labibs

Fully expect JWP to get a move to a prem club if we go down.

This is due to shot stats and XG though. If you ignore form etc and purely look at creating chances, dominating possession etc, we should be winning games. We're not due to defensive errors, poor finishing, tactical mismanagement etc. The large betting firms ( Bettors making bets, not bookies) tend to operate from a stats based perspective. They bet money based on what their stats tell them 'should' happen. This money is significant and can move the markets. If their stats [shots stats, possession, chances created etc] are telling them we are more likely to win than draw or lose and the bookies open on us to win at say 2/1, the large firms will hoover this price up until liabilities force them to cut the price back to something more in line with the betting firm's perception of the price. In effect, the models used by large bettors are not detailed enough to account for our actual performance and this means they (and as a result the bookies) keep getting us wrong. Agree, there is money to be made by backing the opposition on the double chance against us as a result.

What a dispiriting side. Must win game - Boufal, Carillo and gabbi on bench. Davis playing. Shane Long on his own. What’s the point?

I think the point about the contract is that no-one else will match his wages for that long? Anyone who would want to sign him wouldn’t give him that deal.

Suspect the decision was a financial one? Maybe Long didn't have many suitors who were prepared to pay a reasonable fee, or even cover the cost of his entire wage. Yet we apparently received a very decent loan fee for gallagher and we presumed he would play every week etc, which he needs to do at this point. We're at 25 man squad limit as well, so if we kept both someone else would have had to go out [i accept losing Gardos would not be a massive blow!] It's one of the problems with offering larger contracts etc, yes it is easier to keep players, but it is also harder to shift them when you want rid. Arsenal a case in point, their previous desire for offering broadly similar wages to the whole squad has left them with a load of players that no other club will match the wage of

This, very much this.

Yeah, read this this morning. Absolutely wonderful stuff. He'll make us defensively solid - the one thing we are already? I think January will be illuminatory - reports of us being linked with Walcott / Shaw etc in Jan. Likely just paper talk, but might indicate the 'Gao effect' in terms of both increased finance for wages and approach /strategy. We'll see. We'll have to buy a forward player, preferably 2. What do we then do with squad size?

This is genuinely astonishing. They have just won a world cup for their age group and people are criticising them for turning their shirts round in a picture? Is it of vital importance? Maybe we should introduce a rule that all players who represent the national team shall permanently have to wear an item of clothing that contains three lions on it in a prominent, visible place until the day they retire from international football. Would that represent a sufficient level of national pride? Doesnt the fact that they all turned their shirts round indicate that in fact it wasn't about individualism and was more of a collective decision? They just won an international tournament, I would suggest now is not necessarily the time to cast aspersions on their attitude?

I believe he has all of the attributes to be a very good premier league player. For whatever reason, he isn't performing at the minute. He's in the team as he is the only real player (bar the fullbacks) who offers any pace or who is direct and prepared to run at people. Thing is, for whatever reason (confidence?) he isn't being direct at the moment, he is dithering and playing it safe a lot. That touch when Lemina set him up late in the box on Saturday sums it up, an on-form player full of confidence smashes that home. He took a heavy touch, tried to settle himself and got tackled. I'd like him to see him give a rest of a bit and allowed to come on against a tired defence as a sub, to see if he can get some confidence back. If he has to play, at least put him and Tadic as outside forwards (I.e. Tadic Left / Redmond Right). They are pointless playing on the other wing as neither can shoot or seemingly even wants to cut in and shoot. They just slow things up and knock it back to someone behind them.

This is trolling surely? Sell all our players when they have a year left on their contract? the highest bidder will bid 50% of their value if they had longer contracts. How is that a sensible approach?

Tadic is easily my most hated Saints player. Is a terrible finisher and I think a big part of why we can't score. Be happy for him to go to be honest.

Is he really gonna persist with Tadic at 10 and play Davis wide?

0-1 We'll batter them, miss a hatful and Tammy will pinch it for them in 82nd min. Cue meltdown on here

0-1 We'll batter them, miss a hatful and Tammy will pinch it for them in 82nd min. Cue meltdown on here

Isn't the point with Puel that he was let go due to poor performance? You don't keep a manager that you don't believe is capable due to loyalty.

Wages. Always wages

The reporting of tapping up was only ever about increasing the fee for him. Liverpool were trying to ensure that no other clubs bid for him (it's a done deal etc) so they could get him on the cheap (£45m-50m) as they were 'the only game in town'. This clearly p*ssed off the club, hence we reported them for tapping up. If we now sell him, you would hope that Liverpool will need to pay a decent price, as we have the tapping up as leverage over him. For reasons mentioned elsewhere, we will always struggle to keep players like VVD (wages, CL etc). If we get £65m, that is a world record for a defender, who has had injury concerns and a couple of seasons at top level under his belt. That is a great deal for saints. If we get, say £45m, then by all means slate the club, as we have been done. Yes it is annoying that he is going to Liverpool and not holding out for a bigger club. But that's not really the club's fault is it? That will be his management etc. I would want a whopping big sell-on clause in there as well.

Who have no money. If we can't afford the wages, I doubt they can

Is he though? The Express report that Milan offered him £4k basic and £21k per appearance, so roughly £25kpw. Which he turned down, presumably on the chance of earning more over here. If we offer him £40k final offer and he turns it down, what does he do? Sit on his a*se for the rest of the season and have even more time out of the game when he tries to negotiate a deal in the summer?

West Ham are 4/1 to win this. Decent bet I think

Let's hope Alfie Jones is the new Cannavaro...

LOL - Kante???

Do we think Puel believes we have the players to play 4-3-3? Does he think a midfield three of say, Romeu - Davis - JWP has enough mobility, goals and strength to run a PL game? Both Tadic and Redmond are woeful finishers too, so you are very reliant on your single striker for goals. Fine if it's drogba, not so good if it's Shane Long. Does he hate the 4-2-3-1?

Playing both Long and Jay Rod when they are both woefully out of form is ridiculous. You could carry one of them to try and get them to play their way back into form, but playing both just guarantees no goals. Redmond is a project, has all the ability but work in progress. We need a top quality striker in Jan and allow Jay Rod to go out on loan. However, did anyone expect us to have a squad capable of sustaining a full Europa league challenge? How many teams in England could actually do that? We're not at that level yet.

At least this will hopefully shut up all the bedwetters talking about 'asset-stripping' I suppose...