Lallana's Left Peg

I agree, but conversely, there are also a crowd who cannot abide posters who dare to challenge things the clubs actions, or ponder negative thoughts on something. The two extremes exist.

I think we're doing well so far - got decent looking players for two needs (right-back and striker / attacking midfielder). Goalkeeper on loan who looks like a good transfer given the circumstance too. If we mess up the Toby deal and don't adequately replace, and / or if Morgan leaves and we don't replace him effectively enough then the first team is weaker on paper.

I think Juanmi will play off the main striker, and we have Mane who can do that too. However, I think it would be good to have a creative player who plays a little deeper. We tried Tadic in that role (in the three in midfield) a few times last season and it didn't really work.

Koeman said this in the interview (when talking about Juanmi): "...I think in that position, in the offensive midfield position, the position behind the striker, we need some more players that we can use in that position and that makes more competition to the team..." That's a plural, and not once in that interview did he say Juanmi was the only signing he'd make in that position. Maybe it will be, but that is not what he said.

In his interview last week Koeman said he is looking at other number 10 / attacking midfielders.

Simon Peach (who is reliable, yes?) claims that Osvaldo cost Saints £25m NET of any loan fee / wage contribution we received from his spells elsewhere. If you take into account his ~£13m transfer fee that means we have paid him £12m in wages and to leave the club, during just 6 months playing time at the club. If anything my £8m is conservative, but hey ho. If you believe you have a legal right to own a player for £6.8m then of course you are dumb to bid £11.5m. Though the Daily Echo said we'd be willing to pay more than £6.8m to make the deal happen. But obviously we didn't, for whatever reason. That gave Spurs a chance to do a deal. Time will tell if he it is a deal that can go through. The wildcard in all this is that Toby is clearly willing to join Spurs and isn't waiting for Saints. That, I fear, is our mistake. Hard for him to turn his back on Spurs after a medical there, isn't it?

Us believing our agreement to sign him for £6.8m has led to Spurs agreeing a deal to sign him for £11.5m and now it seems like it would take a remarkable circumstance for him to be a Saint. £5m is not insignificant of course, but when we paid Osvaldo £8m+ to bugger off is £5m to ensure that a top class player (who reportedly wants to sign for us) doesn't go elsewhere too much of an ask? Who knows. But I feel he would be worth it.

Great, not only does he sound ****, he's stupid.

If the 'share of the fee' is the £1.5m we were always owed then it feels like we've got nothing for kicking up a fuss. If it is more I suppose we have something out of it. But then only 24hrs ago Koeman said he felt like Toby wanted to join us. Club / Koeman have had the wool pulled over their eyes if this is true...

I think it's weird how he needs it on both knees - either a hereditary / genetic thing or was he a naughty boy on holiday and did something he shouldn't be doing? Or just a freak accident? But both knees at the same time is strange.

One of the few positives from last summers mauling of our players is that we got very good fees which set some lovely precedents for the prices we sell players for. And also gives us the financial footing to never actually need the money either.

Ogbonna has a touch of the Mangala's about him. West Ham are stocking up on centre backs now - Tomkins, Reid (80k a week!), Collins, potentially Ogbonna - all senior players who will expect to start.

The problem is that in that case why didn't Toby fly to England yesterday for his medical etc. with Spurs. There is clearly come concern somewhere which is holding it up. I can't see us getting him really, but if we can't get him we may as well disrupt Spurs' plans and seek even more money than we were previously entitled to.

Not just very insightful, but also the Production values are outstanding as well. Great stuff. EDIT: It is also a good vehicle for the club to bring players and personnel closer to the fans. It humanises them.

Given these legal things take a long time to be sorted, could Toby end up playing for Spurs while it is being resolved or would he likely be suspended from playing until it is resolved? Is there even a precedent for this?

I don't disagree with you, but there were plenty of here talking about £20-30m net spend this summer which is lunacy given the state of the accounts.

Koeman has confirmed in his press conference that pending what happens with Schneiderlin and Toby, Saints are done in the transfer window after the impending signing of this defender from FC Twente. I suspect we've spent about £9m on Juanmi and Soares combined, who knows what this bloke from FC Twente will cost (not much I presume), and £10m out for Clyne and Osvaldo paid off as well. Not much spent at all - I've always said I don't think there is much money about.

Nowhere near as prominent but Man Utd in 2012/13 had a fairly strong English presence too: Jones, Ferdinand, Rooney, Smalling, Carrick, Young, Welbeck and Scholes - though clearly their most important player that season was RVP.

So firstly you should know everyone is going to ask you for the identity of the players for which we'll be potentially completing deals for Existing clubs in the Top 4 can do it, but not new ones. The reason being that the current rules make it hard to retain talented English players as the top clubs have quotas to fill and will do so by purchasing talented players from those lower down the food chain (where it is easier for English players to make the breakthrough). Both Clearly it is not efficient for us to replace Academy graduates with English players as the inflated fee we attain via selling them is then 'lost' in purchasing the replacement. Right now it makes sense for the team to get better and spend money in a market that offers more value. As long as we have Academy graduates coming through fans won't mind, but the moment that well starts to get dry we're just like every other club, which is ok, as this situation is not of our doing.

He sounds like a backup at best

If we are willing to match the terms offered by Spurs (to player and club) then it is a bit risky playing this game - an opportunity presented itself to get Toby to half price due to negligence from Atletico but it will really draw out the affair and could backfire. A calculated risk?

Are they actually saying that?

As opposed legally signing the player for £6.8m, receiving even more compensation from Atletico, or even messing up transfer plans for a direct rival? At this stage the £1.5m is fourth choice to the above.

The whole thing is a mess, but why would he be travelling to Spurs to discuss terms and a potential medical if a) there was any doubt over the deal, and b) he would like to join Saints?

From a FFP perspective, yes. From an overall cost saving perspective there is no net gain. Osvaldo got paid a lot of money to go away.