tajjuk

You don't have to be that good to be a poor team's best player, the games I saw of Norwich in the second half of the season Naismith and Hoolohan looked their best players and one good goal doesn't mean he's amazing either, unless we are going with Martina being the new Roberto Carlos after his goal against Arsenal?

We could have a nice amount of British players with some key signings like Ox, Chambers, Morgan back, Behrahino - Forster Chambers-Fonte-VVD-Bertrand Morgan-JWP Redmond-Chamberlain-Jay Rod Austin

I wouldn't begrudge him a move back to Italy, especially to Juventus (and doubt the club could stop him) but if that wasn't on the cards I'd offer him a new contract and certainly try to prevent him going to Stoke or Everton. The more we can do to sell our players outside the prem the better IMO.

Presumably because it was what 8 years ago?

Bertrand was a lot lower risk though because of it was a loan with a view to buy so if he had turned out to have continued his poor form then we would have just no bought him. If those reports on Berahino are correct (still suspect we are being used to get others to hurry up their offers) then he'd be a record transfer for us, as we are supposedly out bidding Stoke's £16 million, so we are probably paying £17-18 million for him. Get your point though that both were coming from fairly poor seasons probably due to be unsettled, probably shows how much the right set up and environment can have a massive impact on a player. Shame none of our players seem to realise that and just see £££. Like Vardy, he seems to have worked out that for him as a person playing staying at Leicester, where he is idolised and they play to his strengths is better than risking upsetting it all by moving to Arsenal.

I wonder if we are seeing a Brexit effect here. Also from that article I'm more worried about - Very surprised VVD has not been mentioned anywhere considering quite a few clubs need centre-backs, probably a blessing for us Holland aren't at the Euros.

To be honest, he has a point on Puel at Lyon, his record is not very impressive there. We more seem to be signing him based on Nice and mainly on last season, which is a bit of gamble, I mean for a guy who won a title like 14 years ago he hasn't done a huge amount since. However, the accusations about a British manager are stupid, where are his attacks on ALL the other clubs that have changed manager recently and appointed a foreign manager? Also international football management is massively different from club management and didn't O'Neill fail to win in his first 18 games? Why would a top 6 club who are about to play in Europe, with aspirations of playing in the Champions League appoint a manager who's only club management experience is 3rd tier Scottish football and Irish football? The biggest 'star' he's managed is probably Steven Davis, he'd be a risky appointment for most Championship clubs.

Pretty sure Pulis said Berahino had been badly advised and had a bit of a rush of blood, which is probably the problem with twitter, to easy to vent without thinking it through. He was pretty terrible last season though, 4 goals in 17 starts with 14 sub appearances. However West Brom are not really known for their attacking play and you have to wonder whether his heart has ever really been in it. He kind of fits in the similar mould to Redmond, young, english, clearly got some talent but struggled to show it in a poor team.

I have a feeling with £40-50 million 'cash' we could be used for that a lot. I'll be gutted if Everton sign Morgan and we don't even try, we need a holding mid, he'd settle quickly as he knows the club/set up and we'd probably be able to keep for longer now he's been burned at a big club. Still dreaming of a Chambers, Ox and Morgan return. Hell at Behrahino to that plus Redmond signed, new deal for Tadic and that would more than compensate for the loss of Mane and Wanyama.

Wasn't an entirely serious comment and I'd trust players more created by our club, but really thinking about it for our first team? Every single one? I'd have to say no. Kane, Ali, Dier, Rashford and Clyne 100%, the rest of the players that played last night not so much. Don't rate Rose or Walker, Smalling and Cahill not compared to Fonte and VVD. Wilshere and Sturridge are permanent injuries. Rooney I think is fast becoming a worn out talent. Sterling is one of the most over rated players I've ever seen and just don't get the fuss or why he cost £50 million out of form or not as I kind of feel a wide forward should be able to cross, shoot and pass. I mean aside raw pace his technical ability compared to Tadic is like comparing a sunday league player with a pro IMO.

Yawn. Apparently people can't question the unnecessary sale of one our best players without upsetting the zealots.

There was quite a lot of young English talent playing Iceland last night.

Hope we have a sell on clause, could see him at a Barca or Bayern in a few years.

We've won something like 3 knock out tournament games in about 20 years. We change manager all the time Hoddle, Erikson, McLaren, Capello and now Roy and it gets no better, it's the players, they don't play when they put on an England jersey. All the performances in knock out games have basically been the same, slow, lacking tempo, lacking fight, lacking ideas. Was it Roy's fault Hart goes from world class to flapping clown? Was it Roy's fault two spurs players fell asleep against that long throw? Was it Roy's fault that the players just strolled around and put no pressure on the ball for their second goal? Whatever Roy did is irrelevant, there was more than enough talent on that pitch that if they had managed themselves they still should have won. Again players, especially England players get off far too easy far too often with these inept, lazy performances.

Italy players did there job and worked hard. they played for Conte and for the nation. Ours did neither, they didn't put the effort in and thought they could turn up and win. Players are to blame, whatever people think of Roy that was still on paper a good team with talented players. How often can we keep blaming management? We had in Capello on of the most successful managers around, players still could not form a team or play well.

Hope so, but Townsend performed much better in similarly poor teams (QPR and Newcastle). The guy is clearly talented and seems to have the raw ingredients for an exciting player.

They really aren't, have you seen some of the pitches the kids play on? Not to mention their stipulations on refs etc that are just a pain in the behind.

Could Arsene also advise about selling us Chambers and Ox-Chamberlain back? Not really sure what to think about this, must respect Wenger for his standing and achievement in the game, but at the same time there is his almost neglect of signing players in positions where he needs them. How is this taking so long though? He's not at any club so what is the hold up, I thought we interviewed him like a week ago.

End of the day I think blaming the manager is too easy, he would have drilled them on the long throws and they didn't follow those plans and didn't pick up players. They were then very lazy and didn't close down for the second goal, probably because they thought Iceland were no threat and then of course Hart compounds it by letting a fairly tame shot that wasn't in the corner through him. I watched the Italy v Spain, they played with Pelle up front who isn't even a regular for us, Giaccherrini who struggled for Sunderland, they had far far less talent on display than we had but they played as a team, they worked hard and they played to their tactics with everyone doing their role. England went out because they were lazy, didn't concentrate and didn't play with passion and tempo. Why the hell do our players charge around blood and thunder in the premiership then turn up at tournaments and think they have to play like Spain? Honestly I think we should just give up on international football, there is something wrong, there has been more than enough talent around, something happens to our players at tournaments.

I certainly would and we were prepared to give Mane the biggest saints contract ever, so why not give that to Morgan. We need some names, I know we shouldn't buy just on 'names' but if those names are also quality players like Morgan and the Ox are, then they would go a long way to comforting the fans to bring those two fan favourites back. A statement of 'Intent' if you like. Plus both might be more reluctant to hop off to the next big club that comes knocking.

Talented player, but not sure he fits our profile of player. I think this is more Saints have cash -> who can we link him to. Also interesting we are now 'cash rich', apparently we had no transfer funds before selling Mane.

He's on what maybe £100k a week?, we could easily offer him £70-80K I reckon and it would be totally worth it, plus better than him sitting on the bench. Who knows, maybe his priorities will have changed and he's realised the grass isn't always greener. If as claimed he's surplus to requirements then he's going to have to take a pay cut to move to anyone as it's unlikely he'll get another big/top four club.

We are already Liverpools feeder club, we don't need to turn into their B team as well, what with Joe Allen being linked, now Rodgers, we'll be picking up Skrtel of them next.

Hmmn looks like we are going to have to have one of those threads about being jealous of Crystal Palace and Stokes signings again. This does kind of confirm to me though that we should easily be capable of spending that amount, without even accounting for the money in sales. But I doubt that will happen.

After watching him last night we really shouldn't sell him. Brings other options, was interesting that whilst Italy didn't lump it to them they always had that extra out ball to him to keep Spain guessing. He just bullied Pique and Ramos on quite a few occasions and brought people into play so often.