Current Avatar:
No Avatar image uploaded
No Avatar image uploaded
Southampton Rumours Member Posts
Saints123's Profile
Saints123's Posts and Other Poster's Replies To Saints123's Posts
To Saints123's last 5 rumours posts
To Saints123's last 5 banter posts
To Saints123's last 5 rumour replies
To Saints123's last 5 banter replies
Saints123's rumours posts with other poster's replies to Saints123's rumours posts
05 Feb 2019 19:26:20
Anyone know anything about Danny Ings injury? Been looking online for updates and can't find anything.
1.) 05 Feb 2019 23:46:11
Let's hope that the old saying " no news is good news " is right.
06 Jun 2018 20:12:28
Liverpool apparently now in for Shaqiri. Smart move, cut out the middle man and just go straight for the players we're linked with.
1.) 07 Jun 2018 12:30:36
haha. If 12M is true, I would quite like him here.
08 Apr 2018 11:43:03
Huge game today. Not just about the result, we need to go out there and make a statement that we're not going down without a fight.
If we have a go at them and lose, fine. They're a top 6 team and they're better than us. I'm just not sure I can stand to watch another performance like we saw against Newcastle and West Ham.
As a side note, why does anyone think that Shane Long is the answer for us? The bloke can't score. Southampton fans seem to consistently kid themselves that the grass is greener and change for the sake of change produces results. We did it when we engineered Puel's sacking. We did it throughout Pellegrino's reign, and in sacking Pellegrino as well which already looks like it's not making much difference. Just because long is a hard worker and doesn't have the same accusations of laziness thrown his way as someone like Gabbi, doesn't mean that he's going to suddenly develop the end product that he's never had.
1.) 08 Apr 2018 13:32:14
Just seen the team sheet. apparently our manager disagrees with me!
Shane Long hat-trick and I'll be eating some of the best tasting humble pie anyone could have come 4pm lol.
2.) 08 Apr 2018 15:58:02
Just a slice will do. better performance shame not to get a point really. Arsenal is still arsenal no matter the 11 starting and no shame in today.
3.) 08 Apr 2018 16:42:12
HI guys
Just watched the match two very important points what on earth does the managers past and present see in dusan tadic, he is one of the worst players I have seen in a long long time, he contributes absolutely nothing but the last three managers have all played him does he hold something over the club? second point is our defence is appalling not a decent defender amongst them. No wonder were in this position we can't hold on to a lead, how many games have we been infront and ended up losing I don't care if we stay up or go down I won't buy another season ticket .
4.) 08 Apr 2018 19:22:45
Today we played well
All over the park players actually showed up
Shane held the line up front and our defence were shaky at times but held their own
Even though we lost we played better and if we can take this game onto our next we have a chance against the lesser teams we’ve got to come up against
So it’s not all doom and gloom from today.
5.) 09 Apr 2018 18:40:17
Completely agree Diggy. There were still errors which aren't good enough, but it's time we accept that won't be fixed until next season. They showed fight, which is the big thing I wanted to see.
Also agree completely re. Tadic. I just don't get it. He's consistently poor. There was one moment yesterday when Shane squared it and Tadic had to beat one of Arsenal's defenders to the ball. It wasn't even a 50/ 50.Tadic was favourite to get there, and he just completely bi***d out of the challenge. That, for me, is criminal, particularly in the midst of a relegation scrap. Honestly if I was MH I wouldn't have cared that it was about 10 mins in. I'd have ripped him off the pitch there and then and he wouldn't have got back on it until he'd won 100 50/ 50s on the training pitch. I feel like that is the sort of accountability we lack.
6.) 10 Apr 2018 11:47:20
123 - totally agree. I thought he could have done more to prevent the cross for the (third I think) goal.
25 Jan 2018 20:53:11
Eds are you hearing any names linked to the saints other than Carillo and Promes? Just curious, the rumours seem to all be about those two.
{Ed002's Note - Nicolas Gaitan remains of interest as a loanee but it might prove difficult. Interest remains in Ben Godfrey but nothing can now happen until the summer.}
27 Jul 2017 08:40:09
Patrick Roberts rumours seem to be gathering steam - Eds any idea on whether this is likely, and whether it is likely to be a loan or a permanent transfer?
Think he could be a good buy for us, but personally I wouldn't't want him unless there's at least an option to buy.
1.) 27 Jul 2017 12:17:27
If we want this type of player I don't understand why we didn't get Murphy now of Newcastle. Much better player all round!
Saints123's banter posts with other poster's replies to Saints123's banter posts
29 Apr 2019 10:19:34
Does the City of Southampton have a King at the moment? If not, I say give RH the job, maybe it'll make him want to stay for ever and ever :p.
1.) 29 Apr 2019 19:01:43
The trouble is we all want our manager to be the best, but the better they are (Poch and Kerman), the more likely they are to move up. If they are the opposite, they get the sack. You can’t win unless your club is one of the top few.
2.) 30 Apr 2019 03:01:21
Hi guys
We have obviously unearthed a gem in RH and
he is naturally attracting interest from everywhere. He obviously loves the club and the youth policy and the great facilities etc. I believe that the recruitment of the new director of football and scouting is all part of the new football orientated process and a definite move in the right direction. We need to recognise that good/ great managers are very rare and football is a totally unique job marketplace plus we need to recognise how much a succession of poor managers has cost us in pay offs, acquiring poor quality expensive players the legacy of which we still have to carry and we are not going to be rid of these bench warmers in the short term plus let's face it this relegation struggle over the last 3 seasons has been damaging to the club's reputation and has prevented us attracting quality players also let's face it watching saints before RH was no longer a pleasure and no wonder crowds at St Mary's have dropped off. With RH and the other staff we need to reward them not only financially but emotionally and give them pretty much free rein to go back to the old Southampton way of a pathway for the youth and potential players from lower divisions and ensure as much as possible that they are not going to be tempted to go anywhere else. I read that Mark Hughes has been paid off by various clubs £15m and Jose Mourinho £51m, so failure costs! We need to go back to our roots and start again punching above our weight, as we don't have a super rich backer or huge fan base. I read also that Tottenhams new stadium catering/ corporate facilities are contributing £800k every home game which pays Harry Kane's wages! I really hope that RH is the start of a new brighter era at St Mary's and let's get back to being the best of the rest! coyr.
14 Apr 2019 10:59:57
Hi guys. Haven't been posting on here much lately but with our status now effectively secured, I'm starting to think about the summer. It shows what a difference a manager can make that the wholesale changes which felt unavoidable a few months ago suddenly feel much less urgent, but I do think it's important we remember the problems we had and don't get too comfortable.
OUT (if we can find buyers) : Austin, Forster, Lemina, Elyounoussi, Hoedt, Cedric, Clasie, Carillo. I find it very difficult to see a future here for any of these players; Lemina would be the one that if he showed the right attitude, I'd give another chance to.
RETURN TO SQUAD FROM LOAN: Reed, Boufal, McQueen.
BUY
RB: Doesn't have to be a star as I think we should give Valery every chance to start next year. He needs competition and a backup though. Let's call it an £8-10m player.
CB: I think we have space for a quality player to start next to Bednarek, but equally if the right guy at the right price isn't available, I'm comfortable with Vestergaard alongside him and then Yoshi when we play 3/ 5 at the back. Ideally though, a £15-20 mil player.
W: This is where I'd like to see us pull off a bit of a coup. Redmond has been fantastic and I'm a huge fan of Josh Sims, but they're our only real first team players with pace and directness. I have high hopes that Hassenhutl could get the best out of Boufal, but that'd take time and should be considered a bonus. £30m on a winger/ attacker with pace would take us to the next level. One name that springs to mind is Lookman, who I think would be a quality signing.
ST: £20m striker, which for us is a major signing, who fits Hassenhutl's philosophy and can compete with Ings and enable us to overcome the almost inevitable period's where Ings will be injured. Divock Origi comes to mind as an option that could fit well given his experience of a similar style at Liverpool, although I do find that slightly uninspiring. Anyone have any better ideas?
I think with this, we'd have a streamlined squad with plenty of youngsters to serve as true depth - the likes of Obafemi, Johnson, Ramsey, Slattery and so on. Total spend of £80m which, given the fairly major clearout and money we'd gain from it, I think is perfectly realistic. I'm playing football manager a bit here and realise this is probably too much work for us to pull off in one summer, so let's call it an ideal plan for the next two windows.
Following this, our first team would look like (possible signings in Caps) : Gunn, Valery, Bertrand, Bednarek, SARR, Romeu, Hojbjerg, JWP, Redmond, LOOKMAN, Ings (SUBS: McCarthy, Vestergaard, MAEHLE/ Targett, Reed, Armstrong, Sims, ORIGI) .
Let me know your thoughts! Do you agree with the broad outline of what we need? And who specifically do you think would fit the bill?
1.) 14 Apr 2019 13:32:21
Agree with all of that - I’d maybe add Long and Stephens to the outgoings list, and would like about £75-80m for that lot (£25-30m for Lemina if PSG/ RM are gullible enough to pay that much) .
Would be happy with Maehle at RB, he fits the mould. I remember Upamecano being mentioned but I think he might be a bit out of our league. Still fancy Ralph to uncover some rough diamonds in Germany a la PEH.
I do love Vestergaard - he was one of my dream signings I’d make for Saints on FIFA! But I do think we need back up there. And hopefully we can bring some academy products through as well.
I think Lookman has potential, haven’t seen much from him recently but with the right management I think he could do a job. Also like the look of Herrmann at Mönchengladbach, I believe he’s out of contract in the summer so would be a steal. Can play RW or CF and he’s a hard worker.
Finding the goal scorer is always going to be the big one. Ings can get 12-15 factoring in injuries. Defence will add 5, midfield and subs about 15 and wingers another 10. So we still lack that 20+ goal machine like Rickie to propel us up the table. I do like Origi, just wonder whether Liverpool will give us both their peripheral forwards.
Sturridge is also on the wings and I think also out of contract - much like Ings if he stays fit he is a goal scorer, but againa big if. Other than that there’s Adams we’ve been linked with, maybe Maupay of Brentford? But they aren’t exactly household names in the striker business. I trust us to find someone, and I trust that they have also highlighted these areas given their silence in January.
Expecting 4-2-2-2 for the season, my side would be;
Gunn; Bertrand Bednarek Vestergaard/ New Maehle/ Valery; PEH Romeu; JWP Redmond/ New; Ings New
Bench: Macca Sims Vester/ CB Obafemi Sims Armstrong RB.
2.) 16 Apr 2019 10:26:32
It depends what RH wants to do – play his preferred 4-2-2-2, or as he’s done all season, adapt himself and simply look to bring in one or two to strengthen positions.
In the premier league, matches are won and lost in the transition phase; the team who reacts best to winning possession and equally to losing it, is the team most likely to win the game. Most teams press and the game is played at high pace, whether the ball is on the deck or played direct. To succeed you need composed players who are very comfortable on the ball across the board. We’ll hopefully have the advantage of developing these types of players in our youth ranks but we’ll probably need to bring some more in to strengthen the first team over the next few seasons.
A good keeper like Timo Horn at Koln who can play with ball at feet would be useful. Vestergaard is too ungainly, lacks technical ability and is too slow for me. If we bring in another centre back, someone like Matthias De Ligt from Ajax would be great. His exposure is high now though so think this would be unlikely and expensive but someone of that ilk. Hoedt could still be an asset under a much better coach like RH.
We need back up at right back unless Harrison Reed is going to play there. Cedric may well be on his way with Valery ahead of him in the pecking order. RH seems a little unconvinced by Matt Targett so it may be a young left back is required too.
I’d like to see Lemina given a chance in a team that’s actually working hard and doing well. I’d also like to see Elyounoussi get a chance in an improved Saints side too. Its hard for a young player to change countries and leagues, styles of play and go from a top team down to one fighting relegation. let's not be too quick to ship him off unless RH feels his work ethic or attitude aren’t right, but I’ve not seen evidence of that in his performances. Romeu I still worry about in terms of his awareness, concentration and sometimes he’s just plain sloppy. A new defensive midfielder or even someone like Classie who again, may fair better under a better coach and different system. He can certainly use the ball well and break up play.
I don’t think Boufal will ever work hard enough to fit in under RH so he’s likely to leave. Austin can go. I agree we need back up for Ings and ideally a player in a similar mould. Last season, I could see Origi as a possibility but Klopp has been very vocal about liking him and this season, he’s shown more of his ability so I can’t see him leaving Liverpool. I’m not sure of other names that fit the bill so will have to do a bit of research.
Under RH, this squad of players can achieve top 10. I think the main position crying out for added depth are right back and a hard working creative striker. Maybe a right sided wide player too as we have a few for the left side. If we’re to play 4-2-2 we’ll need another defensive and another attacking midfielder.
3.) 16 Apr 2019 20:55:40
There's zero chance of De Ligt unfortunately, but I agree that he's the type of player we would be after in terms of a CB who's comfortable on the ball. I was wondering whether Hoedt could fit the bill, but I just decided he was too clumsy when he played for us and didn't give me much reason to have faith, even under a better coach. The same goes for Elyounoussi. I have no issue with his work ethic, but I just saw nothing to justify his transfer fee or place in the squad. No pace, no quality on the ball, and none of the skill that his YouTube highlights promised. Based on his role since he joined, I had to conclude that RH feels the same.
Lemina's a tricky one. He's not been seen since being subbed off in the first half in what (if my memory is correct) was his first or second game under RH. It was one of the more bizarre performances I've ever seen by a Saints player - he looked exhausted from the first minute. He's our best midfielder, and quite possibly best player in terms of pure ability, but he just feels like a player that won't adapt to RH. The difference between him and Boufal, for me, is Lemina actually has some transfer value, so is less worth the risk of just keeping him around and seeing what RH can get out of him.
30 Oct 2018 06:49:42
I really would like to hear why Josh Sims is not at the club right now. He looked so lively last year and strikes me as someone who could give us a shot in the arm now.
elyounoussi hasn't looked great, and Redmond's lack of end product doesn't seem like its going to change now. We need someone direct, energetic and fearless. And the best candidate is currently out on loan! Ridiculous.
1.) 30 Oct 2018 12:24:22
What surprised me is that the club allowed him to go on loan knowing that we lack (debatable) quality, but obviously depth, in the wings. Other than Redmond and Elyounessi we have no other natural wingers. We got rid of two in Boufal and Tadic while only getting one in Elyounessi. Letting go of Sims baffled me as he would have a better chance to get opportunities this season than the last.
2.) 30 Oct 2018 12:39:47
Totally agree re Sims, A Reading season ticket holder told me that Sims is a shining light in what is so far a poor season for them.
equally frustrating is the comments from Hughes. He seems to think that luck is all that stands in our way to really move up to around 10th.
Bias aside, after 10 games and the football I have seen, we look to be in the bottom 5 teams in the division. Our place in the league, is about right but Hughes would have us believe we have been unlucky.
3.) 30 Oct 2018 12:49:08
Why stop at Sims. Sam mcqueen looks better than targett and harrison reed looked as good as what we have in the middle. To me saints look like they've been playing with fear for a couple of years. like they're being drilled. "whatever you do don't concede, don't lose". any flair player is deemed a risk and Sims was a player who looked like he wanted to get forward as quick as possible. I know rumours of boufal being trouble behind the scenes were rife but he falls under the same umbrella wanted to break quickly and be at the attacking end of the pitch. I don't know how far it can be stretched but whether the takeover and premier league survival has impacted . who knows but I've said for years now, I would rather lose 3-2, 2-1 playing with flair and excitement than what's being happening for years. fear a long cold winter with not a lot to cheer is ahead.
4.) 30 Oct 2018 18:46:48
You’re right razor, a long hard winter.
I admit I was not keen on Hughes in the first place and I am still not sure that a manager with his points to games ratio would still be in a job. Personally, based on Hughes points to games for saints, I can see a relegation battle and having to make a quick appointment again with only a handful of games left to turn things around. Our last 2 manergerial appointments have been beyond poor and worse than CP.
5.) 31 Oct 2018 05:21:59
Completely agree that Hughes attitude and refusal to accept any responsibility is infuriating. That's the biggest reason I want him gone, it's pathetic and childish. Someone who doesn't accept there's a problem isn't going to fix anything.
Don't agree with what you said about McQueen and Reed though Rayzer, think that's just the old 'grass is greener' view. Reed and McQueen have given nobody reason to believe they're better than the likes of Bertrand/ Targett, and Lemina, Hojbjerg et al.
Would like to see a bit more of Armstrong.
6.) 31 Oct 2018 11:15:06
yeah agree there 123. I would definitely like to see armstrong play at no. 10 in a 4-2-3-1- formation. also agree with the grass being greener. we have a decent squad, and reed and mcqueen were highly unlikely to get much gametime. wish sims had stayed though.
05 Oct 2018 08:29:23
Bit out of left field, and not too sure if he'd come after being linked with Arsenal, but Mikel Arteta? I'd have thought we're a reasonable start for his career, since a top 6 team seems overly optomistic with no real experience yet. Michael Carrick is another similar guy that comes to mind, but maybe he's a few years as a number 2 away from being ready to manage.
1.) 05 Oct 2018 20:01:49
Interesting shout. He has played quite an important role coaching at City and I understand he was very close to being selected by Arsenal last summer before they bottled it and went for experience. Not sure he showed much though when he was stand-in head coach for their first Champions league game. Would be quite the gamble. But rather someone like him than any of Moyes, Allardyce, Pulis, Bruce etc. At least if we take a gamble it looks the club are trying to shake us out of this slumber.
2.) 06 Oct 2018 15:23:14
Exactly - I think it's a gamble to hire a manager like the ones you named as well, in terms of risking continuing our current stagnation.
Thoughts on Carrick? Hardly receiving the best tutelage under Mourinho right now but he's always had an outstanding football brain and seems destined for management eventually.
3.) 06 Oct 2018 21:16:33
Carrick still feels a little green around the gills to me. Its one thing being an intelligent footballer playing under good managers and with some of the best players in the world, but we're talking now about the right personality to not only have a good football brain but be a motivator and an excellent coach, someone with an eye for current talent and potential and how best to utilise it.
I'm all for gambling but the risk of failure is much higher with someone with such limited experience. I think managers need to show they have the required skillset and its not as simple as hiring someone who was a good footballer, an intelligent footballer or even a good coach. Managers aren't always the best coaches, nor ex-top pros. I appreciate you understand this more than some.
Its just a bit of a catch 22 because how do you find out if a coach or someone with limited experience is capable without giving them a try? I'm just not sure our pool of options should be so broad as to consider everyone, nor should it be so narrow as to focus just on current managers with or without Premier League experience. I'm happy for the club to take a gamble on someone and stand by them and give them time to make a change. But not such a gamble that the chances of success are intangible guess work.
4.) 08 Oct 2018 00:45:38
Hi guys
Another very disapointing performance,5 points from a possible 24 is quite simply pitiful. We have spent £50m over the summer and we are worse than last season, and we thought that impossible. I will be honest I thought MH was a good choice but we are still facing the same issues, we can't score, we can't defend.
There seems to be a real lack of quality manager potential replacements so we jump from the frying pan into the fire. We now have 2 weeks where presumably the management sit down with MH and training staff and acknowledge what is happening is not acceptable, training whatever is not working and we have to totally rethink our current methods. We are so far away from playing modern possession based football, we struggle to string 5 passes together,
to pass out from the back on the floor is an impossible dream, players lacking confidence, also unwilling to take responsibility, we all know that with this squad we should not be in this situation, look at what Eddie Howe has done at bmth, play attractive football, very competitive score goals keep clean sheets, soccer is not complicated so let's see what happens. coyr.
5.) 08 Oct 2018 22:40:30
I've said it before and i'll say it again . I was absolutely shocked to see that MH had none won two PL games in a row since Nov/ Dec 2016!
And that sums up exactly what we are seeing here. MH does not know how to hold on to a lead or come from behind. What is happening here at SFC is a mirror of his previous managerial appointments. He just doesn't know how to win. Winning games is an absolute prerequisite of not just staying in the PL but being succesful within it.
It's not going to get any better . his past record shows that.
Southampton has to be brave now and accept their mistake (again) . It's not like he has a record of achievement; he has a record of non achievement.
So as a few posters have said, get rid of MH and replace by who?
well MR Black Box . wherever/ however you found M Poch . go do it again!
Or . we are heading out of the PL . and if we do survive, it will be a struggle . for the team and the fans.
6.) 08 Oct 2018 22:51:28
Definitely agree VintageSaint. The board should be telling MH and his gang to step up. It's quite embarrassing that we spent that much over summer break and are in the position we are. Coaching staff needs to change but, as you said, there doesn't seem to be any quality replacement unless we go with a fresh manager who may or may not have better luck.
Our players need to sit down with management and be told they need to work better. This isn't Sunday league it's the best league in the world and if they don't change or even put more effort at simple things like passing, then good riddence.
01 Oct 2018 09:12:24
What's everyone thinking then?
Last year I was a big believer in giving MP time to work. This year I'm torn. On one hand I want us to do the same with Hughes and not become a team that just switches manager with every run of form. On the other hand, I didn't think Hughes was the right man when we hired him, didn't think he was the right man when we extended him, and still don't think he's the right man now!
We have looked completely anaemic, and but for Danny Ings would really be in the thick of the relegation zone right now. I fear even the shot in the arm that Ings gave us could wear off with too much more of this. What worries me most is hearing Hughes talk post-match. No responsibility or accountability, we're always unlucky and he seems to take some bizarre pride in not getting hammered! He loves to say we don't 'manage games' well - I think the issue is the exact opposite. Stop trying to manage games and gauge your intensity according to the situation. Play football with intensity for 90 minutes in every game, and results will come.
My approach - Hughes has a month to turn things around, then I say get someone else in with some time to evaluate the squad before January. I don't like saying this because it's not typically how you move a club forward, but then neither is hiring Mark Hughes so desperate times!
1.) 01 Oct 2018 10:49:52
As you know, I feel exactly the same as you. I don’t rate MH and after 15 games in charge, his points and good record is worse than MP2. Has he made a difference? I don’t think so. Looking at teams like Chelsea and West Ham, with new managers coming in over the summer, new styles of play and looking to get that message across to the players, they were inconsistent at the start of the season (albeit successful as far as Chelsea goes), but the last week has seen them starting to bring things together, be more cohesive and play the new style with more consistency and direction. So surely, if MH was changing things we would see it by now.
Since Koeman, our defence has eroded at a frightening pace. The half court press under his watch was balanced by a stronger attack. Under Puel, that similar approach looked lopsided as our attack faltered. MP2 again took a similar approach but teams had cottoned onto our lack of firepower and could be more adventurous against us. Now, under MH, we commit more bodies forward but that’s leaving us wide open at the back. It was exactly the same problem he had at Stoke. He wants to outscore the opposition every game but fails to see the flaws in the set up of the team. He blames losses on our failure to convert chances, rather than acknowledging too our failure to stop the opposition scoring.
I’m not an advocate for sacking managers after 7 or 8 games if things aren’t going well because I think the club needs stability now. The problem is, they keep on hiring the wrong person as they’ve completely lost touch with the vision and unity that got us back to the Premier League in the first place.
Football has evolved massively in the last decade and I am adamant that some of the old timers have been left behind. Their coaching methods, tactics and approach to the game is no longer good enough to keep up with the new coaching methods brought in by the new generation both home and abroad. Pep is no secret, Julian Nagglesmann, Sarri, Tuchel, Klopp, MP etc. They’re not all young by the way. They are just the new breed of coach/ manager who are looking to innovate and progress and have all found ways of making their teams better and changing the football landscape.
If we want to avoid following the likes of West Brom, Stoke, Sunderland, Newcastle, Swansea, we must look to bring in a new head coach with the ability to revolutionise the way we play football. To create a system and style that will be our blueprint for years to come. Us aside, that’s also what brought Swansea such success but their fate was sealed when they left it behind and went through a string of managers simply hoping for Prem survival each season. We are now in a cycle where we are doing exactly the same. So as far as timing goes, the sooner we correct this error in judgment, the better.
So in my view, our next appointment must be a head coach or manager with an innovative approach who likes the team to play in a way that’s easy on the eye and can make a team better than the sum of its parts. They don’t need to have Prem experience. We then need to give them the time to make the changes they need and give them off the field support to do it. Or endure more torrid football and relegation if not this season then in the near future.
2.) 01 Oct 2018 19:40:34
I agree that we need someone with a new approach but we need to give him time which surely means giving MH his P45 soon. I think that MH is too set in his ways and is unable to change his approach. He has very little idea of how to set up his defence and even though he was a pretty good striker himself he doesn't seem able to get the strikers we have scoring.
3.) 05 Oct 2018 08:28:30
I agree. Young manager with energy, fresh ideas and ambition. The club needs a shake up. The problem is, that is something which is more effectively done over the summer. So I can see an argument that if we think Hughes will keep us up, we should stick with him until then.
15 Jul 2019 19:42:51
I think loaning Lemina out would be different to someone like Hoedt or Clasie though. He's unquestionably talented, and it could be a good financial move.
I could easily seeing him excelling somewhere like Atalanta and suddenly we're sitting on a £30-40m player.
03 Jun 2019 11:54:37
Not convinced we should be looking for a CM personally, unless we sell someone that is. Lemina's return and promise at the end of the season would make him feel like a new signing given that he wasn't involved in any of the improvement we showed last season, while Slattery seems ready to get more involved. That'd give us Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Lemina, Romeu, Armstrong and Slattery as main contenders for 2/ 3 positions.
If the right holding midfielder was available, that can do Romeu's defensive job while providing a bit more passing/ creativity in attack/ build up, then that'd be the one that can improve us.
12 May 2019 10:23:38
I think this would be a good buy. I've thought we could use a decent target man for a while. My concern with him was whether he suits Hassenhutl's style, which seems a lot more based on speed and stamina. So I didn't think we'd go for him, but if we do sign him I'll be happy since he's young, has an eye for goal, a bit of an edge to him and if we sign him, RH obviously thinks he fits his style.
With him as a target man with Redmond and another quick signing - Augustin, Lookman, etc - either side I think we'd look very dangerous.
14 Apr 2019 10:27:31
His transfer is mandatory if what I read at the time was correct, so we don't have a choice.
Either way, I'd say its worth it. He showed his quality again yesterday - players like that are hard to find. We need to find another as it is (I don't expect Austin to be here next year, or think that he should, and if Long stays it needs to be as our 3rd) .
I think a healthy Danny Ings has 20 goals in him playing in the side I saw play yesterday. There are questions over his ability to stay healthy, but I'll take that over whoever else we'd bring in, who'd likely have questions over their actual ability!
04 Mar 2019 08:00:32
Sessengnon would be awesome - maybe the fact that he's failed to set the PL alight would give us a shot at getting him. Still likely to cost more than we'd spend, though.
Cairney would definitely be worth a look, as would Mitrovic. Can't decide if Mitro would fit our play though; we've lacked a strong presence up top since Pelle but I sense Hassenhutl would prefer pace and work rate up top.
23 Apr 2019 08:19:07
If only!
16 Apr 2019 20:55:40
There's zero chance of De Ligt unfortunately, but I agree that he's the type of player we would be after in terms of a CB who's comfortable on the ball. I was wondering whether Hoedt could fit the bill, but I just decided he was too clumsy when he played for us and didn't give me much reason to have faith, even under a better coach. The same goes for Elyounoussi. I have no issue with his work ethic, but I just saw nothing to justify his transfer fee or place in the squad. No pace, no quality on the ball, and none of the skill that his YouTube highlights promised. Based on his role since he joined, I had to conclude that RH feels the same.
Lemina's a tricky one. He's not been seen since being subbed off in the first half in what (if my memory is correct) was his first or second game under RH. It was one of the more bizarre performances I've ever seen by a Saints player - he looked exhausted from the first minute. He's our best midfielder, and quite possibly best player in terms of pure ability, but he just feels like a player that won't adapt to RH. The difference between him and Boufal, for me, is Lemina actually has some transfer value, so is less worth the risk of just keeping him around and seeing what RH can get out of him.
26 Jan 2019 20:40:55
Boufal's the one for me. I think there's a top player in there somewhere and if RH gets hold of him and Boufal is willing to commit to doing the work, I think he could be useful for us.
26 Jan 2019 20:39:27
I'm not sure I'm ready to give up on Lemina. It all depends what RH sees in training though. Last few games he's played for us, Lemina has looked well short of the intensity/ fitness I'd expect, but if RH does think he can get through to him, then he's the type of player that'll take us to another level.
PEH, JWP and Lemina, all motivated and not suspended (cheap dig at PEH! ), is a midfield 3 that can take us places sitting between a strong back 4 and 3 pacey attackers.
22 Jan 2019 22:01:10
Well said. Also important to remember that Sala was the most famous person on board but not the only person on board, so fingers crossed for them all.