Toon Saint

Someone needs to untick the black box filter ‘free agent’ for our manager shortlist and maybe we’ll find there are a few decent options out there after all. Given that Les always has a beady cast over 4/5 could-be managers there shouldn’t be an issue replacing Pellegrino should there? Unless we are just cheap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Rodgers would be the outstanding choice. Difficult to see him leaving Celtic mid-season but surely we’d present him with the ideal opportunity to rebuild his profile in the PL? Can’t see him going to any other of last seasons top 7 anytime soon either. If the Gao’s are serious about taking us to another level then throwing some £’s his way would help. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pellegrino has not even shown the slightest flicker of promise that he is going to improve us as a team. While our squad has clear weakness in goal and in creative positions there is no way we should be in the position we are in with the squad we have. Use this two week break to cut our losses and move on. If we dither as we did with Puel we will sleepwalk into a relegation battle. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Indeed. The 1-1 at home to Hapoel Be’er Sheva was equally unforgivable. Puel played for a 0-0 and we only looked bothered after conceding. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The recruitment 'process' was a mess this summer. We made Puel's position untenable by various leaks suggesting he could get the chop following the end of season review, but we bizarrely delayed actually doing so for several weeks. In delaying for so long we missed out on Silva, who let it be known, via various media articles that we were his preferred option. We were then apparently considering high profile German candidates like Schmidt and Tuchel who both rejected us. After links to Roberto Martinez and Nagelsman (neither ever going to happen) it was suddenly down to FdB and Pellegrino, the former apparently preferring Palace over us. Pellegrino seemed more like the only available cheapo candidate going by the end of it (given that we don't dream of appointing managers already in employment) but it was all dressed up as due diligence and a thorough recruitment process. Not hard to see why we've appointed so badly given the limited options and how much we fudged the sacking of Puel Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When Boufal joined us hadn't he scored something like 7 goals with his previous 8 shots, prior to injury? Maybe we should play him. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No offence, but why are so many hanging on Tom28's every word? Seems to me as if he made an informed guess about VvD going on strike - which had a decent probability of being true - and as a result seems to have gained ITK status. I haven't seen anything posted that's particularly revelatory since then, or ahead of what was in the public domain anyway. Personally I doubt that Liverpool have made a bid, given the public apology and our boards hardening stance. That also goes against every press report which states Liverpool are waiting on us to give the green light, which after Ralph's recent interview seems very unlikely. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

#Calciomercato- Hoedt pass medical examination with the Saints, in the next few hours there will be news. #Southampton Sounds like it's all sewn up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Strange end to his time with us. He does seem to have an ego problem and an unhealthy obsession with Ronaldo Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great news. Impressed with the profile of our signings so far in Lemina and Hoedt. Turning out to be a very good window for us, assuming the board hold their nerve and no key players leave. 10 days to sort a new attacker and we'll be well set for a good season. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Naive. That kind of view ignores any kind of historical struggle for gay people to achieve equality, and more specifically, the enormous courage it takes for a person like Hugo to 'come out' in such a macho dominated arena like football. Look at the precedents in English football; there aren't many and the last 'out' gay player to have continued playing professionally in England killed himself. Do you think that progress is achieved by straight men shrugging their shoulders, or is it activism, campaigning, and people having to battle against social prejudice to build a better society? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

£113m is ridiculous money for Coutinho and probably double his actual value. Just shows that the Scousers are incredibly unimaginative in the transfer market and don't back themselves to spend it well. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The comments above about selling before buying. Is that an actual quote from the article or an extrapolation? Would've thought with Ralph's comments about the black box buzzing and more incoming that we have enough in the kitty anyway. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just see Hoedt as good succession planning for when VvD does leave next summer, a bit like when we signed Romeu when we knew Wanyama was on his way out. Bednarek will likely feature in the u23's this season - I don't think that much would be expected of them this year by the way the likes of Les and Ralph have spoke about him as a young player with potential. Gardos is clearly well down the pecking order and will likely be moved on if we can find a taker. I think we'll probably offer Maya an extension, which means next summer we'll have Hoedt/Stephens/Maya/Bednarek as senior CB's which is decent depth and means we can absorb the loss of VvD pretty seamlessly. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If Stuart Armstrong is a goer I'm guessing we might see some movement sharpish with Celtic virtually through their qualifier. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I think you are confusing sexual preference with sexual orientation here - I don't think Hugo is saying which time of man he goes for is he? Maybe a shame that Hugo has to 'come out' as a narrative form, but in the closeted world of football it is definitely newsworthy and also to be celebrated. When someone refers to 'gays' and them making a 'big fuss' or 'attention seeking' about it you also repeat a few lazy stereotypes, and hint at the problems that they have to overcome in telling people in the first place. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will be interesting to see what role Nelly Gao has at the club, assuming it's her fathers wealth. Let's hope she doesn't become the elephant in the room. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We've offered €17m for Hoedt apparently. https://www.calciomercato.it/news/273899/calciomercato_lazio_offerta_importante_per_hoedt_le_ultime_di_cm_it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd go with: ---------------Forster Cedric--Stephens--Yoshi--Bertrand -----------Lemina--Romeu Redmond------Davis------Boufal –---------------Gabbi Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Which would make sense if we've already missed out on a couple of targets. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Didn't Mane create an assist or certainly a clear goal scoring chance with a lovely back heel in his first game? Was always obvious he was going to be class. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Times reporting that Chelsea set to make a £50m bid plus add-ons. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A summer of indecision and dithering really - whether that was the excruciating amount of time it took to get rid of Puel; the covetous glances at several German candidates who either had left for other jobs before we got round to interviewing (Schmidt) or were plainly never interested to begin with (Tuchel); the scrambled together pre-season plans announced to fans later than every other PL team; the lack of movement in the transfer market bar a signing of a rookie Polish CB who we only moved for after we missed out on Semedo. All of the above must be linked to the potential takeover which the board seem completely in the lurch over. Feels like Les & co are just trying to hold down the fort (especially with VvD) before making any real business decisions, and banking on Pellegrino to improve on what Puel left behind. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Find it difficult to believe we'd go for Ings considering his injury problems. We've just got rid of one sick note, why replace with another? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk