nta786

I don’t mind the Juanmi transfers or the Gardos transfers though. These were low transfers, and also players on low wages which means we can get rid easily if they don’t work out. See Bednarek for example where if they do play well then they could end up being a starter for us. We should take these odd punts where feasible. It’s the other transfers where we are paying £50k - £80k per week to players who haven’t made it but then become unsellable and a burden on our finances.

I have to say your username checks out perfectly there But otherwise yes. We might have been better off buying 10 players in the £20m region and a few in the £5m to £8m except we’ve spent a loads on distinct nothingness.

Yes, this league you do need to spend to even just stay still. However, money was available but we have just wasted almost 95% of it and it has left us with no pot to piss in. We've also not moved with the levels of inflation seen in football. Villa spending £25m+ on Watkins, WHU spending £45m on Haller, Everton spending £40m+ on Richarlison/Sigurdsson, Newcastle spending £40m on Joelinton, Leicester spending £40m on Tielemans, £30m on Slimani, Wolves spending £30m+ on players like Silva/Semedo etc. I think even Fulham, Leeds, Watford and Palace have spent more on one player than we have. Now, you might argue a lot of the names above are duds/poorly spent, and it's true but I do think we should have moved into the £20m-£30m bracket a while ago to scout players who are excelling in the top 10-12 leagues. The other side of the debate is would you trust us to spend that sort of money wisely? However, WHU have bought Soucek and Coufal at very low prices I think which means bargains do exist, but we have fallen behind horribly on the scouting front/everyone is at it. We have spent c. £254m which seems like majority has been wasted.

Come on the FA, PL, and any of the other authorities- kick Chelsea out of the final for signing up to the Super League, and reinstate us to play in the final

This basically sounds like the new Champions League but guaranteed entry for 12 clubs. The website says games will be played midweek and clubs will remain in their domestic leagues with some confidence. It is ridiculous, clubs like Arsenal even if they finish 10th can attract top players not just on wages but also on this guaranteed lure of playing in the top league. I am hoping this goes ahead now! 1) The fallout and chaos that ensues should be good entertainment after what has turned into a drab season 2) Sure, Saints will be financially affected as a result, but this also applies to the likes of WHU, Wolves, Leicester, Everton etc 3) The PL without the top 6 should be competitive, and gives us a better chance in cups etc I suppose the main question for me though is how does this impact any takeovers? Gao wanted £250m I believe, is the club now worth like £100m if these clubs are forced to breakaway/leave domestic league? All would be dependent on the new TV deal right?!

Forster KWP Salisu Vestegaard Bertrand JWP Diallo Armstrong Minamino Adams Ings Subs- Redmond, Djenepo and Walcott to try and change things for us I wouldn’t be opposed to Jankewitz starting this one to be fair, but only if he is in our plans for next season.

To be fair I’m not a fan of managers bashing players in public usually it ends in one way

So MLG how do you think that experience from the 2018 semi-final helped us tonight?

the Saintsweb Intelligentsia?

Yep I agree. The problem is we are buying players like Salisu/Diallo, young players who may be good in 5 years but with the Premier League you don’t always have that time to nurture them. Someone like Jonny Evans, a Cahill, a Fonte, or a Steven Davis- an actual captain is what we are crying out for but our transfer policy is fixated on these ‘gems’. Even Craig Dawson for West Ham has been a good centreback loan signing. This lot of players are just so toothless and under the current ownership it isn’t changing.

I’m going to try and put a different perspective on things- I think we did try but the players we have, the squad are just so limited. Confidence is incredibly low and Ralph and the players have gone backwards in 2021. If I’m honest, Leicester made one chance which they took and scored, Iheanacho is on top form and in those situations you end up making your own luck, similar to Ings last season. Otherwise, Leicester’s other main chance came from our mistakes and that’s as a result of our players not being as good as theirs. Yes, I’m upset, and yes it is a very bitter pill to swallow but we need to learn from Leicester tactically and strategically in the transfer market

JWP awful ball in. FT Leicester 1-0 Saints

Bertrand off Salisu on KWP off Tella on Ralph throwing the kitchen sink?

Walcott on, Djenepo off

Diallo edge of the box unlucky

Che Adams on Redmond off Exactly what I called for like 3 minutes ago

Bednarek vs Vardy was always ending one way. Iheanacho with that much space in the box he was always going to score second time around. Right, time to see what Ralph is made of. I think it looks like we’ve conserved a lot of our energy time to go on the front foot

1-0 Leicester ffs

Redmond’s final ball has been lacking this game. I’d like Che on for Nathan I think soon- Che has a few good assists to his name too this season

Stats aren’t good viewing but remember only thing that matters is the number of goals 😬

HT: 0-0.

Be careful, someone will direct us to that Youtube video on how it’s part of the way we attack

Redmond what a horrible weight of pass.

Diallo again bloody hell. Vardy was in but let off!

It’s amazing what confidence does to you. If this game was played in October/November 2020 I doubt we would have looked as timid as we are. However, it’s 0-0 and for as long as it remains that way then we are still in it