29 Jun 2022 11:54:23
So. newsflash from Southampton FC to my email account with headline, "You're going to want to see this!"

New player being announced I hoped . no, the new Saints home shirt.

Let's put more effort into getting players wearing the shirt than redesigning a perfectly good red and white striped shirt with a pillar box down the middle.

1.) 29 Jun 2022
29 Jun 2022 20:09:32
What are you moaning about? We’re less than 3 weeks into the transfer window with two players signed, 22 million spent and at least another two who are joining imminently

Literally cannot please Southampton fans

2.) 30 Jun 2022
29 Jun 2022 22:49:26
New shirt is pants!
Signings are pants too - 2 keepers and (another) young centre back. I can hardly contain my excitement! Before you say that the centre back comes from the Bundesliga, I would remind you that that's where Vestergaard came from. We are still not addressing the problem of no proven goal scorer. WE NEED A STRIKER WHO CAN SCORE IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

3.) 30 Jun 2022
29 Jun 2022 22:52:33
But what have we got for 22 million? Goalkeeper (x2) and a young centre back. Not going to keep us up, sorry.

4.) 30 Jun 2022
30 Jun 2022 12:31:28
I think you're going to be very disappointed then Peter, a lot of the players we are linked with are being plucked straight from the big 6's youth academy's. This seems to be our transfer strategy.

I don't think we're going to get a striker "that can score in the Premier League" or at least a striker that's already been there and done that.

Spurs have just spent £50m on Richarilson, an experienced PL striker. But the most goals he's ever scored in a season is 13.
I don't think there aren't actually that many out and out proven PL strikers that will score 15+ goals a season. If there were they wouldn't come to Southampton.

Trust the board, trust the process. We're not a top 10 side, we're not a side that will get consistently get into Europe. We lucked out a few seasons ago under Keoman and I think that's because the quality of the squad was so much better than it is now. Look at what some of the players have gone onto achieve.

Fonte - Captain of Lille, went on to win the French League at 36
VVD - Regarding as the best CB in the world
Alderweireld - consistently helped Spurs finish in the top 4
Davis - Still playing at Rangers who got to the Europa league final
Tadic - He's putting up ridiculous numbers in Holland and he's helped Ajax into the latter stages onto the CL.
Mane - he's won everything with Liverpool and AFCON.

Also, these players weren't household names when we signed them, they became who they are today through what they did and achieved during their time at Southampton. So don't write off the board and new players before they've even kicked a ball because we don't know what they could achieve or accomplish yet. We're not a team that can go out and easily get experienced PL players.

5.) 30 Jun 2022
30 Jun 2022 12:53:19
Sainty - it’s not moaning - it’s stating the obvious and as a fan for 50 years I’m entitled to my opinion as indeed you are. We have look and few of an average championship squad as I’ve said and the £22M we’ve spent will not make much difference to the quality of the squad this year.
As has been expressed by many others who are equally entitled to their opinion - we have little up front - who’s going to score the goals we will need to stay up. Trust the Board - let’s see eh?!

6.) 30 Jun 2022
30 Jun 2022 20:28:11
This is a *new* board, it’s their first summer and so far they’ve been proactive, revamping the coaching staff and buying (so far) two of the most highly rated youth players in Europe with another two lined up. Without btw, selling any of our current players first

Last season the quality of the squad wasn’t the issue - proven by the fact that between December and March we were the most in form team besides city, losing just twice. The issue was squad depth - injuries and fatigue caught up and cost us

Yes it would be lovely to buy a proven 10/15/20 goal a season striker but as saintjay pointed out transfer fee wise that’s not realistic in the current market and as one of the ed’s pointed out before the club are very close to their financial fair play limits so even if they had £50+ million to blow on a striker they couldn’t offer them the wages they’d want anyway

7.) 02 Jul 2022
01 Jul 2022 23:51:01
I see it differently to you Sainty although I accept that your point about the Board being new is valid.
However, I think the lack of quality and depth was a problem - each season our starting eleven gets weaker. We no longer have anyone who is world class like Mane, VVD - we hardly have anyone of true international class ( I wouldn’t count S Armstrong or McAdams as quality internationals). JWP and KWP are fringe internationals.
So I ask you Sainty - how many of our players would get starting places in the top 17 sides last season?
Probably three if you count Livramento who is potentially a top player.
The trouble is, if we are to compete we MUST invest in goals, one way or the other. It may mean making some difficult choices but we need to get rid of the likes of Walcott and one or two others to reduce the wage bill so we can attract players.
We have plenty of excuses/reasons as to why we are going to struggle but if we don’t change things we will start the new season as we finished the last. In our last 7 or 8 games we picked up just 5 points wasn’t it?

8.) 03 Jul 2022
03 Jul 2022 07:04:52
SURPRISE- The Season may potentially be shaping up With Light At The End Of The Tunnel.A couple of promising class young players signed with a few more in the pipeline and especially the recruitment of much needed speciality Coaching Staff.We will probably be the Youngest Team In The League - but that’s all good (when bedded in)I would prefer to see talented Young Players (win,lose or draw) with ambition giving 100%each time rather than a few ‘Prima-Donnas’ skilled at “Disappearing”for long periods during a game-Plus Purchase Prices and wages expenditure would be considerably less.Conquer the previous history of selection problems (which now look promising)and we could set a prescedent and become the Envy of the League with future Player windfalls almost guarenteed.We need to include 2/3 Sharp Shooters!Please note I haven’t criticised Ralph Once!

9.) 03 Jul 2022
03 Jul 2022 11:05:32
In the words of Alan Hanson, “you win nothing with youngsters” so let’s hope lightning strikes twice!
Love your optimism Johnnyst - here’s to the class of 22!
And well done for not knocking Ralph - he hasn’t put a foot wrong all week!

10.) 04 Jul 2022
04 Jul 2022 03:18:32
Heh Millertime-appreciate your observation.Perhaps he’s taken a short holiday!