Baird of the land

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

Yeah we've been spoiled with Cork and Morgan. Still gutted we mucked Cork about and he ended up leaving. This summer we've got to recruit a replacement of their ilk on the ball.

Just back from the game and another very abysmal display. Leicester to be fair were hungry and organised but Saints looked so disinterested for most of the game. When djurcuvic and Long came on we perked up slightly. Mane looked decent when we got him into play and Reed was very impressive. First goal should have been shut down but it was a nice finish. Second goal was calamatious. Wonder if that might be Gazza's final game for us as after that team looked hesistant to play it back to him. Spurs mucked up again thankfully but i struggle to see us winning given how badly we are playing.

Surely if you are doing a deal with arsenal jenkinson would be the player to try and get included, given our likely need for a new right back.

Pearson comes across very badly. Can't imagine Leicester like the way he is tarnishing their image. Wonder if they will replace him regardless in the summer? Very glad he isn't in charge of us.

Given Kelvin's got another year on his contract(as far as i'm aware) i really don't see any other scenario than him continuing as 2nd choice and competition for the loan keeper in Fraser's absence. Don't see the Foderingham thing as likely