Rebel

I must admit I was thinking the time was probably right for Yoshida to move on this summer - but whether he does or not we need to bring in a first choice centre back - and a big aggressive one at that who can pass ball. Aleksander Dragovic the Serb who plays fr Austria would fit the bill - he was on loan at Leicester and they had an option to buy but he doesn't want to play for Puel. That would give us 5 centre backs which we need at if we are going to play 3 at the back but I would be tempted to move Jack Stephens to right back to provide competition and cover to whoever replaces Cedric. Its where he started his career in the youth team I believe and probably his best position anyway. And he can also provide cover at cover at Centre Back and Defensive Midfielder if we need it. If we do need a 5th centre back to replace Stephens (if he goes to right back) Fabian Schar would be a relatively cheap option at £4M or so having just been relegated with Deportivo La Coruna - and previously played with Dragovic at FC Basel. He'd also make a cheap alternative to Dragovic.

we need more than 4 but here you go: Aleksandar Dragovic - the aggressive ball-playing centreback we need. Currently on loan at Leicester but doesn't want to play for Puel Quincy Promes - need his pace and trickery Moussa Dembele - could be that striker we need with pace and power - and finishing Hakim Ziyech - the attacking midfielder and No. 10 who scores goals and is a team player

Yoshida and Stephens looked good - or should I say better - last season as the whole team was set up to protect them for the second half of the season. To sit back and defend or keep the ball and not invite pressure on our defence.

Ryan Fredericks on a free from Fulham if they don't get promoted would be a good option at right back to replace Cedric. I'd also move Stephens across as back-up right back. Carl Jenkinson - currently on loan at Birmingham from Arsenal - could be another option at right back. Matt Target and Sam McQueen can replace Bertrand at left back. Tom Cairney - again if Fulham don't get promoted - would be a good replacement for Steven Davis who probably need to move on. And give us an attacking midfielder that can score goals. Sisto/Promes/Ziyech could all be good replacements for Boufal. And Tadic if needed. More importantly we need a dominant first choice centre back and a first choice goal scoring forward. Maybe we should steal Dragovic from under the noses of Leicester as he's only on loan.

It may be Gao's club as he owns 80% of the shares and he can do whatever he wants with it - but as supporters we don't have to like it or be happy about it. Launching the new kit in China is ridiculous as really the only people who are going to buy it our the supporters back here - talk about disenfranchising your support. A pre-season tour to China isn't exactly going to kick-start our Championship promotion campaign either - or help with the rebuilding of the squad over the summer. About the only positive is the supposed belief that we can be a Top 10 Premier League club - and his supposedly big plans in China - which suggests he might actually spend money - or allow the club to spend money - to rebuild the squad over the summer for a serious promotion challenge next season. It's about time the FA or the Government did something about the ownership of English football clubs and have a rule like they do in Germany where there has to be a percentage of the club that is fan owned. I'd like to see them ban foreign ownership completely if I am honest but that will probably never happen.

just think we could have signed Hakim Ziyech for about £8 million and Sebasatian Haller for roughly the same price. Those kind of players at roughly that kind of price are worth taking a risk on - same with Pione Sisto. Overpaying for players like Boufal at £16 million (and injured at the time) and Carillo at £19 million is just ridiculous - they are not worth the risk.

I think Roger's went because he disagreed with the choice of new owner - he left by mutual consent with a pay-off and a compromise agreement I am guessing. Didn't he vote for the change in Ownership rules and fit and proper test which mean Gao could not become our owner if he tried to buy us now? I don't think Kat, Krueger or Gao would have liked that. And I can easily see Rogers falling out with Reed too. As for being in the financial mire - relegation will change everything - but if you ignored that for now I don't see how we could be really - with our current TV money and transfer profits. If you mean the new owner will squeeze everything he can out of the club to pay back the loan - share buybacks, consultancy fees, high dividends - that's a different matter and you could be right. But it does beg the question why did he buy the club in the first place. Relegation will be a massive hit on revenue - but with a fire sale of players, the subsequent cutting of the wage bill and other costs and the parachute payments we will survive as a football club. But again the real issue is what are the intentions of the new owner. To invest in and grow the club - or take money out of the club to repay his loan. Unfortunately I expect the latter.

Reading between the lines we were chasing Rudi Garcia who had been sacked by Roma - and were in talks - but then Marseille and their new American owners stepped in with the second biggest club in France and lots of money. He fitted the profile the spoke about - played 4-3-3 and managed in two countries - France and Italy with Roma, and been successful with a smaller club in France winning things, and managed in the European competition. But when Marseille popped up with their new money we panicked and went for Puel - when we should have gone for Silva And then last summer I have a feeling we were aiming for Tuchel or Schmitt - having dawdled over sacking Puel - and then panicked when Tuchel said no and Schmitt followed the money to China, and we'd missed out on Silva as he had joined Watford - and then went for Maruicio Pelligrino coz he sounded like a cross between Mauricio Pochettino and Pelligrini still it would't have made that much difference as we wouldn't have given the managers the players they needed anyway

Rodwell for one didn't have a relegation clause in his contract which is why they can't shift him - so I am guessing its the same for a lot of the players you have listed. The big mistake Sunderland made was signing him from City and paying him the same stupid wage - which explains why no one else was interested in him at the time. And I think the wages issues explains why Walcott ended up at Everton and not Saints. I am hoping all of our players have a relegation clause cutting their wages by 50% or thereabouts otherwise you are right - other than Bertrand, Austin, possibly Cedric and maybe Lemina we might have trouble getting rid of a lot of them. But finances and money seem to be the key drivers for our current regime so I'd be very surprised if the players didn't have relegation clauses - and that means we should be able to get rid of players like Clasie, Redmond, Gabbiadini, Tadic and Boufal permanently if we go down. We might not get big fees for them though. I think we are going to lose a lot of money on players though.

Jokanovic all day long for me - that's if Fulham don't go up. And even more so if he can bring Ryan Fredericks, Tom Cairney and Mitrovic with him - and we bring back Targett. I'd even go with Jokanovic over Hughes if by some miracle we stay up. I can't see Wilder leaving his beloved Blades for us - but of the others Rowett might be a good shout. We should leave the dinosaurs and short terms fixes to another club. We need a manager who is happy to take a season or two to re-build the team - and believes in playing football. Howe - never - he's a Bormuff Skate at heart! Potter possibly if we are happy to make it a longer term project - but if we take a look at him why not take a look at Paul Tisdale at Exeter. He's done a fantastic job there and is ready to step up to Championship level and has more or less said he needs a new challenge.

4-3-3 for me McCarthy Stephens Yoshida Hoedt Bertand JWP Romeu Hojbjerg Long Austin Sims a team that will work hard, a solid midfield, and pace and running upfront with Sims and Long supporting Austin. Stephens I think is better a right back than centre back and is certainly better defensively than Cedric. The most dangerous we have looked all season is when Sims is on the pitch running at the opposition - and I think with Long's running and pace as well we might actually have a chance on the break - and juts maybe press Arsenal's back four a bit (which they really don't like) With JWP, Romeu and PEH in midfield at least it will be committed to the cause and work hard. I'd be tempted to play McQueen over Bertand for his commitment as 'Berty' hasn't really given it his all for most of the season but when he can be bothered 'Ryan' is one of our best players. I'd drop Hoedt if we had an alternative though.

Davis, Redmond and Long are part of the problem. Whetrher we stay up or go down those 3 need to go. Davis is past it at the top level and has been for more than a season. He can't defend and he can't create - and he'd struggle with the physicality and energy of the Championship. Its time for him to retire to Rangers. Redmond - maybe the Championship is his level - but he's been truly awful at times. Long - he's a great athlete - but he's can't score and he's supposed to be a striker. Scottish football and Celtic beckon I hope. Clasie wouldn't cope with the physicality of the Championship either. I could see Hojberg staying and thriving in the Championship alongside Reed and JWP. Its the young players like those and Gallagher, McQueen, Targett, Sims, Hesketh we need to keep and build a new team around.

he started out as a right back - and that's probably where he should play for us. He's good with the ball - but he's terrible in the air for a centreback - and his positioning is suspect - which is why I can't see him being a success as a defensive midfielder either. If I remember correctly he did well at Swindon in League One/Two? but hardly played for Middlesbrough in the Championship. I think he played centreback at Swindon and right back, centre back and holding midfielder at Boro. He was OK on the right of a back three for us - covering well for JWP who was playing as a right wingback when he went forward - which again suggests he'd be better at right back. Replacing Virgil, Fonte and Gardos with Hoedt, Stephens and Bednarek was never going to work. And that's one of the key reasons we are struggling - the centre of our defence just isn't good enough for the Premier League - and would struggle in the Championship. I'd keep Stephens if we go down or stay up but as a back-up right back - nothing else. But not if he is on £50K a week. If that's true Reed and Co really have gone mad with their delusions.

so my Dad lives in Stockbridge - so he's got to get to Winchester first and then both us from there to Southampton the main roads are clear once you get to Winchester and the M3 - but the road between Winchester and Stockbridge isn't great with a couple of steep hills - so if he can't make it through because of the weather can he/we get a refund - that's the question!? and at 79 if the roads a bit dicey I'd prefer he didn't try and make it. took my brother-in-law over 5 hours to get home from work yesterday - from right outside St Mary's to Botley.

the back 5 or 6 pick themselves really: McCarthy Cedric Stephens Hoedt Bertrand Lemina Hojberg which is good and bad. Good because Pellegrino shouldn't really have a decision to make - but bad as we don't really have any strength in depth so there is no real choice there. Upfront there are more decisions to make. Carillo obviously starts as the centre forward but after that its gets a bit more complicated as the squad is unbalanced. Tadic is a left winger - not really a number 10 and not as good as a right winger. Yet we keep playing him on the right or in the hole. Redmond is a right winger - but we keep playing him on the left as an inside forward. Gabbiadini is a second striker or inside forward with a great left foot. JWP is a right sided central midfielder. Sims a right winger. Boufal probably an ACM but I don't think anyone's really sure. Long a second striker or wide forward but with no goal threat. I'b be tempted to go 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 with JWP on the right of a midfield 3 and Tadic and Gabbi behind Carillo as inside forwards: McCarthy Cedric Stephens Hoedt Bertrand JWP Hojberg Lemina Gabbi Tadic Carillo

A couple of season ago you could argue we had the best squad outside the top 6 - and our first 11 could compete with more or less anyone in the Premier League - but now its probably a mid table squad at best. The Big Six, Leicester and Everton all have stronger squads without a doubt - and we are now probably on a level with West Ham, Stoke, Palace and Watford. And you could argue that clubs like Brighton, WBA, Burnley and Bournemouth aren't much worse off. But the team is only really as bad as its weakest link - and in defence and attack we have some big holes. You could argue for example that Brighton have a better centre back pairing than us. With a better manager and different style of play could we get more out of the squad? Yes we could but that is why we are in the bottom 3 and not mid table. With the squad we have 10th and a cup final would be a great season. Although the style of play was terrible - and the points total was a lot worse than the finish looked - Puel did well on paper to finish 8th and get us to a cup final with that squad last season.

Hojberg played 30 game for Schalke on loan in the season before we bought him from Bayern Munich - and Redmond was pretty regular starter for Norwich as well. I actually think its quite a clever model to buy players like Lemina and Hojberg who have great track record at youth levels, moved to a big club and haven't quite made it or been given an opportunity at clubs like Juventus or Bayern Munich. I'd argue the Bertand and Romeu signings were the same model really. Hoedt as well possibly. And I am pretty sure both Lemina and Hojberg will prove to be great signings for us given time. What we haven't done recently maybe is buy the star players from smaller clubs and lesser leagues like we did with Tadic and Mane - Ziyech and Haller are two players I was expecting us to sign following the old model. Maybe Boufal fits this model though. The big change to me is giving bigger and longer contracts to players that just aren't worth it - instead of moving them on and replacing/upgrading them - and not replacing the players we have sold.

with Les I think its more bad than good unfortunately - and a lot of taking the credit for work done by others and myths - if not actually self delusion. The Black Box was actually Paul Mitchell by the looks of it - most of the the good signings seemed to happen when he was here or just after he left - Tadic, Alderweireld, Mane, Rodriguez, Clyne, Bertrand, Redmond etc - and I would guess Van Dijk was on the list. I am not sure where the Long signing comes from. Ramirez and Osvaldo were Cortese vanity signings. Pelle was a Koeman signing which didn't fit the black-box model but worked. Clasie and Martina were bad Koeman signings. Pied a bad Puel signing. Boufal who knows - but it hasn't worked. Austin like Hoedt was just an obvious one. Carillo a Pellegrino signing. Since Mitchell left Reed's signings have been more bad than good - and lets not get in to the Alderweireld fiasco! Much like the academy - its got worse under Reed not better. A lot of the success we had seems to have been down to the work done by Huw Jennings and his crew before they left - and have since repeated at Fulham.

Leciester But I wouldn't have appointed him in the first place - a far worse track record than Puel. I would have stuck with Puel, moved a few players on and backed him in the summer transfer window - or appointed Marco Silva as the start of the summer and sacked Puel instead of dithering around all summer. I'm not bothered about playing 2 up front - I just want us to play a formation and style that gets the best out of our squad. Pellegrino doesn't seem to have any idea how to.

I wanted Puel out at the end of last season. The terrible football we played in the last 5 home games last season was the deciding factor in me not renewing my season ticket after 15 years. It was painful to watch. There were other factors - cost, spending time with my kids, dad too old to go regularly anymore - but it was the key factor. I'd stopped enjoying it and couldn't justify the commitment in time or cost. And I was more than a little p*ssed off at Puel for the way we got knocked out of the Europa League and the FA Cup. But I always though he was the wrong manager with the wrong squad - and something had to change. Unfortunately we changed the wrong thing - or perhaps we only changed the one thing when we needed to change two things - the manager and the players. If we'd have kept Puel as manager with the same squad we'd probably still be struggling this season. But if we'd kept Puel and backed him in the summer with new players - the striker or two, the ACM/No.10 and the central defender most of us think we still need - I think we would comfortably be top half - possibly top 10. Would I take Puel right now over Pelligrino? Yes I would. In hindsight Puel set us up to protect the centre of defence and keep possession - as he knew we couldn't score and couldn't defend - and that was why it was so boring to watch. Did fans frustrations and slow rate of season ticket renewals play a part in his dismissal -undoubtedly. But I have a feeling the key thing was he refused to change the way we played unless Reed and Co gave him the players to do so - and I expect they said no you've got a great squad, we've got a great model, play the 'Southampton Way' or go which is why they parted ways. I think he'd lost key players in the dressing room as well though - but maybe they were players we should have sold on and replaced.

The only positives that I can see would be that hopefully Ralph Krueger, Les Reed and Mauricio Pelligrino would go - and take their delusions with them - and we might end up with new owners. I have no real confidence in whatever it is Gao is up to or thinks he is doing with the club. And no confidence in the Southampton Way or the Black Box mythology. Even if we survive this season its difficult to see it being much different next season unless something fundamentally changes at the club. Relegation from the Premier League was self-inflicted last time - and pretty much for the same reasons - the wrong managerial appointments and a profits before players approach. Hopefully relegation would be different to last time as the parachute payments are a lot bigger so we would have the money to rebuild the squad after all of our 'star' players were sold off. Hopefully we could build on the younger players coming through (Reed, Gallagher, Targett, McQueen, Sims, Hesketh, Stephens) with good Championship/League 1 players and stabilise as a Championship club rather than plummet thorough the leagues like last time. I'd take that with cheaper tickets, winning more games, the odd cup run and occasionally a run at promotion or the play-offs. Bur don't get me wrong I'd rather we'd built on being the best of the rest in the Premier League - but Reed and Co have failed miserably to do that. But it won't be Liverpool buying our star players in the future - it will be the smaller clubs in the Premier League like Huddersfield, Watford and Brighton. We'll have to get used to that - but it will hurt.

They weren't though. This is a prime example of Les Reed's revisionism and spinning of the messages to supporters. When we brought Austin in the message to fans was that he was to provide the cover and competition for Pelle that we desperately needed as the Italian was our only real centre forward at the time. When we sold Pelle and then failed to sign a replacement Austin suddenly became the replacement for Pelle that we had cleverly bought before he'd left and at a very good price. The same with Redmond - he was bought to add the cover and competition we needed on the right wing - and which the club actively talked about needing - and that was the message we were spun. But then he became our 4th striker and the next Thierry Henry and Mane replacement rolled in to one when we failed to sign another striker and were left with Austin, Rodriguez and Long as our goal scorers. I think there were issues with the squad make-up when Puel joined as he didn't want to play with a centre forward but with a false 9 / number 10 and two wide strikers or inside forwards. But our squad was set up to play 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 so we didn't really have the players to play a 4-3-1-2 so it was a case of adapt what we have with Redmond becoming a wide forward and Austin struggling to fit in anywhere in that formation. I've always thought Boufal was bought to play as the number 10 in Puel's formation - but he was injured when we bought him - and Tadic struggled as a No.10 so we couldn't really play that way anyway - and by the time Boufal was fit we'd abandoned it for a 4-3-3 and then a 4-2-3-1 as we didn't really have the wide striker either. Who know if we'd bought a fit Hakim Ziyech for a lot less money to play as the number 10 and a couple of wide forwards it may well have worked - and a fit and firing Jay Rodriguez, Long and Redmond would probably would have suited it as well. But Austin and Tadic would have struggled - but they would have given us a plan B at least. I think Claude Puel learnt a lot from what happened with us as he's not tried to re-invent the way Leicester play but slowly tweaked it. I think his better grasp of English after a year with us has probably helped as well. I still maintain with Puel it was a case of the wrong man with the wrong squad. And despite wanting him gone at the end of last season I think we would be far better off now if we'd stuck with him and backed him in the summer transfer window with the players he needed to play his way. I think one of the reasons he played so defensively in the second half of the season was that he thought our central defence - in Yoshida and Stephens - wasn't good enough and it had to be protected at all costs. And I think you have to say given the evidence from this season that even with Hoedt and Yoshida he was right. In my mind Les Reed is at fault for most of this - not replacing Pelle, signing an injured Boufal when we really needed a pre-season to adapt to the diamond, not giving Puel the players he needed to change the way we play, not replacing Fonte which cost us the League Cup, not buying a decent second right-back etc. And now Pellegrino - he's definitely the wrong man but he hasn't got the squad he needs either. Although I have no idea what he is trying to do with what he has or how he is trying to play. We need a centre forward who can score goals, a leading centre back to partner Hoedt, a winger with pace who can score goals and probably a goal scoring midfielder as well.

Unless we add 2 or 3 players to the first 11 including a striker that can score goals and an attacking midfielder that can create chances or change the manager to get a lot more out of the current squad we are going down. If Stoke appoint a decent manager like O'Neill I can't see 3 teams that are worse than us in terms of players and manager. The Watford game is a must win - but without a change of manager or a new signing or two its hard to see us winning it. And without any signs of either maybe its already too late.

by the way Martin O'Neill was actually in Winchester when the infamous sighting occurred. I'm told he was actually meeting up with Steve Guppy to play a round of golf at the Royal Winchester Golf Club with Steve's father who is a member there. Who told me this? My father who was also a member at the Royal Winchester Golf Club at the time and occasionally played golf with with Steve Guppy's father.

The big problem is Gao knows nothing about football so what is he going to do. Other than shout a bit at Kat and Les a bit what can he do. And Kat just wanted her Dad’s money (and her inheritance back) so she’s got what she wants and is not going do anything other than sell her 20% at some point. And Les is blinded by his arrogance that got us here in the first place. And Krueger just spouts American style Bull****e and lives in the same blue sky world of most Americans Rather the pragmatic reality of real life.