Dark Munster

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2213689/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-impressed-David-Gea-rotate-goalkeepers-Manchester-United.html

Footballers aren't babies (well, most aren't). I think grown-up professionals can handle playing in front of different quality keepers. Rotating keepers is not a novel experiment (google it - hint: Stoke and ManUre, for example). Reasons to rotate two equally good keepers: keeps both happy, they still will both get plenty of playing time (often averaging one league or cup game a week, especially over the crowded holiday period). Keeps them fresher, physically and mentally. Reasons not to keep an equally good keeper on the bench: unlike an outfield player, he'll stay on the bench for 90 minutes every game (barring an injury or sending off). He'll be less match sharp if called upon. He may get pissed off and do a Lovren.

It doesn't work if 2 are crap.

I'm waiting for you to give a good reason not to.

If they're equally good why not rotate them regularly? Keepers are the one position where changes won't disrupt the rest of the team.

Earning a fortune playing football for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Yes, the joke's definitely on him.

I would be over the moon if we can get as high up as "also-ran" standard this season.

Agreed, especially about Lovren. That's where the line should have been drawn, and he's the one who should be rotting in the reserves.

A fine for the club would be more than sufficient. The suspended player missed the required number of matches, but due to a stupid clerical error some of those matches weren't counted. So unless other clubs are itching to deliberately make clerical errors to have their suspended players technically not complete their ban, I don't see how giving the club a reasonable punishment (a fine) would open the flood gates to anything.

But that's all true, isn't it?

Bigger fish to fry it seems.

Have they swapped yet?

Maybe he was predicting our recent sales. Still about £39 million out, but in the other direction.

I'm really impressed with this thread, over 3000 posts and all are transfer rumours and nothing else.

"The problem, of course, is that it has happened all at once for them and it has been allowed to happen in the wrong order. One of the basic rules of the football market is to secure the replacement first. Instead, Southampton have banked the money but find that the clubs from whom they wish to buy have jacked up the prices." Shame this rather basic rule flew over the heads of Wreck-It and co.

Quick question for the OP: greatest British manager of all time, Paisley or Fergie?

Even better, wait until a second relegation into L1 (plus administration with minus 10 points). Someone should be able to pick us up for a pittance then.

Ask me when the transfer window closes.

Exactly. Not to mention my-heart-is-with-Liverpool Lovren, here for just one season, given his "dream" move after (allegedly) threatening to go on strike. The line should have been drawn there.

This.

No, but I remember this.

What about Morgan?

SG's account seems plausible, and has made me put my wrist slitting blades away for a day or two. However, a couple of things I'm not sure about: I can understand that MP would plan his departure, and shit-stir with the players, because NC was about to sack him, but why would he continue that trajectory after NC left? Especially since the club (without NC) offered him a healthy new contract. Also, if players are sold for inflated prices, I can't see the value of the club going down by that amount, yet alone more. As long as there appears to be a strong enough squad to survive (and that's certainly debatable at the moment), it could be a feasible strategy for KL to extract as much as possible before selling.

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/165/9398282/southampton-slashed-for-relegation Saints slashed for relegation Southampton’s relegation odds have been slashed yet again as their summer exodus continues with the departures of Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers. The defensive duo have completed their moves to Liverpool and Arsenal respectively, meaning the south-coast club have allowed five of their most prized assets to depart, with Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert also leaving. Sky Bet initially had the Saints as 14/1 outsiders for relegation when they opened betting at the start of the summer but now make them 11/2 for the drop. The transfer betting is cause for further concern with Morgan Schneiderlin and Jay Rodriguez odds-on to join Tottenham this summer, while record signing Dani Osvaldo is also expected to depart. Sky Bet Football Trader Jamie Munro said: “The combination of their mass sales and the fact that we’ve seen more money on them than any other club in our relegation betting has forced us to slash their odds considerably. “It’s unprecedented to cut a Premier League club’s relegation odds by more than half without a ball being kicked but the betting in our Transfer Specials suggests the situation is only going to get worse. “Schneiderlin and Rodriguez have been well backed to join Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham and there’s little to suggest reinforcements are on the way, while Ronald Koeman’s lack of Premier League experience is also cause for concern.”