Rebel

For a bit of balance I think Tadic, Bertrand, Romeu, Alderweireld, Van Dijk and Mane were all good signings - but I think they were all Mitchell’s picks - or at least identified before he left. It all started to go wrong when Reed was left in charge - the failure to sign Alderweireld permanently, the failure to replace Chambers when he left, the failure to offer Cork a contract in time to keep him from leaving and the failure to replace the goals of Pelle and Mane were all early signs of big Les Reed’s incompetence and delusion. And his decisions have only got worse since. The mistake in appointing Puel was compounded by not backing him with the players he needed - and then sacking him when we should have backed him again. Martina and Clasie! Boufal - why sign an injured player!? The Fonte and Van Dijk fiascos - made worse by not replacing them. The extended and overpriced contracts for a host of very average players! Pelligrino! Pelligrino! Pelligrino! Carillo!!!!!! The worry is these decisions almost led to relegation last season and will probably see us continue our rapid decline. I can see Forster becoming our Jack Rodwell. The worst thing is all the rubbish they spouted - with all their delusion and arrogance that they couldn’t be wrong. We had a golden opportunity to win something and cement a place in the top 10 but we blew it big time! The one hope is Reed is on his way out - and he needs to go to rebuild the trust with the fans - and whoever is in charge now can make enough right decisions to keep our heads above water long enough for us to rebuild the squad.

Unfortunately the days when we were the best of the rest - outside of the big six - and big ambitions and ambitious owners and directors are long gone. Lets not forget we finished 4th from bottom last season and that wasn't just by accident or bad luck - a lot of bad decisions on player recruitment, player contracts and manages have got us here - and its probably a fair reflection of where we are right now. West Ham have a much bigger stadium, a slightly bigger support, the London draw, probably a slightly higher revenue - but most importantly much more ambitious owners with money who are willing too spend it. As do Everton and Leicester. Right now they are all 'bigger clubs' than us if players want to play in Europe or win something. I don't mind selling Lemina if we can get good money for him, create some space on the wage bill and replace him with someone with a bit more commitment on the pitch. I'd take Loftus-Cheek on loan. I have a feeling we were expecting him to go this summer which is why we were supposedly interested in players like Uribe. Maybe we will take another look at Stefano Sturaro. Although I wouldn't be surprised if we announce Armstrong is his replacement- and forget quietl about replacing Boufal - that has Reed and Saints written all over it.

Its a combination of wages and only having space officially in the Squad for 25 players over the age of 21. Lets hope we can shift a few more players out to get rid of their wages and free up a squad place or too. We desperately need another good centre back and goal scorer not to mention another winger. But I expect we will have to subsidise the wages of Forster and Clasie wherever they go anyway like I expect we are doing with Carillo and Boufal. Lets hope its easier to get rid of Long and Davis as they haven't got as long to go on their contracts. But I fear we will be stuck with them too - or have to subsidise them as well. I can see us selling Yoshida to a club in Japan just because he will be one of the ones we can move on - same with Gallagher. Question - were any of the players we gave extended and increased contracts too worth it? Reed has left us in a right mess with his signings and enhanced contracts over the last couple of seasons - and I think it will take us quite a while to get out of the mess. Do we have the squad places we need to improve the team right now? No! Do we have the room on the wage bill to add players right now? No! Why? Because Reed made a lot of bad signings and gave a lot of average players big salaries they didn't deserve.

The top 6 will stay the top 6, Citeh will be champions, Man Utd will win one of the cups and and Arsenal will win the other one. Spurs will win nothing again. Everton will finish 7th and Silva will be lauded - despite the fact they spent more money than anyone else outside the top 6. Leicester and Puel will do better than we hope - even without Mahrez - finishing in the top 10. Saints will be in the relegation battle again - as we will still lack a goalscorer and a solid defence - but survive again thanks to there being 4 worse teams. Burnley will do well in the Europa but struggle in the Premier League. Fulham and Wolves will finish above Saints. Bournemouth will finish mid table. West Ham will finally have a good season. Cardiff, Huddersfield, Palace (without Zaha) and Watford will be in the bottom 4.

I think the problem is we gave a lot of our average players longer contracts and much higher wages than we should have done a couple of seasons ago. If Forster really is on £90K per week that is part of the problem. And if players like Stephens are on £40-50K per week as rumoured just imagine what some of the others are on. I also expect we are subsidising the wages of Boufal and Carilli in Spain. As it is I expect we ill have to do the same for Forster. If we can shift Forster, Long, Davis we might have some room to move on the wage bill - but I expect we will have to sell on the the big players - Bertrand, Lemina, Gabbi, Cedric - to raise some money and clear some wages. Reed and co really did lose the plot with for a while with new signings and extended contracts for existing players. The so-called 'change of direction' seems to have been a big mistake. You have to wonder what was relaly going on.

I can see both Davis and Long leaving - for Rangers and Reading maybe. And I am half expecting Yoshida to head back to Japan for his final payday. I am also expecting one or both of Cedric and Bertrand to leave - which is I think why we are looking for another rightback to replace Cedric. Although we could end up playing Stephens, Reed or Valery there next season. If we play 3 at the back and wingbacks or wide midfielders, with two central midfielders and 2 inside forwards JWP or Reed could both do a job out on the right as a wide midfielder. I have a feeling we will see more ins and outs than most people think.

I'm not keen on this 3-5-2 formation - I'd prefer we went back to the 4-3-3 and pressed the opposition which was supposedly the 'Southampton Way' and the tactical style we supposedly bought players for. Although we actually plated 4-2-3-1 more often. At worst I hope we play 3-4-3 over 3-5-2. The fact we bought Elyanoussi seems to suggest we want to play 3 up front though. I have a feeling Cedric will move on this summer and Jack Stephens could end up moving across to right back if we play 4 a the back - it was his original position anyway. Yan Valery could well end up being the back-up right back by the sound of it. If we play with wingbacks it sounds like Harrison Reed could fill that role on the right - and JWP is another one who could play there and it might actually get the best out of him - with Stephens on the right of the back 3. We do need to move on players like Forster, Long, Davis, Yoshida and upgrade to younger better players though.

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.