itchen_dan

We're looking at this guy apparently. Another striker. Ilombe Mboyo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilombe_Mboyo

To be honest, they soaked the pitch pre game with the sprinklers. Thought it was a bit odd when they were doing it.

Just seen that! They haven't got the slightest clue about Saints have they? "Lack of funds, need a top top centre back etc." Surprised how much Stelling was sticking up for us after his public rant about Saints and Cortese some time back! Don't mention the fact we battered Stoke for 60 minutes the other day, Merse said Lambert would be lucky to get 10 this year and proudly sits on 8 after half a season - that shut him up. "Lescott wouldn't go to Southampton..." Not saying we're bigger than Villa and QPR but why would he go to QPR who are certainties for relegation (according to Merse) and then say "I'd go to QPR, great manager, great stadium etc" Knobhead.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2255426/Arsenal-talk-Southampton-Luke-Shaw-transfer.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2255212/Everton-way-fight-Italian-defender-Astori-Saints-join-race.html

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-transfer-news-double-bid-1511998

@adkinsisourking: @reluctantnicko @crucialguy is butland the answer though? Need a bit of stoke like experience. @reluctantnicko: @adkinsisourking @crucialguy Not sure he is. But your people seem very, very keen ... Seems we could potentially be recruiting our 3rd goalkeeper of the season in January if the price is right.

⬆ +1

http://www.thefirstrow.eu/watch/160727/2/watch-stoke-city-vs-southampton-fc.html

Bit worrying when the only creative options today are Guly and Puncheon. don't get me wrong. 2 IMO very good attacking players but we'll only get a couple of chances to stretch and unlock Stoke and I think Ramirez should be a necessity in today's team as he can pick out that one pass for Jay Rod or Lambert to latch on to. Gonna be tough with no central creative player. Team looks stripped of flair today and told to be more simple and physical which I think is showing Stoke too much respect. All well and good stopping their main threats but we need to offer our own ones as well. Something Ramirez in that no 10 role would've offered. would've taken a man out of their midfield or made the defence push up leaving the space in behind. Slightly disappointed but willing to see how it turns out. to be honest, who is expecting anything from today anyway?!

Expecting 3 changes. Boruc or Gazza, Jay Rod and Guly I think.

@bigadamsport: Minutes away from team news @solentsport - waiting for confirmation that Rodriguez may be involved #saintsfc

My team for today Boruc Clyne. Fonte. Yoshida. Shaw Cork. Schneiderlin Puncheon. Ramirez. Guly Lambert

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11682/8365113/

Surely worth a bid if others are going in? Chances are it won't happen but may as well get involved as you never know. @SkySportsNews: QPR have made a bid for West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame, according to #SSN sources

Thats what I thought. I was thinking more in the region of £4-5m possibly?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-transfer-news-1504375?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter "Pass the Buckley! Saints boss Adkins swooping for Seagulls winger Will" £2m bid when window opens according to Mirror.

Anyone seen the Nixon transfer story in the People yet? Who is it?

Agree but he's someone who played with Fonte before and would offer a great deal of experience to the back line. Quality wise, not so sure but as another option at CB, I definitely wouldn't say no.

Someone like Mark Hudson at Cardiff perhaps? Very solid CB who does his job extremely well and chips in with a few goals each season. Rated as the best CB in champ so far this season by many pundits.

This should please a few of you! http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/transfers-southampton-and-reading-want-curtis-1490544?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Umm... no thanks? Pretty sure we wouldn't be looking as far down as Barnsley for players? Esp when theres nowt wrong with Frazer as back up. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4693363/Southampton-and-Reading-set-for-Scott-Wiseman-war.html

I would. Used him there as a sub when he first came here and didn't put a foot wrong for a couple of games. Looked a bit lost at first but linked up with Harding well. He was originally a left midfielder and his crossing ability could be a nice little asset to have on the left wing.

Follow the Stoke model, WBA model, survive for the first 3 seasons and you're golden. The first 3 are the hardest. 1st year all about staying up, 2nd season (2nd season syndrome) is much tougher than first season due to having to buy new players = bigger wages = current players want larger wages = squad harmony and togetherness may drop due to uncertainties with wages etc. 3rd year, improve players slightly more but by this point, other clubs have found you out and know your strengths, weaknesses and style of play. Get through that season then by that point, the entire look of the squad from 3 years prior has changed and the squad is all on similar wages, similar quality and you can begin to kick on and look at cups, european runs etc. The model is in theory quite simple but during this period, you need stability and constant improvement because if you stand still as a club, you will fall back stupidly quickly as competition for places in this division gets tougher and tougher each year. For example: -Newcastle last season, unstoppable at times. Stayed up first season, improved massively 2nd season and got top 6. Remarkable achievement. 3rd season, little to no improvement and they are struggling big time. -Swansea, survived 1st season, improved massively 2nd season, playing incredibly well, they however need to keep improving otherwise next season is extremely tough as everyone now knows how Swansea play. -Wigan. Survived 1st season against all odds. survived 2nd season against all odds. survived 3rd season against all odds etc. Each year they improve the squad ever so slightly but have continued to get better and better, despite scraping survival each season. The key to it? Continuity. Same manager, same philosophy. Very simple but can get quite challenging for everyone at a club to implement and stick by.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-boss-nigel-adkins-sets-1484207