TWar

I'd say the three biggest factors have been JWP playing his socks off, Jack Stephens being the CB we have needed all season, and us having one of the best performing strikers in the league. That coupled with Armstrong being the missing link we needed to connect midfield to attack, McCarthy playing better than Gunn was, and Bertrand settling back in at LB is what has done it for us.

Still though, if you sign a young player, the player plays well in a new league, and the manager rates them it is weird to sell when not making a profit.

Haha, I like the nickname, very creative. I don't know whether he will sign, I was discussing the idea of him signing (whether it is a good idea or not etc.) such is the purpose of a transfer thread. As for future team selections, it doesn't require psychic powers to notice Bertrand is in fine form and is unlikely to be readily replaced by a 19 year old with no experience in the league. I don't mind the idea of signing a young up and comer like this to deputise Bertrand, its a great idea to plan for the future, but it is hardly planning for the future if it is just a short term loan with no signing clause.

Dunno why we would let him go for less than we signed him for, he has been fine this season, I could buy a loan but the selling permanently seems weird to me, especially for a loss. Unless we have another forward lined up who we rate higher. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

I'm not saying that we shouldn't get someone in, I'm just saying what's the point in loaning an inexperienced teenager for cover? We don't get any of the rewards for developing him and from PSG's perspective there is every chance he won't get developed as Bertrand will probably play most games, its a lose lose situation. It would make more sense for us to loan a reliable if uninspiring journeyman as cover and for PSG to send their teenager where he is guaranteed to get regular first team football. From this I'd say its more likely we will get an option/obligation to buy or it will just be a permanent deal.

The difference being that we send our young players to a team where they will be first choice to get experience. If we were to send Josh Sims to Leeds or something so he could warm their bench instead of ours for 6 months with little chance of meaningful minutes we'd be equally confused. This guy won't play above Bertrand likely in the next 6 months so what's the point?

I think one permanent around 10m and one/two loans. I don't see us signing an LB permanently as I think Bertrand is doing well and we don't need competition there now, just cover. Will look for competition in the summer I imagine.

Pretty funny someone accused you of getting weirdly mad and you respond like this. "inherent totalitarian rage" "sycophant rainmen" ... you really seem like someone who has things together. "Weirdly mad?! WEIRDLY MAD?!?!?! I'm not weirdly mad you sycophantic totalitarian!!! URGHHHH!". I have to say I am part of the camp that wishes this thread would stay a little more on topic rather than devolve into a slapfight about nonsense no one will win and cannot be solved as we will never know the answer. Maybe the club leaks fake transfers which aren't going to happen for short term PR gain in exchange for long term PR loss, maybe they don't and writers just make up or hugely exaggerate minor rumours in order to get clicks or meet a deadline without the clubs consent. Maybe both. Who knows? Not us, ever.

Any further hints? Position? Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

This is so stupid. Why would people have positive feelings which are beneficial when the signing is rumoured and not negative ones when the signing is not delivered. In my opinion it overwhelmingly averages out negative Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

He's just trying to wind you up because his argument is bad. Don't rise to it. Until he can clearly say how the club specifically benefits from lying then just ignore. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

This is a stupid comparison. With all the things you said when the person finds out you were fibbing it's too late, in the case of Southampton what do they gain from a few weeks of good will, a few weeks of improved ticket sales? Surely that will be cancelled out by the bad will generated when the players don't turn up. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

Yeah I think this team basically picks itself at this point. Maybe Adams over Long to give us the ability to hold the ball up better and relieve pressure but Long also offers more on the counter. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

A weird situation up front for this game. For clear reasons I wouldn't play Ings but both Djenepo and Obafemi are very injury prone and Long is coming back off injury and may not be 100%. Would definitely start Adams and likely Long if he is fit. If not I would go: Gunn Valery Danso Vestergaard Volkins Romeu Hoj Boufal Armstrong Adams Redmond This gives Redmond a chance to play his way in to some form and get a couple more goals to help his confidence.

Not to mention a bunch of players like Djenepo and Boufal who play a completely different position in attacking midfield, which we all agree we are well stocked in. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

When people say midfield they mean box to box midfielders or defensive midfielders not wingers/number 10s/or attackers. They are specifically referring to the roles inhabited by JWP and Hojbjerg. For that we only have one first team depth player and that is Romeu. One player on the bench for two roles is tiny and if more than one player goes down in that position suddenly we are playing people like Armstrong out of position in that spot, which is not ideal. Your list is a bit silly as it contains a number of junior players and attackers. When Ralph said the squad was unbalanced this, along with full back as he clearly doesn't rate cedric and Valery, is very likely where he was referring to. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

We seemed to do OK for strikers without Ings today. I think we could do with a back up lb/rb above all else personally. Would be nice to have someone like Maehl who can play both. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

I think we have Ings and Adams up top this game. Whilst Obafemi got the goal, getting goals is not what we need with Ings in the team, Adams was a more well rounded player and held the ball up very well which we have been crying out for of late. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

Even if they weren't we'll be in an entirely different price range to them anyway. Won't effect us in the slightest. More concerned Watford, villa, Palace are looking for someone. Our price range will be about 10-15m whereas the previously listed will spend double that. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

I think you misunderstand me, I would love a new cb as our current options are rubbish but since Ralph said the squad was "unbalanced" that implies he will probably look to fill in the positions we have 0 depth in rather than our most over-manned position. Whether this is the right decision, I don't know, just reading in to what he said. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

Maybe this means a midfielder and a fullback as this is where we need back up the most. Bringing in a new Cb would further unbalance the squad considering the wealth of options we already have there. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

Given the injuries I think I would play Mccarthy Bednarek Stephens vestergaard Cedric jwp Hoj bertrand Boufal ings redmond Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

Mid-season he'll be about 45m. I would be annoyed if we accepted it too. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

It wasnt moronic at all. Ings last season was injured half the time and when fit had nowhere near the goal threat he does this season. With hindsight Ings has had a brilliant first half of a season but it is utterly stupid and revisionist to call the decision to sign a new striker "moronic" at the time. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

This, basically: https://totalfootballanalysis.com/head-coach-analysis/tactical-analysis-of-southampton-under-hasenhuttl A brief summary is in offence we look for quick, incisive high-risk high-reward passing and in defence we press high, recover the ball high up the field. Our ability to recover the ball in good positions mitigates the high risk of our attacking strategy. Issue is we are 4 players or so short of playing it effectively: We need a midfielder who can pass between the lines desperately, I think the hope was Hoj or JWP would fill that role but both have regressed massively. We need a CB who can pass but also run and manage a defence, again we clearly wanted this in the summer and didn't manage to get it, we have Danso but he isn't looking up to the task. Also Bednarek looked like he could step up into that role but he has regressed a little too. We need a rightback to match Bertrand in defensive quality while also being able to provide width, obviously we hoped Valery could step up but he has also massively regressed. And we need a depth left back, as RH loves to rotate fullbacks, them working harder than anyone on the pitch, this is why it is surprising Targett went, although he was slow and couldn't defend super well. From this, we can see how RH has a game plan, and sought the tools to implement it. And also how individual players are letting that game plan down. Credit where it is due, Danny Ings is doing well in the new system, scoring 5 goals in 10 starts, and Romeu has looked very good as a base to the midfield. I find it hard to blame Hasenhuttl for trusting players like JWP, Hoj and Valery to keep playing at a good level and them all letting him down tbh. If we bring in a new manager, we will need to find a whole new system and way of playing and re-adapt the players in to that, and there is no guarantee those who are wildly underperforming compared to last season (JWP, Hoj, Valery) will do better in that one. Seems to me like the best option is to keep Ralph, hope some of those underperformers turn it around and fill the more important of those holes (RB, CB) in January with a bit of investment. We aren't adverse to spending in Jan after all, we bought our record signing Carrillo in Jan two seasons ago. Obviously people love answers like "SACK THE MANAGER" because it's quick, easy, and satisfying to do. But the boring but correct move is to struggle on with Ralph, spend a little bit to scrape premier league survival, increase the squad a little bit next year, hopefully achieve survival a bit easier, and repeat. It will be a good two-three years of consistency and growth before we are looking like the top 8 challenging side of 3 years ago, people have to accept that. Slow and steady consistency is the way to go.