirez Lallana JRod Lambert Perspective!

Best post of the day Their owner was on the radio talking about "sustainable" "not running up debt". "Keeping fans happy but only signings they can afford"

Absolutely no chance you can be certain this isn't a 17 year old straight from kop swapping season ticket for a Liverpool shirt. Nor would it change his international chances, like it would have when he was younger. I don't know but think he would prefer to stay at the club he loves and his given him the fairy tail.

My gut feeling is he would reject them to stay

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tottenham-transfer-target-erik-lamela-2160078

What's your basis for 'need'? I can see we could have better CBs and don't have champions league level players but need?? Yoshida is a good CB. After his full debut we played the last 34 games with combinations of him, Jos and Jose. In those last 34 games we earnt the 9th most points, letting in 9th fewest goals. This included the period before Boruc settled as No1. We have now added a young international CB and mountain of a CM. Have we ever had 3rd or 4th choice CBs this good? We don't need more than 4. Personally love ambitious signings, but happy with yoshida/lovren - so would be exciting rather than a need for me.

Hard season to call for many teams, including some of the top teams. I can see Man U and Arsenal dropping more points this season, which could close things up. think the age if our squad gives real reason for optimism that we will improve but likely to be inconsistent.

Who's panicking?!

Who knows what they believe. But its common sense they will know more about a club's 'project' than fans, for example if we meet Osvaldo he will quickly have a lot more knowledge than you do about saints aims, ambitions, timescales, budgets. this will form part of his views / decision. An ambitious chairman, with a vision and money to back it up, of course will have a more positive influence than club going backwards. Whole point of post, we don't know the full picture. Just realised I didn't include the 'name' or 'history' of a club in list of factors, sure has some, maybe minor, influence.

If there is truth in our continued interest there must be some interest /chance. We have no idea what any of these players want. We can judge on obvious things such as how good clubs did last season, champions league etc. But there is whole list of variable and you do not know what he thinks. Eg Champions league Likely starts / squad player Wages Other commercial deals Country Location Manager 'Project' Playing style Other offers Desire to move to new club / country Players at new club Etc

Real Sociedad scored 3 against Real Madrid both home and away, and 3 against Barcelona at home - no mugs. Last time Real Sociedad lost 4-3 away? Real Madrid in January. Guess we are now caught up with Real Madrid. (All tongue in cheek before this raises Turkish's blood pressure and 100 posts saying fans are deluded )

Man U http://www bred cafe met/threads/victor-mugabe-wanyama.357254/page-16 Liverpool http://forums.liverpoolfc.com/threads/341755-Southampton-watch?page=1 Good to hear such positive views. Both knowledgeable. Love the post with our line up and comment "tasty". Man U - seem impressed with Morgan and in interesting link to the other thread here, comment the should have signed VW as replacement for Carrick. Not saying that is right, or common view but good to be recognised.