Red

We'll get £38M regardless of which club buys him for £50M as rest will go to Chelsea for sell on clause (over £5M), and presumably nothing stopping us selling him to any club for any amount prior to buy back clause kicking in?

Agree but who would you replace him with that is fit? Redders, Theo, Jenny are arguably all worse. I just don't get why we wouldn't at least try Tella or Tino there for at least one half?

Hard to disagree with much of this. I have said for a while now that Ralph has had nearly 3 years now and not moved us on - yes, I get the great spell early last season but in reality that was a once off that we have not built on. Tino was tiring today and I would have moved KWP (who should have started on the right in any case) to the right and brought on Peraud on the left. Broja is not that good and why Long ffs - what is wrong with Tella - the most exciting forward we have had for a while. Beds has really lost form this season and shows why we have been selecting Stephens ahead of him. Frankly that was a boring game and I wish I had spent my 2 hours better - would rather we played an exciting entertaining game and lost than the display today. Ralph has limited capability and he may or maybe not keep us up this season but we will never evolve under him - even Brentford/Watford/Leeds are more exciting than us. Let's try something different even if that means we drop down for a few seasons - not that I am going to stop supporting my team but they are just depressing to watch at the moment.

For expressing an opinion? I knew there was a reason I loved this place - just couldn't quite figure it out, so thanks for helping. Democracy is great until you disagree with the majority view 🙂 Enjoy the day, unless that's a double ban comment, but then I'm not sure I would give a monkey's how many bans I got - yes, yes I know I should respect this great establishment much more but f it I live in the rebel country and refreshing to buck the trend at times!

Just like some on here

Thanks for the report. Not sure I agree with some of it though but it's an opinion forum so my thoughts: Firstly Redmond - I think he's ok/average, not great but not shite either. You probably didn't get a chance to see the MOTD analysis on him (and others) yet but it summed up exactly what is lacking with Redders - he doesn't have the vision when in good positions to make the incisive pass where a player might/should end up when the pass arrives. Hard to explain in words but the BBC with their tech did it really well. It's kind of football chess - think one or two steps ahead. Don't blame Redders for this - it's just not in his locker and at this stage he will never get/learn it. Other than that he tries hard, has reasonable pace, can dribble at times (not sure why he doesn't more often? Maybe instructed by Ralph not to in case we lose possession - Ralph does seen obsessed by this), and his grin/stupid smile is just frustration at not having achieved what he was trying. Ralph - really not sure with him being the right man. He has been manager nearly 3 years now which is fairly long in the PL these days and I'm not convinced he knows how to succeed in the PL. He's gone from wanting a small squad to large, from different formations, to not knowing his best 11, taking instant dislikes to certain players etc. Not picking Lyanco as he can't speak English allegedly (Leeds manager still can't after 3 years doesn't seem to be an issue). Being stubborn against all other evidence. Again I think he's an average manager who doesn't get the PL and is in awe of some of his hero's (crying when beating Klopp was embarrassing enough but he is always drooling over Pep etc. as well). He was unemployed when we appointed him and in reality hadn't achieved much before that. I don't want him sacked but he does need to step up. Final part - agree, great performance and result and if not for the great injustice would have been eve better - for me the greatest travesty was to over turn a decision already given with a clear and obvious error. Anyway onwards and upwards and hope we get our first win next week.

Thanks. Interesting but just goes to show money is what matters to most modern footballers - his team/boyhood club offers him the best deal the club have ever offered to anyone and he still moves to an arguably slightly better club (not top 6) for a few dollars more. Not sure he's a great loss so far - he hasn't really been on fire for Villa and would we have done better with him - not sure?

Agree, specially if we only play one up top - his pace and directness are devastating. I wonder what the chances of us signing him permanently for an affordable fee are? Hope there is some provision within the loan agreement but unlikely I guess.

How about option 3? KWP RB, Perraud LB, Livramento RM and S Armstrong LM. Armstrong has played there before I think and none of other LM have been great so far. Would try in a cup game first. Nice problem to have in a way. We have to give Perraud a longer time to bed in surely, otherwise why buy him? Let's not forget it took Ings (the mighty god in some people's view) best part of a season to settle in (many on here were clamoring for him to be sold and claiming what a waste of money he was).

OK so finally I am biting! Do you want to just come out and state what your real issue is? Rather than being the troll that you clearly are. Is the media biased? Are cups being thrown acceptable to any player? If you watch carefully cups (and more cups) were thrown at Sterling than others - none of which is acceptable whatsoever. I suppose the burning flare was video edited by the biased media? After a lot of painful thought, I revealed some personal experiences of racism and why it still exists and the impact a while ago, but I guess it was wasted on you. This is not a contest/competition - there are no winners here. We either all live as a harmonious nation or pick at sections of the community (like Brexit) and then end up with the kingdom of White Southampton Saints supports Independence Republic. If you are going to solve a problem, you first acknowledge there is one. If you don't believe there is one, then fair enough but don't pretend there is one and you're fighting the good fight.

Of all of the things you could accuse NC of this is not one. Personally I think NC was our savior for the simple reason had he not brought us to Markus attention we would have been administrated and probably competing with Pompy if we were lucky! But people forget easily enough I guess. As for the garbage that he spent someone else's money - hello, that's what the Chairman/CEO job is. Does anyone honestly think an individual can spend without budget approval from the board/owner - this would be fraud and he would be in jail now. Yes, there might be disagreements between chairman recommendation and board (or in our case Kate) backing the same, which is why he left as he felt (right or wrong) he could not improve us further without backing. Owner/Board perfectly in their right to not agree with him and move on (remember at the time Kate issued a rare public statement saying that the club was sad to loss NC due to a difference of opinion or words to that effect). Anyway, is it not time we moved on from that time - we are where we are now and raking up the past is not going to help us.

I am willing to bet he will score more than Ings last year and the first year Ings joined us - i.e. other than his one wonder season with us, which admittedly was awesome but only one great year in how many in his career? Will be interesting to see who scores more this season between Ings and Armstrong. AA is younger, more mobile, faster, dare I say fitter so give him a season to bed in and judge him then (remember how poor Ings was in his first season with us, that most on here wanted rid and were willing to drive him?).

Really, £25M per year on a 3 year deal - that's a lot of shirts to get anywhere remotely near payback. No doubt he has been a world class player but I wonder if United had gone for him if City hadn't? Will enjoy enjoy watching him in the PL again, but can't help thinking he's Untied's Walcott

That's very good of you - maybe you should let Ralph know?

He's playing because he seems to be willing to sign a new contract, and FF is not as he is not - that's the Saints/Ralph method of dealing with contract rebels. Personally think that is the wrong approach but my opinion matters sweet FA as far as the club is concerned

The best they can do would be to get a manager that can get the best out of the limited squad we have, not one that blindly sticks to a system/tactics that have not worked for nearly 3 years (yea yea I get we were lucky to be top for a day)

Have to disagree with you here. Granted we are in a dire situation and reasons for it have been discussed at length and not really relevant in the here and now - we are where we are. Key now is to make the most of our remaining resources and stay up and gradually improve. This is mainly down to the manager. Yes we have a poor (not shite) squad but IMO no worse than most of the bottom 3rd of the PL teams. Fact is we do not play to our strengths - limited that they are. Why oh why persist with the crazy tactics that everyone bar Ralph has worked out? Play 5,4,1 and grind out an "ugly" draw if needs be - play dirty - play hoof ball - whatever - make a f'ing change before and during a game. Doing the same thing time after time and expecting a different result is pure madness. How long are people going to excuse Ralph's performance? Overall record is one of the worst ever. Saw a recent article that suggested Mark Hughes should replace him, which just sums up how poor he is. He is here nearly 3 years now, so very much his team and tactics - no excuses. As for no club backing, no one asked him to sign a new contract if he did not accept our circumstances. He has bought players for the future (does he know what future?) and then claims in the last team conference that he will get rid of one keeper next year - well if you don't think they're up to it then get shot now and get a new keeper in. Walcott, Long, Moi - really?? Guy is a fraud and rather than the Alpine Klopp, he's more like Emperor Klopp's new clothes. With him we are going down sooner rather than later. Where is one emerging/bargain signing he has brought from his previous so called knowledge?

Don't think there's many that would disagree with you there apart from Ralph

I have to say I am not normally so reactionary but on this occasion I cannot disagree with your view

Salisu needs to concentrate more - been good but getting a bit lapse

Ok you seem to have a better memory than me, but I do recall that he was dropped for a while. Don't get me wrong, I would love for Ings to stay with us and be fully fit and focussed. I'm just not sure he is at the moment. If he is not 100% committed to Saints then I would reluctantly sell him - always assuming there is a bid for him, which I'm not sure there is yet.

If you think Ings has been performing well over the latter part of last season and in pre season so far fair enough - I don't. This is a forum - all about opinions. I did say fitness might be an issue. I would love to have a fit, on form, firing and committed Ings but he isn't that at the moment, and if you analyse his entire time with us, he has been great maybe 25 to 30% of it. All I am saying is that if he does not want (his choice) to sign a new contract, then maybe best all round he leaves for a reasonable fee and we move on. Don't forget Ralph did not start him (in favour of Adams) for the first 10 odd games last season. On his day he's brilliant but we need that on a more consistent basis

Good performance considering it's a friendly and lots of changes etc. Ings is clearly unfit or not risking getting injured before his move or has the move on his mind - very poor again. I would sell him and Vest assuming anyone actually bids for them. I was dreading the coming season but maybe we might be just about ok?

Hi All, Thanks for all your comments and well wishes. I can't reply individually as I only have 3 posts per day, so I will try and cover as much as possible here. Like I said I thought long and hard before posting as I didn't want to create further debate or issues, just to highlight things are still ongoing today and as I said I consider myself relatively fortunate compared to others fate, and it doesn't impact me most of the time. As to why I didn't complain about my boss - I don't think he meant to be racist, but rather he did not think about what he was saying. He is a decent guy and when I told him one to one he seemed genuinely surprised he had caused offence and we get on fine now, so maybe he will be more respectful in future? Anyway what was the point of complaining, as I would have simply been earmarked as a trouble maker and not helped my career prospects - maybe it's the wrong approach and only encourages more of the same? But honestly I don't need the aggro as I have seen others stand up and suffer as a result. BTW, none of the others on the call called it out either and so I guess they thought it was acceptable? The job situation was indeed bizarre but true, and I fully expected to be called out for applying twice but wasn't. Maybe they get so many CV's that they don't pay close attention. An HR friend of mine said when he gets CV's his first round of vetting takes about 30 secs max - scans for age, relevant experience and work permit requirement. Feedback was from an agency in one case and directly from the interviewer in another - of course he didn't say we're not hiring you because of your colour - it was more subtle, like we are a very traditional old fashioned company and our clients are the same and they don't appreciate anything new or different etc. etc. Another time when I was working in a factory for the summer during Uni I was asked if I could read and write on the first day. It is very hard to prove these incidents and also what would it ultimately achieve - people who perpetrate these things would only get more resentful and more extreme. I try to point out the issue calmly and show that it's hurtful - sometimes it works and others not. Although I would probably lose it if someone abused my elderly mother! Anyway thanks again, and my main point was try and see things from the other person's viewpoint and understand how they might be feeling before judging. Oh and UTS - think it's going to be a long season.

Wasn't sure whether to respond on this topic or not as I fully appreciate there are a lot of Wums on here just seeking reaction, but her goes. Like most things in life, I believe it is difficult to truly appreciate something unless you have experienced it yourself (walk a mile in my shoes - Emo Philips/Joe South). I am British Asian and consider myself to have done reasonably well, have a profession and great friends and work colleagues - certainly not under privileged. I also believe most of the UK population are not racist and are well meaning - there are always exceptions as with most things in life. Thing is that we all have biases consciously or otherwise. I have them and will judge people without really knowing them – if he’s that over weight and unhealthy do I want him as my doctor, or if she’s got a load of tattoos, piercings and dresses in leather do I want her minding my kids? etc. etc. Overt racism is easier to spot and maybe address. It’s the under lying biases that are more of a problem I believe – where people might not even realise they are acting differently because of a difference. I have been beaten severely three times in the UK because of my colour – randomly attacked by gangs and whilst I gave as good as I could there were just too many. Twice it was in daylight and in the city. Not only did no one intervene but no one called the police/ambulance. Afterwards my friends (not at the event) all sympathised but said “ah well it’s the times we live in, and at still you’re ok”. I wasn’t ok, I was shaken and my confidence was shattered. By contrast I have also been set upon twice at away grounds for being a Saints supporter, which was not racist, and surprisingly not as vicious as the racist attacks. I cannot recall the number of times I have been called a Paki (even though I am not), people spitting at or near my direction, being the last one to be served, taxies refusing my fare, etc. etc. This is a daily ongoing issue for most non-white people. I have even had three job applications rejected because “my name would not look right” (I sent CV’s to three companies both with my true name and a made up English name – guess what I was offered an immediate interview for the English name and rejected for other – same job, same company). Even my boss (who I would consider a really fair guy) recently asked me in a team meeting where I was from, and when I said Southampton, his response was “no where are you really from? That tan’s not from here” It’s a constant drip drip effect and if at some point people say enough is enough (as per Black Lives Matter organisation – who I don’t not support BTW) is it any wonder? What would you do if 10 times a day, every day someone said your wife was a slag? I am just trying to offer some perspective from the man walking in the shoes that’s all – no agenda here. Like I said I consider myself privileged as am doing ok and don’t see too much of this. I can’t image what an out of work, homeless black youth is going through.