tajjuk

Big club favouritism right there, Chambers been on the bench for Arsenal, wasn't in the original squad but starts over Clyne who is playing regularly (and better) and was a first pick in the squad.

Very pertinent point in there about Shaw, with question marks over his fitness, diet and preparation. Obviously the club must have thought that maybe Shaw's future value may never actually get any higher, not through any lack of talent but through a lack of application to become the best. Maybe Man Utd will grind that in to him, but they don't seem to have done that to Rooney. One of the reasons Ronaldo is the best players in the world is because of his dedication and professionalism, diet, extra training, gym work etc etc all to to get the maximum from his talent. Something that Rooney and possibly Shaw maybe don't have that will prevent them from every being at the very best, merely being very good due to their abundant natural talent. Great read overall, though I still think that identifying Chambers as a second choice right back kind of underplays his obvious versatility, what with Arsenal already playing him centre back.

Most pundits/commentators seem to have generally agreed that both challenges were very fair yellows, not seen much on the Fonte one but he did seem to get the ball and the second one that they reckon he should have been sent off seemed to be a player going for a 50/50 ball, Routledge didn't get touched anyway. Don't think Swansea can have any complaints really.

He had a pretty awful season for Lyon before he came to us (pretty much how he came to us) one good season last year might be the exception not the rule. I watched the Liverpool game and it had a very 'saints' feel to it from last year,. like watching us huff and puff against the likes of Sunderland at home.

I think overall the squad is stronger if the replacements can live up to those departed (if you say Tadic = Lallana, Bertrand = Shaw, Pelle = Lambert, TA = Lovren) then the addition of Gardos, Mane and Forster improve the squad, Long offers a (not as good mind) replacement whilst Jay Rod is out and him coming back will be like a new signing. I'm still disappointed with the Chambers sale, think that one was unnecessary, can't see the player having agitated for that move and whilst we scrabbled around for a defender we sell a guy who is starting centre-back for Arsenal and getting an England call up. Also shame about Gaston, was hoping he'd be here this season and establish himself, lets hope he has a good season at Hull and wants to be here next year. Sort out contracts for Cork and Jay Rod as well would cap a very successful end to a turbulent summer. It's still a shame overall MO, as last year we had a very promising squad of homegrown and english players and we looked like we were on cusp of something, I still do not think we would ever have got into the situation in the first place had Cortese been in charge, so I don't think the board deserves too much congratulation for clearing up a mess they created themselves.

Be happy with that, even £15 million, young pacey player who looked very good for QPR and got very little help in that team. If Long is £12 million, then £15 plus easily for Townsend.

Be happy with that, even £15 million, young pacey player who looked very good for QPR and got very little help in that team. If Long is £12 million, then £15 plus easily for Townsend.

Already speaks pretty good english, seems like most of our new signings do which should help them settle in quite quickly. If we get another CB in then we are going beyond just replacing our losses and potentially improving the squad from last year.

Only Schneiderlin or Wanyama could be considered better and on form I think Cork could keep Wanyama out of the team, especially as his forward passing is vastly better. Would be a silly player to sell. Give the lad a new contract.

Underwhelmed and massively overpriced. Not sure how we can sign a player who signed for Hull just 6 months ago for £7 million, scores just 4 goals and we then pay 5£ million more for him. Strikes me as a last resort signing because we know we only have Pelle and our other targets went elsewhere. Less plan B, more plan E or maybe even F.

Does seem very odd seeing us other clubs have got away with similar errors. I mean he was on for like 2 minutes, what difference does it make. If he was fielded for the whole game maybe but Celtic were out already by that point.

A lot of talk about Harrison Reed being the next Scholes but for me JWP is in that sort of style/potential. Two good feet, great all round technique, low centre of gravity, keeps the ball well and can control it under pressure. Best position for me is behind the strikers, get him working between the lines, last year he was trying to be a DM that he isn't because I think that is where the spaces in the team were or out wide where again he was doing a job. Plenty of potential, but let's hope he goes under the radar. Could be a key player this year I reckon.

Sad and unnecessary sale. My interest for the club and premiership in general just gets lower and lower. Honestly don't see the point, at least fight to keep our players.

Liverpool buy all our players and we buy all Feyenoords players seems to be the way we are going. Cheap (ish) dutch talent + home grown english talent. Are we basically trying a dutch version of what Newcastle have done with the french? Also every dutch player we go for will also be linked with Man Utd because of van Gaal.

Considering Sherwood essentially got sacked for essentially that, well 6th but that was with AVB's poor start then that is not a successful season for them, especially after AVB also got sacked with one season at 5th didn't he? Redknapp the same. Levy wants top 4, if he doesn't get them it then he'll be sweating his job like the last 3/4 managers.

After last season a lot of those glory hunters probably support someone else.

Yeh we need two really if he goes, so Fonte becomes first choice back up and Yoshida second, then Hooiveld hopefully never seen again.

Sounds like re-hash to me, could see the Everton link if they were looking to replace Barkley who may be Man City bound. Not sure 'playmaker' is really a priority for us at the moment either, we have tadic, there may be more to come from Ramirez and Reed and JWP are both pushing for central midfield spots, not to mention the ever dependable Davis.

Not sure Zabaletta is super quick but he's one of the best right backs in the league if not the best.

Pretty sure he had a fairly average, if not bad season with Lyon before he joined us (fair few mistakes, red cards, not getting on too well with the fans IIRC) so even though he was largely excellent for us I'm a bit dubious that he had a huge amount of options last summer. I kind of think he owes us for taking a punt on him and suddenly getting loads of champions league clubs interested in him. Ask Liverpool for £30 million or tell them to get lost I reckon.

Richards and Rodwell would be good signings if the prices and wages were right. Something to prove for both but worries over their fitness, seem to get a fair few injuries. I'd also happily have Redmond, yeh maybe not the complete package but he's still only 20, with good coaching could make him a more complete player. Of course he could turn into a worse Arron Lennon. Be happy with Caulker as well. Kind of like signing England B if we got those 4! Not so much on Borini though, striker that doesn't really score.

Everton also no longer have Lukaku and Delifiou (sp?) so they are weaker than last year at the mo

Chamberlain would have been a possibility around December last year I thought for a loan, he'd been out injured, loads of players ahead of him, I mean Arsenal have an absurd amount of attacking midfielders. But then they got loads of injuries, he got into a central midfield position and did well. Who knows though, they still have loads of players that will probably see him on the bench a lot next year and knowing Wenger he'll probably sign some more AMs they don't need , he could become unsettled and want some football, plus he has a soft spot for us. Come January a loan might be viable again.

Wasn't he 7 million euros? He went on to win to titles and didn't really start to show his age until the third season. £4 millions is fair price for a 32 year old, we won't replace him for that amount though. Clearly we need to buy more than one striker as well, presuming Osvaldo gets sold and we have to remember Jay Rod is injured and won't be back until at best November. Leaving us with Sam Gallagher as our only recognised striker. So it's not just about Lambert who if i remember correctly played in 37 games out 38 prem games last year but it's also about a replacement for Osvaldo and possibly a replacement/back up for Jay Rod. So we might need THREE strikers.

Sad to see him go and my favourite Saints player of the last 10 + years, I also do not think had it been any other club he would have left willingly and for that reason I am pleased on a personal level for him that he has managed to join the club he loves.