david in sweden

....taking a quick look back to May, and the team that finished up last season.. scarcely half of that squad are still around.....and, of the "survivors" ...there are quite a few question marks. It became obvious from the first month that life in the Prem. wasn't going to be what we'd hoped for, and the estimation of our player's potential was far short of reality in this league. Clearly KD is on " borrowed time" but as we are not using Boruc(?), I am still unimpressed by Gazzaniga and we seem no further to getting a top class keeper in place. Only Fonte is still in the back four, (no Fox, Butterfield, Martin or Hooiveld) I was one of Fonte's earlier critics, though I admit he has improved a lot of late...but I still don't see him as a Prem. CB. Clyne and Yoshida look worth the investment, but hard to judge anyone on half-a-season. Shaw may have been regarded as "one for the future" but suddenly he's here and performing - but for how long? Schneiderlin, Cork and Lallana are still the basis of midfield, (Hammond gone - Chaplow, Guly and De Ridder are only making up the numbers) although I do admire Ramirez talent, it seems that sometimes, they don't seem to know the roles they should all be playing! ....and there seems to be very mixed opinions of Lallana's role .....on the pitch and as captain. I expected Steven Davis to play a bigger part, and in a wet and windy climate we need someone " tough and routine " in the middle - as weather conditions don't always favour our " pretty football ". Of course, in retrospect we see that it was Billy Sharp's goals (9 in last 9 games) that got us promoted - as Lambert had an unusually quiet end of season (only 3 goals in last 9 starts). He clearly didn't get much chance (2 sub. apps) at start of season, (when no-one looked very good) but the loan-out has clearly done him some good and I think he deserves a decent shot at the Prem. Which leaves us with Lambert...soon 31, not as good as he was..but where would we be without him now? ....(or more importantly, where will we be after he's gone). Rodriguez has talent, but has had little chance to shine, and won't get a real run of games whilst Rickie is still there as no.1 man. Which leaves us with Puncheon. Previously, a bad boy left out in the cold, has suddenly become our only real " attacker ". Agressive going forward, difficult to dispossess, (though his passing isn't perfect)...he's some sort of combination of.....what Chaplow once was, and should have become ...and what De Ridder finally wasn't ever going to be. Should really have scored more goals, but I don't see any suitable replacement (at present).... and why do I have this strange feeling that we aren't going to keep him? Our present situation isn't the ideal one to introduce more of the Academy lads ...Ward-Prowse showed some real talent, but he's not upto a full season standard yet, and little has been seen of Reeves. Lee's injuries have been unfortunate in timing, (as he looked really good at the start), and Mayuka would be a world-beater... if we were already top 6 and the team was playing well. TEAM REPORT: ....some encouraging signs, but must certainly do much better. Room for improvement in several areas. Now we've stopped conceding lots of goals, we need to " re-learn" the basics of how to score them (too much time-wasting with the final pass would help). Still too dependant on Lambert for goals, although good to see that 10 players have scored League goals so far. REQUIREMENTS: Another good, hardman at CB..(type Jaidi)..and another defender, but must solve the (Fox /Dickson / Butterfield / Richardson) situation first. .....AND there's still room for an " old-fashioned " goal-scorer who can take half-chances....(if not Sharp)... someone like Connolly used to be, but with a good injury-free history. END OF TERM PREDICTION: Survival most likely, but would do well to finish above 15th.

I read there was "shadowed criticism " from NA ...surrounding Davis' actions regarding the Fulham goal. It could hardly have been worse than those catastrophic errors that Gazzaniga made in his last few games, but I do think that it was a bit hard on KD. I found a good, edited video clip (on the Fulham home page) showing several minutes of the game and a camera angle from the corner flag close to where the winger's centre was made. KD looks well-positioned when the ball is kicked, but *** it moves away from him in flight .. leaving him clutching at the air and he just get his fingertips to it and palms it away - direct to Berbatov. Easy to blame the keeper, but I can see that one or two of our defenders might have been there quicker to clear the ball before it got to the six yard box. Goalies will always " get blamed" for conceding goals, but I think this one was a bit harsh. *** (have noted lots of criticism from players - in all teams - about how the " new style" ball moves in the air) after being kicked.

I agree, but it's typical isn't it. When we win no-one complains about anything, when we lose...... the tactics were wrong .....and it's all NAs fault. If it was left to the manager...we'd win 6-0 before the kick-off....so what do you do when players don't do as they're told ?...

have Messi on loan for three months....that would about use up the £15 mill...wouldn't it ?

however, it did cross the line and so it counts - even without goal-line technology... Do you want classic penalties every time..... or ?

agreed !

I had same thought, but unless we are going to buy a type of " former super-star international " to hold it together, it's hard to see where he might fit in... and who we would drop .

maybe the end result wasn't perfect, but going 2-1 up.... against Man City on the opening day .....said something about our potential to be a good (enough) Prem. side

he's still our player and if we bring him back... he'll get Mayuka's place on the bench. If he doesn't make an impression we can still sell him to Forest before 31st January......as they are sure to miss his presence.

talk of this award is a long way off, but it is interesting to know about ..but let's wait and see

depends a lot of who they have lined up as a replacement .......that's if they have someone already to step in?....strange decision..... it's not as if they're near the foot of the table

Anyone in the generation that saw him play, and knows his contribution to the club's history cannot feel anything except real pride. Well done Terry, Good Decision Nicola Cortese:proud:.

I can't believe that this thread is still going.....surely we've all accepted that the relative cost (fee) of a player cannot necessarily be rated against his ability / potential. Historically, there are dozens of " high cost moves " between different clubs that have proved fruitless /worthless but it's all down many factors surrounding clubs' finanaces / are they buying /selling etc. IF a club has a " sought-after " player, they can hold out for a big fee...Torres at Liverpool, Carroll at Newcastle are prime examples, they don't always fit in their new environment, and just look " ordinary ". It's not the player's fault, but the club Chairmen who throw money at the deal..and not always the players' fault, plus the fact that it takes time for many players to adjust to the Prem. level Clubs who have good financial backing can buy almost whoever they want ...Chelsea / Man.City /Man.Utd..whereas others ..e.g. Swansea / Norwich are often heavily cash-strapped and forced to buy cheap. Because Saints haven't been in the Prem. for 7 years, we had an extremely low transfer record before that (dating back 11 years)...some people seem to think that £12 million is a lot of money. I don't have stats. at my finger-tips, but I'd guess that half of the present Prem. clubs have a club record fee at that level, or higher..and probably one or two of those relegated in recent years. so that this isn't such a "big fee " in the overall pattern of life in the Prem. (I wonder what was Pompey's club record fee from their Prem. days ....anyone ?) Ramirez has started only 9 of our 17 Prem. games. Few can doubt his skill or ability - even if he isn't MOM every week. TBH .....I'd find it difficult to pick a Saints MOM from the Sunderland game....!. It's totally illogical to run a thread like this on a player coming into a poor side and having played so few games. Better to make a judgement ..(if that's what you want to do) ....at the end of the season. I think Cortese got it right and Gaston will become a great player in time..... and even if it doesn't work out for him, I think we'd re-coup the fee with any eventual sale.

can't even begin to think that the money would be an issue.... they already have Hammond there on loan, and we have several players who are " surplus to requirements "......who CDAJF Them.......Barnard, Forte.. et al ....

IF indeed true ..???..... then we have plenty of "bargaining chips " to balance the deal. Hammond is already there on loan ....and we still have Barnard, Forte and a few other names who could give them quick replacements.

...hardly this. .......he's always talking about " changing the shape" .and no-one seems to complain when we do win points..but TBF we don't have the "strength in depth " we had when in Championship.

With another transfer window about to "open " I'd thought I'd look back and see what happened to " the one's who got away" or perhaps better described as " glad we didn't bother " players who we DIDN'T sign in the last couple of seasons, and see how they fared. Nicky Maynard. Scored goals for Bristol City at the bottom end of the Championship. then moved to Wham for £3 million+ (?) managed 4 goals in 17 games but disappointed Sam, and was quickly shipped out to Cardiff for £2.75 and after 3 goalless matches has been out with knee injury since September. Lukas Jutkiewicz (ex saints Academy) Occasional goalscorer in NPC for (now relegated Coventry) moved to Midd'boro (£1.3 million) under Tony Mowbray and has since scored 9 times in 35 games. Jermaine Beckford was good with Leeds, and ended up at Everton, disappointed with 8 goals in 34 games and then moved to Leicester for £4 million. Later loaned to Hudd'f'd to date (3 goals in 8 games). Jordon Rhodes (Huddersfield hot shot in L1 ..who moved to relegated Blackburn for...£8 million in the summer and has netted 11 times in 17 games. but he's still only in Championship ! (Looks good so far, but not sure I'd chance bringing an L1 player direct into the Prem....not for £8 mill. anyway) ....in the end we DID sign Billy Sharp and must be grateful we did as it was his 9 goals in 9 games that helped got us promoted in the midst of Rickie Lambert's late season goal drought, would like to think Billy would have another shot at the Prem. when his loan runs out, but he may settle on a permanent move to Forest.?

......well...maybe the bottom 6 anyway.

YES ...... looks like a useful bet .(if true). A 6' 2" CB.... played over 150 games in 3 diff. Euro countries, and 30 caps for Denmark........

Not a good question to ask when we're not even halfway through the season ...and that he didn't start until after game 4 ... and has missed 3 or 4 of those games in between. No-one player can totally change a side single-handed, especially one so new in the Prem. YES ..he has talent and for one so young- it's very encouraging. I can't see him on a " goal-run" any more than I can see Lambert, or Puncheon doing so ...not in the Prem. He has scored a couple but as a creative midfielder he doesn't have a huge goal tally anyway. Should we criticise Lambert because he's only scored ONCE in the last 5 games ? ------NO! If Ramirez turns out to be half as good as we have seen him - at his best, then I think £12 million will seem like a " steal " (in 2-3 years time). He's in the same generation as half the current side, and more talented than some of his team mates. We are building a new side, and survival in the top priority, and after watching a poor game played in torrential rain in late December, I don't think we should try to analyse / criticise anyone on that performance. Wait till the end of the season...and ask the question again then.

nothing wrong with that. I haven't seen too many Saints players since then who could better him.......

about the same as now, but hopefully ....a bit higher.