Southampton Banter Archive August 24 2015

24 Aug 2015 20:18:43
I have been banging the Charlie Austin drum now for what seems like months, my friends are fed up with it. Every time I suggest on here i'm shot down in smoke. I wonder if any one have changed their minds now?? I just think he would give Pelle the push he needs, at the moment he does not have any competition for the striker role, he could even play behind Pelle??

24 Aug 2015 21:52:42
Pelle needs service not competition. The only time he gets the ball is when its hoofed up to him on his chest. jRod will be firing on all cylinders soon as well.

24 Aug 2015 22:08:35
Ben, I think that you're right that Austin would be a good addition. At times last season Pelle looked awful, and we just didn't have other options.

It may well be that Saints change their minds that they need more options up front based on the last few games, but I doubt that they will. let's be honest, we've struggled to create enough chances, and it doesn't matter who you have up front, if you don't give them the service that they need.

The biggest problem at the moment is that the team lack organisation and balance. We miss Morgan badly. We've lost that deadly pace down both flanks, and we're a lot less frightening to play against.

It isn't all bad news. We've brought in some good players, and J-Rod coming back is great. I guess as fans we need to remember that the side we have put out so far this season is far from the side that Koeman envisaged playing. Players will be back soon. performances will improve.

Bertrand will add a little balance, and make us better both defensively as well as going forward. Caulker looked good against Watford, and will strengthen the back four. Romeu and Victor will get better as a partnership in the middle of the park, and add in Classie, and we should have the quality in midfield that we've been lacking recently. That in turn should give our attacking players more freedom to get at our opponents.

It's far too early for us to be getting so negative. Looking on the bright side, things can only get better.

Keep calm,
Support the Saints

24 Aug 2015 22:37:19
Really fed up with people with rose tinted glasses, how do you know jay rod will come back as he was?? Although pele doesn't get loads of chances his conversion rate is poor, as mentioned he has no competition, the so called black box must have malfunctioned or else we wouldve had a quality cb in place last month, we sell well and to easily but buy poorly while trying to be clever and get a hidden gem on the cheap, the exodus has finally caught up with us and it desperatly shows we are weak, slow, predictable and lucky to have 2pts, I think Roko has had his hands tied and I feel with a heavy heart we could be in trouble, something with me seems not to sit right behind the scenes

25 Aug 2015 10:27:47
Dsk20v zzzzzzzzzz bore off and take some happy pills.
Really fed up with negativity from sofa mangers who think they know best. Supporting saints has alway been an up and down affair. Just because we escaped liquidation with a billionaire owner does not give us the right to think we are not a mid table team. We don't have the stadium capacity or commercial stature to be consinstatly fighting for top 6. That may or may not come in time. In the mean time I personally will enjoy the magic roundabout of the premier league! Win at old Trafford but lose at turf more. That's football at its best .Get on the bus and enjoy the ride

25 Aug 2015 12:28:10
Spot on Romsaint, I too am fed up with hearing the same supporters whine on, if all they're interested in is winning go and support one of the top 4 clubs.

25 Aug 2015 16:07:51
If we sign a quality CD a quality midfielder plus an attacker this week { I would go for Austin } then get rid of Big Vic for £20 million to whoever is willing to pay.

We must accept that we cannot be a top 5 club so let's set our weights at being 6-12th in the League.

Use the League cup for player development, use the FA Cup as one we want to win. Europa Cup may be resolved after Thursday.

From a business point of view we must remain in the PL for next year when even bigger bucks are available.

I have every trust in Les Reid. We also have one of the best managers in the PL, who we want to keep long term. So by 1st Sept all should be looking much better.

Finally I agree who heartfelt with ROKO. The transfer window should close BEFORE the PL seasons start. Clubs like Chelsea, Man U and Spuds deliberately try to upset the better players from the not so rich PL clubs, just to sit on the bench. This has to stop.

24 Aug 2015 10:58:36
I know it sounds pessimistic but I have just been looking up a few stats . I know we finished 7th last season and overall it was a great achievement but something is slightly worrying . This season we have started at best very slowly and of course we have to get the side gelling together and get back our best players but there is something most of us haven't really taken in to consideration and that is our form in the latter stages of last season. Out of 51 points available in our last 17 games we have taken 16 points and that equates to a season total of between 35 - 40 points which would probably be less than needed to survive in the PL . Our early season form and the run after Christmas got us to where we were at the close of last season but our very inconsistent performances don't fill me with confidence for this campaign . Too many players are not performing to their expected levels and honestly I believe we are looking a bit nervous and lacking the passion and belief that we had in many games last season . Going to be a rocky ride this season unless things change quickly .

24 Aug 2015 13:06:34
I agree chrisdownj. Too many people with rose tinted glasses out there.
We need to start investing more cash in top quality signings. And if needed get rid of the dead wood we have instead of just selling the Crown Jewels.
I appreciate contracts run down so let try and get longer term contracts signed by our key players earlier instead of last minute.

24 Aug 2015 13:56:51
Exactly the same happened season before last.

It's called having a small squad of 1st team players. Injuries, suspensions and mental fatigue take their toll as the season progresses.

So, this season we are expanding the squad numbers with funding helped by the two major players sold and obviously this also covers the strains of the Europa Cup.

Not really surprised that we have started slowly, but win the next two games and see player(s) added and players back fit and suddenly things will look a lot different. Shame really, because then what will people have to criticise?

24 Aug 2015 17:08:11
I like your optimism and really hope you are right.
Unfortunately though we seem to have lost ambition at board level and the shout to push for a champions league spot is a distant memory now.
Next summer we will talking about jrod, mane, wanyama and who knows who else leaving.
I hope I'm wrong

24 Aug 2015 19:05:29
Were you wrong if you made such comments last summer? YES.

People seem very keen to analyse every management/board move. Well, statistically we should sell MORE players before the end of this window as we are way short of last years sales which then saw us achieve our best finish in the Premiership and qualification for Europe. Statistics would indicate we should still need to sell around half the first team if we are aiming at CL!

Maybe we will be talking about players leaving next summer. Maybe we will also be talking about a top 6 finish, success in the Europa Cup and a need to improve the squad to go to the next step. Don't think it would matter so much then, would it?

25 Aug 2015 10:52:46
Got a feeling rather than a top 6 finish at the end of the season we will be trying not finish in the bottom six . The team and squad are not top 6 quality . Selling too many top players and replacing them with players that haven't played in the EPL is risky at best .