Lallana's Left Peg

Working on scraps, plays very central but would like him to get stuck into Skrtel and Lovren more.

Jose should be tighter but we had possession, Pelle got outhustled, and then Morgan wasn't strong enough in the 50/50.

Jose should be tighter but we had possession, Pelle got outhustled, and then Morgan wasn't strong enough in the 50/50.

Morgan needs to be stronger there...

Morgan needs to be stronger there...

Yoshida is a car crash waiting to happen.

Yoshida is a car crash waiting to happen.

He only became DoF in January though. His role changed in January and he was responsible for far more first team matters.

He only became DoF in January though. His role changed in January and he was responsible for far more first team matters.

"It could have been different" "The owner has people around her she thinks is right for the club. We'll have to wait and see if that is the right choice" Hello Les Reed.

"It could have been different" "The owner has people around her she thinks is right for the club. We'll have to wait and see if that is the right choice" Hello Les Reed.

Yoshida terrifies me. But not much else we can do.

Yoshida terrifies me. But not much else we can do.

Yeah fair points I agree with them all. To be fair I haven't seen much of us this pre-season so I do not know exactly how we'll play or how the balance of the squad is shaping up. We have good quality in the squad the only unknown is how quickly things will gel - the new Manager and all the new players. There may be a period where we underwhelm but over the course of the season I don't see us being threatened by relegation but there may be periods of the season where we look closer to it than we really are. Next summer will be interesting - if we've only blown half of what we've received this season.

We have more depth at GK and in the centre of the park (the latter where we didn't need it). I don't disagree with the rest of your statement but I don't feel like we have proper depth in the positions we needed it. Lambert and Osvaldo replaced with Pelle and Long Lallana replaced with Tadic Lovren replaced with Gardos Shaw replaced with Bertran Taider and Forster in to strengthen with no losses. Chambers not replaced - right back is a very dodgy area for us depth wise as even the backups aren't proper right-backs. I'd say we are only marginally better off. Still two weeks of the window left.

They also host foreign clubs who choose to train there when they come over here for European games.

They heard Les Reed had £100m to spend and didn't want to miss out.

Seeing the Brighton fans reactions to this is at least making me smile

One of the best in the country for his age group but it's big boys football in the centre of the park in the Premier League and he needs to grow out a little to have the physical tools (or confidence) to impose himself on games a little.

Those offers

Liverpool and Spurs were after him when we were last summer. We pursued him with the greater aggression and purpose and convinced him to come. I remember what it was like to have a bit of drive in the transfer market when it came to ambitious targets.

Quite. And for all those bleating on about Cork being behind in the pecking order...we played two central midfielders last season and he was third choice. We play three central midfielders this season and he is probably fourth choice. His first team prospects were absolutely fine (if not better) this season but then we signed Taider and the writing was on the wall. We've hardly made the decision for him to stay easy, have we? The club is to blame for about to lose an asset for very little due to him being in a position of having just a year left on his deal. Lets not forget at the end of last season Cork said he spoke with Reed and the owner about a new deal - so what changed? Another Reed balls up.

We shouldn't be too surprised. Hard for us to justify paying him his worth for him not to be a starter, and he can start for several other teams in this league. Would explain the Taider signing I suppose...

I understand that different types of players can start wide and come inside. I just question whether a striker who has made it his staple to start in the centre and run into channels is the right sort of player to start out wide and then do whatever Koeman wants the guy occupying that role to do. If indeed our width is to continue to come from the full-backs then I am even more confused as to why we've been chasing wingers all summer. But if there has been a change of heart and Long is to be the man to start out there it'll be interesting to see how well he can adapt to this new role. Would be a £12m gamble for me - buy a proven Premier League striker and then play him in a completely alien role to him.

I remember 3 months ago when we had Pochettino as Manager and £100m+ worth of five extra players in the squad