UpweySaint

I quite like the Perraud/Djenepo combo down the left. I'd be tempted to bring Armstrong on for Elyounuossi if there is no breakthrough.

Yes. Though to be fair to Jan it was decent movement from Jimenez and he's not had a run in the side.

I'm a Ralph fan but strange subs and Wolves are a poor side. Adams wasn't at his best but the issue was not being able to link up play - why bring on Long and Broja? We're clearly not beating Wolves in the air. I appreciate we're limited but Tella for direct running? Diallo for more progressive passing than Romeu? You have to wonder if Shane Long is the answer what the f*ck was the question!??

Could you not have returned negative tests to get passports as needed? You're entitled to your opinion about the vaccine but do you have strong feelings about the odd swab? They're not terribly intrusive. As you say you had other reasons - it just seems a shame you're decision has been influenced by such a broadly common policy. Also, way to feed the MLG!

His end product is still lacking but Djenepo and Perraud showed early signs of a good partnership down the left. Some real plus points to come out of today - really solid at the back and it felt like we had options - even if we didn't use them all. Last year I looked at the bench and shrugged - this year when there is Broja, Armstrong, KWP, Diallo, Walcott, Adams, Tella I can see lots of ways we can impact a game. Ralph also made a good early sub!

Reasonable concerns but I think circumstances largely dictate the policy. We all know the financial realities of the club and how hampered we have been with some poor recruitment/management. The policy does come with clear risk but there is also a fair chance it may bear fruit. We've also managed to keep some experience in the side and even Lord D has recently been impressed with Stephens showing some 'grit'. I share the concerns about the CB situation and would have felt more comfortable is we had signed somebody with more obvious pedigree but that aside I'm largely comfortable with the type of signings we have made recently and can't see what our genuine alternative pathway would have been. As you say today, and the coming weeks, will be a good test of our credentials. Our record at St James is woeful but St Max aside I don't really fear Newcastle.

Handling, first touch, determination?

Agreed cheap - provided he works out half decent! I expect/hope this leaves a bit in the kitty for one or two more. Ralph is publicly saying one more but I wouldn't be surprised to see a little more business if there are good deals to be had at the end of the window - Thierry Small possibly ...

Probably not a deal we would prioritise due to other gaps in the squad but according to the Guardian Will Hughes is stuck in the Watford U23's after refusing to sign a new contract. I recall him as one of their better players when they were in the prem last time around and at 26 he's probably got his best years ahead of him. I expect they'll have to listen to reasonable offers - unclear what his wages would be like. He's less of the CDM we arguably need but at the right price could be a good option in our midfield. He has a good eye for a pass and can carry the ball reasonably well. He was on the radar of bigger clubs for a while and I wouldn't be surprised to see somebody in the chasing pack (Everton, West Ham etc) go in for him now or in January.

If you believe Dan Sheldon at the Athletic Villa were desperate to get the deal done before Grealish going hence the price. I did not believe we would see anything over the £20mil mark for Danny so a sale for 'up to' £30mil was probably too good for the board to turn down. We all know the situation - sell to buy - therefore if we can turn £30mil (plus any fee from Vestegaard) into three quality signings then it will have been a good deal. Plenty of things aren't perfect at saints but Semmens etc have impressed imo despite obvious limitations of our lack of financial backing.

Okay I should have qualified this with 'assuming Celtic (or other) want him and can offer a deal that doesn't shaft us'. It was more of a 'what if' musing on my part.

Let Forster go, bring in a potential no1 on a loan with an upfront fee and an option to buy at an agreed price? Certainly not the simplest deal but you do see a lot of them in Serie A. It would give us a bit of 'try before you buy' without needing significant outlay upfront.

Daily Mail had him as valued as £8 million. I expect the actual price anybody pays will be somewhere from £10 to £18 million with add ons and all that. Much like us with Ings they won't want to be mugged off but with a year left on his deal they are unlikely to be able to risk him leaving for free. It's not a priority for us (if Ings stays) but if we weren't so hard up he'd be exactly the sort of signing I'd like to see us make.

Okay fair but I'd feel he would add more threat than Long, Obefami, Nlundulu etc

IIRC there was talk that his wage demands were pretty hefty. Surely worth exploring though, would provide genuine competition and goal threat. Lots to like if there is a deal to be done.

He wouldn't excite me as a signing but he is an experienced pro possibly available at a reasonable price. We 100% could do better but might be able to do a decent job.

No actual links but in the HCDAJFU spirit ... Ludwig Augustinsson 27 attacking left back at Werder Bremen, decent amount of caps for Sweden experienced in a good standard league well known to our manager. The reliable source that is wikipedia seems to suggest he's played CM in his youth teams days so again maybe a bit of versatility. Milot Rashica 24 Attacking midfielder more often than not a winger also at Werder and we've been linked several times in the past. Werder have been relegated and apparently need to clear the decks due to financial concerns. I expect we might have a younger player than Augustinsson in mind but both probably not out of our price range - articles linking Villa to Rashica seem to suggest £14mil might be the going rate. £20 mil for the pair?

Show me a post saying they are excellent? Neither having good games. Valid to question them but some of the hate for Redmond on repeat is OTT - you'd think he'd sh*gged some posters wives. Our defending today has been shocking, nobody on the pitch or on the coaching staff coming out with much credit.

Behave. I didn't say our players never cheat so drop the sanctimonious nonsense. I would be embarrassed if one of our players did that too but let's not pretend Zaha is not a repeat offender. Bundles of talent and tricks but spends half his time winging or throwing himself to the ground. I fully reserve the right to consider him a bit of a knob while respecting his footballing skill.

Half time they are talking about how well Zaha did to 'win' the penalty by manufacturing contact. F*ck me can't we just call it is, cheating? Gamesmanship? Being a total c*nt?

I'm speculating but I can't imagine Blackburn's finances are in great shape. Should Ings go I would like to see us testing their resolve with an offer of £12-15 mil. Much like us with Danny I expect they can't afford to let him run down his contract and potentially leave for free.

What is he? England international, one of the best set piece takers in arguably the world's best league, a fitness marvel playing 98 consecutive games (including filling out of position and having Zaha in his pocket), a consistent performer, a goal scoring midfielder, a captain before even hitting his possible prime and a product of the academy who has had to earn his place in the side while managers played musical chairs around him. Honestly, what else do you want from the lad? How else do you want to measure his ability? Of course he's not De Bruyne or Fernandes ... if he was there is no way he would still be in a saints shirt.

Well not really. His set pieces add value and make us a threat in games when we struggle to break down teams in open play (which happens often!)

Agreed. Diallo has had a few poor games of late but has shown enough to make me think he develop into a really effective box to box type midfielder. Salisu looks very classy. KWP, let's just say Spurs must be wishing they still had him. If Ralph is backed with the right signings in the summer it will very much be put up or shut up.

I do consider myself a bit of an idealist so fully expect many to disagree but my view is one of faith in what Saints under Ralph could be. We've seen glimpses, we know it's there and could be possible. At points under Ralph we've gone toe to toe with the best playing a distinct style and some of the best football I've seen from us since Poch. We were going into games each week actually believing we could pick up results. Ralph has plenty of flaws and his stubbornness can frustrate but I can envision a scenario where we are better than the sum of our parts and punch above our weight rather than just hoping we get to the run in without relegation snapping at our heels. Much the same with Poch he gives genuine hope. While lots of circumstances have conspired against him/us even those of us who back him can acknowledge a more pragmatic manager may have done better in spells. We will never be able to compete on a level playing field with a significant number of clubs in the league in terms of spending power so we need to gain an advantage in other ways. The club are trying this with a long term approach based on buying in to Ralph's philosophy and it being embedded throughout the club.