GGalpin

Who would you choose, Nathan Redmond or Sadio Mané? This idea players are only proven until they do well on these shores is absurd.

Quick twitter search on the Midas twitter doesn't give much about Saints bar a few tweets about Josh Sims, who is on their clients page photo carousel, a few other youth players and this on Claude Puel; seems as though they helped with representing Saints: https://twitter.com/Midassports/status/748512428179197952 Nothing really underhand with it and like others have said, perhaps its better that Reed and Saints do have a relationship with an agency they trust.

http://www.midas-sports.com/our-team/andrew-reed/ Quick google

From the looks of the echo, part one was Blackmore's questions and Leitch's question's will form part two.

Whatever the desired effect of that interview was, I'm getting the impression it won't be what Ralph was hoping for... Good grief.

Here's the obligatory two minute video which shows he is definitely the perfect signing. On a serious note, he turned down a move to Brighton on deadline day who have a decent scouting network themselves. Angers have had a few forwards who have ended up in England; Jonathan Kodjia, Famara Diedhou and a certain Sofiane Boufal (via Lille) for starters.

My feeling is Puel was sacked because the players underperformed, they blamed it on the manager and so the idea the past summer was keep the squad, add 1-2 players and a new manager will bring more out of underperforming players. The same thing has happened again; whether or not MP is the right man, the players have underperformed for 18 months. So now instead of sacking yet another manager, the players themselves are being changed. Kind of makes sense to me.

Ah yeah, would never be able to attract Celtic's best would we... not like when we signed Wanyama and Forster.

Agree on that. Not sure whether he would leave mid-season, especially with them in the Europa, but I would be happy with Rodgers.

0.76 or a 76% chance, judging by this. https://understat.com/match/7130

Possibly. But looking at why they've not taken those chances (Benteke being their only real striker and hasn't scored since May) you could argue if they keep up the quality of chances created and they get a decent striker in January who can take those chances, then they should be safe.

This table is quite interesting- https://understat.com/league/EPL/2016 Saints scored 41 goals, but the xG was 50.31, meaning we scored nine less than what the chances would suggest we should have scored, and the 43.21 for the goals against expected meant we conceded 4 more than we should have expected. You look at our 'expected points' and we were above Everton, who scored 12 more than their chances should yield. Plenty have pointed out the difference being Lukaku but these stats show it even more, and with him not being replaced and someone not taking the chances Everton shouldn't reasonably expect to have taken, it's little wonder they've regressed.

It's basically quality of chances. So a 25 yard shot from a tight angle is 'less likely' to go in than a tap in in the middle of the goal two yards out. If a chance is 10% 'likely' to go in, it's got a rating of 0.1. Ten of those a game, and the xG for those chances is 1.0. It's basically a stat that shows the "we created the better chances". So Swansea at home opening game was 0-0, but the chances we created should be expected to have brought 2 goals. When you think Yoshida, JWP and Tadic missed big chances that game, that metric shows it. https://understat.com/match/7122

I'm not saying he's anywhere near the same level, not at all, but you could be describing Xavi with those statements. If he was Spanish , you're quite right he wouldn't be getting the time he has at Saints; he'd be far more appreciated and probably moved on. JWP is a player who doesn't fit in a traditional 442 and so he doesn't fit either a box-to-box role nor a flying winger, so doesn't get the appreciation he should warrant. His RWB role fits him well actually, as his best games have been on the right; even in the san siro when he played in a diamond, he drifted to the right and had a stormer. The problem is he's not an English type player, but he's a very good player; you don't get monitored by Manchester City if you're not. There are valid criticisms of him (goal record particularly from set pieces is one) but it should be remembered that he is still only 23. You don't rack up that amount of games, particularly as an 19 year old under Pochettino, unless you're pretty handy.

Forster Pied VVD Hoedt Bertrand Romeu Lemina JWP Boufal Tadic Austin For me, anyway.

Pelle's on north of £200k a week, and his girlfriend's profile in China seems to have gone through the roof. I somehow doubt he's pining for Shirley High Street and Yates.

He's somehow managed to make us worse than Puel's team despite having a longer preseason without lots of late returns because of the Euros, no Europe, no Cup run, both VVD and Gabbiadini available at the same time, Lemina and Hoedt and no needing to replace key players. He's not played attacking high pressing football and he's not blooded young players, which is two things that we presumably were after in a manager in the summer when bringing a new guy in. Out.

Considering the season before he had scored 10 for Sociedad on the wing as they qualified for the Champions League, I highly doubt he was unknown to football clubs around Europe, nor available for £12m, nor remotely interested in a move to Southampton. But obviously it's Les Reed's fault...

This- his time at Liverpool stops him being picked by a number of the big boys I would imagine, so some reputation rebuilding at Celtic and a PL job like Saints would make sense for him. Wasn't deadly keen on him at Liverpool but I'd take him at Saints. Has a set style of passing football but kept Swansea up by organising their defence very well, has European experience and has a fairly decent record with young players.

Cork cost £4m and Clasie £7m. But, you know, agendas.

I'd hazard a guess at Harrison Reed was pushed forward at the time to replace Cork, Romeu for Wanyama and Clasie for Schneiderlin (and then Hojbjerg when Clasie wasn't a big success), before Morgan was eventually replaced adequately by Lemina. Not the best replacement job Saints have done last few years.

Link here for those interested: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kevin-mirallas-morgan-schneiderlin-futures-13862606

This is a pretty fair assessment, rather than blaming a first team coach whose influence was diminished this summer not strengthened: http://www.football365.com/news/saints-lack-of-pace-leaves-them-mired-in-midtableland

Yep- Rose to United for cash plus Shaw makes a lot of sense.

Could you pass that on please? Used SM but this bitcoin stuff seems like a good time to find an alternative.