Dalek2003

It was picked up but nothing was done about it, which is very strange

Resigned ? Frustrated ? Worried ? Angry ? laughing ? hopeful ? or beyond caring ? Which emotion best sums up your feeling towards our transfer activity at the moment ?

Cannot stress the importance of having a solid back four and goalkeepeer. It was the late Bill Shankly that siad you build the team from the back, starting with the GK. Wise words at the time and still true to day. In our past years we saw some of our most successful periods with Shilton and Niemi and as has been said with a solid back four. I am delighted with the front line and believe SRL will prove himself in te PL, but if we don't sign beofre the deadline it could fall apart at the back.

If we had been negotiating in mid June then a. We would have more chance to sort out any problems. b. Identify and get in a good alternative if it fell though. This is the problem with leaving important signings so late in the transfer window. I hope this goes through but i am not confident. If it fails to go through i hope it does not cost us our place in the leadgue at the end of the season.

Well, because of his injury we did not really get to see lee on a regular basis. We know he is fast and we need that in attack so with our new signing that should help. We have lots of good strikers and some of them very young. In thoery we should do well but we still look weak at the back and hate to say it I am not sure about KD at this level. I have a feeling Gazzaz could be OK but it is a gamble.

The player that I am most intrigued about in the PL is tadanari Lee, he will either be a big hit or a flop. We MUST get the CB, LB and possibly GK sorted, although I think Gazza could do it in the PL if Davis stumbles.

Good points and I appreciate where you are coming from. I hope you are right because that is the way for Saints to go IMO. Just hope fans are patient if we do go down and do not call for the head of NA. Having said that it will take a lot to withstand the pressure and my fear is that a hard season could shatter the confidence of the club. One final note, a friend of mine is a passionate 'Baggy' supporter and feels that all the signs are that we are adopting the WBA 'yoyo' strategy. I will look at this more closely to look for similarities and differences

WBA have had a cracking start and have settled well after building gradually during the 'yoyo' strategy.

I would like to comment but don't know enough about the players you mentioned.

This is about one of the best posts I have read in terms of our probable strategy. I have to say, if we are taking a risk by buying younger players with potential instead of journeymen and has beens then I am all for it. Perhaps if this vision was made clear to supporters people would be less frustrated and less stressed about the thought that we might go down this season but have a squad that could easily get us back up again. Not splitting hairs, but isn't that a sort of 'yoyo' strategy ?

Are you an H & S representative with a beige cardigan and slacks by any chance ?

Post of the week !

I am intrigued by 'serious to a point' Are you suggesting that NC has abudget in mind and he ain't budging come what may ? Would this not by default suggest that NC will accept the possibility of relegation ?

Ok then could we a bit naive, inexperienced or wrong in our transfer strategy ? I take your point though, at the ned of the transfer window if we have done nothing then perhaps we could say NC is a businessman who is prepared to take big gambles.

You won't find the answer to the question about Hooper in my posts but you will if you look through the posts of others !

OK, please hear me out. Do you think we are really serious about staying up or just naive. Also, are we perhaps adopting the 'yoyo' strategy successfully employed by WBA and possibly Blackpool ?

Of course people have changed their tune now.

I have to say some of the reactions to Alpine are very juvenile. Alpine adds spice to a forum like this and many people look forward to his posts. Rather his posts that a bland forum were only consensus is allowed.

I made that promise when everyone was so short that Hooper was a dead cert for the Saints. Didn't happen of course.

The advantage of getting players early in the summer is that it is easier to create the team blend and spirit in pre-season. I would have thought that, and the possibility of hitting the ground running was worth paying a little extra for. However, IMO staying in this league, whilst the aim, is not as important as remaining financially prudent.

That is what Toadhall asserted some time ago. This deal is either very close or once again people are barking up the wrong tree.

A true test of character when the 'chips' are down.

Not far to travel I suppose.

Is that to 'finish off' another club ?

Davis, Davis and Davies.....good one fopr the commentators !