austsaint

Could not have put it better. Wish he had stayed..hope he does well at CC.

They've been moved aside because their commentary, tired phrases and attempts at humour have passed their use-by-date - its not about age, gender or race - well certainly not gender or race anyway.

You'd have to explain what you mean by positive racism. If you're trying to suggest replacing three middle-aged white guys with a fresher more representative group of pundits is somehow racist then I'm struggling to understand your thinking.

It's not so much that a few middle-aged white blokes having a laugh and watching Football has to be squashed. More the case that there's a lot of people watching and listening to all things Football who aren't white, middle-aged blokes and therefore it's a good idea to have a range of presenters/commentators who reflect the changing face of Football and Sports fans.

Really have to challenge that statement. Romeu started last season very well and finished off brilliantly. He wasn't selected for much of the middle period with Ralph preferring JWP and PEH. Romeu didn't play well in the Leicester debacle, but neither did JWP or PEH. There's been a lot of myth making about OR...."legs gone", "can't pass" etc. Having said all that, it will be a worry if next season starts and there's only JWP, Romeu, Smallbone, Slattery and Jancewitz as the midfield candidates.

I suppose after seeing 6 or so appearances I want to see a clear attribute or skill level from WS to lay a foundation for natural improvement, development, coaching, experience etc and I can't see that skill or attribute yet.

Of course Ralph is the best judge....but at this stage I don't see a good enough player in Slattery or Smallbone.

He really is; and his contract extension will be a great boost for the Club and most supporters.

Interesting observation. The games WS has played wide, he looked lost - he doesn't seem to have the quick feet or the guile for a 10 role. I suppose if you take JWP as an example, then maybe Smallbone will come good with time and maturity. I still feel that the Club missed a trick with Reed - perhaps with Morgan, Vic and a young JWP about the place the midfielder house was fairly crowded.

I know he is young, but I'm not seeing Smallbone as being ready/good enough to provide solid midfield cover - based on what I've seen of him. Could someone who has seen him in the u/23's describe the attributes he has. Very eager to see what Jankewitz can add at the higher level. I'd love Harry Reed to be part of the set up next season but it doesn't look likely. I believe a replacement for Hoj is needed.

I think he offloaded Lukaku too, early days.

Exactly. Gave Saints 4 pretty good years - and towards the end showed respect for the Club while the transfer process took place. Nothing like the wrench of Mane and Van Dijk leaving....or the Toby A. debacle.

Hope he's ok. I loved the guy; and he was a great player to watch.

I'll disagree with you there - a shite goalkeeper he was....and still is.

Toby, Fonte, Clyne and a youngish Bertrand were a fairly handy wall in front of the old FF, to be fair. Not to mention Big Vic and Morgan, both in their prime.

Good stuff....good analysis. One thing I'm fairly certain about though is the belief that FF is, and mostly always has been, a flawed keeper.

Fair enough....memory is a faulty thing!!! I wonder what did cause Koeman to lose faith with Boruc then; it certainly wasn't Forster's great form was it.

Boruc was very good for Saints (most of the time) - so much better than FF. Didn't Ronald react to an on field incident where Artur threw a water bottle at a gobby spectator? Seemed to be after that his card was marked by RK.

Look Jim, just stop trying to be some kind of insider...it's obvious you're not. All the best.

That's my feeling too. I think it was Verlaine who thought 20 million for PEH and 15 million for KWP might be the wash up....a 5 million net gain for a player in the last year of his contract and a FB who looks every bit a 15 million pond player - especially when compared to the money received for Matt Targett. So if it was 15m for PEH and 12m for KWP (add ons and back ended payments aside) would it be such a bad deal for Saints? I think not.

It was telling after the game to see Reed sitting disconsolately on the turf.......perhaps reflecting that there is uncertainty about where he will play next season. I would love to see him back playing for Saints but after what he has experienced tonight, and his obvious sense of "belonging" at Fulham, it would almost be cruel to prize him back after several seasons where, in my opinion, we haven't valued his talents enough.

Yep, add me to that argument. You can never compare the departures of Fonte and Sir Ricky with the low tactics of Lovren and Lallana. Fonte was shabbily treated by old Les, and then not replaced in a long line of bad decisions the Club made under Reed and the Canadian Hockey coach whose name escapes me.

Would that be such a bad deal? I think of Matt Targett fetching 13m a year ago - and KWP looks every inch a 15m player. That effectively would mean Spurs have stumped up 20m for Hojbjerg with less than 12 months remaining on his contract.

I can't believe the Club is going to be lumbered with Forster - that stinking contract extension FF has at SFC seems to be the attraction for him to "fight for his place". So many crap performances from him, and the prospect of him returning is truly abject.

Sadly, I think you are right - and if so I think this an academy player who has "got away" on the Club. Though a different style of player to JWP, who he tracked through the academy with, he has always shown the necessary skills and attitude to cut it at Prem level, and although we can applaud the season JWP has had to establish himself as a worthy Prem player, Reed was never given the time and opportunity that JWP has benefited from. I wish Fulham well, but I'd like to see Harry Reed back at Southampton - and given his chance......a better midfielder than PEH in my view.