Lallana's Left Peg

Les Reed again: Don't disagree with any of that to be fair. A Saints team made up of 50% Academy graduates playing in Europe? Would be stunning.

We don't have much money for transfers - unless there are player sales in the summer for big money, we won't be spending much. Not sure why you think we have a lot of money?

From a law perspective you are right. From a practical perspective you are wrong. Clyne will need to sign a new deal or he will be sold. Saints will not allow a £15m asset to depreciate over the course of a season and leave for free. Even if he wants to do that, Saints will look to push him out. Once Cork rejected a new deal he was moved on. Why didn't he wait until the summer and then earn even more money as a signing on fee? It was better for him to move on - as it will be Clyne if he rejects a new deal. That is why Saints are putting a deadline on him signing his new deal - they and he need to move on at the point he doesn't want to stay. It was different at Palace - they were due compensation for him even if he left at the end of his contract. Hence why they were relaxed about the situation.

I don't think Saints will allow him to do that. It's sign a new deal or be sold.

The club has often publicly stated that 2016/17, and not 2015/16, is the season we're targeting for significant commercial growth. That ties in with the 1 year Adidas deal and Veho sponsorship deal ending at the end of next season. Next year will be huge for us because if we can maintain a Top 8 finish AND half decent European campaign then that strengthens our 'brand' for these commercial opportunities. However, a mediocre league campaign (more likely to happen with European football in my opinion) may hamper that, though European football could help a little. But I doubt there is much money at all to strengthen the squad without sales so how we approach things will be interesting.

Calum Chambers didn't even make the bench for Arsenal yesterday. By my reckoning he is third choice right-back and fourth-choice centre-halve. He is young and has time but it is hard to see where his pathway exists unless any player gets injured as the incumbents in each position are hardly old.

It appears he is fourth choice which I am fine with. He's definitely had his shaky moments but he has also played some good games for us - Manchester United away, Palace away, Chelsea home, Arsenal home, and even Newcastle away I don't think he was at fault for the goal at all and played decent. My main concern is that he cost around £6m and he is our fourth choice, and we have Stephens and Turnbull coming through. Right now if we could get our money back on him I wouldn't be against that. If we don't sign Toby then he'll have a bigger role to play next season I suppose but right now I am not convinced overall. Not if our stated ambitions are realistic.

Maybe, but two reports have Ronald there as well: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/manchester-city-keen-albert-rusnak-5635589 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3067643/Southampton-rival-Manchester-City-signing-Groningen-forward-Albert-Rusnak.html

Koeman was at the Dutch Cup Final. Reports have him looking at ex-Man City youngster Albert Rusnák http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=ned/news/newsid=2242812.html

It's far too soon for Jay Rod. Think he is only tentatively having an element of contact in training this week. Would be surprised to see him before the end of the season.

Have PM'd you.

I'm buying on the gate but only need 1.

Well the argument is innocent until proven guilty, should he be convicted then I guess the dynamics of the situation change. Personally I am not convinced him playing helps Sunderland - whilst he may find some joy in playing to escape all of the attention (well, as much as opposition fans afford him...) I don't think he can really play to the best of his ability with that hanging over him (without wishing to now jinx us ahead of tomorrow!).

Not to derail the thread but if you want to see what the potential impact is of two matches a week this is a little worrying when you have a small squad: https://twitter.com/YLMSportScience/status/575412002035789824

Depends how pedantic you want to get over cup replays etc.

Apparently the Mail have linked us with both Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede.

Spurs don't have much money. Their Chairman has already told the Supporters Club that days of big signings are over and they would focus on players in the £10-12m range to develop. The signing of Schneiderlin is a stretch for them financially for the following reasons: 1. He would cost more than their supposed new transfer strategy allows 2. He is older than players their supposed new transfer strategy targets 3. Even if they chucked in loads of players into the deal, they would still value it at an amount that goes against their supposed new transfer strategy 4. Daniel Levy is loathe to recover anything less than the fee paid for all his players no matter how crap they have been - he will value Stambouli at least around £5m and Townsend at some silly fee. Saints will laugh at that, as they should. 5. Spurs are not in the Champions League, and you would think for Schneiderlin to join them it would not only take an extraordinary set of circumstances based on the above, but for better teams to drop interest.

Tadic as well as Schneiderlin out for Saturday.

My main issue with green kits is that they look like goalkeeper tops. I just always associate that colour (in non-stripe or non-hoop form) with keepers.

I don't think much of their away or third strips.

I'll reserve judgement on the away kit until I learn the reasons for it and how / if it benefits Saints.

Looks like we've found Forster's cover

It's all about productivity though. Ramirez is as technically gifted from what I can tell.

Mourinho has said that Cech is a 'special exception' in terms of being sold to rivals in the Premier League, which is a surprise. That said, if he had his way, I think he'd rather lend him to us for a year than sell to a rival.

Spurs are desperate for Morgan, their latest move appears to be valuing Schneiderlin at only £20m but they can't afford that, so they are going to offer some absolute ****e as well in a bid to drive the price down http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-to-offer-townsend-or-stambouli-to-southampton-in-bid-to-clinch-20m-schneiderlin-deal-10211885.html