Southampton Banter Archive July 25 2014

25 Jul 2014 22:40:04
Who should Koeman buy before the season begins?

To be honest it seems like it needs to be a whole new squad. If Chambers, Lovren and Spider go we then need an entire new back 4 (LB, 2x CB and RB), a new CM, still need one or two more wide or attacking options too so looking at Winger + Striker as well as wanting a GK to cover/compete with Boruc. So to review: GK, LB, CB, CB, RB, CM, WM, ST. Only 8 more players needed to be brought in at bare minimum in that scenario. I'm seriously starting to get worried.

However at least one or two players we are being linked to are good, but there's no chance we will be ready for the Anfield trip as any players we sign no longer have enough time to properly incorporate themselves into the squad. So we can now expect a dismal first few games to our new season. My positivity has faded fast with several reports of players now being on the verge of a deal. It's too much for a club to do in one go to rebuild from this. Instability is what this board has brought in and seemingly in a large part by choice.

We know nothing about what's happening SaintPhil but what I do know (sort of) is that Ronald Koeman is no fool. He would not have come here otherwise. Patience guys we don't want him to do a Di Canio do we?

Chrisdownj, if what you mean by doing a Di Canio is buying a lot of players at the last minute and sacrificing all team chemistry then that is exactly what he will be forced to do if the club keep selling the way they are. We're supposedly on the verge of selling the remainder of the core of our team and possibly more on top of that.

Roko has no choice he needs 6 players and pretty sharpish, board are a disgrace

The players he wants may very well be in the bag but clubs don't say anything until the deal is done. We don't know there maybe 4 or 5 deals 95% done. You blame the board for everything but what about the greedy prima donna players we seem to have produced. We are not selling the players they are forcing moves.

25 Jul 2014 22:17:33
Great bit of business today on Lovren. he isn't worth £20 million, I think he played well in parts last year, but he made mistakes and after the injury didn't seem to get back in his stride!

We are going to have a great team come start of the season, I think our youngsters are going to be a revelation and not one of them brought in by MP.

If you look at MPs transfer record, its not that great Osvaldo. need I say more. £15 million and because of his age and attitude he is going to cost us. let's not loan, he is a depreciating liability (not asset), take whatever we can get and wipe our chin!

Wanyama, I think he could be good and the last few games of the season showed a bit more. mustn't give the ball away as much. Interestingly Pat Rice said that Arsenal should have bought him last year and Pat's no mug.

Ramirez. not bought in by MP but he was played with by him! I think with luck he will settle down this year and show his true worth, he is skilful but lacks confidence. give the man a run of 90 minutes and see what he can do!

So. what are we going to spend all of this money on? Well the first thing I would do is pay Spiderman handsomely. make him Captain and do what ever it takes to build a team around him.

Clearly we are going a bit Dutch. so expect a few shackles to be used on maybe two of the Koeman targets that he knows and loves.

Redmond. we need an impact player from the bench. he's the man.

Goalkeeper. Navas. he's available for £8-9 million if we can do a sensible deal on Marshall or Forster.

Look in Scandinavia. we always done well with our Swedish/Norwegian friends. Clause Lundekvan Svensson x 2 and look at Man City for a couple of players that have not made true grade!

25 Jul 2014 21:53:33
I watched the game tonight and was really impressed with Targett, Isgrove, Tadic and Pelle. The latter certainly holds the ball up very well and links play up nicely too. Tadic showed some really nice touches andTargett was solid. Good goal by Isgrove. Right now Lovrens off for top dollar let's hope next week sees some arrivals. If tonight showed anything its clear we definitely need another striker.

25 Jul 2014 20:03:20
sir
i have just been reading the posts on the echo pages comments about lovren going to liverpool
some person has posted
why miss liebherr does nt go elsewhere etc etc claiming to be forestsaint
can I just say that I am not registered on this site and I DID NOT write this post
thank you
forestsaint

25 Jul 2014 18:17:56
Lovren to complete liversaints medical over the weekend as a 20mil price has been agreed. Happy to see these players go that do not want to be at or play for the club. Excuse Mr Lambert in that of course. I have every confidence in the board and the management that the future will be a good one for sfc and everyone involved

25 Jul 2014 17:37:51
I'd be happy with this line up at the start of next season.

GK: Foster
DR: Chambers
DC: Van Dijk/ Ron Vlarr
DC: Fonte
DL: Rojo
DM: Classie
CM: Ward-Prowse
CM: Schneiderlin
AMR: Tadic
AML: Rodriguez
S: Pelle

Subs:
Boruc
Reed
McQueen
Target
Ramirez
Yoshida
Cork
Davies
Gallagher
Wanyama

Sadly it sounds like from what Shneiderlin has said, that he wants to leave too, but replace him with cork in that line up and it's still very strong, I think Cork was just as important as Shneiderlin last year anyway

Don't think Morgan will be here. Start again new manager, new players. Not going to be easy but give the board and Koeman a chance. Might be a blessing in disguise as we have great fans and players like this part of England so I have a feeling we'll be ok. Don't think we'll storm the league but probably about 10th?

25 Jul 2014 17:30:12
I'm pretty gutted Lovren is going. I was still clinging on hoping we would block the move!

Asset stripping big time. Hope I am wrong, but its not looking good. Will keep the faith but its getting harder by the day!

{Ed001's Note - it is not asset stripping as such, they have to right the ship, as Cortese had massively overspent. He had spent on the premise that Markus Liebherr would invest his own money to cover the difference. He was running up debts the club would be unable to cover from its own money and Markus was no longer around to pump money in. Unfortunately for Southampton, the heirs are not interested in putting money in, they want to run it like a business. They removed Cortese and now they are looking to raise capital by selling assets to put the club on an even keel and some to invest on expansion, as well as reinvesting some in the squad.
Just don't expect anything like the amount received to be spent on players coming in to replace them, that is not the plan. Also, don't think Koeman was brought in to be a big name and spend lots. He was brought in because he is willing to work on a limited budget, understands the business model from clubs in Holland and will integrate youth team members as much as possible.
I am sure there will be some more incomings, just don't expect hundreds of millions to be spent now. Your club had become reliant on a sugar daddy, he is no longer around, sadly, and drastic changes needed to be made. We did try and warn you this window would not make for nice watching, but it is with a long term aim. The only question is whether that is to set it up nicely for a sale or whether it is to set it up nicely for a long term solid period of ownership under the Liebherr foundation. I remain to be convinced that the foundation has any interest in keeping hold of the club in the long term, and it is only out of respect for Markus that they are bothering at all, imo. You never know your luck though, one of his heirs might get bitten by the Southampton bug and fall in love with the club.}

25 Jul 2014 11:54:43
So Fonte has received a letter with a two year extension to his contract, does that mean Jack Cork has too?

25 Jul 2014 09:23:51
Southampton Should Just Go Any Buy David Marshall From Cardiff City But Offer Decent Money For Him

Agreed. Its so bloody obvious!!

Cardiff are demanding £10million, he is far from worth it. We should be looking for a fair price for someone to compete with Boruc which can also allow us to invest more into other signings. It's ludicrous to expect the saints board to just spend everything they've got in one go.

Do you know, there is being a good business man, and all that entails and there is being so sloooow, that your competitors laugh at you and steel a march. Think I will go and get my blood pressure tablets. brian Clough would have got off his arse and gone knocking on a few doors!!!

25 Jul 2014 07:40:51
Could it be that all the media talk of Vlaar is a smokescreen and we're really after De Vrij? Also see the Virgil van dijk rumours are starting to gatget pace. Some mates of mine are Celtic fans and say he's immense. Albeit playing in a poor leagu but he does look the business!