Hodgey

Has to be JWP - 4 more goals and one more assist than Armstrong despite playing deeper, always available with an unreal work rate. I’m truly astounded there are still many who seemingly don’t rate him. Stu, Ings and KWP hard to set apart for the other places - each provide something unique and important to this team.

If Kane leaves - him going to Spurs for £15m sounds about right. Personally I don’t think we should sell unless we get £30m - how much is a year in the Prem worth ? That’s what we are talking here so keeping him then letting him go on a free and getting another £80m or whatever you get for being in the Prem seems like good business to me. Only risk is he gets injured or plays half arsed - but the second is unlikely if he wants a decent final club. Also that will mean I can watch much less of Walcott or Long doing a bad impression of a striker

Good to see Redders making an effort as my general scapegoat he deserves credit. Never understood the Stephens hate but he deserves credit too. Also McCarthy for some great saves and Salisu for looking genuine class. Adams put a massive shift in as did KWP. In fact only Minimino really looked out of sorts - not that he wasn’t trying he just doesn’t look like he suits this team (or maybe league). Finally Ralph - got his tactics right today for me.

Credit where it’s due. Ralph made the right sub / setup and we’ve dug in. Let’s see if they can keep discipline in 2nd half

Where to start !. Firstly we’ve tried to clear out players before and got nowhere (indeed Hoet Lemina and Elynoussi continue to return). So if we managed to move on a couple of players we don’t want that would be a good result. More likely is we lose players we do - Ings, JV and Redmond which may free up some wages and transfer budget. Next question is how wisely can we invest - recent history suggests we’ll buy a couple of £15m players who will need a season to bed in and may or may not be of the quality required. So you lose 3 1st team and replace them with 3 players you already know to be i

For me after that Walcott, Redmond and Bednerak played themselves out of the semis. We cant seriously play the same 11 again after that. Forster will be a lucky boy to keep sticks and the only reason Diallo and Bertrand get in is because there are no alternatives. Forster KWP Vest Salisu Berty Diallo JWP Armstrong Djenepo Adams. Ings

This has been a few years coming - I was surprised at the defensive response to the comment from the Burnley new owner when it was pretty clear he had it spot on. What’s more worrying is it looks like it is a base talent rather than training issue. First stage of solving an issue is admitting you have one - I’m hoping it’s crystal clear to those who matter in the club or we’ve got 4 years of nothing coming through - which is a big problem if youth is your declared sustainability policy. Thing is we don’t need to produce Prem quality players - that is incredibly hard to do and takes patience,

SKD - no WE wouldn’t get a champs league and euro league player for £2m. But that isn’t the way it works. Nobody who would pay £50k a week wants Elynoussi as he isn’t good enough. others at a lower level might buy him for a reduced fee to subsidise the fact they would have to pay a very high wage. I’d be happy with £2m cash plus £5m saved in wages. Yes it seems like a bad deal (and his book value is still c £7m so it is) - but better than us trying to find 2 more loan deals and he leaves on a free anyway in 2 years. If you think he is genuinely good enough to be a decent squad option

There’s lots of value in doing that. Firstly I think having him around blocks Tella progress - and I think Tella has something you need in the prem (pace) and potential. Secondly if we want Walcott as a reserve striker / lw then we can’t afford both given his wages. And lastly he’s just not very good - and if he’s around we’ll be tempted to play him, and he’ll inevitably continue to disappoint. I’d take anything above £2m

Not sure if injured or not but neither Valery nor Vokins could make the 1st team squads today.

I still don’t get the 100pc certainty we cant win it. If we beat Bompey, we could easily have a semi vs Everton or Leicester neither of which are forgone conclusions. Then yes we’d probably face a Chelsea or City - but then it’s a two horse race in a one off game and our form could have changed by then. I don’t remember being played off the park by Arsenal or Utd in the last two finals. if this isn’t a decent chance then I’m not sure when will be, are we going to get a year where we outspend everyone, or the top 6 suddenly become really weak ? Good luck waiting for that. I’m not expe

Just consider that if we beat a team a division below, with injuries, who need to go up, we are then 2 wins away from our first trophy in 45 years and therefore most Saints fans life. This is one of the best chances we’ll have so I’m shocked by the amount of fans seemingly non plussed. I can only assume winning things isn’t of interest - as I don’t see another great chance coming along anytime soon !.

I mean who knows who was doing what from that corner. In any case putting a full back against the best header of the opposition doesn’t strike me as too clever. But agree could have done better

I’d still sign him up for another 2 years if wages are right. Zero trust in us getting a competent lb, we’ll end up playing Salisu there or some such. Not sure about the scapegoating - neither goal down to him and set up our one attack, certainly not brilliant but no worse than KWP and better than all our attacking midfielders

I’ve kept an eye on Elynoussi and Celtic and he seems injury prone and incredibly erratic, he also seems to miss a lot of chances and has been frequently dropped. He’ll also be on £50k a week. No better than Simms who we let go for free and was on a lot less. Take whatever we can get for him and get rid - or get Walcott in for a season on same wages. Redmond / Armstrong / Djenepo / Tella and then possibly Walcott is enough. Need to use loans / tiny transfer budget on full back and striker