Dusic

Did well today IMO.

I don't think much thought is given to whether people can get to the game. They just consider the areas around the ground and whether that will be safe. Unfortunately quite a lot from outside Soton will struggle to get there. Shame as its such a huge match.

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/16051409.Euro_dreams_drive_Saints_on/ Some truely baffling quotes in here from JWP. Head. In. Sand. In fact, I can't remember a single player interview where they have even acknowledged we are in a relegation battle. We definitely aren't too good to go down...

Would be annoying for it to be moved as would start a bit of a fixture pile up for us.

As ever, if the interest is serious then it will happen. Hard to really get too bothered by individual players these days as anyone good leaves.

One up front is an absolute misnomer. Our problem isn't formation, its the type of players we have and the Manager.

Wow. Hashim Amla. Great signing.

Would consider a front sweeper and five strikers for this one. Leave out the ball recyclers aka midfield. Hit the channels.

Afridi probably!

I reckon Morkel will go elsewhere. Topley has signed a white ball only contract, as an injury prevention mechanism, which seems to make a lot of sense. That said, are we a bowler light? Championship bowlers (spinners aside) will be: Abbott, Edwards, Berg, Wheal, Holland and then whatever there is in the 2nd XI I guess?

Probably he and Hesketh have gone on the Marbella training camp.

IMO Tadic has been quite decent of late, considering the quality of the players he is linking up with. As a creative player he is better than anything the other relegation candidates have. We don't have better players than him who aren't playing, despite how much some fans love to slag him off, which is the easy option because of the type of player he is.

We aren't going to be dropping Carrillo. The key is can we get players closer to him without losing total control of the midfield? On the handful of occassions that we have had two strikers this season (for more than 5 or 10mins) we have arguably been worse than with one striker - simply because we lose control in the middle and never have the ball. Hencw why the only teams in the PL who use two strikers are either the very best teams like City and Spurs (if Alli counts as a second striker) or the dross who are happy to have 30% possession and play direct, which isn't Saints' game. The weakest part of our game is that we have no wide players who are a goalthreat, hence why the signing of Walcott, Promes or similar was utterly vital in the cluster**** of a January window.

How many good chances has he made for himself through good movement?

What an absolute **** up this window was. Crazy and if we get relegated its mostly down to this.

Good selection. Boufal has been injured and not exactly setting the world alight either. Redmond at least provides a bit of pace.

Genuinely think Gardos would have been behind some 17 year olds in the preference order. He hasn't played more than a couple of U23 games in a year and is finished at a good level. The incompetence is nothing to do with letting Gardos go, its not replacing VVD.

Yoshida out for 4-5 weeks. Down to Hoedt, Stephens and Bednarek as the only available CBs for a hugely key part of the season. Ludicrous.

Better than the teams around us, but weaker than for four season prior. At one stage under Koeman especially we had 4 or 5 players who we all thought were probably CL quality. We just sold the last one in January. Lots of average players in our squad though, should have a summer clearout.

Or a cup win. But if you had to choose betw...

Bransgrove saying today we are looking at overseas options. Surely an opener!

For the difference he would make, Kane. To watch a player of quality every week, David Silva.

Agree. He has always looked grumpy. Playing well of late and a very key player for us. Brilliant signing overall.

Reece Topley's Dad mentioned that Martin Guptil would be a great signing across all formats. Sounded like a suggestion rather than anything ITK. NZ don't play many tests, but Im not sure if he has been picked up by an IPL team. If not, its a great shout. Hanta havent been doing well in the Caribbean. Think Alsop has about 5 runs in his last 6 innings or something horrendous like that. Definitely need an opener. If we get one then on paper it looks a strong side.

I bet you lads were the ones who thought we got rid of Billy Sharp without giving him a chance? Britt Assombalonga cost £15m so not sure what you really expect us to find in the Championship or L1 that is cheap and anywhere near good enough? To me Carrillo is what I expected from watching a lot of YT videos. Adds a bit of presence and physicality that has already helped at set plays, but is essentially a penalty area striker. I will judge him once we have created a few clear chances for him, the kind Long fluffs on a regular basis before he is clapped off after yet another blank.