doddisalegend

err we very much were we spent a million on league 1s top striker at the time, went out and bought another one of the leagues top scoring strikers from Southend that Jan, we went out and got Colchester's captain and convinced a Palace player to drop down a division to join us (for another million) the two seasons in league 1 we were one of if not the biggest fish in the pond...

This for me I'm really not precious about the league we are in as long as we are doing well at that level.

Let's hope so I struggle to think of any PL keeper worse than Forster the last two seasons total turd. It does feel like the squad has become bloated with players who just aren't up for it. I wouldn't mind a good clear out in the summer.

I think McCarthy is more than good enough for the championship and Ok in the PL more important is to get some decent CBs in front of him.

Do you think they enjoyed the PL then? If your team is crap it doesn't really matter what league you're in it's still shyte.

That's the rub of it imo fans want to see their team win. Losing most weeks is shyte whether its in the PL or league 2 winning most weeks makes for a good season regardless of the league we are in. I'd enjoy a season winning most weeks in league 1 more than a season finishing 17th in the PL but that might just be me.

Much as I dislike him he'd probably be a good managerial appointment for a team looking to get back up...

That's such a shyte argument of course people want to get promoted because it means you have a good season with lots of wins which is what everyone wants. Doesn't mean you have to love the destination the journey there can be the most fun part.

Yes that's the point we haven't competed this season we've been shyte I wouldn't want to be like, say, Sunderland (or even saints of old) hanging on for grim death season after season just scraping by and then rinse and repeat. Ultimately even if you become a solid mid table side in the Pl there comes a point when it all becomes a bit meh because you realise that's as good as it gets unless you get and Arab or Russian sugar daddy to push you on.

Not quite I want to see my side winning the level is less relevant than the winning. If that's at the highest level great we would all take I'm sure. I wouldn't describe the last season and a half as enjoyable or fun though. The seasons before that were good but they still lacked something of the excitement and fun that winning promotion over two seasons gave me. I'd enjoy a season winning promotion from league 1 a lot more than a season of coming 12th in the PL but maybe that's just me.

Was that before or after we flogged Crouch and then invested a whole 90k in the team for the new season? How well we do in the championship will be down to the attitude the clubs owners take in the summer. Keep Hughes (assuming he wants to stay) clear out the dead wood and spend a bit to bring in players who want to work hard to get into the PL and we have a chance. If we just go into a save money, sell everything worth some cash, appoint Kelvin Davis as manager and spend half a million on a couple of bargain basement signings mode we will struggle for years.

We probably won't get better than a fit Austin in the championship problem is he can't bloody stay fit for a whole season. I'm assuming Sam Gallagher will get a chance next season (not suggesting we don't buy another striker as well) he has proved he can score at that level and could replace Long I reckon.

Nik-Nak has become like one of those players who gets better when he doesn't play....

I should have said modern PL era...

Not at all I blame both. Poor recruitment has put us here but those players who put on the shirt should be busting a gut to win every game can't say it feels like they have this season.

We've never been close to a top four side getting a bit close a couple of times, whichever season you want to say it was, really counts for nothing as we weren't good enough to actually finish 4th or sustain it.

Our best recent seasons in the PL where built on a solid defence no surprise then that our decline over the last season and a half has mirrored the decline in the quality of our defence. Giving Forster a new bumper contract last summer was criminal Not replacing Fonte with a PL experienced CB last season was a massive mistake Selling VVD and not replacing him with another experienced CB was another **** up Not having decent back up full backs so that Cedric and Bertrand couldn't just coast through this season safe in the knowledge that couldn't be dropped was appalling squad management. Not making sure we have an experienced leader and organiser in the back 5(6) is also totally baffling. The four CBs we currently have at the club are at best back up CBs not first 11 choices you could get away with playing one of them (most likely Yoshida) alongside a top quality experienced CB playing all of them is just asking for trouble. The squad has dropped in quality all over but if you have a good defence you always have a chance we haven't had that for a season and a half and its taking us down..

Take your pick https://southamptonfc.com/first-team

Damning indictment of our recent transfer and new contract policy Lemina, Boufal, Gabbi, Forster on the bench Gudio not even on it. Some of our biggest recent signings and highest paid players can't even get on the pitch.

The defence has been on a decline for two seasons not only in terms of first choices but back ups as well Cedric and Ryan have been able to get away with constant crap performances because there is no decent replacements to put pressure on their position.

Basically who ever scores the winner in the FA cup final gets it...

That last bit could be the tag line of our season...

Yep you're right age playing with my memory still a downward trend after the high though.

It was all down hill from there though...much like last season finish 8th and lose a cup final and implode the following season

He talks a good game doesn't really back it up on the pitch though. He is a very average player who's looked OK this season because everyone else is so ****ing poor.