29 Dec 2013 21:30:01
Cork to Liverpool, squad looking thin, Rogers knows him very well and JC is getting fed up with Poch. Loan with a view to permanent move in summer before end of transfer window, very very reliable source
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It wouldn't surprise me if Jack Cork did leave as he can't get regularly first team football but I can't see Saints letting him go without having a defensive midfielder or all-round midfielder lined up to pressurise and push both Morgan and Victor.
My opinion only of course because any information I have only comes from my fevered brain!
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When liverpool have all their players fit he will get just as limited game time as he gets here. Gerrard, Lucas, Allen, Henderson will all be ahead of him
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Yeah, Wanyama won't be back until early Feb at the earliest, Cork won't be going anywhere in Jan
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Cork is unlikely to be let go now, he has made a clear case for his spot in the first team in the absence of Wanyama and Schneiderlin and he is necessary back up to them especially with Wanyama out until February.
Also he is very unlikely to be going to Liverpool of all clubs. No offence to Jack Cork, but Liverpool have better in Jordan Henderson and Lucas as well as Stevie G!
Lets face it, we aren't quite at their level yet and our 3rd choice isn't going to be very high up their priority list in January. We're getting there though, as Cork could get his way into the first 11 of most in the league around and below us.
Expect a quiet transfer window, both with incoming and outgoing. We don't tend to make major deals in January, if any deals at all. It's just not the Cortese way. We may see one incoming if the right deal just springs up for us just as we may see a utility player leave us. Other than that unless an offer of ridiculous proportion comes in I imagine none of the players to have featured for us so far this season will be going anywhere.
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Wanyama injury is a stress related fracture, nothing to do with his collision with Guzan at Villa so could recur at anytime. Cork is a good footballer while VW is a big crude instrument. Poch obviously prefers the latter. Recent dip in form is mainly down to back four and goalkeeper changing regularly and not the missing CDM. Also teams have worked out ways to attack us now and plan B hasn't been devised yet. I for one wish big Vic was fit now so people could get a true picture of his strengths and weaknesses rather than the rose coloured spectacle wearers view from earlier this season.
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At the end of the spurs game wanyama was signing autographs and someone asked him when he will be back, he said that he will begin to train lightly next week (this was said after the spurs game)
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Wanyama is more than a 'crude instrument' as you put it, he's a fantastic player and breaks up play very well. The defensive leaks have been down to not having Wanyama in the team, downvote and disagree all you want but it's true, we only conceded so few because we had the least shots against, that was down to Wanyama breaking up most of the play, taking one for the team and fouling when need be and protecting the defence. Wanyama is crucial to our style of play, when we push the defence up we leave a massive gap to exploit, Wanyama is there to stop those gaps from being exploited. 'Light training' is also probably just weight training, he was still in a plastic cast a week ago so it's unlikely that he's running yet
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You're words perfectly describe a spoiler or crude implement so you're actually agreeing with the previous post. Poch loves a spoiler. And a stress fracture can reoccur, no bones about it, pardon the pun lol
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I saw wanyama in town about 2 weeks ago with no cast on!
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Big Vic world class, miss you big guy, always welcome back at Celtic. Chris30
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It looks like palace are about to unload camparna the Spanish under 21 captain might fit in with saints style of play but can't speak English, we know a manager who does.
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So now that teams have worked us out a bit and know how to attack us we are told above that "plan b has not been devised yet".
Are you saying that MP sends us out against the opposition unprepared to change formation when things are not working out on the pitch?
I think you may have point. Chelsea tomorrow who, just a few weeks ago went long and 4 4 2 against us after bringing on BA. We fell apart for twenty minutes under the barrage and looked to me that we did not know what to do too counter the change that they made. Tottenham did the same to us as well playing two up front. Everton the same in the last quarter at Goodison.
Injuries have not helped, we continue to play great football but we do look rather rigid so let's hope plan b comes along soon.
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29 Dec 2013 15:52:37
Saints unlikely to be busy in January according to Pochettino. The manager is content with the squad and will rely on youngsters to fill any gaps. His main concern is to fend off interest in Shaw and Lallana. All reported on Sky.
A bit surprised. I thought a defender was needed
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After result agaisnt everton today think we need a CB at least and maybe someone else
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'I thought a defender was needed'
well, when you're qualified enough to manage a prem club, you can buy a defender
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Yeah but Poch said we wouldn't be in for Osvaldo and well, here he is. Let's just wait and see, I have a feeling we will sign a centre back, unless there is a particularly fantastic one in the youth team (Stephens, Turnbull?) who can slot right into the first team within a season then I can't think we won't sign one.
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MoPo has already said that a number of our under 21's could slot straight into the first team and that includes Stephens and Turnbull, it just doesn't make sense to change a settled defence around, unless forced, Fonte and Lovren know where each other are and play off each others weaknesses, without a proper pre-season together you won't have that with a different CB, don't expect us to buy one during Jan and unless we can get someone better than Lovren, don't expect us to buy during the summer as Stephens and Turnbull will be promoted then
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'After result agaisnt everton today think we need a CB at least and maybe someone else'
we could have Pique and Ramos as a CB, it wouldn't stop us conceding and losing games. Fonte and Lovren are a great pairing
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The team is fantastic for a top of the 'middle of the table' league side, if you understand what I mean, but our Chairman, dear Mr Cortese, does not want Southampton FC to be another Charlton Athletic and be happy with middle of the table every season until they collapse and get relegated.
He has clearly stated that he wants a team that will be playing in Europe by next season and challenging for the Champions League soon after that. Taking that in mind, I'm not sure Saints Academy is churning out those type of players, and with no European football on the horizon in this season and probably next we will have a difficult time attracting those type of players too.
Everton didn't have to play too well today but they beat us - as is usual with Saints we conceded within minutes of getting back into the game [how many times in the six defeats we've had this season has that happened] we're not at Everton's level and we are going to get there by using our Academy?
Only Manchester United, have done that successfully, and that was once with the famous class of '92. Ever since then they and all other top sides have bought players in that improve the squad and team. This requires big, big bucks and an attractive club.
We aren't that to top class players.
The squad can always be improved. I wonder what our ratio of goals to chances created is? Because we have a lot of possession every game but never seem to make it count. There are quite a few areas were Saints could improve in the January window. IF we are ambitious.
If we are just saying we are, well 'fair enough', but everyone had just better accept we will be a fair to good middle table side.
I say we should get some fresh blood in come January.
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The paring bween fonte and lovren isn't the problem is that we do not have quality cover and if we bought omeone like badstubber we would have great competition and cover for if lovren gets ijured because no matter how much you deny it without lovren were f***ed yes yoshida is okay but he is unconsistent and hoovield is not up to it, also that fonte is 30?am I the only person thinking we could use a younger competion who is consistent
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We aren't getting a CB in Jan. Is Badstuber fit yet? Would he even pass a medical? Even if the answer is yes then would he be 'Poch fit' before the end of the season? Doubtful, so what's the point? let's rule out Badstuber then. Most CB's of Lovren's quality or better will be pushing to make WC squads, don't say 'oh we'll buy one for cover' 'cause that's rubbish, if we're not buying better than what we already have then we'll just be going backwards and nobody wants that.
For us to get a CB in Jan they'd need these qualities;
1. Be better than Lovren
2. Be happy to potentially sit on the bench due to form and their fitness
3. Be happy to work as hard as MoPo wants
4. Slot seamlessly into the team
5. No ego
6. NC won't pay stupid wages, so they'd need to be low
7. NC isn't going to spend over the top for players so they'd have to be cheep, which obviously won't happen in January
Now, if we could get someone like that, then yes, sign them up, otherwise no, wait until the summer. So, if you know of someone who'd fit all of those criteria then get on the blower to Les Reed. Just remember, this isn't football manager, we can't add a new manager to a team and get every player we want on a free. The reality is us getting a CB in Jan is slim-to-none
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Good points, clearly made and well thought out.
I just don't see any of the criteria fitting into the 'we can get into the Champions League' and 'challenge for the Premier League title' philosophy of Mr Cortese. The mantra is not supposed to be 'how' but 'when' - repeated by players and in a tv articles after interviewing our Chairman.
If so, you don't get this on the cheap or by being unambitious. Unless your plan is to achieve this in around 10 years time.
I don't think that's his plan, so I am confused as to how he intends to do it.
I also feel if Saints finish 9th this season - which is looking very likely the more results go this season - and then look like finishing in that position next season, it will be 'bye-bye Mauricio' ala Adkins.
I would like some of the deadwood shipped out at least - have you seen some of the palyers in the 25? We can do better than them can't we - Lee Barnard for instance, Billy Sharp?
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By cheap it means going rate i. e we bought Lovren for between 8 and 9 mil in the summer, if we were to get the same player in Jan it would likely cost us 12+. Cortese is pretty shrewd, as shown by our agent fees, he doesn't like paying more than he has to. Unless he can get an absolute bargain he won't buy, that's all was meant by cheap
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Lovren was (apparently) around the £6.8 million mark. That is the level of deal Cortese wants us to be making and he knows most clubs won't go so cheap in January. So yes, he'll look for the top quality improvements as he always does, but he won't pay large fees to get them.
This season the 'high to top of mid table' should be our true objective. Challenge to see if we can get 8th, or maybe even 7th. Give the 'big' teams a real second thought about us, as well as showing our potential summer buys what we really are about. Then in the summer we can make our deals, when the prices will be closer to acceptable and we will have proper time to integrate into the squad so players can get into the swing of things like Lovren and Wanyama did before mounting a proper European challenge with a top notch side next season with depth.
This season therefore we have 2 clear objectives, one of which we need to rely on other results to make happen but would make a real statement.
1) Like I said, a 'top of mid table finish' with 7th/8th/9th secured.
2) Beat Manchester United at home on the final day of the season. If we do that and by some coincidence it costs them Europe, that would really put us on the map as the team that ended the presence of the red devils in Europe and would make more players interested in joining us.
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On an Italian site says we're in for Astori & Cesar from QPR in Jan?!
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Can't see that. Why would Cesar go from being a back-up at QPR to being a back-up at Saints? Unless he is very confident he'll take Boruc's place. Does Astori fit into our current plans.
Despite my many whinges and moans on this rumours page [which is getting more like a general forum and I've been part of that problems so I apologise Ed'] I can't see Saints really getting anyone in unless they are absolutely brilliant and it would be mental not to sign them on.
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What's the point in Cesar? surely he's no better than Boruc and will be retiring soon anyway? what is he now like 50?
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