Super_Uwe

It's a difficult one with the academy players. My feeling is that there is at least some logic from the club in keeping Targett and Gallagher this season because they did well out on loan in the Championship. If you're going to loan players out, then surely the point is for them to a) play regularly and b) do well in order to give them a chance to move onto the next level. As for the others who've gone out on loan this time, I do personally feel you have to at least question their desire to make it at Saints. Nothing wrong at all with making a career out of the game as a pro, but how many of them are truly busting a gut in training and banging the manager's door down to get a chance? I accept maybe the club is saying to them that they might get a chance if they're patient, but what if they don't? Sometimes you have to make your own luck - that applies in all sorts of professions.

Interesting stats from the BBC match report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45230640 "Southampton have lost 24 points from leading positions in the Premier League since the start of 2017-18, the most of any team currently in the top flight." "Southampton have won only one of their past 13 Premier League matches at St Mary's (W1 D6 L6)" The first one isn't necessarily home-related, but it goes a long way to explaining fans' frustration at the moment. The second stat highlights just how bad our home form has been.

I've been a Saints fan for 26 years, there have certainly been much worse times than yesterday. Just something desperately frustrating about a player like Harry Maguire scoring a 25 yarder in the very last minute of the game to win it. Fair play to him but seriously?!

My personal view of Redmond is that he's struggled to find a way to progress from his early days as a pro. Basically he's been a near-on first team regular since he was 17, and you don't have to look far to find quotes talking about how good he was when he first played for Brum. He's still had a more than decent career with plenty of PL football, but I think it's noticeable how Hughes has tried to build him up in recent times with some of his quotes. The impression I get is that he's taken the fans' stick to heart too. It is a difficult cycle to break but if he can produce more then fans will get behind him I'm sure. Tadic at the end of last season is a great example, he took plenty of stick earlier on but really sorted his form out and was arguably the main reason we stayed up.

At least we got a fans' forum, it's been a long while. I did like Les Reed's comment about not getting transfers 100% right or 100% wrong. Classic straight bat forward defensive stroke from Les, good effort!

To clarify, I'm talking about the deal for the extra league game. I agree the PL is generally in the front seat otherwise. As yet no agreement for a PL game in the US or elsewhere (regular league game or the famous 39th game).

Going on the German theme...you might want to give Kaiserslautern a try? I lived in that part of the world for a year, the club has a massive following and they have a great history, but they're "doing a Sunderland" at the moment and are in the third tier. Fritz-Walter-Stadion (or "Betze") is an amazing ground. Haven't checked ticket prices but I'm guessing they might be pretty cheap this season.

I went to one in the summer of 2003. Think it was on the same day as Kevin Phillips signing. Remember Dave Merrington was on good form that night, generally good mood in the room as KP was a big signing for us back then. Rupert Lowe was his usual self It is a long time ago, but pretty sure it was an open floor for questions. Are they being vetted this time?

To be honest I'm long past caring. I'm sure the PL will follow suit eventually, though they may be annoyed they aren't part of the "groundbreaking" first deal. Maybe the PL will sign a deal to play an extra game in China, would hardly be the biggest surprise in the world.

He had one of his invisible games against Burnley, can't believe we're persisting with him.

It's interesting to see how much money comes from sources other than matchday income. Be intrigued to see how those percentage proportions have changed over the years. There tends to be the same argument for reducing ticket prices every year, but that is never going to happen unless you start getting regular reduced crowds of 21-22k at St Marys. If that happened then I'm sure the board would probably sit up and do something about it. As things stand, demand is high enough and fans don't appear all that bothered about fixtures being rescheduled/rarely taking place at more "traditional" times. I genuinely believe the clubs feel supporters will keep coming to games more or less unconditionally, and to be honest they are probably right.

Liverpool lost in the Champions League final, we escaped from relegation last season. I'm perfectly happy to accept he is exactly the level of player we need right now. And for what it's worth, I think he will do well for us.

Well done Saints, looks like a great deal. He needs a break and where better to come than Saints? Can't see much to grumble about with this one, local lad as well. Hopefully his injuries are behind him and he can hit the ground running.

All ifs and buts. Personally I think if he was a regular Premier League starter and playing at the level we used to enjoy at St Mary's, there's every reason to think he would still be a regular in their squad. It is a shame it didn't work out for him, but it's difficult to be too sympathetic either. I do wonder whether players like him, Lallana etc will look back when they are old and wonder if they could have achieved legendary status with us? Appreciate they've had a go at a big club, and presumably made some good money doing so, but I think they might have expected a lot more by moving from Saints.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44766806 West Ham in for Wilshere and Yarmolenko - have to say looks like a nice bit of business. Yarmolenko is a real wildcard, if he does manage to settle then could be a terrific signing for the Hammers. Wouldn't have minded us being in for him to be honest, but at least we have made some moves already in the transfer window.

Maybe not this time, but how many games will end up getting moved this season? I haven't had a season ticket for 12 years; maybe things have changed and season ticket holders in 2018 have nothing else better to do, so can just re-arrange their plans as and when the club tells them to?

Easy one for me - when he turned Ivanovic and turned him again and left him on his arse in the 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge!

Wish Dusan all the best. A frustrating player at times, but capable of top class performances when he is on song. I am not surprised to see him go though, it seemed almost inevitable halfway through the season when he was getting stick from some fans. But he stepped up when we needed him to and we should always be grateful for that.

Ditto more or less word for word! I haven't lived locally for a long time now, that was the last full season I really enjoyed. Once we got going after a usual slow start, rocking up to St Mary's each week there was an expectation that we would win. Didn't work out every week of course, but it was generally good. Bridge and Marsden down the left were epic too. Plus the Cup run which remains our most recent FA Cup final.

Derby have appointed Frank Lampard as boss. Think I heard Jody Morris is going as his assistant? Very intrigued to see how it goes. On first reflection I think it's a cracking bit of business by Derby TBH. Think expectations will be higher than some might expect, Derby are a decent size club with a proud history. But he seems like the kind of bloke who could actually go in there and transform their fortunes.

Everyone makes mistakes though, ask any Fulham fan and they will tell you he's done really well for them on the whole. Targett seems more comfortable further forward and may well end up playing left midfield, he has got a sweet left foot and I do honestly believe if we persist with him then he will come good. He is still only 22, it's easy to forget that sometimes as it was a long time ago that he made his debut. McQueen is also a decent player, but IMO it's unlikely they are both going to feature for Saints at the same time. So in that sense I can see one of them leaving this summer in order to get regular football, maybe McQueen is more likely out of the two to go at the present time.

I think Saints fans will be pleasantly surprised how well Targett has done for Fulham TBH...goes to show what regular football in a decent side can do for a player. I'm hoping he will be coming back as a Saints fan and local lad, but guess it depends if he feels he will get an opportunity here.

Pleased it's finally sorted. You can argue about the ambition of his appointment if you like, personally I think he's the right bloke to come in and get us moving in the right direction again. I don't see it as a lack of ambition in any way, he has a lot of critics out there who he will want to silence and I think we (should) give him the chance to do that over the next few years. Whilst also enjoying an upturn in fortunes on the pitch as well, hopefully.

I've come round to your line of thinking. I think he deserves one last chance as per Krueger's interview the other day. He needs to do some sort of interview acknowledging that things haven't got great the past couple of years and that he personally will learn from it and change. If RK can face up to Radio Solent/other media outlets then so can he - he can't just be the bloke who is happy to talk when times are good and then go AWOL when things get tough.

There is some decent stuff, but the overwhelming feeling is that really the board doesn't feel it's done much wrong. RK refers to "excellent player trading" about 4 minutes in. From a financial perspective, we seem to be doing well and more or less living within our means. But the fans know full well that the team has not been getting better. The quality and impact of players that we have bought in the past 18 months just hasn't been good enough. I don't suppose LR and RK are on any sort of "final warning", but I think they must know relegation would almost certainly have seen them lose their jobs. The Hughes appointment IMO saved them big time because they should never have let it get to that stage. But it also showed a willingness to change direction, and as long as they do genuinely learn from their mistakes this season, then I am willing to give them another chance.