Greenridge

This year will almost certainly have to be an exception which is largely of our own doing due to our lack of recruitment in the Summer window.

That's one game. How about the rest of the season?

I see Eddie went to school on our rotation victory against them in their FA Cup game today. He even out-did Claude by changing all 11 players. Didn't end to well though.

I was comparing their relative costs and contributions to the first team. Combined fee of c£10m is not insignificant for a club like ours. I appreciate Gardos has had the injuries but the club have shown little intention of getting him back in the first team fold.

Don't think that would be a surprise to anyone. Him and Forren have been poor and expensive signings.

Yes I'm sure you're right. I think I've mentioned before but I'm still a little surprised that Claude didn't have a little gem from the French leagues that he could have (maybe still could) have brought in. Of all his extensive experience in that country we 'only' have Boufal (and Pied I guess) to show for it. It's the one position that's killing us right now. Yes I think we have some other issues to address but getting the ball in the back of the net is the biggest one and it didn't take Nostradamus to see this scenario with our strikers might turn out as it has. Even most of us dopey fans could see it as a risk.

Maybe his judgment is questionable after stating at the start of the season he was happy with the depth and quality of the squad (or words to that effect). Pretty much everyone could see we were light up top and going to rely heavily on a player with an injury history and one not yet back to full fitness / former performance levels and one not blessed with an abundance of goals. Although that could have been lip service and he was not supported in gettting further reinforcements in.

I think I'm right in saying the first time he played LB was his first team debut. The rest of his young life has been spent in advanced roles.

The costs to host the game will probably outweigh the gate receipt income from what will be a small crowd.

Forster up front with VvD and Yoshi in goal. I like he look of that except for Boufal not being available.

Two great goals from us. Two absolute shockers for them.

It was clear we were short up front before the season started. Very clear. I'm surprised we haven't yet exploited Puel's undoubted knowledge of the French leagues for our recruitment. Other than Pied of course.

Thankfully all clubs have die-hards who will go through thick and thin but the commercial need for Saints, and all clubs, is to get additional support. Unless we turn things around then crowds will start slipping for sure. I would expect a pretty low crowd for this replay.

Hopefully they'll add to their seasons haul.

To me he's the epitome of the type of player a struggling club buys in the January window when there's some panicking going on. He's 29 and his previous clubs have been Livingston, Sterling Albion on loan, Leeds in their League 1 / Champ days, a relegated Norwich team and likely relegated Hull team. Hardly an inspiring CV but maybe that's just me.

Joking aside, it was made very clear when Claude was appointed that he was tasked to develop (and showcase) the youth at SFC. The rotation 'strategy' gives him the perfect vehicle to do just that. In saying that I completely understand our business model that relies on us either buying players with potential and selling them on or developing our youth and selling them on. This being the essence of long term sustainability.

It's not obviously the case whatsoever. Talk about speculation.

Didn't he get the hump with Koeman last year? Maybe it's a hangover from then. Either that or he has indeed had enough of the current 'Southampton Way' or his opinion of his own ability is misguided and he see's himself elsewhere.

Unfortunately we're not doing much of any of those three with any regularity right now.

Indeed they can. He could be making 1 yard passes to Cedric, VvD, Forster, Romeu and Bertrand all game.

Indeed they do but not to the tune of 5 - 8 pretty much every single week. No one does that on a regular basis. No one.

Do you not think that if it was such an innovative idea that gave a huge advantage that all the big clubs, well all clubs for that matter, would be doing the same? Surely little ol' Southampton haven't beaten everyone else to this strategy.

Yes, I agree, you are speculating.

I don't know much about him except for both Klopp and Wenger have allegedly been interested him in recent months and they're both pretty good judges.

Probably why the club have gone to the press with the Fonte news today. Be interesting to see if it's someone who's been on the media radar or an out-of-the-blue signing.