Pwoite

Bit dangerous saying Lovren was made to look good by those around him last season, whilst saying Shaw is far from the finished item, Fonte is not really Prem material and Chambers was not a regular first team pick. I have to presume it must have been down to Jack Cork to bring out the best in them all. Or, perhaps, having Guly on the bench!!!

Interestingly money has bought us players that look as though they might be a team. Maybe it's the bigger the deal, the bigger the ego.

Interestingly money has bought us players that look as though they might be a team. Maybe it's the bigger the deal, the bigger the ego.

Whilst one game is too early to make too many assumptions, but here goes.... We should be comfortable this season The squad is probably as good as last season's was, overall We have more depth this season We might be too lightweight in front of goal Not many other PL teams look like overtaking us this season Can we therefore finish eighth again? And, if we do, can we then push on from there or will we go into meltdown again next summer with another generation tapped up by the top six? Will the top clubs have to always dismantle potential challengers to ensure their own status is preserved?

Whilst one game is too early to make too many assumptions, but here goes.... We should be comfortable this season The squad is probably as good as last season's was, overall We have more depth this season We might be too lightweight in front of goal Not many other PL teams look like overtaking us this season Can we therefore finish eighth again? And, if we do, can we then push on from there or will we go into meltdown again next summer with another generation tapped up by the top six? Will the top clubs have to always dismantle potential challengers to ensure their own status is preserved?

Exactly my view, and why he slipped down behind Davis and Cork in Poch's pecking order. His good points, I fully accept, but we need the near complete package. Now, if he can score ten goals a season, unlike Jack, then that moves him back up, but being articulate won't win us games.

Whilst Jack is one of those players who wears his heart on his sleeve, and therefore gets fans support, his all action play flatters to deceive. He cannot score, which should be a fundamental part of the game of a player in his position, and he does not control a match. In fact, his all action style probably is his downfall, as he lacks the steadying control of Morgan or Wanyama. If he could add half a dozen goals a season to his locked, it would increase his reputation no end.

Neither Fonte nor Davis will be guaranteed starters if we get in Rojo and Van Dijk, with the midfielders already signed, so neither is an ideal captain. Morgan would be a far better choice, but his recent behaviour rather rules that out. Who else is guaranteed a start? Neither Clyne nor Wanyama strike me as natural leaders. Who else speaks good enough English to do the job?

Any more news on the rumoured medical due today and where the patient is liable to be English, Dutch, Moroccan or Argentinian?

Now can anyone predict a table at this stage, when players are still being transferred? By this time next week I'd hope that our position, with players in, will be totally different from where we were a couple of days ago. Ings, Forster, Rojo and a couple more suddenly is worth at least five places in the PL. Add Classee (sp), and potentially better still. Currently I see us around 16th, but with the rumoured names in, up to tenth, and with a couple of good surprises we might match last year's performance. (I think the consensus is that we were actually better than our final placing last season, but just didn't deliver against the top clubs above us. Give Koeman instill that belief when Poch couldn't? Mind you, if we don't get these players in, I'm all prepared to put that rubber sheet back in place!

We could but it would mean any new purchases were catching splinters on the bench!

Has anyone thought that we have delayed announcements until after the new kit was announced? Makes perfect sense. Don't want incoming players lamely holding up an old scarf. Suspect there will be good news next week, and each and every one resplendent in the stripes.

Exactly my point. About ten from the o21s who we consider good, plus the kids, and that's why we will need about eight new faces.

We think we know roughly the potential budget available to the Club. We know most of our likely 'existing' squad, and we know who amongst that is not at the level, we require, so how many players are we likely to buy? Keepers - we have three, need to buy or replace at least one Right backs - ok, unless Chambers moves into the centre, then we buy. Left backs - buy one, develop one Centre backs - we currently have one very good, one okay, and two iffy players. May need to bring in one or two, even three, depending on sales and Chambers. Central midfield - Morgan is the question mark. Tadic looks to be coming, but more to replace Lallana. Reed and JWP in wings. Arguably might need to replace one of the existing squad, and no more Strikers - work on principle that Osvaldo and Sharp are not part of the plans, and that JRod is out till Xmas, then we need three, with Gallagher and McQueen in support. Pelle looks to be one, so another two purchases. So, I reckon that is eight new faces in the squad, and more potentially if we have to sell any more. At that rate, they will all be in the £8-12m bracket, with no massive names or fees likely. If this doesn't happen, the squad will be very stretched and inexperienced. If it does, then there is a hell of a rebuilding and restructuring process to undertake. Koeman will certainly earn his bacon!

If Lallana and Lovren go, RK will need to find a leader pretty quickly. Fonte would me a possibility, but might not be in the starting eleven. So, unless we bring in such a character, I'd have thought it's a toss up between Davis and Morgan.

Trouble is, JRod will still be out for the first half of the season. With Lambert gone, Lallana probably going, and no one wanting Osvaldo within five miles of SMS, it does make the current strike force look a little, well, thin! I make the front three Mayuka, Gallagher and McQueen, with, er, Billy Sharp on the bench!! We need to buy at least three strikers or attacking midfielders over the next six weeks and hope they can work togather. That will be a good test of RK and his team!

Xmas? With the way tonight's match is going, he might be lucky to make Wednesday!

Last time round there were a couple of ex Saint has beers knocking around at the World Cup finals, but clearly no current players where within a thousand miles of the final. Next summer, how many Saints will be playing? Let's hope Boruc doesn't make it, but Ramirez, Osvaldo, Yoshida, Lovren and Lambert might all be there, qualifying allowing. Wanyama looks unlikely, and Danny Fox's chances seem to be blown! Any late runners to add? Morgan, perhaps?

Obviously Isgrove is ahead at the moment, otherwise he wouldn't be in the squad, gone on pre season and so on, but I think we are looking beyond that to those not in the first team squad. So much depends on who is bought and who is injured. It also depends on cup games, how many we have and who needs to be given match time in those. For example, come the Barnsley game, Mayuka should start, so that excludes Rowe, possibly, but it might open up chances for Sinclair or Targett. I guess MP will look at the first team squad, and see who needs a start, then fill in the gaps with the kids. Then, having had that chance, that youngster needs to impress on the night to force their case. If they miss that chance, then there might not be another.

No one has mentioned Oscar Rowe. Playing well in U21 and could be an impact player this season, especially if Mayuka fails to impress.

If under the radar is playing for England U18!

Isn't the point with players surplus to requirements that it is down to cutting ones's losses or deciding to hold out for a better deal? Say SDR was on £10k a week, and his contract runs to July 1st. He would cost is around £500k this year, but whilst Steve pockets this money, he gets no games and his profile slips further, meaning next year he is in a poor position to try to get a new contract anywhere. So, cut a deal, say get paid half a year's money, and look to get a three year deal, at, say, £5k. At the end of this year he is just as well off, but he still has guaranteed earnings for two more years, so overall is in a better position, and if he does well, there is a chance of an improved contract or another move. He wins every way, providing he gets a contract. Now, the club's position is different. We forked out good money for him, which we'd like back, but each week we are spending good money after bad, so there comes a time when you have to think 'are we ever going to sell him'? If the chances are no, then it is in everyone's interest to cut a compromise package. I think last year we hoped and expected to be able to move on our 'championship squad' but apart from a few loans, that didn't happen. So, with one year left on a contract and no likelihood of getting any sale, it comes to a point where a termination of the contract suits both parties, especially as the like of SDR clearly failed to step up to the needs of the Premiership. Shame if you are the player, but the cheque probably softens the blow. However, next time, as fans, we criticise players for wanting a better deal, just think about all those players we have cast aside as no longer required. It works both ways, sometimes in our favour, sometimestheplayer's.

I have to wonder to what extent having Isgrove and Chambers coming through ore season might change ideas on who or what we buy. I think Shaw did this last year, hence why we backed out on a LB when we were all screaming for one. Maybe now are cooling on a RB as we have options with Cork and Chambers. As for wide players, I see Puncheon as a sub rather than starting, so he gives an option, as does Guly, who gets played there. Isgrove, if he continues progressing, does the same. That means we just need a striker, but has Mayuka done enough to ring him back into the frame, possibly with Sharp as a last resort? Might mean we buy no one now, or at least, won't be rushed into anything. Sorry, haven't insulted or abused anyone. I understand it is compulsory with every contribution, so might well find subscription is barred in future!

What happened to the rumours of the sponsor being bought out of their deal, and the club getting in a new big name? Was that just more typical web guff and nonsense? So no Red Bull? Or is it conspiracy time, with a few false leads to throw everyone in the wrong direction, and this shirt is exposd as hype and nonsense? Didn't we have the same debate last year, everyone criticising the design, and then record sales? And then, the year before, with the sash, and everyone getting heated about that? We could just hold fire until the announcement, then everybody fire off their criticism, regardless, even if we like it! After all, let's not give Cortese the thought we might agree with what he is doing!!