January Transfer Window

[Patrick Bateman]

45 minutes ago, obelisk said:

In a nutshell then, Baz is calling Saints a basket case where there's no ambition and no desire to improve. He's right isn't he?

Absolutely!! They've obviously told the players they are "consolidating" this season to challenge for the next one, which might explain heads dropping, form getting worse and apparent lack of effort. Utter wnkers all round.

 

[coalman]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

Surely even SR wouldn't be bonkers enough to sell AA and not bring in a replacement. Sure, given their track record the replacement might be crap but they will sign someone if AA goes.

Any question starting with "surely even SR wouldn't be bonkers enough to..." is typically answered in the affirmative.

[saintant]

53 minutes ago, obelisk said:

In a nutshell then, Baz is calling Saints a basket case where there's no ambition and no desire to improve. He's right isn't he?

People are interpreting this to match their own agendas. At no point does he say anything about Saints being a basket case (I know we are) nor does he allude to a divided dressing room (which I think there is). He's throwing neither the club nor the dressing room under the bus and all he says is he wanted a fresh start with a side fighting for a play-off spot. Nothing to see here.

[obelisk]

16 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Absolutely!! They've obviously told the players they are "consolidating" this season to challenge for the next one, which might explain heads dropping, form getting worse and apparent lack of effort. Utter wnkers all round.

 

That consolidation needs to first address a team plunging down the league while returning relegation form results.

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

GOALKEEPER Gavin Bazunu explained his loan move to Stoke City was motivated by a desire for a “fresh start” away from Saints.

 

Bazunu, 23, has joined the Potters on loan for the remainder of the season, in a deal that contains an option to buy, reportedly worth £8million.

The Irish international kept a clean sheet on his debut against QPR, making two saves in a 0-0 draw against Stoke’s play-off hunting rivals.

That point has left Stoke seventh in the Championship, two points adrift of the play-offs and eight clear of Saints.

“A fresh start is what I was looking for, to be in a place where we are going to be fighting to get into the play-offs,” Bazunu explained in his first interview with Stoke.

“I spoke to Darren [Behcet, Stoke keeper coach] and the manager, and all the conversations we had were very positive about helping me improve as a player.

“All of those things are going to be put into place in training, and hopefully I can show them on match days.

“The lads couldn’t have been any more welcoming. It’s exciting to come and play and be in a squad that is fighting for something big this season.

“The Championship is a division all about momentum. When you win games, can you continue that form? The more games you win, the more you see yourself fly up the table.”

Bazunu, whose deal expires next summer, has made 19 appearances this campaign, conceding 28 goals and keeping three clean sheets.

He was offloaded by Saints soon after the arrival of Israeli international goalkeeper Daniel Peretz on loan from Bayern Munich.

Former Man City academy graduate Bazunu has played 97 times for Saints since a £12m move in July 2022, with limited success in a Saints shirt.

Basically saying he knows he has downfalls but no one at Saints has helped him rectify them.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. 

[Sheaf Saint]

58 minutes ago, coalman said:

Any question starting with "surely even SR wouldn't be bonkers enough to..." is typically answered in the affirmative.

It's just like whenever someone starts a sentence with "I'm not racist, but..." and then inevitably goes on to say something blatantly racist. 

[Sarnia Cherie]

Jean-Phillipe Mateta wants to leave Palace this month. Clutching at straws, I know, but I can dream.

[Lighthouse]

3 minutes ago, Sarnia Cherie said:

Jean-Phillipe Mateta wants to leave Palace this month. Clutching at straws, I know, but I can dream.

It's okay, I went through the exact same thought process when Scarlett Johansson divorced Ryan Reynolds.

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Lighthouse said:

It's okay, I went through the exact same thought process when Scarlett Johansson divorced Ryan Reynolds.

Priti Patel would have been so hurt.

[ally_uk]

Not surprised Armstrong and Bazunu want out, not exactly going anywhere are we lads...

Whole club is a fucking shambles from top to bottom..

[Dr Who?]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

People are interpreting this to match their own agendas. At no point does he say anything about Saints being a basket case (I know we are) nor does he allude to a divided dressing room (which I think there is). He's throwing neither the club nor the dressing room under the bus and all he says is he wanted a fresh start with a side fighting for a play-off spot. Nothing to see here.

We are still his parent club, he would be silly to do anything negative expect state the facts. 

[Dr Who?]

19 hours ago, HarvSFC said:

The same January we signed Onuachu and Sulemana, Bournemouth signed Outtara and Semenyo. We paid £40m for our pair. Bournemouth paid £30m for theirs. We got £24m back from their sales. Bournemouth got £104m back.

Good players do move in January, we just can't identify them.

And Bournemouth will run out of talent, like we have and their luck will run out in being able to gel a team together, and they will fall through the trapdoor again. Probably in the next 2/3 seasons they will go down. Brighton, Forest and others like them have some success, like we did and then godown again. Looks like West Ham’s turn this season. In the end even Sunderland, Palace, Brentford and even Villa will sink again. 

[OldNick]

1 hour ago, Dr Who? said:

And Bournemouth will run out of talent, like we have and their luck will run out in being able to gel a team together, and they will fall through the trapdoor again. Probably in the next 2/3 seasons they will go down. Brighton, Forest and others like them have some success, like we did and then godown again. Looks like West Ham’s turn this season. In the end even Sunderland, Palace, Brentford and even Villa will sink again. 

B'mouth will have trouble as they are up against financial rules, but I see they are spending 90m on doubling their capacity in the next 2 years. If Andoni leaves that will hurt them but they still get some good players. Looks like Jimenez is the next one. Ive said many times we should get their scouting team and pay them big bucks 

Edited 16 hours ago by OldNick

[LeBizzier69]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

It's okay, I went through the exact same thought process when Scarlett Johansson divorced Ryan Reynolds.

You've no chance with Ryan.

[Graziano94]

Both Harwood-Bellis and Armstrong putting stories out in the press this week at least confirms the theory that there is a serious lack of commitment in the changing room 

[hypochondriac]

Manning 

THB 

Stephens 

Armstrong 

Downes 

Aribo

All must leave in January or the summer if we are to have any chance of doing anything next year.

[Winnersaint]

16 minutes ago, Graziano94 said:

Both Harwood-Bellis and Armstrong putting stories out in the press this week at least confirms the theory that there is a serious lack of commitment in the changing room 

Be interesting to see if either starts tonight.

[Toadhall Saint]

41 minutes ago, Graziano94 said:

Both Harwood-Bellis and Armstrong putting stories out in the press this week at least confirms the theory that there is a serious lack of commitment in the changing room 

What’s THB had to say? Not seen anything

[Graziano94]

3 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

What’s THB had to say? Not seen anything

Been a story put out on Football League World saying he is attracting interest from ‘several premier league clubs.’ I always feel stories like these are agents trying to pressure interested clubs to act quickly 

[Saint Garrett]

Just now, Graziano94 said:

Been a story put out on Football League World saying he is attracting interest from ‘several premier league clubs.’ I always feel stories like these are agents trying to pressure interested clubs to act quickly 

One of the few players we have who is good enough in the right team/system.

[Hawkswood]

22 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

One of the few players we have who is good enough in the right team/system.

You think? I feel a bit the over way. I think he's a bit overrated but thats just me. 

[BARCELONASAINT]

6 minutes ago, Hawkswood said:

You think? I feel a bit the over way. I think he's a bit overrated but thats just me. 

I think THB is awful, he clearly is NOT an intelligent footballer, you can see on the pitch how slow his decision making is. He is an absolute bang average Championship defender who makes Bednarek look like a brilliant defender and everyone wanted him gone!

[BarberSaint]

8 minutes ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I think THB is awful, he clearly is NOT an intelligent footballer, you can see on the pitch how slow his decision making is. He is an absolute bang average Championship defender who makes Bednarek look like a brilliant defender and everyone wanted him gone!

I'd say they were pretty much one and the same bar age, nationality and the like. I'll have to look out for the hand-waving when the goals go in.

[SNSUN]

6 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Absolutely!! They've obviously told the players they are "consolidating" this season to challenge for the next one, which might explain heads dropping, form getting worse and apparent lack of effort. Utter wnkers all round.

 

Consolidating, when, somehow, we are still miraculously only ten points off the playoffs where a decent late run of form can see a team scrape in.

 

That would be just like SR that would. 

[Turkish]

44 minutes ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I think THB is awful, he clearly is NOT an intelligent footballer, you can see on the pitch how slow his decision making is. He is an absolute bang average Championship defender who makes Bednarek look like a brilliant defender and everyone wanted him gone!

Another one who’s gone backwards since he came here. 3 years ago he was part of a Burnley defence which was rock solid and won the league with 101 points conceding only 35 goals. Yet comes to us and looks clueless much like everyone else.

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

I think THB is awful, he clearly is NOT an intelligent footballer, you can see on the pitch how slow his decision making is. He is an absolute bang average Championship defender who makes Bednarek look like a brilliant defender and everyone wanted him gone!

He's better in the opposition box than he is our own.

[Gloucester Saint]

Link to article, clearly from agent https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/southampton-taylor-harwood-bellis-eyed-premier-league-clubs/

[Willo of Whiteley]

10 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Link to article, clearly from agent https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/southampton-taylor-harwood-bellis-eyed-premier-league-clubs/

Our second top scorer, he’s not had a terrible season

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Willo of Whiteley said:

Our second top scorer, he’s not had a terrible season

But still well below his Burnley levels.

[Willo of Whiteley]

11 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

But still well below his Burnley levels.

Second top scorer for us, stays a lot about the rest of the squad 😂

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Another one who’s gone backwards since he came here. 3 years ago he was part of a Burnley defence which was rock solid and won the league with 101 points conceding only 35 goals. Yet comes to us and looks clueless much like everyone else.

Burnley knew he wasn't good enough for the PL, so didn't sign him, and as soon as i saw him for us i thought that he wasn't quick, dominant in the air or good positionally. I didn't think he read the game well or anticipate things well. he's great on the ball for a cb, but not a great defender. i don't think he has gone backwards much or if at all.

[S-Clarke]

In terms of Armstrong, I think we should have moved him on in the summer and gone out and bought a proper number 9 in that void. That would have been my call.

Not because he's not effective at this level, he clearly is, but I think his time has run out here. It can't have been easy mentally to come up with us to PL, fail again, and get dumped in January back to the Championship to WBA. I think it would have been healthier to have a clean break in the summer at this point.

He won't be here next season either way.

Edited 9 hours ago by S-Clarke

[Harry_SFC]

6 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

In terms of Armstrong, I think we should have moved him on in the summer and gone out and bought a proper number 9 in that void. That would have been my call.

Not because he's not effective at this level, he clearly is, but I think his time has run out here. It can't have been easy mentally to come up with us to PL, fail again, and get dumped in January back to the Championship to WBA. I think it would have been healthier to have a clean break in the summer at this point.

He won't be here next season either way.

If we get a decent offer for him that allows us to sign a more complete CF then I'd be doing that all day long. 

[Baird of the land]

Still hoping the club can get a young physical striker on loan. Today showed the difference a target man makes in allowing the team to play direct at times.

[saintant]

5 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

In terms of Armstrong, I think we should have moved him on in the summer and gone out and bought a proper number 9 in that void. That would have been my call.

Not because he's not effective at this level, he clearly is, but I think his time has run out here. It can't have been easy mentally to come up with us to PL, fail again, and get dumped in January back to the Championship to WBA. I think it would have been healthier to have a clean break in the summer at this point.

He won't be here next season either way.

I'd sell him this window if we can identify a big strong centre forward. Stewart showed we are a different side with a decent guy leading the line, holding the ball up and winning headers. We can't rely on him alone though so another of his type to share the load would make us stronger in my book.

[SuperSAINT]

15 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

If we get a decent offer for him that allows us to sign a more complete CF then I'd be doing that all day long. 

Whether or not I trust us to bring the mentioned more compete striker is up for debate of course.

[Harry_SFC]

9 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

Whether or not I trust us to bring the mentioned more compete striker is up for debate of course.

Well yes there is that. 

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

54 minutes ago, saintant said:

I'd sell him this window if we can identify a big strong centre forward. Stewart showed we are a different side with a decent guy leading the line, holding the ball up and winning headers. We can't rely on him alone though so another of his type to share the load would make us stronger in my book.

I think that was meant to be Downs but boy did we get that one wrong. The fella at Bodo-Glimt would be interesting but I also thought that way when we bought Moi after he’d scored against City in Europe too and look how that went…

[Willo of Whiteley]

None of the players that are regulars in the squad will be leaving this window.

More likely to be your Edozie’s, Aribo’s, Fraser’s etc

[woodsaint1]

1 hour ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

None of the players that are regulars in the squad will be leaving this window.

More likely to be your Edozie’s, Aribo’s, Fraser’s etc

If all three of them leave it will have been an insane transfer window 😂

[Disco Stu]

3 hours ago, Baird of the land said:

Still hoping the club can get a young physical striker on loan. Today showed the difference a target man makes in allowing the team to play direct at times.

Agreed although I don't care if they're young or not.

Edited 5 hours ago by Disco Stu