Lallana's Left Peg

Saints are all about momentum, I don't think we can make wholesale changes with a view to a narrow loss and then go and play a different team against Newcastle. I would expect a few changes but not too many - the key is not to over-exert ourselves but put in a good performance and carry that onto Sunday.

Alan Pardew on SSN just now saying that for Connor Wickham to have 80 Premier League appearances by the age of 22 is incredible and now it is about developing a few "tricks" to establish himself and push on. Same applies to JWP I imagine.

Lots of Academies these days hoover up kids rather than identify talent. They basically invite lots of kids to training sessions (the kids and parents get all excited and think they've been 'scouted') and the clubs keep the kids until they work out whether they are good enough or not, rather than working out if they are good enough or not and then inviting them. Every Sunday down at Powerleague Trafford half the pitches are rented by Manchester United and the nippers are out there playing football - some of them are awful but Man Utd just take them on to stop other clubs doing the same regardless of talent. I would estimate that Man Utd alone have thousands of U9's at these training sessions. It's crazy.

It is if you are a competent Manager!

So it's about 50:50 as to whether we're seeded or not?

Most importantly, they can't defend for ****.

Celtic will sell to the highest bidder. Their business plan is to buy and develop talent, sell, and save the money for when Rangers are back in the Premier League. And then when Rangers are back spend enough of them money each season to ensure they remain on top. He will go at some point, but how much for depends on Celtic's Champions League status and how many teams bid.

I've no doubt that on a sporting level Saints are more appealing than Sunderland. But players take a number of things into consideration when making moves, and money plays a big part. That interview doesn't talk about his prospects for Holland being better in the top half of the Premier League rather than the bottom half, he just references it as one of the major leagues. If Sunderland are interested I don't think they should be wrote off - they are getting players from teams who pay a lot of wages and they already pay a lot of money to the likes of Adam Johnson. They can pay big money and that means they can attract players, no matter how garbage they are on the pitch as a team.

I never said it is how to be successful, but the question was asked if Sunderland's interest meant the player may be more unlikely to come to Saints. If they offer better wages than us, which I think they can do, then I think it does make them contenders regardless of how good they are.

Not on a sporting level, but the sort of players they are chasing this summer mean they must surely pay more than we do? That would be a concern.

Does anyone know where I can find odds on top scorers in Holland this season? I think Solanke is going to be a great player.

Yep it could of course be posturing, but Neuer aside I don't think Schalke have sold any of their best players in the recent past and Juventus are having a hard time getting the Draxler deal done. It's hard to buy Schalke players that they wish to keep.

From Sky Sports website:

Never seen him play, and I'm surprised so many on here appear to know him so well

I think the formation is different when Mane plays as the 'one' behind the striker to the point he is a forward who plays off Pelle and the wide players start wider, but it is a 4-2-3-1 when it is JWP or Davis behind Pelle as they play deeper and the wide players play further forward in support. My impression from watching us is that Mane plays further forward and doesn't drop as deep, whereas JWP and Davis most definitely do.

If I was going to play Caulker in any game, it would be Vitesse, but personally I'd play him in neither and stick with Fonte and Yoshida. I think it is in midfield and up front we may need more rotation. I like the idea of Long in this away game for his work rate and pace on the break.

Pace isn't just about running onto the ball, it is also about how quickly you can move when you have it. I think Juanmi will be charged to be the creative output as well as Tadic when we have to break down a defence. Mane is a bit mental as well so his unpredictability will help with that. I think we'll be just fine this season - remember even the top teams struggle against teams who sit deep and it is only the very very top players who often unlock them (Silva, Hazard etc.) which are out of our range so I think we're set just right all things considered.

I agree with most of what you said but I disagree with this. The whole 'it's not your money' argument doesn't mean anything because it's like because you personally don't spend it on a player you can't judge a player against the fee paid for him. In which case we can't say Osvaldo was a waste of money, and we can't say Fonte was amazing value - except they were. And getting a bigger fee for Wanyama does help in replacing him, as we have more money, which gives you more ability in the market. That a players contract duration impacts their fee so much is annoying, but that is life. It's just worth remembering we also benefit from it as much as we are victims of it!

To be fair, I think Watford and Norwich aside, that rings true for a yellow kit too. And I don't know about marketing but is that true - that something worn more gets purchased more? I personally think something nice would be more likely purchased.

FM uses unpaid volunteers on a per club basis to have input on player ratings and accuracy of staff etc. It's clever from them and I am sure MLG doesn't really feel like it is a job - and one that he enjoys. If you play the game then you can see why someone would like doing it.

We've a few players out on loan already, and this likely to increase as the summer goes on therefore I thought I'd start a thread where we can track them all as the season goes on. Confirmed Loans: Sam Gallagher (MK Dons, Championship, Season-Long) Jack Stephens (Middlesbrough, Championship, Season-Long) Jordan Turnbull (Swindon Town, League 1, Season-Long)

According to this: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-digest-last-time-9782674 Doesn't say whether he is scouting teams or players, or what age group, but thought I'd post it. EDIT: Steven Pressley.

Ah in which case I misread! Just checked the planner again and they are indeed showing both games on BT sport. Lets hope we don't get Garry Preston commentating on our game

They did. But when I checked my planner this morning it was still saying it was showing the West Ham game.

I haven't seen him play much but my Celtic supporting friend says he is good and also said that Saints scouts (or representation for Saints) have been at most of Celtic's home games this past year so I would imagine we have built quite a report on him by this stage.