Depressed of Shirley

What I am seeing "mate", is a new manager faced with massive upheaval in playing squad, trying to instil some sort of football style to try and win games. He has players who are either new or beaten into submission by being part of the worst squad in the club's history and used to losing every week. It might not work, he might turn out to be terrible, although he would have to go some to beat some of the recent managers we have had to endure to be the worst. However, what I have seen, from two home games and three televised away games, is a possession based style of football that has won three games, drawn one and lost one. Sunderland was awful, but still not as bad as the endless home defeats last season, and at least it looks like the players are trying to do something as opposed to going through the motions and being resigned to defeat after defeat. I hope it works, because having recruited this season for this style of football, I don't think we will survive with a change to "get it forward" that a few people that sit near me at St. Mary's keep demanding.

But that isnt what we have seen is it?

Its a really good if slightly wordy article, and just about sums up my view of my SFC season ticket for next year.

Following the pathetic display at home to Wolves, I got to thinking exactly how bad we are at home. Since Claude Puel took over in 2016, we have won just 31 home Premier League games. With 10 of these happening with no fans in attendance, I agree that fans are unlikely to feel confident we can win enough between now and the end of the season to avoid relegation.

It was the Players Union who rejected it, which is a shame, seems like FIFA are determined they play for something like the time they are paid for.

I had an email this week, with prices and the renewal info.

6'9" apparently

And stadium, and toliets, and corner flags and everything, we are the worst at everything ever, and should ask for relegation to the conference, and that all the players should be sent to jail. Christ on a bike!

My daughter is at UNI in Brighton, and whilst it has more to offer a student, I'm not sure a millionaire footballer would find much of a difference between the two.

Just catching up on the match thread, and can say I cannot agree with anything you posted, and think you might be trying to be a bit racist with the Herr Ralph rubbish. I would say I am surprised, but you nearly always spout rubbish so I'm not

He didn't refuse to train at Everton. He refused their contract offer, and therefore wasn't employed by Everton when they went back for pre-season training.

I'm not upset, its just that we always are trying to our best fro every one else, when no one seems to do us a favour. Anyway. I couldn't care less if we sign Williams as I've seen nothing to make him stand out above what we have. Perhaps if we just said he can train once we have received the cash it would just seem a bit more normal.

But if it was the other way round, it would be "he cant play on Saturday because he hasn't trained and we've not completed the transfer yet." I just think we are too nice in a game involving a lot of bastards.

I love the way we bend over backwards to help other Prem clubs, whilst Man Utd want a huge loan fee and payment of the full wage for us to develop one of their young players. I wonder makes them more successful than us.

Wasn't that part of the reason for pre-season tours to China? I think the issue is the Chinese government doesn't seem keen to allow Premier League football to be promoted at all, hence the ending of the TV contract.

No Cash

If it drags it might also be that the prospective buyers dont have the money. Takeovers from wealthy individuals happen quickly, takeovers from consortiums borrowing to finance the deal take ages and are terrible for the club they are taking over as no decisions get made between the current and future owners.

If that's the case, then don't sell him as the replacement will be more than £15m anyway. He's still under contract for another year, make him earn it.

Have you seen how the Derby County takeover is going?

I dont think anyone thought the rules would be easier post Brexit.

I think it is entirely reasonable that we knew he would play little or no part this year, and that what we were buying was potential. We also knew that if we waited until 1 January 2021, there is no way we could have signed him under the new rules. This seems to be behind a lot of transfers in the last12 months, Saliba, the 16 year old Liverpool have bought etc.

Less TV money due to no fans in stadiums and until September broadcasting all the games. Less TV money from abroad as the Chinese TV deal was ended.

The Semmens interview was done with the club assuming that fans would be partially back in in October. Since last week, that has changed to the strong possibility that no fans will be in at all this season. That means all season ticket money is to be refunded, no week to week ticket income, fall in TV income due to revised game schedule, reduction in overseas TV rights, reduction in last years TV payment due to failure to complete fixtures on time, reduction in overseas income for failure to complete fixtures last season, failure of Chinese TV deal, and in Saints case reduction in sponsorship income and replacing the shirts. Add to this the list of shit players we cant sell and yeah Id say we don't have much money.

The whole transfer window is going to come down to a game of poker in the next two weeks. With no fans in stadiums until at least March, reduced TV income from overseas, reduced income from UK broadcasters and no guarantee that any of these will return to pre Covid levels, clubs like Everton, with that list of midfielders not getting a game, will have to reduce their wage bills. They will have to loan players, or try and sell in a depressed market. This doesn't make our position any better, but I think there are some clubs in a worse situation than us. Its ok to make losses if you have a rich owner who will subsidise the cost, but in the current environment, even multi billionaires might be getting slightly worried about their future income stream from football.

The only thing I would say about JWP and Redmond, is that even when playing poorly, they were always trying to do what their manager at the time wanted them to, just not very well. Boufal just annoys managers because he doesn't do what he's told, just what he wants. This is fine when scoring great goals, less use when the man your supposed to be marking scores against you, or you give the ball away when everyone has pushed up in attack waiting for a pass or cross.