Saint Pete

What's that supposed to mean? The club aren't going to try the whole "he's a toxic disruptive influence" rumour thing again to justify yet another sale of a top player with no adequate replacement are they? Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

It's clearly personnel, in terms of the centre backs and full backs. Vestergaard is too slow to play in a 4 without being exposed, Stephens also not strong and focused enough. Valery and Targett can also be shaky without the extra insurance of the extra CB behind them. Even with another better attacker, I think Ralph would probably still stick with the 3 at the back until he is able to get a stronger CB and RB in. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Poor performance, decent result given how poor we were. Maybe a reminder to some of how weak our options are in some areas of the team and squad? When Redmond has an off day or is marked well, we have precious little else to worry the opposition. Desperately need another quality quick option. And also a right back of course. There's a limit to what Ralph can achieve with this squad, good though he is. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

This. As you say, would there be so many saying they are happy if we don't sign improved options if we hadn't had the recent boost of a couple of wins? I doubt it. They need to remember, a couple of narrow defeats and we could be right back where we were in the bottom 3. I'm fine with shipping out players that Ralph doesn't want but we shouldn't leave ourselves exposed as looks possible at right back, thinking falsely that the job is done. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Agree. Think most would be more than happy with that if it comes off. If I was being greedy, I'd have liked to see an improvement at centre back, but appreciate that it's tough to get the right man in January and not getting shot of Hoedt on a permanent deal makes it more difficult still. Guess we will have to stick with 3 at the back for now until we can get a more solid CB in the summer. Moving Forster on would also have been good - maybe a loan out somewhere could still happen? Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Well, if we're talking just Premier League goals Danny Ings only has 21 so far. Just saying. There aren't that many players who play for teams like Saints who score shed loads of Premier League goals throughout their careers. How many premier League goals has Billy Sharp got? Look, I'm not saying Charlie Austin is a great player, far from it. But he's not as terrible as some on here like to make out and he does know how to put the ball in the net. Which puts him above a number of others who have graced the Saints forward line in the last few seasons. I agree it's time for him to move on now though. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Indeed. Definitely a goalscorer but becoming more limited as time goes by due to his lack of mobility. If he finds a team where his job is just to get in the box and they can create the chances for him, he could still do a job for now though. Hope he finds that club and we can bring in a forward more suited to Ralph's game plan. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Sounds like a load of bull to me but let's wait and see. £8m permanent deal for Austin?!!! Not a chance that bit is true for a start. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

And according to the above, they are not even allowed to replace him this window! So yes, seems unlikely. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Seems pretty unlikely we will pull this one off then, unless we offer really silly money.

If we don't replace Cedric with an experienced right back, our only 2 specialist right backs will have just 10 senior League games between them. Is it really "laughable" to question whether that's a good idea in a relegation battle? There are rumours that the club are trying to sign a more experienced RB though, so maybe they agree with those of us who think that would be quite sensible after all? Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Are you happy with Valery and Ramsey as our only specialist right backs? Really? If we replace Cedric with a reasonably experienced right back, I would be happy we've not been majorly weakened by this window. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Seems like that's probably the plan. But it's ok because Ralph is the Messiah, so a good squad is not important any more.... Hopefully. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Well, let’s wait and see til the end of the window but the OS piece seems to suggest the club are going with Valey and Ramsey. If that’s the case, seems a dodgy move to me, particularly as this is not even a permanent move with a sizeable fee that could be invested somewhere else in the team.

I don't see much "mass hysteria'. Just concern that we don't leave ourselves exposed in some areas having to play youth players not really ready for a premier league relegation battle. If the Cedric and Austin departures are confirmed, but we sign a replacement senior right back and a quick player in attack to provide insurance if Redmond were to be injured or lose form, I think everyone would be happy with the window. That would still be an overall reduction in squad size, but without leaving us exposed in a relegation battle. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

If Cedric is so superfluous, how come he's been on the pitch for at least 2 thirds of our last 3 successful games? I don't think getting rid of Cedric with no replacement is a "no brainer" at all. More like brainless. And Valery, whilst doing an OK job for a novice, has shown weaknesses in a number of games, so in no way has proved he is better than Cedric at this stage. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Yes, exactly. Letting Cedric go only makes sense if we get a sizeable fee that we can reinvest in a replacement full back and possibly put the rest towards strengthening another position. Otherwise, we just make ourselves weaker? Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Totally agree. The last few games prove that surely? We have seen Valery, a young player with potential, but he has made bad decisions on the pitch, getting sent off and suspended. We also have both senior left backs with injuries. And Ramsey is a complete novice at this stage, would be crazy to place any reliance on him in a premier League relegation battle. Meanwhile, Cedric has been called on to play a significant chunk of each of the last 3 games where we have picked up crucial wins and points. Why would we think we think we can sell or loan him without replacing with another recognised full back? This seems like more of the complacent nonsense that has seen us sink towards potential relegation in the last couple of seasons. I get the point about reducing squad size but it shouldn't be in areas we are already very weak in! Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

He did play the full game in the clean sheet at Chelsea, and was on the pitch for a significant chunk of time in both of the last 2 wins, so not sure that is totally true to be honest? We should only sell if we can definitely get a first teamer in to replace him now, otherwise we will be weaker.

This would be my worry too. I don’t really have a problem with selling Cedric in the circumstances, but only if we have a player ready for first team definitely coming in at right back. It’s an issue with this “sell before you buy policy” that we operate that if the replacement is not sewn up already, the prospective selling club will be in a good position to demand more from us and potentially play us off against other buyers.

Pretty typical of him that he thought he did well, always appeared to think he was better than the evidence on the pitch suggested and that our poor form was down to everyone else bar him! The key line in that article is "Secondly, Spanish newspaper AS today published a brief article explaining Southampton’s goals conceded record has been much better since the Dutchman was dropped." There's your explanation Wesley. Anyway, hopefully he will do well enough in Spain to get the permanent deal done.

Agreed. I think he would like the option of 4 at the back, which at the moment is denied him due to our weaknesses at centre back. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Redmond was already improving before Ralph arrived. Ralph has improved us as a team no doubt but not everything is down to the manager. I think people should give Redmond himself more credit for his performance this season. It was pretty clear to me in pre-season that he had been working hard and came back with a much better attitude and confidence about him this season. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Can we rely on him to produce if Redmond gets injured? Not much evidence based on his loan spell in the Championship. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

February will be a key month for Cardiff. They have home games against Bournemouth, Watford and Everton, all middling teams who they need to be getting points from. And they have us away. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk