Rebel

I think the players are part of the problem - along with the succession of bad managers we have had. I think its pretty obvious managers like Jones and Will Still didn't have the gravitas, track record, experience or playing careers to impress our bunch of useless players. There were also rumours that Ralph had 'lost the changing room' before we was sacked and was accused of being arrogant. I don't think he was helped by not having a proper coaching staff around him though. But I think there is a problem with our players - a rotten team culture - which started to go wrong under Ralph after the two 9-0 losses. And I think its still there - they give up too easily, heads go down at the first set back, they don't give 100% and there is no leadership in the team. A succession of bad management appointments hasn't helped - Jones, Selles, Still particularly. Martin was probably too matey with them. Juric too distant and hard. As for Jones he talked a lot about high pressing and front foot football - but his idea seemed to be the long ball forwards and then try and win the second ball. Old fashioned lower league football. There weren't any patterns of play - and no idea what to do with the ball other than boot it forward. A massive drop from Ralph's sophisticated high press. Right now we need an experienced manager - someone who has real credibility and a track record to impress the players. Or someone like Pochettino with gravitas and charisma who can turn the team culture around. But we also need to give him a coaching team - his own men - around him to support him. And back him in the January transfer window with a physical centre forward and a decent goalkeeper.

I think we all knew Nathan Jones was the wrong manager when he said 'them' and 'me' in his first interview instead of 'we' or 'us'. He didn't really seem to want be want to here of even like the club. And then he seemed to completely waste the extended (was it 6 weeks) winter break to impose any structure, tactics or way of playing on the team. He seemed to relish in alienating the players and the fans. Sports Republic should have replaced Ralph in the summer or stuck with him in January and backed him in the transfer window. I am pretty confident that if he'd been give the extended winter break he would have turned things around.

I am starting to think Sports Republic have no idea what to do when it comes to the manager. When they sacked Russell Martin last season the obvious answer was to pay the compensation to Sheff Weds and appoint Danny Rohl. Instead they went for the cheap option and appointed Juric - with I think no plan to keep him beyond the summer. In the summer when they let Juric leave they didn't really seem to have a plan of what to do next. The obvious answer was to pay the compensation to Sheff Weds and appoint Danny Rohl. Instead they went for the cheap and 'aren't we clever' option of appointing Will Still when they baulked at the money Sheff Weds wanted for Rohl. Right now the most obvious answer is probably to appoint Michael Carrick - he has a good track record with Boro and took over there when they were in a similar position and did a good job. The problem is I don't think he wants the job - and Sports Republic are trying to clever again in giving the job to Eckhart. From the outside I think one of the problems is a lack of a clear strategy when it comes to football - or clear lines of responsibility. I can't help thinking Rasmussen keeps interfering on signings and managerial appointments which means between him and Spors we have a mess of players, playing style and management philosophies. At times it seems its mandated from above to play 3-4-2-1 - but that makes the signing of players like Fellows and Azaz an odd decision as they suit a 4-2-3-1. It looks like they will stick with Eckhart - and delay making a decision - until he wins enough games for them to say 'aren't we clever' or loses enough games that they have to sack him. In reality I don't think any of the good or proven managers out there want the job - the squad is unbalanced missing a centre forward and a good enough goalkeeper. There is a good chance of being sucked in to a relegation battle and a very slim chance of making the play-offs and getting promoted. And if you don't get promoted an already unbalanced squad will get ripped apart in the summer as Sports Republic will need to cut costs by selling the best players to raise cash - and getting rid of the overpaid players on the cheap. Saints future is starting to look a lot like Norwich's present.

I am starting to think we should go for Marco Rose if we can convince him to come to Saints - and keep Tonda with the first team as a coach. Surely Russell Martins self-belief, fan club and connections will talk him in to the job at Norwich. It will be funny to watch them both get relegated if they do go that option. And I can see Rogers ending up at Leeds if they sack Farke - the delusions on both sides would fit well there what with all the 'big I am' b*ll*cks they both spout and their mutual arrogance. Gary O'Neil to Boro makes sense as well. Leaving us with Michael Carrick or some German coach - so why not Marco Rose. But it will probably be that Neestrup bloke from Copenhagen. Although being successful in Denmark with Copenhagen is kind of like being successful with Rangers or Celtic in Scotland - its expected really.

its just as likely the bookies know O'Neill is out the of the running now so are happy to use the media to encourage people to put a bet on him - knowing they wont have to pay out.

Is Josh Maja someone we should look at in January to resolve some of our problems upfront? Unless he signs a new contract between now and then he will only have 6 months left on his current deal at WBA so would probably be reasonably low cost to buy. At age 26 he's a good age, but at 5ft 11 he's about the same height as Archer - but seems to be much more capable of leading the line - and more physical. Another one to take a look at could be Yuri Alberto who is still at Corinthians - but he could be expensive. And still only 6ft. tall.

All Sports Republic has to do this summer really was appoint Rohl as manager, sign Viktor Johanssen for a sensible fee to fill the hole in goal and bring Romulo over from Goztepe (on loan or for a reasonable fee) to give us the centre forward we have been missing for a couple of years and fill the massive hole up front. Simple really right!? It was all easily in reach given Spors relationship with Rohl and Sports Republic's ownership of Goztepe. Instead I can't help feeling they tried to be too clever in signing players like Downs and Quarshie for resale value - and too cheap when it came to paying Shef Weds compensation for Rohl or brining Romulo over. Until we have an owner that puts signing players for success on the pitch above making money out of 'clever signings' and player transfers Saints downward spiral will just continue.

My guess is he's referring to Kraft and Ankersen -and maybe one or two others.

If Carlos Corberan is just about to get sacked by Valencia he should definitely be on the list. But it doesn't matter who they pick if they don't back him in January by fixing the hole's up front and in goal and bring in players to match the managers way of playing. The other 'big issue' they need to deal with is getting rid of the 'senior players' that seem to be causing issues for every manager we have.

Russell Martin - just no. I don't want to try and be City Lite again. We finished 4th in a 2 horse race with him as manager and were lucky to get promoted to the play-offs. And then he got truly 'found out' in the premier league. And his failure at Rangers didn't suggest he'd learnt anything from any of it. Wilcox has to take a lot of the blame for the failed 'City Lite' project as well though. I liked Hassenhutl but he lacked a Plan B - and when Rohl left as a coach to go to Bayern/Germany plan A seemed to fall apart as well as we seemed to have no idea what to do with the ball when we had it. Saying that it he'd get my support if he's the one. Sports Republic need to stop 'thinking outside of the box' or breaking things that don't need to be broken - or trying to be clever as they are clearly not as clever as they think they are. The obvious answer in the summer was Rohl - and he might have cost more money in the short term - but he would have saved them a lot in the long term. Not the 'out of the box' or clever answer that was Will Still. And I can't help feeling they went for the cheap answer in Will Still as well. Michael Carrick looks like the obvious answer now - experience of the championship and with turning around a team at the wrong end of the table and an ex-player with gravitas that our 'senior players' might have some respect for. But whoever they appoint as manager they need to support them with a proper coaching team - not Lallana and Trollope - and their own people. But more than that they need to give them a good goalkeeper and at least one if not two good centre forwards in January. They also need to get rid of the 'senior players' in the team that seem to be part of the problem and replace them with some real leaders on the pitch. Promotion this season looks very unlikely at best - if not impossible - without a good goalkeeper and a proper striker/centre forward until January. In fact relegation looks more likely than promotion. So they need to focus on avoiding relegation this season and putting together a team that can make a real go at getting promotion next season.

My god that was disappointing yesterday. Roerslav was done by Murphy the first time he ran at him and never really recovered his confidence after that. And the aimless long balls forward to Archer was just a complete waste of time. We really did waste the first 45 mins. I think we are going to regret not buying a centre forward this summer. We may have the wingers and a Number 10 for 4-2-3-1 now but I am not sure we have the forwards to play it. Downs looks far from ready to play at this level. Stewart looks off the pace and a shadow of the player he was supposed to be. Archer and Armstrong are too small to lead the line and are second strikers at best or maybe inside forwards. It looks like we need to play an old fashioned 4-4-2 with a big man and little man up front if we are going to score goals. Or a 4-3-3 with inside forwards. But then where do Azaz and Matsuki play as then we don't need a 10 - just a 6 and one or two 8's in the middle. On the plus side Fellows looked good, as did Jander when he came one. And I thought Charles had a good game as well.

I don’t think it’s going to end up being a great window for us. It looks like we will sell Edozie and BBD for relatively small fees and replace them with loans from the premier league - my money would be on Rak-Sakyi and Iling-Junior. It also looks like we’ll get rid of Aribo and Smallbone to raise some cash and cut the wage bill in the hope we can bring in a 10 - but I think that means we are also going to sell Fernandes. But I don’t think we are signing anyone like Finn Azaz. Why would Boro sell one of their best players to a promotion rival. Spertsyan doesn’t look like he is going to happen either - he’ll end up somewhere like West Ham or Leeds. I think we’ll end up with Besfort Zeneli or Scienza - or someone like that as the AM But I don’t think we are going to sign the 6ft plus first choice centre forward we all knew we needed - or the extra midfielder we need to cover defensive midfield. Hopefully Spors proves me wrong and plays a blinder in the next few days.

ow we have some money we should give Boro £12M for Finn Azaz and then sell them Armstrong for £12M. That would be a good deal!

Here's an idea for you. We let West Brom have Ben Brereton Diaz for a reasonable fee if they let us have Tom Fellows. He's from Stoke so a return to the midlands could be good for BBD and Fellows would solve our problem on the right if we sell Dibling. And similarly we let Boro have Adam Armstrong if they let us have Finn Azaz. Boro supposedly need a striker and there have been rumours Armstrong would like to move back up North. And it doesn't really look like we are going to play a system that suits Armstrong and we have another very similar player in Archer -but we need a 10 /AM like Azaz. I have no expectation this will happen - but would it make sense?

I read that as Leicester are in financial trouble and really need to sell players to raise some cash but are trying to keep hold of their best players. Lets hope they are forced to sell El Khannoussi and Fatawu as well. I am not sure they will be promotion challengers this season. At the moment Ipswich, Coventry and maybe Norwich looks like the main title contenders and possibly West Brom, Boro, Brum City and Wrexham look like they could be promotion chasers based on squads at the moment. And hopefully we will be title challenger and not chasers - but its hard to call it really until the window shuts.

would a Russian in Spertsyan - born and bred in Russia but chose Armenia for football - be any better considering the war in Ukraine someone of Irish/Jewish background born in England would be a lot less problematic surely

I am pretty certain Romeu is going to re-join Girona on a free now that he's officially left Barcelona.

Would it be that bad a window if we kept Fernandes, Dibling and THB but didn't bring anyone else in this summer, but also managed to get rid of ABK and Aribo on loan for the final year of their contracts to reduce the wage bill and sold Taylor and Edozie for small fees to reduce squad numbers? We'd still be short cover at defensive midfield but the squad would be good enough to put us in the promotion race.

Could Palace make a move for THB to replace Guehi?

I don't think clubs like West Brom and Coventry who see themselves as promotion contenders are going to sell players like Fellows or Rudoni to Saints who they see as a competitor for promotion I looks like we'll end up sending Aribo and ABK out loan for a season and letting them go for free next summer. I get the feeling we need to get rid of the deadwood in the squad and reduce our wage bill before we bring any more players in - and even then I think it will be relatively cheap loan deals unless we make a big sale (THB, Dibling or Fernandes). Whatever happens in what's left of the transfer window I just hope we move away form playing 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-2. I'm not convinced we can't play 4-2-3-1 with one of Fernandes/Smallbone/Aribo as a 10 and one of Robinson/Dibling/Edozie/Fraser as a winger and one of Armstrong/BBD/Archer as an inside forward behind Stewart/Downs. I actually think it will suit the players that we have better than the current set-up.

My question is can we afford not to sell one or both of Fernandes and/or Dibling from a financial perspective - to breach the £100M gap/drop in revenue caused by relegation. I was expecting us to sell both of them this summer for financial reasons as much as anything else - and also THB - as well as the players on the fringes if the squad like ABK, Aribo, Taylor, BBD. If we keep both does it mean we don't really have the money to bring anyone else in permanently - or maybe just the 1 or instead of 4 or 5?

From a footballing perspective Dibling would be better of signing a new contract and staying at Saints for at least another season, getting game time without the pressure of a big fee - and taking his time to learn and develop as a footballer - and become a first team regular - and maybe stay for 2 or more if we go up at the end of this season. He'd still be well off..... But from a financial perspective he is far better off signing for a premier league club - even a club in a relative mess like Everton - who will give him a a 4 or 5 year contract for a stupid amount of money - and he and his family will be set for life and he will never need to play another minute of football. The chances are he will never fulfil his footballing potential - but he will be in the money. Someone told me at the weekend he'd heard a rumour that Dibling is not that bothered about football - and as a lad from Exeter he doesn't have any great affinity for Saints beyond being in the academy. So there is no reason for he and his family to not chase the money if its there.

That will be Matt Ryan as competition for Bazunu then. Even if we kept one or both of Aribo and Smallbone we still need defensive midfield cover for Downes and Charles - Jon Varane at QPR would be my pick for a player who is Championship hardened. But I am guessing we need to get rid of at least one of Aribo or Smallbone and their wages first before signing another midfielder.

that kind of implies we would buy before we sold - if not why would you bother saying it? Or did he just mean even without selling anyone they know we need add 3 players in those key positions - which makes it more understandable that some supporters are worried that we are selling Fernandes and Dibling (and Edozie not to mention Sulemana) making ourselves weaker in that creative/attacking position. Maybe they have decided that Matsuki and Robinson have shown enough in pre-season that we are covered already. As you say I would guess we are working on signing an attacking/creative player (Zeneli, Rudoni or someone like that) - but until its signed and sealed I would always be a bit worried with our track record of not signing the players we need.

you are right it was Solak - I apologise. I did think it meant we would get those 3 key players in before the start of the season, or early in pre-season so they and we were up and running for the big kick-off. I think most of us accepted it also meant players leaving - but hoped it meant we could replace before selling in these key positions I have never thought we would keep any of Ramsdale, THB, Fernandes or Dibling - but I was hoping we would have signed an ACM to replace Dibling and/or Fernandes by now. Maybe we are holding out for Rudoni if a premier league team doesn't come in for him. I also always thought we would look to take the maximum 5 players on loan from the premier league at the end of the transfer window to fill a few holes - but expected a few more foreign players from 'lesser leagues' to be signed and sealed by now.