Pwoite

Are we now seeing SR 2.0? Kraft out, Ankersen out, Solak in, Spors in. Potentially a more clearly designed recruitment package of manager and players based on year 1, stabilisation, regeneration and promotion, then year 2, consolidation and further stabilisation. That means recruiting a manager to get us promoted and then reviewing, next summer, whether he is the man for the EPL. Similarly, bringing in half a dozen players, three designed to help the promotion push, but no more, and three that contribute next season and the one after. A mix of youth and experience, grit and flair, leadership and control. it needs to be a two year plan, with options at every stage, every transfer window, and to have the courage to remove and replace when necessary.

What, and get a fourth relegation on his CV?

Has he found his level there, then?

How many of our U21s or U18s are capable of stepping up and contributing next season? Clearly Dibling was not planned to break through this season, but I wonder if Spors is hoping, or banking, on some home grown talent in the Championship.

Can he? He is exciting, can dribble and beat two or three players, but he isn’t that dangerous in front of goal, and regularly fails to deliver a critical assist. He is hopeless defending, is very one footed and his set pieces are currently poor. Sure, he gets the crowd on their feet and is exciting, but does he have the potential for an all round game, or is he a latter day MLT? Clearly clubs will see this and more and then decide if the potential is there. There will be suitors, and just maybe we need to cash in whilst we can.

Actually, there are 22 games left. What do we need, say, 37 points, so 32 more. With eight wins we’d also need eight draws, or in other words, lose no more than six……….we’re not going to do that.

Any truth in the rumour that Mickey Mouse has got a Southampton FC wrist watch?

English rose motif on lead horse’s hindquarters. So, Southgate or Carsley.

I heard we were two weeks away……

In all honesty, he might be fit, but he isn’t match fit, and probably won’t get a chance to be. Even if we start Archer, is there even room for him on the bench, with recent purchases, and, at best, he has to be no higher than third choice as ‘striker’, whatever that might mean to Russell. Best he can hope is to stay uninjured, gain strength through training, and hope for a loan in January to get game time. Unless he puts in some amazing performances in training, I really don’t think we will see much of him.

So, thi season could see three England keepers relegated - Pickford, Ramsdale and Johnstone. (Oh, I forgot McCarthy!)

I remember chanting that to taunt him when he was playing for Leicester at the Dell. (I think it was Leicester!) Then, a few weeks later, we bought him.

You are saying that with hindsight. Same argument applies to Kyle or Bella Kotchup. The manager has to work with the players he expects to be there after the window closes. Kyle wasn’t getting a look in for most pre-season games, then it changed once it became likely he was staying. The other two we still want to shift.

Would much prefer Ferguson in to JWP. Clearly we have a need for a striker but I see no need in bringing James back. We have brought in Big Les for this holding role, and Fernandes for the attacking one. Sentiment is great, and we all like James, but he isn’t what we need now.

Anyone know whether this is being televised or broadcast on Wednesday. Obviously, there will be the Solent option, but didn’t Sky televise most first round matches? Will that happen again? Or, is Saints View, or whatever it is called, likely to happen?

Of course, but I’m sure you’ve noticed, not everyone does their job well, and not always through personal incompetence.

An interesting dilemma for Russell will be how to keep all these new signings on side, and not head down the path Ralph went, two years ago. He appears to have a great relationship with last season's squad, but there will be a dozen new faces who don't have that bond or loyalty, and who will want to be in the starting eleven, in most cases, in most weeks.

Whizzo idea. Any injured strikers going cheap, possibly Scottish, playing for northeast Championship teams? Oh,apparently we’ve already emptied that well.

And number ten priority must be for an attacking midfielder, surely?

He was the wrong person, at the wrong time. He played, badly, in a team performing badly. Since then he has had two summers in which to make an impression, and failed. Unlike Carillo, there is a footballer in there, just not a Southampton footballer. Whether that is ability, attitude or what, I don’t know, but if you lent him a tenner, get it back quickly.

So, 181 pages and the window closes in three weeks. I’m really worried that SR will not generate enough rumours, or indeed deals, to get this over the line to 200 before the whole thing bangs shut! Do we know what we are doing? Everything is way too quiet. How can the team survive in the EPL without generating sufficient hot air, sorry, committed, informed opinion, amongst the fan base?

ITK? How do any of us know the conversations behind the scenes? Equally, if we can get the deal we want for 35p, good luck to us, figuratively speaking. However, if we don’t have the cash, or are going to put ourselves in the position of overspending and facing a points deduction, do you really want that? We all want the best in life, homes, cars, clothes, holidays, but the logic is that we only pay what we can afford. The EPL isn’t a computer game!

And spears, good spears, cost a lot of money, which we don’t have. So, sometimes you have to gamble. With every such risk, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Whilst we haven’t collected on this bet, I don’t believe that the final whistle on this one has yet blown. Who knows?

Surely, that’s non-verbal?

We don’t have to meet Celtic’s valuation, we simply have to make the highest acceptable offer. Overall, some of the comments today seem to demonstrate that many posting haven’t read, or understood, previous comments. Acquiring a player in this day and age is not like buying a bunch of bananas at Tesco. When will people realise the complexities involved? Equally, I cannot believe that fans seem to genuinely believe that we have a no one at the club constantly chasing players, enquiring, negotiating, looking for the right deals. Do people think that the powers that be spend every afternoon in The Cowherds?