Dig Dig

It's not quantity, it's quality. Like with last season, we're one injury or suspension away from having Davis or Gazza in goal who aren't good enough.

Looks like Juanmi was brought in as a no.10 option. When you look at our squad, our attacking options look pretty good. It's CM, CB and still the GK which needs more quality added IMO.

Don't think we need him tbh. We need more quality in this window but not in that position.

Not sure who half those players you list are but I think most people understood that there was a high probability in losing Clyne, Scheiderlin and Alderweireld this summer. I'm not sure if we can do the same as last summer but we still have some very good players and the opportunity to reinvest. We'll be solid enough for a while, and will continue to be one of the better teams outside of the usual suspects.

This announcement was clearly timed in an attempt to bury the Toby news

I'm not sure if he'll ever be good enough on the ball to really ever make an impact here. More of an "if in doubt, get it out" type of defender which doesn't really tally with how we want to play.

That's the bit I don't get but I'm sure there must have been an incentive for them to do a deal with Spurs in this way, legitimate or not! If Toby didn't have any intention to sign for us then fair enough. Another example of being hamstrung by our wage structure in terms of keeping very good players. Not the clubs fault of course, just the reality.

I wouldn't be surprised if that part of this saga continues but seemingly, there isn't enough of a legal threat to worry Madrid or Spurs so we'll see on that front.

Surely Madrid not having funds to fulfill obligations to us will have only strengthened our ability to negotiate a good deal with them? If it looked like we would hold firm on only paying the 6.8M until we recieved the 1.5M which they possibly didn't have and there was no flexibility there then yes, you can see how the Spurs thing unfolded.

But that all seem to come about once Saints knew of the Spurs negotiations. What was going on between the end of the season and this weekend? We should have been talking about the 1.5M long before surely?

That's the only thing which really makes any sense in terms of how we seem to have been completely sidelined by Atletico.

I'm not sure if he will have felt so strongly about not joining us to instruct Madrid not to respond to us? According to us, he was more than happy to join.

The thing about this which doesn't make sense is why Atletico only seemed willing to do a deal with Spurs? If we were able to pay what was acceptable, and with a relationship already there due to the loan and option to buy agreement, why does it look like we didn't get a sniff and why would that be in their interest? The only potential criticism is around whether we did enough over the course of the season once it became clear that we and nobody else where going to get him for 6.8M or whatever the agreed amount was.

Confirmed

This is definitely up there with a giant foam hand.

I think the argument is more around Saints not acting quicker to get this sorted with Atletico and somehow letting the situation slip from our grasp. Seems they are a bit snakey but we held a good hand with a player who seemed happy to play here and the ability to pay for him.

Seems he would have been happy to sign for us......without any better options on the table.

Come on, admit it..... You do just write a load of made up crap don't you?

Yep, it's not about attaching blame as none of us are in a position to do so but if he does go to Spurs it will be disappointing. Nothing more.

Bit of an odd one considering that we supposedly don't do "back-up" signings but maybe he will do a decent job when called upon.

I think it's been muted a few times but many people like to take things which Toby has said like he'd be happy to play for Saints as gospel that he wouldn't be interested in playing elsewhere which is clearly nonsense. Not to mention that Toby has always added a caveat that any deal would be "difficult" and it's not necessarily up to him. You would think that we should have been in the driving seat for this deal from day one but we lost control of the situation and looked to have missed out on a top quality player at a good price which is a shame.

Actually, there is a crowd who scuffle around waiting to pick apart anyone who reads a situation slightly negatively or not in Saints favour. Loads more of that happening at the moment then the other way around. I won't be crying like a brat either, just hoping that we can maintain our momentum for as long as possible whilst losing good players.

I think you're having a little mini meltdown of your own buddy. Still closing your eyes with your fingers in your ears over this Toby/Spurs business?

Don't worry, S-Clarke keeps telling us that there isn't anything concrete in the spurs stuff.

Which is mostly all true. Everyone who has had the opportunity to go to a bigger club since we returned to the prem has done so. The evidence is there for all to see.