NickG

Unfortunately its a shotgun approach with these journalists rumours, small % come through rest made up / exaggerated / true but fall through. Still can't help reading ones linking us with good players though makes summer more exciting. Think few of his actually prove itk

Man u interesting start for new era..first 5 games, Chelsea, Man C, Liverpool, Got to admire his consistency when confidently being wrong all of the time.

Sorry if already here.... Banega is a passionate supporter of Newell's old boys. He has the club crest as a tattoo. Pochettino started his career there. 2002 he was playing in world cup. If player from club you support plays in world cup could be he is bit of a hero? Banega would have been impressionable 14 year old in 2002. Wishful thinking?

Lawrie Mc

Glasgow you would have a point if he had commented on which position we went for, or whether better available for the money but clearly, looking at facts, these bits show him ad one of the alpine like attention seeking without genuinely meaning what he says posters. 1) last three years playing for a top French side. 2) 12 starts in champions league 3) full international for one of top sides in world 4) only 23 Looking at stick poster gives to Jos and Fonte, a CB who had detailed reports linking him with top 6 sides, the above pedigree etc - the OP cannot be serious saying leaves bad taste, average player etc. They are trolls

Nothing new from last from last, is it 6, transfer windows. Club know what they are doing and are moving club forward. Even half wit can see that. Nice to have early signing, good for team but fact of football is vast majority of deals are at end of window - for all clubs.

Where did Lovren first get a mention on here this window? Wondered which site had the link first?

One cap, for team 74th in Fifa rankings, in 3-0 defeat to Wales not quite the same!

Predicted signing announced this window?!

L Mc and MLT have both been going to St Marys. Didn't Hampshire have 3 spectators at early game this season? You can see why skates and Hants have a mutual understanding!

I thought Golac but saw he had one cap. Oakley should be on list. Still Case for me so far. Amazing when you also include his Liverpool record... 4 league titles Eufa cup 4 charity shields 3 European cups European super cup Plus various finals

As the premier league moves towards so many teams having full internationals across their teams, talk of our players bring omitted etc - wondered... Who do you think was best player (when playing for saints) who never received full cap? If they carry on playing well without a cap then Morgan and Lambert will be up there. In my time Peach Marsden Cockerill Monkou Dennis Rod wallace Holmes All good players but, unless I'm forgetting someone obvious, Jimmy Case?

Tbf he is consistent! Sxchneiderlin also written off as "powder puff" waste of money. And Jay Rod. I was disappointed in Ramirez's season - possibly our best player but hasn't performed as such. Villa game, and odd parts of games he suggests head and shoulders above the rest of our squad. Wenger said if he gets anything out of a young foreign player in first season it is a bonus - hopefully that is the case here. Thought in WBA game he was the only player making things happen, determined skilful play - unfortunately his determination did make something happen! Dead ball use hasn't been good enough. Wonder how we would do with him playing behind Jay-Rod? Could be future option. Not worried about fee - he doesn't have to justify it in one season (unless leaving on a free). When hear he is starting adds to my excitement at St Marys. Still young, younger that Clyne/ Jay Rod - years younger than

To be a "top 6 side" ie one of expected top 6 regularly - we are miles away. To finish in top 6 achievable with improvements as others mentioned AND not all top sides performing as they should. In last ten years years or so I think (feel free to check) Everton, Newcastle (only year ago) Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, west ham have finished top 6. Doubt our squad, plus summer signings, would be million miles from those? We won't better, player for player, - chelsea, spurs, arsenal, man u, man c, liverpool. So can't see us being seen as a favourite to finish in top 6 - but team / manager perform well, one of big 6 has off year, is possible in next few years. I don't see any team outside of that group that wouldn't be interested in some of our squad, reckon likes of Everton not out of reach.

I use an independent garage who seem pretty trust worthy. Asked them same for mine as it was approaching two years saying needed nothing doing. They said some people add just additional oil change but their advice was save money and only do what the indicators say and trust BMW.

Agree, should be looking for new taxi firm for future

Think the bitter comment about informed sources summed it up. He clearly isn't happy that he isn't one

Leave you two to your game after this so make up what you like. Read my post again, sure you will see your mistake. "Aim" was talking about targets the club could well be setting. I then clearly state my view and its not 6th. No ambiguity. If you don't want to accept that it's up to you but I can't convince you the world is round if you argue for sake of it. Lighten up put me on ignore but stop silly games.

No I didn't type it out, cut and paste is quite easy. Other things that are quite easy to understand, despite you lying to try and provoke trollfests: 1) you said anyone thinking we could finish 9th next season is deluded. 2) I said, my view is 8-12th 3) you made up me saying this squad would finish 6th. I don't think they could and didn't say that. 4) how the club will set targets is very subjective, ie little step forward or aim for big improvement. I do think NC aim for 6-9th but who knows. So if you misunderstood my view this makes it simple I think this squad is good enough to finish 8 to 12th. I don't have problem with you disagreeing. I think its arrogant to dismiss others reasoned views as deluded. However if you did understand the points all along please stop your regular lying about other peoples posts to troll.

Alp - I don't think that the glass house you are sitting in is a good place to criticise other peoples' predictions - particularly as we have disagreed now three seasons in a row, I have been right, you wrong each season. In the autumn you were saying we would be so far adrift by Christmas we would be as good as down. I said that we would be safe before the last game of the season. You are the deluded one mate - your views are proving unrealistic all the time. Turkish - this is the conversation, we are both talking about next season..... Turkish - If we can add 3-4 quality players in key positions in the summer and keep what we have then i dont see why we cant finish top half next season. (reasonable post) Nickg - We are 5 points of top half now, after poor start, during the season we have added Boruc, Shaw, Yoshida, Ramirez etc. About 8 of first choice 11 are under 24 so should get a lot better next season. I don't see why this squad couldn't finish top half with out adding anyone (reasonable post) Turkish - Bore off Nick. Anyone that thinks you shouldn't add better players and keep improving is a total lemon. ( offending and your usual trick of trying to start an arguement making up something someone said - who said they think we shouldn't keep improving?) Nickg -There is no need to be disrespectful to other posters. Try just replying to post. Doubt anyone thinks we should stick just with what we have, or that it is likely. You say we could make top half if we added several key players - if we add several key players it won't be with the aim of scraping few places higher. If squad stays together - next season when players are older, more settled etc, still improving in many cases, where do you think they would aim/achieve? Top half? Turkish If this squad stays together with additions then we will probably finish anywhere between 10th and 20th again. We are seriously lacking in a few positions. A commanding centre half, decent cover in the full back positions and central midfield and in the attacking midfield role where we realisitcally only have 4 players comepting for 3 places. If we get lucky and dont get any injuries or players having dips in form then we might be alright, if we do then we could well be in another relegation battle. That's why we need strength in depth, 3-4 quality players in the postions i mentioned. If you can find some stats which "prove" that over 38 games then 11 adequate to decent players are good enough for any premier league team then please feel free. (fairly reasonable post - discussing football) Nickg - agree about CB, as much as like cultured defenders think through season need strong leader of defence - big character and physically. Claus looked good with one alongside him, improved Fonte when Jos settled, Yoshida could prove to be very good with a top partner - is Forren commanding type? Full-backs - first choice plenty good enough. Cover is weak, as others pointed out what level will come to club our size as back up to 17 and 20 year olds? Agree would want improvement but no idea what age/level. Requirements for midfield are harder for me to say now we have so many formations. 2 CM and 2 wide was simple! Reckon CM both first pair and back up pair good enough for top half. Forwards Lambert, Rodriguez, Ramirez, and Mayuka looked good range...but Mayuka?? Wide midfield probably would be my priority not sure its best position for Ramirez. Would like a top attacking player to improve team, plus a young fast player player...impact sub to use an Adkins term. Think current squad fair aim - 6th to 9th, most likely 8-13th. Will be interesting to see ambitions when start seeing ins/outs. Sure stats can show some teams who look like they are moving forward, optimistic for season, will hugely under perform and vice versa! Turkish If we play the 4-2-3-1 formation which MP seems to favour then we have 4 players good enough for the 3 attacking midfielders, Ramirez, lallana, Puncheon and Rodriguez- Rodriguez we'd also be looking at for the strikers role, so given that we have 5 decent players playing for 4 positions. This is no where near enough depth. For whatever reason Mayuka cant get a kick and De Ridder and Guly are no where near good enough. i still maintain that we need a left back. relying on a 17 year old still learning the game, whose body is still developing and like all young players will have dips in form. Even if it's bringing and experienced man in on loan so shaw can be brought in and out of the side and eased through rather than depending on him as we are now. if you geniunely believe there is enough depth in this squad to finish 6-9th then you are seriously deluded, persoanlly i think it's just Nick G and his misty eyed, grinning optimism. We might with some quality additions but we are several players away from being anywhere near good enough. I am sorry, I did think you had said I was seriously deluded for saying this squad could finish 10th - you actually said 9th. You have made up me saying that this squad is capable of finishing 6th. You can see I said 8th-13th. If Sunday's results go as bookies think we will finish this season in 11th. If Sunday's results go as bookies think, except Reading winning 1-0 to WHU we will finish 10th this season. After our start, late signings, lack of GK at start etc - don't think that makes climibing to 9th deluded, is it?

Lol, no hard feelings genuinely makes me smile. Tbh wound me up a bit initially with you randomly bringing me into threads I hadn't posted on and making up quotes but clearly silly to let your fun spoil saints web. Dalek amuses me and realise similarities. Just to jog your memory ( use search if you like but both remember). You called me deluded for saying this team would finish top ten NEXT season. We both know as prompted long debate about how much young squad could improve, second season effect etc. People have different opinions. Personally think few ignore realistic outcomes and are overly pessimistic and have turned out that their predictions were too negative. No problem, just opinions. However, when you claim your view is right and others are deluded it can't be a surprise that your failings amuse others Obsession is maybe after any defeat asking where is nickg with his stats? Or maybe when a reasoned debate explaining why a poster saying "39 points needed is a fact" caused you to jump in, not understanding the discussion and start posts with 88-0 predictions. You can see from other peoples reactions that all you did was show you hadn't followed the discussion but your bizarre interest in a 3 posts a day poster ( most of those boring statto posts!) Made you jump in. I wonder what you will pretend I have said when responding to this? Maybe just ignore me.

Its ok, just learn who are consistently more realistic posters, listen and you can relax more

Was always most likely to those with common sense. Could be that 35 would have been enough. Should we be surprised by now that Dalek, Turkish, Alps and Barry were wrong with their predictions, again? Despite Turkish saying anyone who thinks this squad could finish 10th NEXT season is deluded - even after crap start, with one to go, we have decent chance of 10th this season if we win this weekend.

Not in our 25 man squad so can't play

This seems to come from a single source - Ben SMITH writing the BBC report. He is friends and ex-colleague with the guy who covered in the Times (who I think maybe linked to skates but not sure). The article says - Nicola Cortese is considering his position as Southampton chairman amid talks to resolve differences with the trust that owns the club. The 44-year-old has overseen Southampton's rise from the foot of League One to the Premier League. But, with the club having all but secured their position in the top flight, the focus has now shifted to Cortese's future at St Mary's. It is understood Cortese will make a decision in the near future. He is thought to be seeking guarantees over his future and clarification about the way the owner's Liebherr Trust want to proceed. So, the report is that he is seeking reassurance and they are talking to resolve it. SMITH further has added later today that CORTESE is still very committed to the project and wants to continue. Not sure we can safely read much more into this - ie how much they are willing to spend, how long they want to be here. Lets hope it gets sorted, few signings and look forward to next season. Its not as worrying as I feared reading this thread before had chance to catch up article. On lighter note - thanks to the usual handful with their entertaining contradictory posts! Turkish/Alps you need to up your game, Barry is sneaking ahead and art has come from no where with his trolling! but do like this one... spot on twice...err neither of those have happened!