JxgrSaint

Yoshida is an absolute liability...

Yoshida is an absolute liability...

It was a joke, I actually wouldn't mind him if we could improve his end product

It was a joke, I actually wouldn't mind him if we could improve his end product

£10m for 'dros(s), what is the world coming to...

£10m for 'dros(s), what is the world coming to...

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/how-southamptons-summer-transfer-window-turned-into-an-unexpected-revolution-9673919.html Les Reed in the Independent on our Summer

In fairness 2 seasons would make him one of the longest serving managers in the Prem...

Eight best Premier League summer signings - by Alan Smith 5/8 Dusan Tadic (Southampton) FC Twente's playmaker was arguably the top performer in Holland last season, scoring 16 goals and contributing 14 assists. As Ronald Koeman's first signing, the clever Serb is capable of providing the guile previously offered by Adam Lallana.

All 20 Premier League teams reviewed and ranked - By Jonathan Liew 1/20 No 20. Southampton Skill level: 6/10 New signings: 6/10 Off-field intrigue: 10/10 Manager: 5/10 Kit: 9/10 Total: 36/50 (of which Liverpool take half). Final score: 18/50. Southampton actually earned enough points to finish fifth in our entirely subjective league table, but half of those points have since moved to Liverpool, leaving Southampton an unfortunate rock bottom. The exodus was always going to happen, of course, but not all at once; not this violently. It has been a stunning spectacle, not least because of the potential knock-on effects on the players who are left behind. Personally, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion they’ll finish in the top half again, although that depends on their new signings settling quickly. And their kit, which sees the return of red and white stripes for the first time since 2011 – is lovely. False hope, perhaps, but then at this most turbulent of clubs, false hope will always be the last thing out of the door.

Yeah, because now we've sorted out the dressing room we should bring in someone on £200k a week - that'd help morale...

I simmed the first season with Koeman in charge and all the transfers bar Forster Long and Gardos and first window budgets off and Saints came 7th with Pelle winning Golden Boot on 23 goals!

The season hasn't even started yet but the merry-go-round has begun with Tony Pulis leaving Crystal Palace 2 days before kick off. Palace board have seriously ****ed up there, I thought they'd be comfortably safe but they'll be lucky to stay up after this (my relegation 3 would be Burnley, Palace and West Brom), anyway wonder who'll be the next to get the boot...

------------------------------------Forster/Boruc Clyne/?/McCarthy----Gardos/Hooiveld----Fonte/Yoshida----Bertrand/Targett -----------------------------------Wanyama/Cork -----------------Morgan/Taider/Reed--------Ramirez/JWP/Davis Rodriguez/Long------------------Pelle/Gallagher----------------Tadic/Isgrove That team looks very good, only a CB (to replace Jos) and RB away from having good backups/competition for every position. We'd have better squad than when we finished 8th IMO...

Schneiderlin's not gone yet! I'd like to see how Koeman uses Ramirez as well, he plays deeper for Uruguay than he does for Saints and seems to be quite comfortable there. Looking forward to seeing more of JWP too - we really do have outstanding strength in depth in the midfield!

Comes across really well in the interview

Welcome Shlong! Be interested to see what shirt number he's given, if he doesn't get 7 that might indicate a marquee signing on the horizon?

@solentsport: BREAKING: Sources tell us Shane Long has completed his move to #SaintsFC (via @NabilHassan79)

@AVBanovac: Florin Gardos set for a €7m move to Southampton. This is one @Chisteaua will love. Potential to be a very good signing.

They want rid of him and if he wants to stay in the Prem then no-one who finished above us would take him. Didn't know about Clasie, just assumed that as he wanted out of Feyenoord and was Koeman's captain he might be gettable. Those aren't my expectations btw (thought we might get Hernandez but apparently he'd rather warm the bench at a 'top' team) and I'm not dissatisfied with Long per se, only for £12m. Just pie in the sky hypotheticals as I'd seen Spurs want to offload half the players they bought last year...

Soldado plus cash for Schneiderlin would be an excellent deal - wouldn't have to sign Shane Long and could use that money on Jordy Clasie instead, would make most on here (myself included) a lot happier...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/5825752/Shane-Long-set-for-Southampton-move-before-Premier-League-kick-off.html By Alex Crook, behind a paywall so can someone who has access help a brother out?

Thanks for the update john_ro, is it £6m or €6m? Seen both bandied about and was wondering what the Romanian press are reporting...

Having slept on it and calmed down a tad, he's the sort of player we need. Granted the fee is ludicrous but then Ulloa, Snodgrass, McCormack etc. show that when buying from other teams in England there is very little value to be had. My issue has been the fee and the lack of goals, but having spent some time on YouTube it appears he does make a number of good runs into channels and might be a very good inside forward. If we can work on his finishing he might be able to get on to the sort of balls Gaston played but Lambert couldn't get to and with Tadic and Gaston feeding him killer balls and poaching some of Pelle's scraps he could turn out to be a very good buy (as long as we can improve his finishing). That said, I'd be hacked off if we give him the no.7 shirt as the less analytical side of my brain is desperate for an ambitious marquee signing, but anyway I've calmed down and now I think he's a decent signing...