gio1saints

Archer in Mara out seems straight swop almost publicised in sync. The Chelsea DM in but no incoming publicised poses intriguing questions. It is inconceivable to me that we have two top end DM’s as back up to Flynn. Thats one too many- OR we are going to try play with two at same time - meaning the end ( or at least temporary abandonment) of the Jack Stephens front sweeper role. For me, the longer it goes without a named outgoing ( Shea or Jack gets dropped) the greater the likelihood that this aspect is part of a connected purchase or loan - the most public one being MOR. Which, if any of those lives of thought we end up going for anyone’s guess. Indeed - knowing how highly Shea is rated, it may just be we may still just keep Shea and have extra cover in the DMF position. Probably not a bad move given we are likely to be having to defend a bit more than last year I’d imagine! which is best though?

Where is Shea going ?

If the Incoming player is a loan DMF then the outgoing loan or sale is our Back up DMF - Shea. The Only definitive “ I love Shea” comment I’ve heard is from Brendan Rodgers at Celtic. And Shea has been mentioned as part of a combo deal package for MOR. So, maybe there’s hope.

Fabio Silva not been mentioned but cost £40M originally in 2020. He has been loaned out multiple times to Holland & latterly at Rangers but now back at Wolves. Left sided CF type. C. £11m apparently but possibly a loaner also.

Brighton were supposedly interested in MOR. It does put into perspective the relative pricing. MOR is available for €25M plus bits and pieces- Rutter is €40m. One has torn the SPL up last year scoring a million goals and assists for the Champs whereas the other played second tier English football for a team not good enough to get promoted . So Brighton choose Rutter. For Brighton and their algorithmic approach to valuation of players, Rutter >MOR. Kind of puts a little bit of perspective about getting too excited about MOR for Saints. If o was Celtic I’d be thinking MOR valuation just gone up with that Rutter deal.

I’m expecting a loan starting goalie and a wide attacking squad player - also on loan. The first proviso is we keep Charlie and Shea. If either go I’d expect replacements. Second proviso is if we actually manage to sell BK and Paul - then an additional MOR type quality AMF can be bought. Probably from a euro league at a third the price of MOR.

The plot thickens.Italian media says Atalanta just swooped in at last minute to sign Marco Brescianini on a loan with obligation to buy. £1m and £11m. Versatile cmf. 6ft+. Supposedly a cover for when koopmeiners leaves. But that’s meant to be O’Riley. Unless they want two? Or unless they ditching project O’Riley leaving him to us? They also just bid €25m for MOR ( £21.4M) on a 5 yr contract. Greedy. 🤔

I think the most likely solution to Gav injured and only two senior goalies left in squad is to get a loan in. Buying a definitive #1 renders Alex and Gav ( and Joe) redundant straight away. And there is no point in buying another reserve keeper- we just sent one off to Turkey! Buying a top keeper is what everybody seems to be clamouring for but loaning one will deliver same goalkeeping quality but with far less complications ( and cost). With a loan we can do a reset next season on the gk front depending on if Gav has recovered. IF we buy ( Johnstone for eg) it does get rather complicated when Gav returns - and there is the matter of having what might then be our third choice keeper on first choice wages and a year to hang around- or perhaps be sold. Id bet a big number we keep it simple and get a” top” loan keeper in shortly.

https://x.com/tuttosport/status/1823410141351567472?s=46&t=l5Q4mkKSxz5qdVtggXqogw The plot thickens.Italian media says Atalanta just swooped in at last minute to sign Marco Brescianini on a loan with obligation to buy. £1m and £11m. Versatile cmf. 6ft+. Supposedly a cover for when koopmeiners leaves. But that’s meant to be O’Riley. Unless they want two? Or unless they ditching project o Riley leaving him to us?

Love the theory and prospect of that - Except imo O’Riley will go to Atalanta. Looks like the player Sale they need to make is finally going through with Juve - for Koopmeiners @ c €55m. As per Italian social media. We won’t outbid Atalanta - and apparently he has made it very clear he’s happy to join them. Quite how they’d know that Ive no idea but it’s been oft repeated in Italian press. Maybe not getting O’Riley means Tyler especially and Charlie ( 2nd time around) will get their EPL chance this season - so let’s be positive!

I flagged the Polish keeper as a possible weeks back but it looked like he was going Saudi. Wages are mental and he probably would not join Saints - even if we did give him his €6.5m per annum plus welcome bonus.🫣 He seems to have gone off the rails somehow so it’s probably a non starter. But yeah. If mentally and physically fit he’d still be top ten goalies in EPL or better.

Ooh Sam Johnstone loses his Palace #1 squad number and omitted from last match. Apparently a £10M worth goalie and on £43k pw atm. Contract top 2026. 31 yrs old 6ft 4”. He is a high quality starting goalie that’s Not out of our reach. I think this is a runner as it’s been rumoured a while…🤞

I think this is how we will start majority of away matches. As for who is in the centre- I’d expect RM would say that if we’d attacked from the left then it would be AA and if we’d attack from the right it’d be BBD. The MF is expected to arrive in the penalty area / box. When and if RM starts playing Tyler and Charlie I expect them to play as false nine in an ostensibly more attacking ( but not necessarily more winning) line up than the Back 5 which as you say served us well last game of season.

I have this feeling that it’s not going to be an out and out striker but rather a winger that scores goals. Who we may try to convert into Thierry Henry. Probably a very short winger if you put me on the spot. 😂

I’ve watched or been at every pre season match and from what I’ve seen he’s the most improved first teamer. It’s largely because he relatively underwhelmed last year rather than he’s become a superstar though and is ( finally) just coming up to ( my) expectation levels for him and his role. That’s what I meant by most improved player. He is not our best player by any yardstick. All our other first teamers played pretty much like id expect. Maybe Jack surprised last match but otherwise- Joe made biggest jump for me. And Tyler obviously was / is the star of pre season.

Tup think that’s the clear choice. But it’s also Charlie’s preferred position. And he did play it last year ( not all that successfully but perhaps that was because Che was taking up the same positions). And where I’d try play Tyler also.

He can look clumsy. He cannot usually run away from players but he often wriggles away finding half a yard. And he IS an expert at using his body to somehow retain possession and give a pass under extreme pressure. And he is fit. Desperately Needs to add scoring back into his repertoire for his position though. Agree with you that Joe is limited in some ways though and for me is most likely to be the one make way for Charlie or Tyler or a n other player if we need score. Conversely he’s the one I’d most likely put on to replace either of those or others if we needed to defend a lead. Given we most likely be under the cosh in many matches playing a more solid way I think he will be a starter until further notice. Not saying that ideal but think it’s the way it’s currently looking.

It’s been asked before - but whose spot in the first 11 does a player like O’Riley take? Given the current line up it can only be Will or Joe Aribo. Not dropping BBD for him surely? Joe, arguably, is already showing most improved first teamer vibes in pre season ( because his place may be in danger?) whereas Will’s relationship with Flynn and Adam plus his performances appear to make him an insta-starter for this season. Add to that the breakout star of preseason that is Tyler Dibling who pretty much plays and does everything we’d be expecting from O’Riley plus signs that Charlie has found some anger and is channeling it into a bit of football ( and a bit of fighting) and my hunch is that we have moved on from the Celtic Player cos we got it covered ( with fingers crossed) .

On reflection Jack Stephens’ calm demeanour was giving me Gareth Southgate vibes. That appearance, with multiple - and considered- public speaking opportunities throughout was almost perfect from him. He gave the “right” response to every question, took his time to think about his response before answering. An example was explaining that ALL his teammates wanted to do their best not just him and that ALL the team not just him wanted to play the way they do- and were in sync with the Managers’ ( note calls him the manager not Russell or “the gaffer” vision of how to play. Yes it was arguably presenting a united front at all costs and yes it was what most would expect to hear In public BUT the calm, sincere way he spoke did not appear to me to be the words of a cowered yes-man for Russell nor of a Stepford-wives style employee spouting the party line. If it was it fooled me. My impression is Jack is genuine, capable of independent thought and opinion and both honest and brave enough to say them out loud - so if he says the team character is good, is solid, the wrong types been cast out - I believe him. He’s not an intellectual sort but he’s got football savvy and high EQ for sure. Im definitely attending his Testimonial - which after 13 years at Saints already is certainly going to happen - though not, as he implied, until he gets a bit older and maybe hangs up his boots.

No great revelations but enjoyed it all the same. Found Jack Stephens very personable and mild mannered. Not like the enforcer he sometimes comes across like on pitch. Glad I got the chance to thank him straight away@ 26.35 after telling us how it is with the team and if there’s any on pitch fights. He said he’d rather Charlie got involved and stood up for teammates than the opposite. And that was true of whole team. Basically they are all gonna pile in! My response/take on that was as Saints fans we are not expecting to win all the time but we do expect to see the players fight - so thank you for reassuring us the team are all up for fighting! At which point tongue in cheek I asked Russell if the players had practised playing 10 v 11 which raised a laugh from everyone. Except a couple of miserable fans on here but you can’t please everyone

I’m in and it’s a disreputable crowd. There’s going to be fireworks. Plenty grumpy old men. Guaranteed beer questions a plenty. ps yiu got a ticketing app. You announce it’s the bees knees and in use all season. You buy yer fans forum ticket and it appears on the app. You go to the door and show it except the bloke is there with a clipboard asking yer name. Very pleased with technology. 😁

Russell, Enjoyed the team aggression last few matches but also noted many of our team like pulling shirts when we lose possession. Which you’ve tacitly encouraged if it stops dangerous breaks. I’ve got a feeling that if the last two match trend and the crude shirt pulling extends into the premier league we will end up often playing with ten men. How much have you practised for 10 v 11?

Interesting.👍. I think they’d most likely say that the two matches results will not significantly affect transfer policy. Too small a sample size even if we get beat 5-0 both matches. But not including if key players get serious injuries of course. What that transfer policy IS - injuries aside - is another matter altogether. Are we fully committed to a new striker another winger and AMF and a keeper before Aug 31st? 1/4? 2/4? 3/4? All 4? Or will we hear on Sept 1st that they feel the squad is strong enough and potential targets were either too costly or not good enough to start…

And this is why SFC have and will have a transfer budget currently based upon the strong likelihood- not possibility of relegation to the ECL next season. The footballing actuaries (bookies) believe we are very likely to go down. Go down with sustainable debt and adequacy to fight for a quick return or go down with we arefucked debt are the two most realistic real life options available. How and what we spend now determines that. Oh, that and the 33% chance we finish above the bottom three. Then the odds are better next season. And the budgeting can adjust upwards accordingly- but not madly so.

I know. The idea is not to reveal anything that might give opposition a competitive edge. So they will try say nothing but platitudes. But he may give a ballpark answer? I’m there to read body language responses to questions in the main anyways. Any better suggestion?