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Posted
17 minutes ago, Thripp87 said:

Come on, be realistic. Sterling is going to prison, and Zaha would never happen with JWP back.

they're tongue in cheek 😁

  • Haha 2
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Paul_B said:

I think this is arrogant. You did see us against a third string West Ham last week? 

Honestly, if you are going to make expectations for the season over a saints side that lined up without THB/Schlotterbeck or manning in defence, without any of Downes/Jander/JWP in CM, and without both azaz and Larin in attack, then i can't help you - you need to be realistic. That is a gutted side, not something to base your season expectations on.

Our full strength side was averaging 2.46points over our unbeaten run... 113points. Without severe injuries or a huge tonda ban, we are waltzing into the playoffs. Enjoy it mate. The one silver lining of spygate is that all the people that "prefer the championship" (aka: they like winning and think its sustainable forever in the 2nd tier vs parachute sides - it isn't FYI), get their wish for another season. We are the best side in the 2nd tier for 2026 - we should have been promoted, we weren't, and now we're everyone else's problem.

Edited by Saint86
  • Like 3
Posted
1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Just seen he can play Centre Back, Right Back and CDM so we've got our THB & Charles replacement all in one player. A master class in player trading!

Can he play in goal? He's probably better than Baz.

Posted
1 hour ago, Saint Pete said:

Yep, he will have been pissed off that we turned down those £4m offers for him from abroad as reported yesterday. Fair play that the lad just wants to be on the pitch now. 

Yep, sounds like he just wants to play football, and we’re desperate to claw back anything we can on the disastrous double signing of Sam and Larios.

Posted (edited)
24 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

At least one short. Loaning the lad to Leyton Orient seems daft in that context unless he really isn’t up to the Champ if they’re so skint so they can’t even loan a PL fringe striker in.

 

25 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Add to that we have also loaned out BBD and Oyekunle.

Losing 5 striker options off the books and relying on Larin staying fit and an inexperienced Mubama is suicidal IMO. Surely there must be another one incoming?

Oyekunle has a re-call option in January, so we're not committing to the whole season.

The international break is also 3 (THREE!!) weeks long this year, we have 5 games till that break, so you'd think if anyone did get injured in the next few games they'd likely only miss a few games before returning after the international break. 

The risk is the Mid October > 1st January stretch of games. 

Edited by Dan Johnson
  • Like 1
Posted

I don't think they feel Downs needs replacing as he wasn't here last season. 

And I think they see Dobbin as cover for Azaz and a replacement for Edozie and Archer as he can play as a winger or a second striker. But not as a first 11 starter. At Preston he played as a second striker with a big Number 9 or as centre forward ahead of Alfie Devine as the Number 10.

Buying him would make more sense to me as cover for Edozie & Archer if we bought in a attacking central midfielder now to cover Azaz and replace Charles.  I see JWP more as a replacement for Romeu.  Maybe that's why we were rumoured to be interested in Justin Devenney at Palace.  

Posted
36 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Fair enough, but if Larin gets injured then thats our season over 

Agree. Would have expected a comparable type striker to be signed as back up to Larin. A lengthy injury to him would leave us very light up front.

  • Like 3
Posted
18 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

People incapable of writing brief statements describing their own feelings and intentions nowadays. It's getting crazy. 

even 20 years ago a player would get the agent to do it so I am not sure what you're upset about

  • Confused 1
Posted
35 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Assuming saints don't spend any significant amounts of money they've bought a heck of a a lot in. If you add the Armstrong fee as well from January that hsould allow us to strengthen in January if we are anywhere near the top of the table.

The impression I'm getting is that the transfer money generated is being used to help pay off debts. If that's the case it's not being squirrelled away to spend in January. Just my gut feeling and could be wide of the mark.

  • Like 3
Posted

The Stewart/Larin tandem worked well in the 2nd half of last season, I worry that we don't really have that. Muamba is young, but doesn't seem to be able to provide that same 'hold up' and 'play off of' approach that Stewart was able to do. Still early days though.

As it stands, I feel our season is relying heavily on 3 things -

Leo staying fit

Larin staying fit

Peretz staying fit

If any of those is out for a decent period of time, you'd have to worry for us in terms of being competitive. The GK position worries me as Long is a third choice, but the club are treating him as the 2nd choice backup. The drop off from Long to Peretz is too big.

  • Like 7
Posted (edited)
1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

The Stewart/Larin tandem worked well in the 2nd half of last season, I worry that we don't really have that. Muamba is young, but doesn't seem to be able to provide that same 'hold up' and 'play off of' approach that Stewart was able to do. Still early days though.

As it stands, I feel our season is relying heavily on 3 things -

Leo staying fit

Larin staying fit

Peretz staying fit

If any of those is out for a decent period of time, you'd have to worry for us in terms of being competitive. The GK position worries me as Long is a third choice, but the club are treating him as the 2nd choice backup. The drop off from Long to Peretz is too big.

4 things, Azaz staying fit.

If Ramsdale stays, Peretz getting injuryed isnt a problem, either. 

Edited by Dan Johnson
  • Like 1
Posted
6 minutes ago, saintant said:

Agree. Would have expected a comparable type striker to be signed as back up to Larin. A lengthy injury to him would leave us very light up front.

How is that any different to last year with Stewart as back up and out for 3 months from a diving header?

Posted
3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

The Stewart/Larin tandem worked well in the 2nd half of last season, I worry that we don't really have that. Muamba is young, but doesn't seem to be able to provide that same 'hold up' and 'play off of' approach that Stewart was able to do. Still early days though.

As it stands, I feel our season is relying heavily on 3 things -

Leo staying fit

Larin staying fit

Peretz staying fit

If any of those is out for a decent period of time, you'd have to worry for us in terms of being competitive. The GK position worries me as Long is a third choice, but the club are treating him as the 2nd choice backup. The drop off from Long to Peretz is too big.

We’ve also struggles badly without Azaz.

Posted
1 minute ago, saintant said:

The impression I'm getting is that the transfer money generated is being used to help pay off debts. If that's the case it's not being squirrelled away to spend in January. Just my gut feeling and could be wide of the mark.

Exactly what I think , trying to reduce the debits we have and also cutting our cloth to the fact we have had reduced parachute payments this season and if we stay down we have none next year. 
 

I’ve seen some think we are going to spend £30 odd million on players - yeah in your dreams . 

  • Like 1
Posted
35 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Add to that we have also loaned out BBD and Oyekunle.

Losing 5 striker options off the books and relying on Larin staying fit and an inexperienced Mubama is suicidal IMO. Surely there must be another one incoming?

I'm not up to speed with our U21 squad - is there anyone there who is ready to step up to the first team this season? Maybe the club think there is.

Posted
1 minute ago, goodymatt said:

IMG_0215.thumb.jpeg.030975bb6348be9d725eea72ed87055c.jpeg

Hardly a 💣 but that’s the end of that nonsense.

It's a carbon copy of that Armenian bloke. You have to question who these people really are, blue ticks and all. There is no way they'd have all that specific info over a player, I'm sure most of it is made up from gust instincts and a 'feeling', polished up with stuff in the media.

  • Like 3
Posted
1 minute ago, IFHP said:

Exactly what I think , trying to reduce the debits we have and also cutting our cloth to the fact we have had reduced parachute payments this season and if we stay down we have none next year. 
 

I’ve seen some think we are going to spend £30 odd million on players - yeah in your dreams . 

This is also the first time in many years we have been outside of the PL for more than 2 years, so financially we will be feeling it. The club may say they are financially OK, but we will be haemorrhaging money without question.

I'd say that the initial outlays of Larin and Peretz were big financial commitments too, not so much in fee - but salary/signing on fee, they're probably amongst the highest earners in this league.

  • Like 1
Posted
Just now, goodymatt said:

Surely we have to keep Archer in the absence of any more incomings? Especially if Edozie does go?

I wouldn’t even be considering letting Archer go, he can be very effective playing wide and in my opinion always puts the effort in.

  • Like 3
Posted
21 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

He's been loaned to Portsmouth and gone willingly - wash your mouth out son.

Go get your father’s gun

Shoot the Pompey scum

And support the Saints

We hate Pompey! We hate Pompey!

Completed your post for you.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Posted
3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

This is also the first time in many years we have been outside of the PL for more than 2 years, so financially we will be feeling it. The club may say they are financially OK, but we will be haemorrhaging money without question.

I'd say that the initial outlays of Larin and Peretz were big financial commitments too, not so much in fee - but salary/signing on fee, they're probably amongst the highest earners in this league.

Plus not getting Ramsdale wages off books will hurt

  • Like 1
Posted
10 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

4 things, Azaz staying fit.

If Ramsdale stays, Peretz getting injuryed isnt a problem, either. 

5 things. Downes not picking up yellow cards to get himself a holiday....ah, never mind 4 things it is. 🙂

Posted

After the late arrival of so many players that turned out to be rock stars this time last year I'm sure most of us have that feeling that Spors is going to unexpectedly pull a rabbit of of the hat.

Plenty on here bemoan us not getting replacements lined up or brought in before selling a big name. What if that is what we did this time?

- What if Scholotterbeck was the THB replacement all along? - I'd be happy with that

- What if that nipper Abbott from Forest was the Quashie replacement? - I'd be happy with that - particularly if he offers good cover for Bree together with JWP; so we can shift Sugawara and Roeslev.

Keeping Archer in case Larin gets injured would require us to completely change how we play in order to make it work, which Tonda could probably do but would take a while to bed in, so having him head off I can see. Plus Downs looks like a fish up a tree so he is best of playing in the USA.

Mubama as good as he may be doesn't look like he has proper hold up skills yet. Are we hoping that:

a) Larin is happy to train him how to do this (by all accounts he is very good with the young players). Mubama's not a man mountain but he is a big talented lad who is likely eager to learn so it could be a thing.

b) If he does end up in that full time role for a bit, they are hoping his body will survive repeated 90 minute efforts Tuesday-Saturday. This seems a big ask to me.

c) Does that mean that for the sake of better looking finances and a smaller squad (that might give us a chance to build a proper PL team if required) that we are willing to take the risk of needing to get a free agent striker in to cover if the worst happens?

d) Or is Spors going to pull a rabbit from his hat and just wants to operate below the radar?

e) OR the worst case scenario Dragan's finances are toast after the shenanigans with his company. He's just sold £60m worth of assets and replaced them for £800k plus Abbott's loan fee...

 

I'm hoping for d)

Thoughts?

 

Posted

For me today, the glaring omission in our squad if we sell or loan out those expected to go, is back up goalkeeper. We can cope with the rest of the positions but the blindness to having Long as back up could cost us. If, and I stress if, we can't shift Ramsdale then I sincerely hope we can re-integrate him. 

Abbott seems like a decent signing especially as we'd have the option. Basically our player and he's highly rated. That's 4 CBs. 

CM fine, we all want a destroyer but if Jander (who despite interest looks like he's staying) and Downes are our number ones then JWP and Bragg should do as back up. 

I think we need another winger and a striker if we ship everyone that is supposed to go, but we should be able to cope with what we have especially if Akachukwu is now considered to be a viable option.

But... back up keeper. For me that's the reason why I'd be cacking myself anytime an opposition striker goes in hard on Peretz. 

 

Posted
7 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

I wish we were Boro…

To be fair I wish we beat them to Lankshear. We missed out on a gem there

Posted

Perhaps a chance the backup keeper option is something that can be sorted outside of the window with a free agent? Maybe Rambo moves after window closes here to a league that is open.

  • Like 1
Posted
10 minutes ago, goodymatt said:

I wish we were Boro…

Is he one of the players we picked up from Chelsea and signed up? Obviously not worked out for him at Saints, good luck up north Abdul! 

Posted
16 minutes ago, saintant said:

The impression I'm getting is that the transfer money generated is being used to help pay off debts. If that's the case it's not being squirrelled away to spend in January. Just my gut feeling and could be wide of the mark.

I believe that we were in for these other cbs who would have cost circa 10 million. We must have at least that amount to spend.

Posted
3 minutes ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

After the late arrival of so many players that turned out to be rock stars this time last year I'm sure most of us have that feeling that Spors is going to unexpectedly pull a rabbit of of the hat.

Plenty on here bemoan us not getting replacements lined up or brought in before selling a big name. What if that is what we did this time?

- What if Scholotterbeck was the THB replacement all along? - I'd be happy with that

- What if that nipper Abbott from Forest was the Quashie replacement? - I'd be happy with that - particularly if he offers good cover for Bree together with JWP; so we can shift Sugawara and Roeslev.

Keeping Archer in case Larin gets injured would require us to completely change how we play in order to make it work, which Tonda could probably do but would take a while to bed in, so having him head off I can see. Plus Downs looks like a fish up a tree so he is best of playing in the USA.

Mubama as good as he may be doesn't look like he has proper hold up skills yet. Are we hoping that:

a) Larin is happy to train him how to do this (by all accounts he is very good with the young players). Mubama's not a man mountain but he is a big talented lad who is likely eager to learn so it could be a thing.

b) If he does end up in that full time role for a bit, they are hoping his body will survive repeated 90 minute efforts Tuesday-Saturday. This seems a big ask to me.

c) Does that mean that for the sake of better looking finances and a smaller squad (that might give us a chance to build a proper PL team if required) that we are willing to take the risk of needing to get a free agent striker in to cover if the worst happens?

d) Or is Spors going to pull a rabbit from his hat and just wants to operate below the radar?

e) OR the worst case scenario Dragan's finances are toast after the shenanigans with his company. He's just sold £60m worth of assets and replaced them for £800k plus Abbott's loan fee...

 

I'm hoping for d)

Thoughts?

 

I see Mubama's 'hold up' skills as totally different to Larin and don't really think he'll be able to learn much more. Mubama, for me, can hold the ball up by receiving clever passes through the channels or out towards the flanks that he can latch onto and retain possession while support arrives. 

I'd still like us to bring in another big guy up front though.

  • Like 3
Posted
1 minute ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Genius development in the spygate saga ;) 

🎶 We loan spys when we want, We loan you spys when we want,🎶

🎶We are Southampton, you guys are media manipulating dirty cheating scum of the worst possible kind and we are going to take you down to China Town at the end of November! 🎶 

  • Haha 1
Posted (edited)

I'm sorry, but if we only bring in Abbot then Solaks comments about having the same quality or better squad this season has made him look a complete mug.

A couple of injuries to the likes or Larin/Scienza we'll be in a right mess.

Underwhelmed

Edited by Saint Scott

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