Saint Pete

I think Liverpool's obsession and tunnel vision over signing Van Dijk is what's costing them now. They clearly desperately needed to strengthen central defence in the summer, but they were so fixated on Van Dijk and convinced we would cave in that they didn't pursue other alternatives seriously enough. Now they are stuck with the likes of a woefully out of form Lovren. Quite amusing really [emoji3] Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

So what was the point in signing McCarthy if you're not prepared to give him a chance to play when the first choice keeper is clearly out of form, lacking confidence and most importantly costing us points? If we genuinely think we don't have another keeper that we trust playing in 1st team when Forster is out of form, it doesn't say much for our recruitment policy does it? Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

But how can anyone make a judgement that he's a "really bad manager" after just 4 games? It's just nuts, particularly as even Dyche said after yesterday's game that Palace were by far the better team. They apparently had 23 attempts versus only 4 for Burnley! Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Massive kudos to Les and Ralph for holding firm on Van Dijk despite disgraceful behaviour and extreme pressure from player, agent, Liverpool and their army of pundits in the media. Our stance on this is what this window will be remembered for for us and hopefully will stand is in good stead for negotiations with players and clubs going forward, who will no longer expect us to just roll over. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Agree. When Rodriguez was sold I assumed that meant Gallagher would remain in the squad this year. As that hasn't happened, surely we must have intended bringing someone else in?

Exactly. Just can't see us pulling off that sort of signing, especially so late in the window. It's not as easy as just having the transfer fee, you also need to persuade the player to join you! Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Therein lies the problem if we do a U-turn and sell VVD at this late stage. We will have a stack of cash to spend but IMO will find it hard to get a player in the £25-30m bracket to join us without totally smashing up our wage structure and causing problems with rest of squad. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

If we cave in now and sell to Liverpool, I don't think Ralph's reputation with the fans can ever recover from that. It would make all the stuff in his last statement about drawing a line utterly meaningless and prove everyone right who have said that ultimately we always sell if enough pressure is applied. I personally don't buy all this "toxic" atmosphere stuff which is predictably starting to come out now in advance of a possible climb down. It's just PR nonsense to save face if and when we do sell. Only the other day, Van Dijk was pictured in training with the U23s so the atmosphere can't have been that toxic then? I think most reasonable fans would accept a sale to another club at this stage if price is right and the club commit to reinvesting. But selling to Liverpool would leave us looking like total mugs and opens us up to a whole load more pain from players acting up in the same way in future. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Yes, assume it has to be a CB. The other possible could be Yoshida due to contract running down, but hope not. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Cheers. Interested about the bid close to valuation. I read that as being a bid from Liverpool, hence why it won't be accepted even if increased? Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Hmmm, thought this one was progressing a bit too smoothly so far

Great news if true! Can't say I know a lot about Hoedt, but from what has been reported, sounds like a good fit for Saints - Promising young player with some top level experience at a big club, who can be improved.

Yes, unfortunately, probably more likely to be to come up with a plan for what kind of threats / sulky social media posts etc that they can employ next to try to pressurise Saints into changing their stance. Probably something along the lines of Coutinho's reported threat to Liverpool that he "won't play for the club again" I fear. I still suspect that this will drag on until September despite the club's efforts to draw a line. But let's hope some common sense will prevail!

Yes, I agree. I think what the statement does is make it crystal clear that anyone who wants to buy Van Dijk in this window has to pay seriously big money and that we have no intention of selling unless that happens. There will be no reduction in what we will accept because of Van Dijk's antics. I also think this probably means we will go ahead and buy another central defender anyway (e.g Hoedt) irrespective of whether Van Dijk goes. This is sensible if we have the money available because it means we should get a better deal than if we wait until any Van Dijk deal goes through, but does make me wonder who we will sell/loan out if we do end up keeping VVD, as we will be overloaded with centre backs! Presume Gardos will be off somewhere, but we might also loan Bednarek out as he will surely slip out of contention for 1st team? Unless something is in the offing with Yoshida.

That's easy to say now, but there is always risk attached to putting money into football clubs. Our own history tells you that it's not a dead cert and there are plenty of examples where huge amounts of "investment" have gone down the pan in football. I think you have to give credit to Kat and the team she has put in place for the successful way they have managed the club over the past few years since Markus died, which has reaped the benefits for everyone involved, including us fans. Regarding Van Dijk, my opinion like yours and Les Reed's, is that we shouldn't sell to Liverpool under any circumstances, but if she was taking the stance that she would sell if the price was right, I guess she was being consistent with the way the club have operated in last few years, which ultimately has been very successful for us.

Great news. Looks like just the player we need in central mid. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Ings? So, we sell Jay and bring in a guy who made zero leagues appearances last season and only 6 the season before. Don't think so! Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Still confident?

Gaping hole where our centre backs should have been!

If Fonte has declined, that may prove the club were right to sell when they did, but it doesn't prove that he has been replaced successfully. We should have been aiming to replace a peak performing Fonte, not a declining one. Otherwise, we are moving backwards from where we were. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

If that is the case, I think we should hold firm and not sell. There is no way we should give in and accept lower than what we think he's worth just because of Van Dijk and Liverpool's bad behaviour. That would just be the ultimate green light for more of the same from players and agents in future windows. Best scenario for us now would be to go ahead and sign a decent replacement now so that we have insurance if we do get the right offer late in August, and also gives us better options if we don't sell and Van Dijk continues his hissy fit. This obviously depends on us having enough cash to fund the replacement without selling Van Dijk, so we may need to try to move on a couple of other non essential players to help finance? Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Yet another case of headline being unrelated to article below! In what way are Liverpool "ramping up" their chase for Van Dijk? Interested to know if the bit about talks with the Lazio defender are true though. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

The real question mark over our squad is in terms of quality rather than quantity, especially in the centre midfield area, where we are over-reliant on Romeu. I also think centre back is potentially a weak area if Van Dijk remains unavailable but suspect we have made our choice there to trust the development of Stephen's and Bednarek. Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Too many touches from Boufal at times.

Will be interesting to see how that lineup plays - very attacking looking, but will it be balanced in the midfield?