Saint Fan CaM

Just you then? 😜😉

That’s the chap. Bugger - my memory is not what it used to be… 🥹 But you get the drift?

No not Fonte - the guy that went to Spurs after a short spell with us - can see his face but… 😔

I would like to see us put in an offer for Big Les even if it’s a new loan - I think he was developing well here and has all the attributes that Still requires.

I’d like to see two regular starter CB’s like the old days of Claus and Killer - they developed a cracking partnership. Same obviously with Van Dick and ? (name escapes me). There’s been so little consistency in the back 4/5 over too many seasons to my mind.

Agreed - the spine of the team for so long has been as soft as a spongy floppy thing. Downes is likely to stay I think, so will Charles be the big enforcer type we need at CDM - our new Romeu? I’m not sure that’s his bag frankly, so perhaps we’ll see another player come in to do the job.

It’s certainly going to be interesting and don’t forget Sanda who I think is at the right level now too. If he’s not in the first team immediately I would be surprised as he’s the perfect fit for Still’s system(s). Can you imagine losing the ball in the oppo area and for once the first Saints player back to defend the break is this guy as he is super quick?! I think he could give Sulemana a run for his money. From the little I’ve seen he’s got a good pass on him and is not scared of putting his body on the line too. Welcome to Saints Joshua.

Crickey, Spors must have had a hard life…you’d hardly believe he’s only 20 years old now! 🤔😉

Pros: His past performance in the Championship was very good. He’s not had the humiliation of being in the shit team that forgot how to win. He’s reasonably quick and can close down well, suiting a high press. He could link well with Stewart in a two up-top formation. Cons: His past performance doesn’t prove he’s still got it. His performance on loan this last season has been unremarkable if not poor. He’s not wholly suited to Still’s requirements of a striker as he’s pretty rubbish playing centrally and too small to beat defenders to crosses into the box. We need new blood, he’s been here the longest and there’s a reason he was sent on loan.

It’s been in my mind that next season could be triple time joyous - promotion and relegating Pompey and Charlton at the same time. Now that would trump this seasons shitshow and relegation in one swift ‘f you!’.

Oh my word, I’d love it if they took Manning and Stephens. How to weaken one of your main rivals without lifting a finger and getting paid for the privilege! If Carling did transfer window sales…

If that’s true it means we have the sloppy seconds in Baz and ???.

Hardly revolutionary then? Hopefully the lad will be great and God knows we need better. Trouble is it’s difficult to see this signing as better than what we have on the books already, but it’s certainly too early to write him off.

Very interesting, especially the fact that they didn’t do refresh on the 1st team when going down. Something many of us have been hoping Saints will do to purge the losing mentality. The other similarity is their clinging onto a primarily possession based system, but not doing that well and also losing the hard press that saw their rise to the Premier League. Dilution of squad fitness seemingly the main issue. Quite a few similarities, however you’d think Saints having shaken up the management and recruitment teams and having much better infrastructure etc, will not allow a similar fall from grace in the Championship. 🙏🏼🤞

Absolutely spot on…

I think in THB, Sanda and Edward’s we’ve got potentially three perfectly sound CB’s for the Championship. Add possibly Stephens and/or Wood (I’d personally prefer someone else - a decent left-sided CB) and there’s your full complement. Must not forget that Still has been noted as improving defences - it would be great if he can get more out of our rabble.

I can’t see SR selling now. The club was valued at what - £200m ish which sounds slightly conservative even after relegation given the infrastructure and potential. Add to that the investment of roughly £250m made by Dragan over the last few windows (largely wasted of course) and I would imagine the price SR put on the purchase of the club outright would not be an attractive proposition at the moment. The only possible thought might be Kat selling her share and SR offering up a minority of shares so that any new investor has no more than 49%. A sound reason to do that is obviously to inject substantial funding into the club but I don’t think that’s needed right now, so it’s about timing and whether Dragan has been advised to de-invest asap for what might a variety of possible reasons.

Incoming… 😉

Echo on it now too... https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/25193779.saudi-arabian-billionaire-reportedly-interested-buying-southampton/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKimEhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBaRHROb0htemlvMzZrT255AR7d6Lx70BBc31_HU0vTxME1b45vXW5lw0jIWGIngfBKFXWCt2ALzG4z7eO5hA_aem_RCA0jbXmlJQgCuPPpUq2Hw

Do you think Stephens will be content to sit on the bench, lose his Captains armband and take a salary reduction? Not sure he will be content with that, although I’m not certain he’d get a better offer!

Tell you what, any offer North of £60m for Dibling and I’d be snapping your hand off! For a Championship club that’s a decent war chest to assist in getting more quality into the squad - i.e. 3 x circa £20m carefully chosen players in the core of the 1st team could transform our fortunes and see us lift the Championship trophy.

Nothing similar about them, other than the fact they’re both attacking forwards that didn’t live up to expectations initially. You forgot to mention that Mane was part of a MUCH better team which must have helped and sped up his development. Look, I’m not saying for one moment that Sulemana is the panacea to our goal drought etc. and I’m the one that’s been advocating a complete clear out, however it is true he has been mismanaged over a period of time and there may be some value in giving him another season under Still’s guidance/system in what some claim is an ‘easier’ league. He’s been no worse than the £100m valued Dibling, so what’s the better sell - £15m for Sulemana or £50m for Dibling in terms of re-shaping the squad?

I suspect some remember Mane and how it took time and a new Manager to get the best from him (he was widely condemned on here early on). Sulemana might fall into the same bracket and just need the right manager and better teammates to shine. Not saying that’s something I completely agree with, but there is some sense in the argument.

It’s an interesting scenario. I would imagine that Lallana’s coaching experience while around Liverpool was not immersed in Pep style possession football…that’s not Klopp, so perhaps the intent is to groom Lallana in the ways of Still and then place him into the U-21’s or even as an assistant to Still? My concern of course is that Still is ‘weakened’ by the absence of his Brothers who I’m sure he was able to trust completely.