austsaint

Yep, I find it incredible many posters seem happy to shed Cedric, Lemina, Bertrand, Tadic, Boufal etc but are enthusiastic about keeping the likes of mediocre players like Long, Austin, Redmond, Bednarek, Hoedt and Ward-Prowse.

What happened to AR10 or was it AK10 - he set himself up as an in-house ITK but got just about every prediction wrong; got called out and quickly disappeared.

That side is clearly the best line up as things stand. Perhaps an argument for Romeu instead of Hoj. Still a desperate need for another striker and probably another wide attacking recruit. I don't want to see too much of Long, Austin, Redmond or Ward-Prowse in starting line ups this season.

Keep him and bring in a decent striker and winger.

Couldn't agree with you more. Sims has already shown the talent, speed and skill to make an impression at Prem level. He should be a regular this season.

True enough - it's early days but there is the legitimate worry that our new signings are a reserve goal keeper, a midfield upgrade of Stephen Davis, an unproven lump of a CB and a replacement of equal base to Tadic if we are lucky. And then there's the prospect of players like Long, Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Austin, Stephens and Hoedt playing a lot of first team Football.

Of course we would miss him. Just consider the prospect of Gabbiadini/Lemina (latest rumours) leaving and players like Long/Ward-Prowse remaining. While its true the squad may be bloated the idea of reducing numbers and quality is ridiculous.

Sums it up beautifully...we need a new striker, but not this bloke. On another striker issue...are we really going to be stuck with Shane Long for another season?

You really are a miserable fecker

Your last sentence should read...."He is simply not good enough". I like Koeman but he has to take some of the blame being quick to banish Boruc in favour of FF. Beyond this though the decision (Reeds'?) to extend his contract is bordering on negligent. Forster won't be easy to offload.

Your last sentence is an odd one. A player like Yoshida can be well good enough to play well for an EPL side (which he is) even a top ten side and still not be signed by them. How many offers (from top 10 Clubs) have there been for any of our current crop of players? How many offers have there been for JWP from top ten Clubs? A player touted by many on here to be a future England Captain.

Yes, so do I. For those questioning his assist numbers; I don't have the stats but cast your mind back to the incredible control he showed before cutting back for Romeu to score. That was one of the best Saint's assists of the season. He is a ridiculously gifted player.

Same here - he was never as effective without Pelle and Mane around him. My favourite moment was the assist he provided for Clyne in his first game v LIverpool - I remember thinking at the time he was going to a huge upgrade on Lallana.

If you're going to be a ****e stirrer, get your spelling right. It's et cetera, hence etc - not the ect ect drivel you've written. #spellcheck

I'm sorry - JWP is not an above average PL player.

Many will disagree but the Blades are probably Sam's level.

I hoped Reed still had a future with Saints but the prospect of getting Maddison with HR as the sweetener would be great business. Maddison looks the attacking midfielder many thought Ward-Prowse would be.

Excellent post. The retention of Reed, Kreuger, Wilson etc and the "messages" about the squad being good enough are worrying signs that little is being heeded from the past two seasons. It seems that Gao doesn't know enough about the game or the limitations of the management/administration of the Club to make the changes needed.

This Glasgow's/H'bergs posts are becoming increasingly weird and unhinged.

Your last sentence is telling. McCarthy surely didn't improve due to Watson and Davis' influence - he has always been a good keeper who belatedly got his opportunity and blossomed with it. Forster on the other hand appears to have gained a reputation from the SPL, one notable game v Barca and several games under Koeman when he had a top class defence and midfield in front of him. He didn't suffer a decline due to bad coaching; he just got found out as a keeper with serious flaws.

Look, JWP takes a pretty good corner and free kick; not many would argue with that. Is that enough to justify his place in the team? I say no, because there just isn't enough impact in the rest of his game - in attack or defence. Expectations and hype have always been out of whack with this lad, and that observation gets clearer as every season goes by.

Could be all your attention seeking malarkey. Well done Sparky and Co. Feel good days may be back!

I've been at that point for ages. And if the Gao's are not at that point then they too are imbeciles. It's just so obvious that SFC needs a shake up of management, recruitment and administration.

Put it in context though; we payed out nearly the same amount for Carillo! Silva will do well at Everton.

Just a lot of rumour stories about Arsenal, Spurs, Everton and West Ham keen to sign him in the Summer.