S-Clarke

The charm offensive is in full swing, we have the delights of Ralf to enjoy in the next 2 hours.

Oh great, this is all we need. When the going gets tough, wheel out the mouth piece.

Fraser Forster, Danny Ings and go on...Ryan Bennett.

Bit part players? 50 goals in 57 games, and the most creative player in the league. I don't think that makes them bit-part players? If they were subs for Twente and Feyernord, fair enough - but they were the key players for each side.

He nailed his anti-cortese parade to the mast, so this situation is obviously not going to be portrayed as bad by him - even if he wanted to, it would make him look silly.

Maybe this is the reason English players don't go abroad? Ashley 'Plz can I come and play?''

It's clear we're up for sale. I hope we find a good buyer. I think the current lot are handling the whole situation like a bunch of amateurs though.

It was along the lines of the club cannot stop the domino effect. Losing Morgan was a key blow, something drastic will now have to happen. Monk then said he'd had enough and had lost faith from the board. THEVMAN said in the summer that he's gone now, we'll lose players etc. If that's the views of our only true ITK's, then I think we're screwed beyond anything I could have imagined.

The FPP will ensure that the elite stay the elite, and the also rans stay the also rans. That's the reality of it, and why it's such a pointless introduction to football. They've just made the gap bigger.

Are we going to sell it to Liverpool next summer? Could be quite a good catchment area for academy graduates for them, I'm sure we'd listen to offers. I jest, but still wouldn't put it past anything I've seen these last few months!

Oh without a doubt, we'll be putting Derby's record to the test. A season that could ruin this club for a good 5/6 years.

Nope, ditto. Shame that this transfer thread still has absolutely no concrete incomings. And you cannot keep PL signings quiet, so you'd expect a bit of media exposure a week or so before anyone signs. Makes me feel we're not even an inch close to anyone, probably on our 10/11th targets. Hopefully they prove me wrong and bring in 3, 1 tomorrow, thursday and Friday...but not counting on it.

The current reality is that only one of them is good enough for the first team right now, and if it's to be believed, he's the one we're about to flog to city.

As much as we are all ****ed off right now, throwing personal insults in the direction of Markus's Daughter isn't exactly in good taste, is it?

It's probably very valid, but I'm sure he'd have hoped it was managed a hell of a lot better than it is being managed right now.

Didn't they win the World Cup? Congrats North Korea.

We won't have all our signings in by then, it'll be a patched up team, and they'll beat us anyway. Not going to read anything into what happens up there.

It's what I've said all along, Cortese is as much to blame for this as anyone else. He created a culture and an ambition which was un-feasible. It wasn't even his money to flap around, and it's no wonder KL finally took control of it all. All his failed promises of CL and title challenges have left with Lallana, Lovren, Morgan, Rodriguez, Lambert, Shaw. Their commitment was based on a far-fetched pipe dream. However, as a board, they've managed this situation absolutely abjectly this summer.

3 and a bit for me, the Liverpool game is a write off. Just another pre-season friendly for me. WBA at home is where it starts and matters.

When will Michael Owen say anything of interest? I can hear him tweeting that with his monotone typing.

Roy ''I've heard some interesting rumours ahead for next season, Ralf. I'll have a word with a few at the world cup to see if I can influence them'' RK ''That would be fantantaic Woy, thanks so much for your support for Southampton Football FC #goteamsaints. We do have the very best players queuing up to join us, and to supplement this wonderful football club and it's passionate and loyal fans.'' Les 'Don't tell him Woy, he's oblivious as he's just a mouth piece and more to the point, a moron - but we've been told to sell everyone and I get a cut!!!! So Yes, do have a word at the World Cup so we can speed this along. I want a holiday in Dubai.''

Tickets will be flying off the shelves, apparently.

It kind of makes you worry when we can't even get this one over the line..... Trying to be confident and positive, but we're almost in august and this is the worst PL squad we've ever had as it stands. We need action.....

Still pretty deflating that there simply aren't any incoming rumours. Nothing. Zilch. We're either keeping it pretty quiet, or we simply don't have a clue. I'm edging towards 1 of those options.