Rebel

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.

Pied wil be gone on a free transfer as his contract is up. And I expect Yoshida would make a big money - for him anyway - return to Japan. Davis will probably go back to Rangers. I’d love to keep Hojberg but can’t see him staying - and I am sure Redmond would go a well - but I think we’d be stuck with Long. So that leaves us with McCarthy, Targett, McQueen, Reed, Bednarek, Stephens, JWP, Austin, Long, Gallagher, Sims, Hesketh and a load of loan signings.

Pocket the Van Dijk cash, except relegation is pretty much a certainty unless I sack the manager and spend loads of money on new players which I’m not going to do. sell Bertrand, Gabbiadini and Cedric in January whilst their values are still high and do the same with the cash - that is pocket it! I won’t be signing any players in January as I’m not throwing anymore good money after the bad money I’ve already thrown away. Sell the players I can in the summer for good money once we’ve been relegated - Hoedt, Boufal, Lemina, Hojberg, Romeu - and replace them with loan signings from the big clubs. Sack Reed, Krueger and Pelligrino - and as many of the back room staff as possible - to reduce the running costs. Pocket as much of the cash as possible from the player sales and the first years parachute payments. Hope we can survive in the championship for a season at least and ell the club b to some other gullible idiot next summer!

Its not the selling of players that the issue - its the not replacing them. If we had sold Van Dijk to Chelsea for £50M plus Andreas Christensen permanently and Michy Batshuayi on loan plus bought Hoedt as we did anyway I would have been more than happy!

Last season I thought Puel was the wrong manager with the wrong squad. And in the Summer I thought he had to go as he seemed to be getting a lot less than the sum of its parts out of the squad. And for me the nail in the coffin was the last five games when we had nothing to lose and we still played negative football and failed to score. I thought the 8th place finish and the League Cup final were down to a little bit of luck more than anything else and papered over the cracks - and that the Europa League and FA Cup failures were closer to the reality of where we actually were. But in view of where Leicester are under Puel and the way they are playing - and tore us apart this week - and I think it was probably more of a case of the squad and the players being the problem - and Puel was just doing the best he could with the poor squad he had. The Leicester squad this season is definitely better than the squad we had last season and the squad we have this season is probably no better. So its hard not think Puel could have done more with a better squad. So it seems the real issues are with the strength of our squad and the players themselves. More than a couple of them seem to lack fight and effort - but we have also been lacking strength in key areas of the squad for a while - w need another striker or two, right back, attacking midfielder and another winger. And the blame for that has to lie with Les Reed and the board. In retrospect it looks like we should have stuck with Puel and changed the squad around - sold players like Tadic, Bertrand and Van Dijk and brought a load of new ones in to replace them and added the strength and depth we needed. So for now I think we need to stick with Pellegrino and back him in the January transfer window. Clear a few players of the players that don't want to be here or aren't good enough out and replace them - and that includes selling Van Dijk to the highest bidder and spending the money on strengthening the squad. Changing the manager hasn't worked so we need to see if changing the squad does.

Out - but Wilson, Watson, Black, Pellegrino and a few others need to follow him. Problem is he is running the club so who is going to sack him - and worst of all he believes his own hype! We need another Cortese to appear from nowhere and turn the club around.

Tadic is a left winger and Redmond is a right winger - if we are going to play them then we should play them there. Although Redmond seems to prefer shooting than crossing or passing the ball forwards to set someone up which is why I think we play him on the left as an inverted winger. But maybe he would cross the ball more and offer us some width if we did play him on the fight. I'm not sure Boufal is a No. 10 though either - he doesn't really have any end products - he wants to shoot and score goals not pass them ball to set someone else up - and so more often than not he runs in to a dead end. We might as well play him as striker or an inverted winger/wide forward if we are going to play him at all. Gabbiadini is really a second striker - and is probably best used on the left or behind centre forward. Long is best as a wide forward where his lack of finishing doesn't matter so much and his pace and work rate are an asset. Which leaves Austin as a only real centre forward. I'd try playing Austin up front with Gabbiadini on the left, Lemina in the middle and Ward-Prowse on the right in the three behind him - and get Bertrand and Cedric to start crossing the balls in for Austin. You've also got JWPs delivery from the right, Lemina as the extra player in the box who looks like he can actually score from midfield - and Gabbiadini on the left to find the space, make the intelligent runs and play-off Austin. And then you've got Tadic, Redmond and Long who can come on as impact subs to add some pace or trickery if we need to change things. In January I'd look to sell Tadic, Austin, Long and Boufal and bring in some different forwards to change the front line around and freshen it up - it really needs it and is probably well overdue. Bringing Gallagher back from Birmingham is an obvious first step for me. And maybe if we sell Van Dijk to Chelsea in January we should insist on Michy Batshuayi as part of the deal or juts go and sign him. He seems to be out of favour and at 24 he's worth a try. His pace and power is exactly what we are missing up front. Luciano Vietto would give us another option up front - would add some trickery and can play as a wide forward on the left or right and as a second striker as well. And if City want Bertand we should push for Patrick Roberts as part of the deal - another wide forward come winger (and now that Celtic are out of the Champions League he might be more willing to try the Premier League than we was in the summer) who can score goals. I would love us to sign a proper number 10 like Ziyech as well - but I can't see that one happening so maybe we should go from Tom Cairney from Fulham instead. Supposedly the best player in the Championship last season. Now I know its not that easy when it comes to transfers but I would really like to see Reed and Co do something major in the January transfer window. Show some ambition and some intent. Personally I think they need to back MOPE in January rather than sack him.

A bit of both really. The players don't seem to be giving their all on the pitch - particularly Bertrand. And a lot of them just aren't playing well - Forster, Bertrand, Cedric, VVD, Romeu, Redmond, Tadic, Boufal, Long and Gabbiadini. But the manager has to take a lot of responsibility for the way we are playing. He doesn't really seem to have a game plan - and he's playing a number of players in the wrong positions. Tadic is world class for Serbia because he plays on the left. Redmond is a right winger, nothing more. Boufal is a number 10 or nothing. Gabbiadini is not really a centre forward. Davis is just a central midfielder - not attacking and not defensive. But I think the problems should be laid at the feet of Reed. This season looks like another case of the wrong manager and the wrong squad. We lacks strength in depth, goals, creativity and pace. We are short a striker and winger - and probably an attacking midfielder as well. For the last 2 seasons our recruitment of players hasn't been good enough - and by the looks of it neither has our choice of manager. However Reed needs to back Pellegrino in January to see if we can get the right squad so we can see if he is the right manager. We need to sell a few players and replace them, and then spend some money to bring a few more in to give the squad a boost - it needs it.

What about the other Catalan clubs that have played in La Liga league like Girona and Tarragona? Where would they go? Not to mention Espanyol (supposedly the Spanish club in Barcelona) and Barcelona B and all the other clubs that have played or play on Segunda B. Personally I'm not sure I want the sectarianism of Celtic and Rangers anywhere near St Marys or the premier league - but if they did join I am sure they would find life a lot harder. But where would that leave the rest of Scottish football? They could always form an Atlantic League with the Irish football clubs I guess? I can see a European Super League happening eventually - but would you have enough really big clubs for an 18 team division - and where would you draw the line? So you have Real, Barca, Bayern, Juve, Inter, AC, PSG, ManUre and then who? Citeh, Marseille, Napoli, Roma, Scousepool, Arse, Spurs, Chelski, Atletico, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon Valencia Porto, Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord?

And Clasie!

I'd pretty much start with the same team as against Palace - just switch Redmond for Gabbi and VVD for Yoshi. Long will cause them problems with his running and aggression. Tadic when he's on form and out wide can rip any full back apart. And hopefully Gabbi will find and use the space they create to score. With Lemina and Romeu in the middle and Davis linking play we should be OK in the midfield. And VVD and Hoedt should cope with Lukaku's pace and power OK. ----------------------FF-------------------- Cedric-----VvD-------Hoedt-----Bertrand ------------Romeu---Lemina-------------- -----Tadic----------Davis--------Gabbi------- ---------------Long------------- And if that doesn't work or we take the lead and want to hold it I'd go 3-4-1-2 ---------------------FF-------------------- ------Yoshida ----VvD-------Hoedt----- Cedric-------Romeu---Lemina------Bertrand --------------------Davis----------------- ---------------Long--------Gabbi----------

A slight variation on that for me if we are going to play 3 at the back against United and the other big clubs. Might as well play Hoedt on the left of the back three as he is left footed. And with Long and Austin upfront we can play a bit more direct and use the full backs to cross the ball in to the box. It's also more or less the way we played the 3-5-2 under Koeman against the big clubs. ..............................................Forster............................................... .....................Yoshida.................Van Dijk...............Hoedt.................... Cedric...................................................................................Bertrand ..................................Romeu..............Lemina.................................... ..............................................Davis............................................... .............................Long........................ Austin...............................

4-3-3 for me -------------Forster------------ Cedric--Stephens--Hoedt--Bertrand JWP-------Romeu---------Lemina Long----Austin----Gabbi Our midfield keeps getting overrun so I think we need to play 3 midfielders - a tackler in Romeu, a box-to-box runner in Lemina and a passer in JWP (who when played in the right position on the right of a midfield can be a good player). Upfront we need the physical presence of Austin in the box to give us a focal point - and actually encourage our fullbacks to get forward and cross the ball and our midfield to play the ball forward. The pace, physicality and running of Long will cause any defence problems as we've all seen and also open up the space. And hopefully with Austin holding the ball and laying it off or getting on the end of crosses and Long mixing it up physically it will create some space for the intelligent movement and finishing of Gabbiadini coming in off the left flank. For me Gabbi is just not suited to leading the line so we need to change things around to get the best out of him. And with Lemina making runs in to the box to be the 4th man - and JWP sitting deep to make the play or going wide to cross the ball in we might actually see some goals - or at least some attempts at scoring. And with Hojberg, Redmond and Tadic on the bench we might have some subs who can make and impact if we need it. Anyway that's the theory - now just for the practice!

I was expecting us to sell Tadic this summer and replace him in the starting 11 with Boufal and in the squad with a younger player like Roberts or Karamoh. I was also expecting us to sell Long and replace him with a younger and better forward - someone who has pace but can also finish - someone like Vietto or Gabriel Barbosa maybe. Although either of these could be seen as a replacement for Rodriguez who I thought was replaced by Gallagher. (By the way I am only naming these players as we have been linked with them in the press - I'm not in the know or a transfer guru) I don't really understand why we let Gallager go on loan to Birmingham City and Redknapp of all people - I would have kept Gallagher over Long - he's just as physical as Long and probably a better finisher although maybe not as fast on the ground and he gives us an alternative player and a different style to lead the line. For me its time to cash in on Van Dijk and spend the money on the first 11. There are a number of players that that need to be moved on to clear space in the squad and room on the wage bill - namely Clasie, Long and Gardos. I'd add Tadic to that list as well but only if we bring in another attacking player. And Pied probably need to be replaced as well - to me he seems to be just another cheap stop gap at right back in the same way Cuco Martin was - slightly better maybe but still not good enough. And Bednarek probably needs to go on loan lower down the League to develop as he seems to be way of the level we need. Last season we had the wrong manager in Puel - but the squad wasn't good enough either. This season I hope we have the right manager in Pellegrino - but at the moment he doesn't have a good enough squad either. I certainly don't think we have two good players in every position as Reed and Co seem to claim. Lemina and Hoedt were certainly steps in the right direction - but we still need to take a few more steps.

Tadic it seems is better on the left cutting in on his right foot and Redmond is better on the right crossing the ball in on his right foot and taking on players on the outside. And Redmond has the pace we need but he is a winger - not an ACM or No. 10. Similarly Tadic seems lost when he's played as a No.10 - without the space he needs to make things happen which he has on the wing. I am not really sure where Boufal best position is - mostly because he's not really played that much - but of the three he looks the most suited to playing the ACM or No. 10 role. But I think we have proved you can't play both Tadic and Boufal in the same team - neither really track back and lack the pace we need up front. So for me it has to be one these two and Redmond at the moment with either Davis or JWP in the three behind the striker. Long give us an alternative to Redmond as a wide striker - but he lacks the finishing touch to be a main striker.

Taking a radical view maybe it is time for the club to move on players like Tadic, Long, Clasie, Gardos and give the younger players like Redmond, Stephens, Boufal, JWP, Lemina and PEH the game time to develop - and add more young players like Roberts, Karamoh, Hoedt and Christensen who will also develop with game time and use players like Targett, McQueen, Gallagher, Bednarek, Sims, Flannigan and Slattery as the back up players. You could argue that maybe we do need to move on players like Yoshida, Davis and Pied as well to give younger players the room to develop. Even Bertrand to give Targett and McQueen the room to develop. Now I am not saying I would actually do this - you need balance and experienced quality in the squad - but I don't think its a million miles away from what the club is actually thinking - bringing in or through young players from the academy, developing them, flipping them as someone said by selling them and replacing them with younger players, giving the younger players room to develop, focusing on new younger players with real potential - and repeating the process. In some ways its the 'pathway' they talk about. I probably would move on Tadic, Clasie, Long and Gardos this summer (to give the existing younger players room to develop) and replace them with younger players who will also need the room to develop. So it looks like Lemina will replace Clasie anyway and Bednarek will probably replace Gardos (when he goes out on loan for his final year I expect). And we could be looking to bring in someone like Patrick Roberts to replace Tadic and maybe someone like Yann Karamoh to replace Long. Vietto or Gabriel Barbosa might also fit this model as well - but the slight adaptation that we look for players like Lemina and PEH with real potential that haven't been given the time to develop at a big club. And if Van Dijk goes replacing him with someone like Christensen or Hoedt (or both) would make sense based on this model as well.

really? Failure to replace Fonte properly in January probably cost just the League Cup Final. Failure to replace Fonte last summer before we sold him and we knew he wanted to go. Starting last season with just JayRod, Long and Austin as our forward options - surely everyone could see we were going to struggle with a lack of goals with those options. Failure to really replace the goals and attacking options of Mane and Pelle last summer. Buying Boufal when he was obviously crocked - when we need a fit and firing ACM. Replacing Chambers and Clyne at right back - over £30 million worth of players sold - with Cedric and Martina/Pied for less then £5 million. Appointing Puel - there is no denying now he was the wrong manager - but then failing to give him the backing he needed with a squad to suit his style of play. All of those things left me feeling a little disappointed. I'm not saying I think they've done a terrible job - after all we've made it to Europe, finished in the top 10 for 4 seasons in a row and made it to a League Cup Final - but we haven't actually won anything and our squad now is probably weaker than the one Pochettino started with if Van Dijk goes. Now I expect some of this - players wanting to leave for example - was simply beyond their control - and other than the board who really knows the realities of Saints financial situation - but there are certainly things they could have done better. I'm not going to be disappointed if they end up selling Van Dijk - but I will be disappointed if they don't replace him properly. Sometimes I just wish we looked a bit more like we were on the front foot with transfers.

My first thought is that's a bit disappointing if that's true - its yet another window where Reed and Co have let down the manager and supporters. We all agreed that we needed a more physical presence in CDM - and cover for Romeu - and it looks like Lemina will tick that box. But I think most of us felt we needed an ACM that can score goals and a real replacement for Fonte at CB as well. Not too mention a top class replacement for VVD is he goes. The board are running a tight club though and it looks like we are set to make transfer profit again. And the reality is I think that is where our ambition really lies - not in Europe or winning things - but in making a profit. So it seems it will always be a case of 1 in 1 out for the most part - with Stephens stepping up to replacing Fonte (and Bednarek stepping in to replace Stephens as 4th choice). I was expecting Gardos and Clasie to leave this summer - with Bednarek replacing Gardos and Lemina replacing Claise, but if we are bringing in an attacker on Loan maybe Long will be the one to leave. With Clasie staying it gives us 6 central midfielders - which gives you the cover you need if you're going to play 4-3-3. Not sure where that leaves Taylor and Gardos though. Could the attacking player on loan be one of the three 'wide forwards' we have been linked with - Luciano Vietto, Gabriel Barbosa or Patrick Roberts?

OK so in the spirit of the OP - here goes! So starting with the fact that we have sold VVD to Chelsea for £60M plus Andreas Christensen - here is what we do in 'realistic fantasy' land - and keeping with our supposed buy young players with potential strategy: And then with the £60M sign: DC: Wesley Hoedt from Lazio FW: Patrick Roberts from Man City FW: Yann Karamoh from Caen Play Jack Stephens as a defensive midfielder, sell Clasie and Long and loan out Gardos.