Baird of the land

In what way do we know Toby was not going to sign for us. Maybe his head was turned after talking to them after they bothered to agree a deal first. Our argument that it was all Toby's fault would certainly look a lot better if we'd agreed a deal first.

But why muck about with legalities and let them agree a deal first?

Sounds like a lot of Spin. The whole trying to delay playing games with clauses before eventually ignoring them and bidding sounds bad. Toby ended up choosing them after we finally sorted ourselves out. Hope the black isn't a bunch more hype and there really is a list of alternatives to pursue.

Think there's very much room for having a mixed core of british and high quality foreign additions. Don't like Saints going down route of foreign filler dross.

Seems the equivalent of signing Antony Pulis. Not something to be excited about, quite the opposite in fact imo.

Surely we can use our own academy players as cover rather than importing filler.

Jack Stephens. Done well at Swindon 2 years in a row. Dominic Gape.

It's in our interests to be successful. My view is that success still comes from having a british core & personally i'd probably have a lot less love/interest for a team without such a core. Buying players at a low price and selling them at a higher one is a nice bonus. Also buying foreigners whilst cheaper can be a gamble in terms of them adapting to prem league (Osvaldo, Forren, Ramirez, Gardos, Mayuka to varying degrees over recent years)

I was hoping we might get Trippier or Jenkinson. Got to trust that he'll adapt well to english game and prove a shrewd acquisition.

Yep i'd very much like a balance struck in terms of imported foreigners and bought domestic players. So while i don't have a particular issue with bringing in a spanish attacker and a portuguese right back i don't want to see the rest of the acquisitions following a similar pattern. Don't think it is in our long term interests to have a team with little british core to it.

Think it's a decent signing by Villa. Assume he'll be on a high salary though.

Forster 8, Davis 6, Gazza 6 Clyne, 8 Bertrand 8, Targett 6 Toby, 9, Fonte, 9, Yoshida 7, Gardos 6 Morgan 9, Wanyama 8, Tadic 7, Davis 7, JWP 6, Reed 6, Djuricic 5, Elia 5 Mane 9, Pelle 7, Long 7,

Thought it wasn't a bad display. A game we needed to take our chances when they came and long and Pelle didn't have the clinical finishes when it counted. No shame in losing away to city, the disappointing results came beforehand which left us a disappointing 7th(though 7 would have been successful before the season started)

That would be a coup if true. I assume if it happens it'll be because Arsenal don't want to sell him but know he won't be happy sitting on the bench for them in the short-term. As i said in one of the other threads. The Mexican keeper Ochoa who's reserve at Malaga would be another loan i wouldn't complain about.

Think way Rickie has been treated is disgraceful. When he's been given an opportunity he's more often than not performed reasonably. I'd happily take Rickie back on a short-term deal. Obviously that would be wage dependent & reflective on fact he'd be more often used off the bench.

A goalkeeper i thought was very good at the World Cup was Ochoa. I see he's still back-up at Malaga. Wonder if we might be able to prise him away on loan.

Mane, Long and Pelle were excellent today, combining perfectly. Mane sneaking Man of the match. The defence was reasonably solid. Gazzaniga made a nice save at the end too from agbonlahor. If there was an area to be slightly critical on an amazing day it was the midfield. We won today by bypassing it but we've got work to do in terms of replacing Morgan/Cork ballplaying. None of Davis, JWP or Wanyama were terrible but neither did i think they stood out as excellent. Great that the team has got to 60 points. Now we need Swansea & Spurs to drop points.

Don't scare me with the notion they aren't going to get a keeper in the summer. Interesting to see if defence has any confidence in him. After the mess up early last game they visibly stopped involving him. Think Kelvin should have been given this game. Also disappointed to see one of the few players who looked good last week(reed) dropped instantly.

Very dull and disappointing. Don't see much liklihood i'll want to buy it. Wonder if we'll ever get something akin to the Rank Xerox.

What was the excuse for not offering him a contract in the summer? Would Fonte have been happy if we'd strung him along and told him to prove himself worthy of a new contract over coming 6 months.

I really don't see how he'd fit our system, so i'm not convinced by the notion of going for him.

Well this end of season looks like it is going to be embarrassing if we collapse out of top 7. Hopefully this result will give the players a kick up the proverbial behind for game against villa.

One of my favourite Saints players of recent times. Saints screwed up badly imo not valuing him and offering him a deal last summer. Instead we strung him along and understandably he's gone to a rival club for a tiny fee because they acted like they wanted him. Personally i always felt he was offered something different but equally good to Wanyama. Some games you a defensive beast like Vic, others you want someone much better on the ball like Cork. Now we are left in the summer likely having to source top quality replacements for both him and Morgan.

I'd give Targett another run out as Bertrand looked utterly ****ged. Davis Clyne Toby Fonte Targett Reed Wanyama Davis Djurcuvic Mane Pelle Subs: Gazza, Bertrand, Yoshida, Gape, Gallagher, Long, Tadic