david in sweden

great stats. SaintJacko....if only .... it sounds difficult, but football being what it is ...who knows?....maybe a little prayer might help, too.....

nevertheless...quite promising for their first season up ....maybe next season?

absolutely Steve. I fully expect at least two departures from the first team squad. Every player has a price, and if another club meet our £ demands.. they'll go.

quite right. If I recall reading the original quote it was.. "..it is not our intention to sell players .." (which isn't the same as saying ...no-one is leaving). There are a number of reasons why the departure of, at least one or two players would be a win-win situation, we will see at the end of the season.

Oh you'd really make Andy Townsend's day with that suggestion. His non-stop drivel throughout televised games always results in him making Jack.." Man of the Match".....he's obsessed with him.

......which would doubtless require a very dependable 24 squad, and a lot of game time for some of the Academy lads........

Didn't know about the Legia interest. At this stage of his career, he might well become a hero twice over for the Poles. He had quite a "fan following" in his homeland before as I recall, with 50+ caps. If he does go ....Bournemouth will have to find a top-rated keeper to replace him - if they are to survive in the Prem.

.......is it better to set very difficult targets that we have no chance of attaining ? CL finalists in two years time - sound challenging enough - does it ? ..Maybe not !

I certainly think we do. Forster isn't the only Saints keeper to be injured this season. U18 keeper Harry Isted was injured and replaced in a game in January (fortunately only out for 2 weeks)...... .........but Cody Cropper took a kick in the head in a game (also in January), and hasn't played a competitive match since, and whilst neither of them is likely to be called upon to play / sub. it does show that - even keepers - are not totally injury free. Not to mention the "terror" of the red card challenge that can get them sent off. It's wrong to think that keepers never / seldom get injured.....Newcastle had to play their third-choice keeper for several games in the Spring. If we are to maintain our " top end " Prem. status AND play Euro matches, we can't take any Tom, Richard, or Harry - even if it isn't for the whole season.

plus of course.. Nathan Dyer has played over 200 games for Swansea.

Noted this quote ...it wouldn't be our intention to sell any of our players this summer....Les Reed ........is another way of saying - unless someone makes an offer we can't refuse ........and that might well happen.

We need a top class keeper - even for a loan season. The best we can get with a view to Europa League AND maintaining our top four challenge. Some have suggested Forster may be back after New Year (?),that's only guesswork. Look how long it's taken JayRod to return when everyone said - back by Christmas. If the worst happens FF might be out for most of next season, in which case we need someone really dependable. I've always maintained good keepers should be 30+....... and Peter Cech fits the bill in many ways. KD has my respect for his long club service, but I don't see him as first-line keeper for another year.

and as he's OOC in the summer (with us)....and has kept umpteen clean sheets for B-Mouth .......expect him to be playing Prem. next season, but with them.. ..

...and did I read " somewhere " that it will be called the " National League " next season ?

WOW !...you really polished your crystal ball for that one, Duncan.........anything else.......or is the image fading now ...?

maybe ....on a par with Saints signing former Pompey players:scared:........when they had " players " that is ..

Going back a few years, I recall a number of people (on here) made fun of the suggestion that Saints v. Bournemouth was a derby game....(when we were both in L1). I also recall the discussion revolved around...what constitutes a derby game?...and should that be judged by (1)..geographical distances or (2) historical games played. Surprisingly we did play Bournemouth quite often in the 1950's ...I can recall when both sides were in Div.3 (S) / Div.3. and must have played close to 20 times.(?) Pompey have always been regarded as " the old enemy "....but given the several decades they were in the old Div.1 (pre WW2) we probably didn't play so often either. I can recall several occasions in the 1960's when we (literally) battled with them - until our 1966 promotion, and of course a few times more recently. It's fair say that those meetings must tally closer to 30-or so games by now.......but so for most fans .....it's always been derbies v. Pompey. However, if Bournemouth are good enough to survive a season or more in the Prem... then we might have to re-think our definitions of " derby games ", as it's extremely unlikely that Saints and Pompey will meet again in the League ....in the near future. Note. Geographically speaking, I can only guess the precise distances between SMS ....and Fratton Park / alternative / whatever Dean Court is called nowadays. Although with the income from the Prem. in the offing for AFC.....they might call their stadium .. Golden Sands .. .

Djuricic - Agree...but we shouldn't convince ourselves to buy him in the Summer without real proof of his ability, and certainly not just to hold Tadic's ....hand. Elia - ..yes? ..but only if the fee is reasonable. Toby - ....of course . Whatever it takes. If we don't get him ....who else is on the radar?.

Mane is not the heaviest man in the team, but does go down a lot, although he has so much pace that it only takes a nudge to send him over. I'm sure some managers tell their wingmen .....to go to ground if they are touched.....Oscar seems to do it very well for Chelsea. only thing that worries me is that if Mane continues to go down so much at SMS after the pitch has been watered .....he'll need a snorkel if he 's to avoid drowning ......

apparantly, it was a dislocation that was corrected but he also broke a small bone in the shoulder. Doctor said he could play-it wasn't dangerous but would be painful.

as if scoring with your hand wasn't enough of an insult to bear (Lamela) ....is scoring with your hand a part of the Argentine FA's coaching manual?....or? ...buy now I read that Mauricio Pochettino " has forgiven the Saints' fans for the hostile reception "....who needs to forgive who? ....what did he expect?..... garlands of flowers and a pathway of palm branches ? If he loved Southampton as much as he mouthes he wouldn't have left in the first place. As it is ......my respect for Ronald Koeman has increased even more, after what he had to face upto last July....

thanks ..... it's highly patronising of you to admit it .....

there must have been a lot of competition for their " Manager of the Month " - did any of them last that long by the way ?

I think he might make the bench for the Villa game,(and get on in the last 10 minutes), but surely will be out on show v. Citeh and then wait for the bids to come in. If he scores in either game.. it'll mean a few million more on his eventual fee.

There may be a few likely candidates, but surely this is a " no-brainer ". Jose Fonte has been outstanding this season.