david in sweden

My point was precisely that I don't expect JayRod to be in any sort of form upon return - whenever that finally is. I don't know where that competition is coming from?. We 've been pretty light up front since the start of the season, except for those matches when Pellé did score . Koeman was relying on a fit Jay Rod to be available in December. Now it's February and he's not even back in training. An 11 month old injury that hasn't healed properly yet - is not a positive outlook. According to BBC stats. since the Everton game, we've had a total of 107 shots (not all on target of course) but in those 10 games have managed just 16 goals. It's great to have such a (relatively) good defence, but it's goals that win games. Pellé has no competition - because we have no-one for him to compete against.

??? did you mean his kn**?

perhaps not by Italian standards?.....The sooner we get him off the payroll - the better, and if Les can get money for him, too.... .it's a bonus.

........and have Pelle stop hitting the woodwork so regularly.

Yes, that is a bit sad, but I recall that the " young " David Beckham played 30 games for England before he scored his first international goal. It's often about contribution to the game and assists as much as personal glory, but you can be sure that his first goal at SMS will get JWP a standing ovation from the whole stadium.

Maybe later...... But so far we've handled business well enough that " our billionairess " hasn't had to spend anything like the hundreds of £millions that " the big teams" has flushed down the toilet already!

Reliable guy who DAJFU ..when required. Not a lot to complain about, and he'll get the game time at Swansea that he missed out on at SMS. Good Luck Jack .

looking at a 25 year old player who was an ever-present in the L1 season, but has since been overshadowed in the Championship / Prem. seasons by others, Jack only got games when others were injured. He would have felt he spent too much time on the bench and not enough from the start. One quote yesterday(about contract offer) said ..." it wasn't about the numbers, it was about playing time." Says it all. I don't blame him really, he still has a good few years of football in him, and he'll be one of the first names on Garry Monk's team sheet every week which is what he wants / needs. The bottom line being - we got £4 million for a " bench player " who cost 750K five years ago, and contributed well enough to the journey with over 120 games. Good luck Jack. If he stays fit ...Swansea may see a good emerging Prem. midfielder, and they will say they got a good deal in this market.

good news of course, especially as he was the first of the current Academy crop to be selected when we came back to the Prem. 2012 Already in the England U21 set-up.... and getting a mumbled compliment for Roy Hodgson last year, means he must surely be included in a full England squad fairly soon. Still a bit young for the task, but has Saints' captain written all over him - after Fonte eventually retires.

.....has he also got a new watch on ?

Hey Turkish, I'm staying clear of the " trolldom " conversations between you and Noodles, .... BUT, I agree with your comments above. I'm sure that Cortese had his own contacts (in Italy) and wanted to find journeymen for next to nothing and both Papa Waigo and Guly served the purpose well at L1 level. However, shortly after Pardew's sacking he was interviewed on Sky Sport and fencing carefully about questions on Cortese, he did defend his purchase of Lambert (who he'd watched in other clubs) and said QUOTE; "..the Chairman said to me ..Do you really want to spend £1 million on a 28 year-old striker ? " I think we can put that deal down to Pardew's insistance, and not Cortese in-depth ignorance of English lower league football.

.....but a good way to make him decide now rather than in May. we also have the chance to " loan in " players who we might consider buying in the summer,(as eventual replacements)... and see they they fit in.

if we don't buy RB Sam Byram from Leeds, I'm sure that RK will find a few Dutchmen to fill those vacancies. However....If we get into a Euro.spot next season, Byram's inexperience at Prem. level won't make him first choice against bigger Euro teams. OOPs ! perhaps we should remember this is Jack Cork's thread.

...if the offer of £3 million for Jack Cork is ANYWHERE near a true figure, then it must be regarded as a good deal for a player who can walk away for £0... in 5 months time. I like Cork as a player, and he seems a nice sort of a person in interviews. Whilst he has looked OK in those games I've watched him in, he some how lacks that " X-factor" that makes a really top class player. If indeed, he does have more in him, I hope he will get more opportunity to show it by getting regular starts with Swansea. .....so as we say, good luck Jack - except if you happen to play v.Saints again in the future.

pretty sure that Ramirez must have come through one of Cortese's contact - can't think Adkins was keen on him, and Osvaldo obviously bought to keep Pochettino happy, but that didn't work out either.

that's around £50K /week ...(if my maths is correct?), surely not so much more than the 40K we are supposed to be paying Ramirez and Osvaldo . .......he has a genuine internatiional pedigree and must be worth it .

maybe?.....do you think we might sign yet another goalscorer , or ?

Mmm....around 2 hours since this story broke on here, but neither Sky or the Beeb have come in with their..... Breaking news and EXCLUSIVE report....... yet. ......and worst of all, it's not even on the Saints OS yet either. The media team must have gone home early ......

Maybe time to close this thread ....Mods ?

ah... so you're one of the new guys ...?

SO FAR;) ...........it's only Wednesday.

perhaps goes back to a conversation on another thread. Maybe a good player (?) ......but in wrong side with wrong formation to get the best out of him. maybe not good to pre-judge him too harshly before he's even kicked a ball, though.

A two-footed striker with a bit of pace about him (for a change) that should be fun. Nice to see him score from the rebounds at 1:01 ....and the last one at 3:50 This could work out well. He'll have company with Dusan. When we were in the Prem. before it often worked well to buy 'em in pairs. The Norwegians; Lundekvam, Tessem and even Ostenstad. Latvians; Pahars and Bleidilis, (then of course we had Svensson and Svensson) and a whole raft of Swedes afterwards. Koeman must be having a field day, it's not many managers who get to buy a whole new squad...wonder if we are going to get any more Dutchmen at all? NOTE: Wikipedia says that Mainz have a loan agreement that suggested they could buy him for 12 million EUROS. a bit more like our price range - if he's any good.

I suppose there's a reasonable chance he could play .. providing that he's fit and looks OK in training. RK said in interview that he wasn't happy with Gardos' performance last weekend and consequently took him off at HT.

...have to admit that thought had also occured to me, but nevertheless an injury must be treated correctly and at £10 million, he an expensive player for us to have in the treatment room too much.