GGalpin

Considering he still lives in London, cutting commuting times with a young family is a massive draw even before you get to payrises/ european football.

For someone who has annual tantrums about a lack of ambition on the board's part, appointing Gordon Strachan would be up there with one of the least ambitious managerial appointments by a PL side any time this decade.

I remember my girlfriend and her mum, both big Villa fans, laughing at us signing him. Couldn't understand us at the time trading the best young LB in the league for him.

Forster wanting to go isn't a new thing last few weeks, heard he was going pretty early in season.

Tuesday, high noon.

If we want more goals, getting rid of our most creative player is basically shooting ourselves straight in the foot. Keep him and get faster players around him.

"Got rid" is a very funny way of saying being paid compensation by bigger clubs (like it or not) for them. And as for airbrushing history, Cortese would know all about that.

How many teams across Europe at the moment, and for the last ten years, play with two strikers and direct football hoofing it into the channels, and are successful with it? I can think of one (Leicester).

Gabbiadini is the record transfer now, I think.

Completely forgotten this then I take it? https://southamptonfc.com/news/2016-12-01/statement-eric-black-southampton

Jake Vokins

Considering we've scored 17 goals in 17 games at home, it's very unlikely we'll suddenly score 18 in 3. I think it is too late, and with Puel's family being unhappy it'll be right for a parting of the ways. As CB Fry has said a club of our size can always make a dud of an appointment just like Gardos for example has been a dud buy (even if it's not all his fault); as much as I can see what Saints were trying to do with his appointment and what he has done in certain situations, it's pretty clear it hasn't worked out. As much as the Premier League response to anything going wrong is to tear it down and chuck money at the latest fad, it's obvious what Saints have been doing has been mostly successful. Puel doesn't change that; having said that, I wouldn't be averse to a bit of change at academy level somewhat.

oh how delightful..

Wouldn't say that myself, gave Romeu a bollocking for intercepting pass from JWP just outside the Arsenal box when he was winding up for a shot

If we're going for another CM, I feel someone who can cover ground would be best for us; particularly if they can make late runs into the box. Haven't got anyone in the team really who can carry the ball to give us dynamism in midfield.

More likely Everton if Barkley goes, IMO

Exactly. Myself I would look at Pickford + N'Dong from Sunderland; Gibson from Boro; Maguire and Robertson from Hull/ Sigurdsson from Swansea. Rest of them don't really think are good enough or could find better for cheaper elsewhere.

Signed another new deal this week, so unlikely for at least another year

His goal yesterday was his first in over 1000 minutes, he's 35 next season and on £80k a week now so god knows what he'd want. No thank you.

Fair point on his height; still clearly looking for a midfielder who adds a physical edge, whether by strength or by covering ground quickly is what I should have said. Iheanacho is very good but whether I'd want him on loan from another PL club without a realistic chance of getting him permanently, effectively developing their player without long term reward, is not something I'd really like to be honest. Better off paying

Links to Dendoncker, Vainqueur, Seri etc probably means we're looking at physical centre-midfielders; something we're lacking, IMO.

It's opinion based on stats...

This might make grim reading for some who want to wind up others with their own agenda... but the stats are saying we've actually been very unlucky this season... http://statsbomb.com/2017/05/what-has-happened-to-southampton/

Considering that Long has only scored more than 10 league goals in the Premier League once, isn't it possible that it was just a purple patch of form? Last season was the first time he scored more than five in the league since 2012-13 when WBA finished eighth and had Lukaku alongside him. As for sticking players in the reserves and not selling them, you only have to look at Berahino for the problems with that. West Brom rejected £25m and ended up getting short of £10m for Berahino; the fact we sell on high-potential players 2-3 years after they come is one of our biggest selling points to players like Mane, Van Dijk, Lovren, Wanyama....