S-Clarke

Why is it hilarious to suggest he is an horrific owner? He's amongst the worst in the PL. We survive because of the PL income, we survive because we have players to sell and reinvest. That is our model. That model is driven because we have an owner who will not contribute or invest into us. Without PL income we would be in the financial pits. The strategy we have is driven by Martin Seemens/Ralph et co, because it's clear they have little money to play with. I understand the views that in some ways Gao being 'silent' can be a positive, but as a fan base you still need to feel the owner is engaged to some level. Things are going 'well' on the field at the moment, but that is purely in spite of Gao. We have struck lucky with Ralph, but it feels like he is hamstrung and we're never going to see his full potential as a manager because our owner won't invest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking 100m/200m - but just having the flexibility to buy a couple of players without needing to work out who you can sell first - that would be a start. We were told his ownership would take us to the next level and allow additional investment, we now have absolutely no pot to piss in. Taking secured loans out left right and centre. The model to sell before you buy is all well and good, but this relies on us being in the PL. Full stop. KL is as guilty as well, it would be nice to have her engagement on it as well, it feels like she's let us down a little. He has made no effort to integrate with the fans, he has made no effort to share his ambitions, views or intentions with us - absolutely zero effort. No one knows what he's here for. Why should we give him the time of day? When you add together the fact he's made little or not effort with the fan base and we seemingly have no pot to piss in, there's no doubt there's ill feeling about him. This 'new' lot sound like someone we need to avoid as well, but that does that make me anti-American? No, it makes me someone who is trying to want the best for the club he supports and it's clear to me at the moment that Gao isn't providing what is best for Southampton football club.

More racial stereotyping crap. People don't like Gao because he is a terrible owner, simple as that. No one knows his intentions. If he was English, American, Swedish, Dutch and his approach was the same, he wouldn't be liked. It doesn't matter what his nationality is, but he has been a terrible owner. In answer to your previous questions - that would have been Kruger, Reed and now Semmens. As mentioned many a time before he has no real involvement in the club, so he's all pretty much nondescript and is offering us nothing.

Yeah, kinda tempted to dodge this one. But if they're negotiating with Gao directly for his stake, this is probably the sort of deal he'd sanction as we all know he wants out and has no real interest in what happens to us afterwards.

Van Aanholt Tomkins Cahil Sakho Benteke Ferguson All most certainly out for Palace. Big question marks over Eze and McCarthy too - doubtful they will start. No idea how they've managed to accrue such a huge injury list.

This place, for me anyway, is absolutely flawless now. I can get straight on all the time. Tiny slow downs occasionally, but 9/10 I'm able to get in. Posting a reply can sometimes take 10-20 seconds, but that's no drama. The lounge is a weird oddity though as that does time out for me, but I never really went in there anyway!

Yeah, there's a credit in your season ticket accounts. It'll sit there unless you ask for it back to your bank account, or you use it as a credit for future purchases at the ticket office. It wasn't ever an auto refund into your bank account. Mine is sat there at the moment, I imagine it'll come in handy next year to put towards my season ticket when I renew when normality is back.

You might as well call Wolves the Portuguese national team. It works for them for sure, but the obvious links with Mendes is a little unfair to the rest of us!

Just the Carrillo loan to sort out now! I think it was always pretty inevitable that the unsellables would all go out on loan again. It really does highlight our piss poor we were run between 2017-2019 when the majority of our 'record' signings are all out on loan.

Doubt pubs are going to be open for much longer tbh. Well, they shouldn't be if they new restrictions are anything to go by. Ban social gatherings of no more than 6 people, indoors and outdoors, including pubs etc. If that's what they want to do, why keep pubs open? Sorry, don't want to go into a COVID rant! But the waffle and mixed crap never ceases to amaze me.

I doubt the club will provide any passes for away games, home games yeah....but away games, you'll just have to find a way to pay/watch it. Doesn't sound like fans are going to be back in stadiums anytime soon anyway, so we'll probably see most of the next two months broadcast live via some form.

Well, that was suitably dreadful.

No JWP tonight, he's on the bench. Slightly different formation, but Kalvin Phillips takes his direct place.

It's the longest run of flawless access for me, haven't had an issue for a good few days now. Maybe it's still not instant, but it's a world better!

They're another club who have got their big signings wrong, pretty much every year. The difference between them and us - they go again the next year, as they've got an owner who is prepared to bankroll to an extent. Now they've got a proper manager in there it may be different.

They've signed Allan, but he's a completely different type of player. Rodriguez will play number 10 or out wide, Allan is a sitting/destructive central midfield player, similar to Doucoure if they get him. They needed to refresh their midfield more than anywhere else.

It doesn't seem to be a crazy deal by Everton, just under £20m guaranteed fee. Just a 2 year deal, option of a third they can take if they want. He's prob on a decent chunk, but it's a 2 year gamble and they've only paid £20m for him. Gamble worth taking IMO for a player of his undoubted talent and standing in world football. Can't wait to see him in the PL, big fan.

How bloody good is Haaland by the way? Unreal technique, great strength, great height, great pace. If you're looking for the attributes of a perfect centre forward, he has every single one at like 10/10. He's going to be insane if he stays injury free.

Foden is a proper chav, so it doesn't surprise me. Talented, yes, but the mentality of a moron. He'll struggle to fulfil his potential due to his seemingly dumbarse chavy ways.

In my opinion any player coming in to this team needs to be good enough to become a leading/starting player. We had a period where we 'built out' the squad, but it just saddles you with players who are never quite good enough to be regulars. They may not immediately be at the level fitness/tactically, but eventually they will become starters. If we can get 3 players (KWP/Salisu+ another) of starting quality, then that's a solid window IMO. I think that was Ralph's aim at the start as well. 3 signings, very clever signings to improve the squad.

Weird, ditto. Small world and all that.

It's a pittance, for sure. But for the money we'd save on wages, it's probably worth it. Another big signing which went horribly wrong. He seems like a good lad, good attitude, clearly talented, but he seems to lack the physical attributes or footballing awareness to cope with the pace of this league. He'd be a decent player (not a world beater) in a league like La Liga, just not the PL.

It'll be interesting to see what sort of team Brentford field, at the moment it's a very tricky team. The 'mass exodus' that most predicted hasn't happened yet, so they still have a frightening array of Premier League level attackers IMO.

Redmond is one of the first names on our team sheet, IMO Pilchards. Whilst he can be guilty of sometimes going backwards, or running into blind ally's, he is absolutely perfect for a counter pressing style due to his acceleration and appetite to win the ball. When he's 'on it', we often win pretty comfortably. Boufal is a completely different type of player and wouldn't offer us anywhere near the same threat and ability to stretch teams.

Appreciate the update - must admit, the last forum I ran myself was run on PhpBB - remember that? Things have probably moved on a fair bit. Is there any appetite for moving to an entirely new forum platform (again) or is that just way too much pain? I'm guessing one of the selling points for Invision was it's 'ease' of transition from VB? I must admit though, the last few days have been as good as it's ever been. It's always been painfully slow for a few days, and then 'usable' on the others, but honestly it's just flown over the last 2 days better than it ever has. So any changes you have made have been spot on.

He's not good enough, so I wouldn't want to be relying on him. If Boufal goes we would certainly need an additional wide attacker.