spyinthesky

Toro Mierda!!!!

Of course the Manager has to take flak for poor performance of the team. However this is the third Manager who is struggling with our squad of well paid 'stars' Puel and Pellegrino both adopted careful strategies whereas Hughes is trying to push on a bit in an endeavour to score more goals. Unfortunately all three Managers have suffered from a lack of quality of the playing staff. Was it dear old Les that said we had one of the best midfields in the League a season or two back. I would seriously question that statement and the lack of quality in this area of the pitch impacts on the deficiencies in central defence and upfront.

Has anybody been to Genoa? Quite apart from the distress caused to those who have lost loved ones, I wonder how life there will be affected by the loss of a major arterial route through the city?

For my sins I thought it was generally OK Contrary to majority opinion I thought Les Reed came over OK but Ralph, as expected, was fill of waffle

That team was pretty consistent that year and played in the FA Cup Semi Final v Man Utd. As I recollect Williams, Kirby and Burnside were all signed early in the season when results were poor and their combined impact was more or less instantaneous Think only Knapp, O'Brien, Paine and Sydenham are still with us.

Good turn out at Botley Crematorium for Cliff's farewell appearance today. Ex Saints in attendance included Dennis Hollywood, Jim Steele, Mick Judd, Ian White, Tommy Hare, Gerry Gurr, Roger Fry, Bill Beaney and Don Taylor (ex Physio). Both Saints and Chelsea (his first club) sent nice floral tributes

Supporting a club that has not won many trophies this has always been a cross we collectively have to bear. However I have been very fortunate to see a number of great players in Saints colours. Amongst them Le Tizz is a shining light. A great talent, loyal and a nice man off the pitch. Bearing in mind his talent, his loyalty and involvement in the community and charities, it is amazing to me that he has never been honoured officially when you read about some of the ne'er do wells who have been honoured

Shame that our dear friend Cuca Martina (who can forget the screamer v Arsenal amongst the generally 'average' at best performances in a Saints shirt?) will not be in consideration for the annual 'one point at best' visit to Goodison Park. Apparently Everton were looking at a £2m transfer fee (yes £2m!!!) for Cuca but have now settled for a loan arrangement, if some Championship club will come in and do the business.

Don't have them nowadays as replaced by U23's. However a few of us oldies had a chat about who are reserve side would be, as follows, based on players who did not feature for the first team yesterday: 1.Gunn 2.Reed 3.Targett 4.Ward Prowse 5.Bednarek 6.Yoshida 7.Long 8.Hojbjerg 9.Gallagher 10.Davis 11.Sims Subs Forster McQueen Hesketh Valery Jones Probably good enough to be mid table in the Championship but with a wage bill likely to match most other clubs in the Division

I was pleasantly surprised too. However we do need a proper target man. Neither he, Austin, Gabbi (or god forbid, Shane Long) is the right person

Any one using their usual season tickets for the first time this season who found they had been issued with the wrong seat number? Bit of a problem with a few near us.

Last year I recollect we did OK beating Seville an St Etienne This year, not so good, eg 2-0 down versus Ceta Vigo first team, 3-0 walloping by BMG and a disappointing 3-0 reverse at Derby. The latter could be excused by the lack of match practice. However Derby now being taken to the cleaners by Leeds. I really hope these aren't indicators for our season

Thought we had a bad record but didnt realise it was that bad!!

If Danny Ings deal is a 'Loan' does this mean he won't be eligible to play against Mr Klippy Klopp and Ko?

I wonder what the score is with Danny Ings and Charlie Austin with regard to Insurance Cover which I understand most clubs take out (quite expensively) to cover the expense of losing valuable assets to injury. Is injury insurance still relevant or do clubs self insure? If the former, the exclusion clauses in both cases must be quite extensively. I really wish Danny Ings well but to be valued at twice the Rodriguez money with more than twice the injury record either seems good business for Liverpool or symptomatic of the ridiculous hike in transfer fees. Is he any good in the air as we need more of an aerial threat in the box? Also who is our stand by right back now, hopefully not a left footed player like Target, McQueen or Bertrand?

Blimey, if that's correct it is a very sound start to the season. I would have assumed that Burnley wouldnt fill their end and plenty of people would either be disinterested or on holiday. If the crowd is over 30,000 that is very good news. Would be interested in how many kids at £5 are included but that is no big deal as they, hopefully, are our supporters of the future.

I would be surprised if it the figure is any where near last year. The likelihood is that many have not renewed and I very much doubt if many new season ticket holders have been persuade by our exciting new acquisitions to take the plunge. Good chance of our average home attendance this season falling below 30,000 for the first time at SMS despite the incentive of cheap tickets for kids - which is a sensible marketing ploy. Interesting to know how the corporate seats have sold this season. In the early days at SMS all 47 corporate boxes were sold pre season providing a revenue of around £1.6m. I think the take up has fallen to less than 10 although the individual match figure increases dependent on the opposition

We were 20/1 this time last year

Notwithstanding any moves in/out prior to 9th August, apart possibly Fraser Forster, assume the 25 man squad will be as follows: GOALKEEPERS McCarthy Gunn Lewis RIGHT BACK Cedric LEFT BACK Bertrand Targett McQueen CENTRAL DEFENCE Vestergaard Yoshida Hoedt Stephens Bednarek DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD Romeu Hojbjerg Ward Prowse FORWARD/CENTRAL MIDFIELD Lemina Armstrong Davis WIDE MIDFIELD Elyounoussi Redmond Sims FORWARDS Austin Gabbiadini Long Gallagher I estimate that this squad cost the club around £174 million to assemble Add in the likes of Jack Rose, Jake Flannigan, Alfie Jones, Yan Valery, Jake Vokins, Harrison Reed, Jake Hesketh, and Callum Slattery, who were all named in the progrqmme for the recent double header friendlies, then the total annual wage bill is probably between £75 and £80m a year. Chuck in Foster, Boufal, Carillo and Clasie and that is an additional transfer spend of between £50m and £55m with a annual wage of £13-£14m. I guess the club will get some sort of loan fee out of their moves but it would be interesting to know whether this would cover the expected contribution the club has to make towards their wages. I think this puts into perspective what the majority of supporters think about the squad. Full of 'Average Joes' with no cover at Right Back and a lack of a target man upfront, all paid wages above what they will collectively deliver.

Didnt realise the Dutch were so humourous. Its GREAT!!!

SUNDAY TIMES 1 Man City 2. Liverpool 3. Chelsea 4. Man Utd 5. Arsenal 6. Spurs 7. WHA 8. Everton 9. Wolves 10. Leicester 11. Watford 12. Brighton 13. Burnley 14. Palace 15. Fulham 16. Newcastle 17. Bournemouth 18. SAINTS 19. Cardiff 20. Huddersfield STAR MAN............................ Ryan Bertrand MAN WITH POINT TO PROVE...... Mario Lemina (More yellow cards than goals suggests unwarranted petulance PROSPECTS............................. The fact that no big clubs have cherry picked the squad beyond Dusan Tadic just goes to show how shorn of quailty it is

Its good for us pessimists to see posts like this and realise we have just come out of a relatively golden period. That said it set the bar higher and increased expectation which makes the fall from grace more difficult to accept.

I will be at St Marys for the rest of my days but I look at this as something to be endured rather than enjoyed recently. Our group is getting smaller each year and my lad has given up after parting with hard earned cash for the past two years. I really fear for us this year

Agree, The pin is pathetic. I've loaned it out to a fan of another club!!

Yes, I remember as a nipper training at the Dell in the sweaty smelling indoor gym and being clattered by Cliff. Also shared a room with him on a trip to France. Cliff had a knock on his leg which resulted in a painful egg size lump coming up on his shin bone. He played the next game when many wouldnt have done!!