Lallana's Left Peg

I think Liverpool need to sort out their coaching staff vacancies before diving into signing players.

Any update on this?

His pre-contract agreement is legally binding so really his 18th birthday is the big milestone. That's a long way away so for now we just have to manage his development properly.

Damaged goods but under the circumstances it is a decent signing I think.

This is great news. However, aren't the rules that you can only sign a 2 year deal when you are 17, and then longer deals when you turn 18?

All seems very petty. Stoke do have a bit of a victim mentality.

Would you think Charlie Austin will join to sit on the bench and start half a dozen league games a year though?

No surprise though, there clearly isn't room for him at Saints.

In a nutshell, the weekends news that Atletico have sold some players (including a central defender) means they must be confident their transfer ban won't come to fruition and that increases our chances of signing Alderweireld, as does the news that suggests he wants to sign for us. I feel more positive but am still doubtful.

He's very talented though - if he wasn't as talented he wouldn't have got so many chances in the game despite his issues. Good players always get second, third, fourth etc. chances.

I think you're probably right on that front.

Do you really think if Cortese was still here we'd be expanding the stadium though?

West Ham get FC Lusitans.

The £25 membership scheme helps too. As does maintaining reasonably high ticket prices. There is lots of commercial growth to come though. The club have publicly said they are targeting 2016/17 season for that (new sponsor etc.)

I still fancy this!

Ramirez started to make more of an impact in games last season before his injury at Sunderland. If he wasn't earning so much, it would be great to still have him with us. He is our only proper Number 10 and our most creative player. That said, he (and his agent) won't be happy not being a starter but unless we subsidise his wages his he really going to move? Last year of contract next season and then he can get a good wage as a free transfer.

Got to be a load of crap. Does not make sense for loads of reasons.

Must be like playing football in a spaceship.

How do you know its sunscreen?

Apparently Kjaer hasn't said those comments, but I like the fact that Liverpool are so rubbish everyone would believe he did.

It's always a gamble to replace. I always think it's better the Devil you know in football with players.

Timely article from our Media team - trolling Stoke? http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/20150619-cedric-soares-jose-fonte-2500249.aspx

I don't think we will be as good but Everton (once they were out of Europe), Stoke, and Swansea all had great second parts of the season and look set to continue to improve in my opinion. They are all getting better - they weren't good enough last year (Everton partly because of European football) but I think they are a threat to a Liverpool team that I think will be worse this season (loss of the Captain, impending loss of best young player, new coaching staff but same Manager, indifferent signings). But that of course is just my opinion.

Everton or Swansea. Even Stoke have a chance. Clubs with no European football who are getting better.

That is 50/50 for me.