CanadaSaint

Thank God you only have three posts.

I'm not sure whether the first half came from Leicester taking the game to us or from us taking a more cautious approach with a high-powered team. Either way, I'm convinced from what I've seen that we're a front foot team, and that's how we have to play. Still, we've faced up to some of the division's best (at least the most expensive) and found ourselves more than competitive.

You can feel the anxiety in the Leicester fans and that'll make the players even more nervous.

Possession back to 49-51 after being 43-57 not long ago.

Someone like Lallana needs to take on Pantsil in the box and he'll bring him down. We have to play to our strengths and go at 'em.

This isn't over yet. We need to get on the front foot and hopefully, with a 3-1 lead, they'll back off and let us. If they keep coming at us I fear that we're toast today.

You're right. I'd choose Cortese too.

Is it my imagination or do WHU keep turning up to make an offer just after we do?

lol.

Am I the only one who doesn't know what the hell is happening on this thread?

We're really on the same page here, Um. In fact I think we'd have what we need by now if it weren't for the fact that: and if it weren't for the fact that Leicester are bidding prices up on many of our targets. I'm starting to wonder whether their goal is to get the players in question or to stop us getting them. Still, despite the disappointment of falling short on some transfers I feel almost elated that we're competitive and being careful and fiscally responsible at the same time.

Well, some people haven't been particularly restrained and seem keen to lament the absence of signings on a daily basis. I don't disagree with your list but again you're not reacting to the main points of my post - that our budget became a finite sum with Markus's passing, and that this forces a higher level of prudence on us. And you know I completely share that opinion, Dave. In fact, I'll go further and suggest that at least one signing broke down at the very last stage when the deal was almost "done and dusted" but the player didn't impress Adkins and Cortese in some kind of interview situation. I have absolutely no evidence to support that - it's just a hunch. As I said earlier, potential signings have some very high hurdles to cross with Adkins and Cortese - clearly capable of meeting a known need, decent value for money (transfer fee), reasonably in line with our salary structure (there are no secrets on this front - even less so with agents around), and certain not to disrupt team chemistry (playing style and dressing room).

I'd call Rodriguez and Maynard "big money signings" that a lot of posters would like to see, and so were Billy Sharp and Craig Mackail-Smith. I don't quickly buy into the notion that - even though they are good players - they will blend in with our style and improve our team, never mind contribute to the chemistry. Besides, all these "attempted forays in to the transfer market" are really only alleged attempted forays, although it certainly seems that we are/were interested. Yes, I'm sure he's "keen to strengthen the team" but I don't think he's desperate to do so. The main point of my post, Um, was that I think we're working off a finite legacy from Markus rather than the "bottomless pit" that some were hoping for when he arrived. That being the case I think we're right to be very careful with our money if we want to be in a position to survive and succeed in the Premiership.

Most of what Phil said. IMO the people clamouring for big money signings that won't dramatically improve the team when we are already showing strong signs that we could be promoted this year are somewhat detached from reality. We had an extremely wealthy owner but he tragically passed away. Even while he was alive a key word was "sustainable" - a combination of players bought and players developed within. Yes, the money would be found if we needed to bring someone in but we were never going to be a Man City or a Chelsea. However, Markus died but by most accounts he left provision for us to achieve his/Cortese's vision - Premiership in five years. This in my view means that he probably set aside a FINITE sum, which means that if we spend it this year we can't spend it next year or when we reach the Premier League. If that's the case I'm all for caution and prudence, especially while we're doing so well, because it will cost a lot more to establish ourselves in the Premier than it will cost to get out of the Championship. Sure, there are some gambles attached to that but we're still in a very good position.

The answer probably rests in the wording "unable to make an informed decision on ankle injury". So he wasn't rejected because of his current ankle injury but because that injury made it impossible for him to do the things they needed him to do to satisfy them about his fitness. If that makes sense. It means that both the Club and the agent can be correct even though they seem to be saying conflicting things.

From what I saw of the U21s, the farther we keep Lallana away from Pearce the better.

There seems to be an assumption that Puncheon's problem is with Adkins, and I know that Adkins has been (for him) quite outspoken about the guy. Is it possible that Cortese is more behind this? I know there was some anger on here about how Puncheon dressed for Markus's memorial service but I can't remember how much (if at all) he played after that. It seems to me that this supposed incident and Puncheon falling out of favour were quite close together.

There seems to be an assumption that we'd buy him, contract and all. Surely one of the options is to negotiate a new, longer term contract as part of the pre-signing process.

If Adkins and Cortese want him gone that's more than enough for me, pretty much regardless of how good he is/thinks he is/could be. They have a very good thing going inside that dressing room - something that teams work years to create - and it would be madness to risk it.

It seems that we're better playing on the front foot, using plenty of width and movement, and we're better against teams that try to play football rather than dominate the midfield with physical strength. I think we'll get the chance to do those things against Leicester, and we've been gelling as a footballing team (which takes time) for much longer than them. I fancy us to win but for the first time in ages I feel confident that we have a manager who can make the right adjustments if things aren't working.

God, I dread to think what that Ipswich fan is going to say to his webcam this time. LOL.

I should have put a winky thing in but I didn't think it was necessary.

No need to kick them when they're down - a caravan flipped on the M27 near Fareham today.

Occasionally the lag is quite significant. Disappointing for a home game.

This is exactly the sort of game that will win or lose promotion for us. Let's see what we're made of.