MarkSFC

1. how? he's got 5 years left anyway.....we do not need to sell. 2. agree on one decent CB....Stephens looking better than I thought he would to be fair so hope there. Yoshida had a decent season, so one better than both will be excellent. 3. He has to go for his own career and I wish him well in doing so, we have clearly moved beyond him now. But when he leaves (and I think Long will too because he's not really suitable for Puel's style, which is fine by me) we probably need 2. One decent one to compete with Austin and Gabbiadini, and one with potential - or possibly Gallagher. Others......sell Classie, replace with a better DM. Get rid of Martina. Sign Hassan if good enough and let Gazzaniga go, hopefully McCarthy is fit again.

I'd happily swap Forster for Willshire! I hope Bertrand stays but McQueen has done well although we would need a more experienced LB with him as I don't think Targett will make it. Happy for JRod to go deserves to be playing regular somewhere and won't do here. If we can sign a decent CB, a CM (Willshire), a striker and a keeper we will be in a good place.

The wait is killing me.....pub then St Marys screening thing for me. Please win Saints, not sure I could take the heartache!

I hope he goes 4-2-3-1 but think he may well revert to type and look to remain very tight. I'd go with; ---------------------Forster--------------------- Cedric------Yoshida-----Caceres-------Bertrand --------------Romeu-----JWP-------------------- ----Tadic-----------Boufal---------Redmond ------------------Gabbiadini--------------------- But I expect Davis to play either for JWP in the two or in the normal 3 midfield with JWP and with Boufal on the bench. Exciting bench though with Long, JRod, Boufal/ Davis, Sims.

I dont know if legally this could happen but I'd like to see a structured table of base earnings, with "additional" earnings going into a trust fund / pension pot for when the player retires. This way whilst they are playing their disposable finance is far more level and less influential. So for example; Everyone at Man Utd (main squad players) gets £20k per week PAID. Any bonuses for goals, clean sheets can be paid or if the player chooses this goes into their trust fund account. Then whatever an individual player negotiates as their weekly fee; so lets take Rooney on £300k, the remianing £280k each week goes into his trust fund. The upper limit of say £20k per week could apply at all levels and so players can take it all or place in their trust fund / pension pot as is their wish. So someone on £5k per week may want to place £1k into his TF.

Although I have not completed some proper research, you will find I am sure that the vast majority of footballers (and athletes in general) who between the ages of 15/16 to 20/21 standout, look like they are miles ahead of others (and are in many respects) do not actually go on to fulfill percieved expectation from that snap shot. What has actually happened is that they have merely developed quicker (in strength, speed, emotional, sporting inteligence terms) than those around them but this is no guarantee of their eventual peak. I would like to see a rule that prevents players moving permanently before the age of 20 as I think that is a better marker generally than 16 or 18. Clubs, especially those at a lower level should be given more time to create players and players should not feel like they need to rush. Players only really establish themselves in top flight teams from 24/25 onwards when they begin to really understand themselves as a human being but also the game, and then improve consistancy of training, preparing, playing, recovering etc etc.

Probably not unreasonable but stats are not the important judgement, they are merely indicators and help with comparisons . If your stats have him at 10th best in Premier league that's not good enough for a club which wants to be top 8 or higher and competing in Europe. Surely that's even clear to you on your spreadsheet?

I did forget about Pied so that's that sorted. Forster may go to Everton, but he's not as good as you think in your stats world.

I think the summer will be an interesting one with perhaps a few more exits than most would expect as Puel gets a chance to really build his squad. I think VVD will stay for one more season and I would expect the following exits; Stuart Taylor (no surprise) Targett Gardos Reed Clasie JRod Martina Forster Ins Caceres or other quality CB (Fonte replacement) A youngish CB - Nathan Ake / Rueben Samedo / Terence Kongolo perhaps Gardos replacement and a year to get ready to take over from VVD. This also gives another year for one of the academy to step up to 4th choice, Alfie Jones probably. A young RB if Valery not ready A quality CM of the more defensive type - no idea who! A Striker to replace JRod. Squad based on 4-2-3-1 general format GK - McCarthy, Hassan or other. Would love Heaton! LB - Bertrand, McCarthy RB - Soares, Valery or new CB - VVD, Caceres or New, Stephens, Yoshida CM - Romeu, NEW, JWP, Davis, Hoijberg Attackers - Boufal, Redmond, Sims, Tadic Strikers - Gabbiadini, Austin, Long, NEW or maybe Gallagher IF he's has really progressed. That's a squad of 23 main players leaving a bit of room for a handful of academy to break through

It would; Guildhall Square or in the WestQuay esplanade.

"Supercompensation".....

I doubt it was a deliberate ploy just to ensure this two week period but I think it will do the players (and the manager) the world of good. No doubt if we lose the final which is more than likely, there will be people who say it's because of the break and that they had too much time to think about it. Well that is valid but I actually think that Puel has structured the 2 weeks very well to minimise that effect. Giving the whole squad a few days off with their families and then to take them someone warm will boost moral no end. After they return they have a full "normal" week to prepare. It also sounds like the players have already fulfilled their media duties ahead of the final so that allows them to focus fully on what for many could be their biggest game in their career - although hopefully not! Luckily we have several players with excellent experience.

Some people really need to find different ways of letting their thoughts out.....especially the pointless ones which all of your posts are.

The headline (and the content come to that) doesn't actually say we are paying him 100k, it implies it, but the way it is used is an adjective. It's all about the headline to generate clicks!!

I can only assume that there is a discernible change in company policy and we are now adopting the Kevin Keegan philosophy of football which if you score 3 we will score 4 seeing that our defence is currently weaker than it has been in all the time we have been back in the EPL. Should be fun at least. Oh wait a minute, we are averaging just one goal per game the 4th worst in the league......Gabiadini has to hit the ground running!!! Fuming.

Even during the summer when it was Fonte, VVD and Yoshida we needed another CB better than Fonte. To be fair Toshida has had his best season for us so far but even still we needed one before Fonte left and now VVD is out for god knows how long we are simply desperate. Stephens did well against Liverpool, but was terrible v Arsenal. Gardos is just way behind and irrelevant to the equation. IF the club do not have a late announcement for us we are in a shockingly bad place. We would not even of been happy with Yoshida, Stephens and Gardos when we were in The Championship. Very poor show.....but still 35 minutes to go....

Links? Not a hugely inspiring signing but clearly experienced.

What form does this Saints knowledge you speak of take? What is the qualification you possess as proof of learning this "knowledge"? Im curious as it sounds like there may well be an oppprtunity for others who have a great level of "Saints knowledge" to potentially seek employment in this realm. Or us it as I suspect that your "knowledge" is statistical interpretation and opinion?

The club should provide every fan at Wembley with a duplicate of Markus' camera!!

I said that...... Maybe but we need a decent striker not neccessarily one that is "cheap" Very possible but thats the problem with reporters, they make comments open to interpretation!! What I hear......you can choose to ignore it if you want, I do not. What a lovely chap you are spouting from your pedestal. Want to add any context to that? I know a vast many things but if you "know" more in regard to this particular rumour, well done indeed, I will bow to your superiority, but I doubt you really do.

IF this is true and £17m is too much for Saints as in we can't afford it then where the hell has the money gone?! IF this is true in the sense that we will not spend £17m on a striker then we are going to go backwards very quickly. IF we do not rate this player at 17m then really, why are we going for him?!! We need to sign a striker of this level plus to improve on what we have? However I suspect the line is just more Sky spin to make the big clubs look bigger and the smaller ones look smaller as is their agenda.

Yes

4. Sign Sakho

Spot on

Hopefully that means Berahino is on his way to us!!