Lallana's Left Peg

Yep, you're probably right. If Ings is signed as a prospect then fair enough. If Ings is signed as the Lambert replacement then my point will stand.

A player who has more pedigree and a higher degree of comfort that he can hit the ground running. Basically, a signing that eliminates risk as much as possible. Surely I can't be the only one who thinks that after all the progress we've made over the last two years that going back to Burnley for a striker doesn't seem just a little bit silly? Is this what we are settling for now?

No, because when we signed Jay Rodriguez we just got promoted and didn't just finish 8th in the league and sell players for nearly £60m. I think it's fair to say my view on Saints' status in football is that in the last two years we've made considerable progress to the point I think we can sign better players. Of course if we signed him I want him to be a world beater but if we're now a club that loses players to the very best in this country then I'd like to think we can sign better players then Danny Ings.

Would not be a signing of intent. Thoroughly underwhelmed.

I'm more referencing the amount of change happening at the club. Massive massive risk.

New Manager and half a new team required

I think you've misunderstood me. We won't be spending the same amount of money on replacements i.e. we won't be spending £30m on a full-back.

Can't really say whether the fee is good or not until we see how we spend it. It's two Osvaldo's or four Lovren's. That's just the way the transfer market goes.

We aren't going to be spend the same amount of money on replacements. And nor should we.

Would rather keep the best young left-back in the world than play the game of spending £35m on new players and not know if they'll be good or a bust.

I agree. He's he referring to Wanyama being at Southampton in that case. That is how it reads.

The Sports Science and Medicine chaps are a separate entity to the First Team Coaching Staff and report to Les Reed. The only people that left with Pochettino were his immediate coaching team.

Interesting thread. I don't really know names of players I'd sign but I'll attribute a value against how much I would spend on each position. I've also assumed I can sell. GK - I'd hold off, we have Boruc for another year. LB - sign a new one for £7m CB - I like the Fonte and Lovren partnership and I would keep it. I would however sign a promising CB for £5m+ to be third choice. RB - like what we've got CM - like what we've got AM - would sign an attacking midfielder who is direct and has pace for £15m to replace Lallana Winger - would sign a promising winger for £5m but with the understanding he is a situational player Striker - sign two strikers - one a starter for £10m+ and the other a prospect for £5m. Total outlay: £47m. I would offset this with Osvaldo leaving. Wage bill also increase quite a lot which is a risk. Would promote Matt Targett to be backup left-back (although Clyne would be second in the depth chart). Assuming one of Maya and Hooiveld would not accept being 5th choice for CB one of them would move on and be replaced by Jordan Turnbull or Jack Stephens. No other prospects are ready in my opinion. Not yet. Harry Reed is already a part of the first team squad.

There will be other friendlies announced.

Why on earth would we want Luis Alberto?

I doubt it, but I imagine the dawning realisation that Shaw and Lallana won't be moving for at least a month has pushed them into writing something different.

Well I suppose at least next time Mr Krueger is asked about team matters we'll know what he'll be talking about instead.

Pleased to see question marks raised over Reed. I think stronger Governance is needed at a football level than him making the decisions. If we do spend lots this summer it could be disastrous if the wrong decisions are made.

I agree with that but I worry about the amount of change that will happen in just one summer: 1. Losing your Manager and coaching staff (no continuity at First Team level at all) 2. The first transfer window for the new Board (and Les Reed) to get stuck into 3. Losing a few of your best players It's 50/50 whether or not we come out the other side of it in half decent shape. We have a chance to, but I do worry about Les Reed.

What really worries me is not that players leave, it's whether the Board is in a fit enough state to buy decent replacements and spend the money wisely. That I do worry about.

Lallana needs to be careful here. There are ways to get what you want and he is not going about it in a particularly productive way for himself.

Say Koeman did join and the squad remained intact. How would we slot our players into his reported 3-5-2 formation? Would certainly be very different than what we're familiar with seeing. Would be excited to see Clyne / Chambers / Shaw as wing-backs with less defensive responsibility. Not sure how the other players fit in though.

It's a fair statement but I am a little concerned by the onus they are placing on a new Manager being in place before we want to do any business. I mean, is a new Manager going to change the decision of Lallana and Shaw to leave? I could understand incoming transfers being influenced by the new Manager but if we get a new Manager and then the aforementioned leave doesn't the statement leave it open to interpretation that a little responsibility for that would be on him?

He never really had a natural position in Pochettino's formation, it will be interesting to see how the new Manager plays and where JWP will fit in.