JackanorySFC

Will be gutted to lose him so soon, still hoping to keep him until 2014 where Uraguay will have a cracking WC IMO, then let him leave after. Clearly above our level at the moment, we would need to make some serious signings to keep him here. IF we stay up and interest is shown from G14 level clubs like Milan, his attitude (which up until now has been impeccable tbf) and our Chairmans actions will be very interesting.

Not the best of comparisons. TBH had zero resale value (and as well as being utter gash was signed as a favour to his agent) clearly the likes of Gaston would, the way he's playing we will have no problem getting an offer for the minimum amount as per his release clause. Really clever move by NC, means we can get rid of high earners quickly as well as reducing wages. Villa have no such clauses apparently, madness when you think about it!

You make me laugh fella, shockingly bad wind up attempt there. On one hand slating the club for not paying full asking price up front, no questions asked and instead trying to squeeze value out of a deal.... Then, ha this is brilliant, say you are uneasy about our financial outlay if we get relegated! Not the most subtle of wind up posts there fella, must try harder!

I'd be more worried if we were signing QPR or West Ham like signings, 30 something's on big money and little to prove. The players we have bought and are linked to are some of the most exciting young players in Europe, whilst every signing in football is a gamble, it seems ours are more "investments" than buys (if that makes sense).

No worries, all in all an interesting chat and confidence is high at the club. Don't be too pessimistic with Lallana, not as bad as I thought originally but definitely worth getting in someone else at "that level" to get the most out of Gaston long term and replace Lallana short term.

Interesting signing. I had dinner with a Saints player at the weekend (family friend), I asked him what was Gaston like in training? He replied he was a different level, the only problem really that only Lallana could match his footballing brain and other players are still struggling to read his passing, by this player's own admission it is down to them, not Gaston, everything he does seems to be "worldy". He also told me how long Lallana will be out for, I won't say on here how long but long enough, IMO, for us to get someone else in - especially a player of Coutinho's class on a loan.

Lol, incomparible to Jos! He is way better than either Jose or Yoshida, will walk into most top 6 sides from what I've seen. Huge signing. Personally I'd play him with Yoshida but it's up to Nige and what he sees in training. Mental us signing a player of this class!

I hope we're spending the entire week rolling the ball back to Boroc at varying angles/ speeds with players closing him down and getting him to lace it every time! Cannot remember seeing a keeper with such an inability to clear the ball before....

Absolutely up for that, my only grip is that with the cold weather I'll need to wear my shirt over a McKenzie hoodie bought in the final days of the JJB January sale, I'll be sat atop a stolen mountain bike that's seen better days purchased for a tenner up Bursledon Car Boot sale with some gormless mates that don't like football but like swearing and drinking cheap energy drinks with an ambition to burp on live TV when asked their opinion on the competition Luke Shaw will be getting from new Portuguese veteren LB signing Javi De Lamos Mourientez Gomes!

Agreed, we need to round up the hood rats from Council Estates across Southampton and get them to congregate outside the entrance to St Mary's drinking cans of lager and/ or fake red bull energy drinks in 1 ltr plastic bottles and swearing now and again for no reason ala Stoke and Everton.

Very true, even when we signed Gaston is was somewhat overlooked. Maybe Nige needs to hang out the window of a Range Rover on the way on or out of Staplewood and tell some journos he's a "triffic, top, top player"

Cagliari need the cash asap, they won't want to hold out another 3 - 4 weeks paying his wages etc. If Napoli won't match our bid early I can see it getting done quickly. Once again, Astori is a seriously good centre half and completing this signing would be a proper statement of intent from the club.

Touché...

Finally a decent article on the OS. Love the bit where he mentions . Fact he's moved into a house, is married and enjoys the quite life as well as us signing a Spanish speaking technical coach (probably purely for Gaston) are real positives.

Though Morgan was excellent, covered huge amounts of ground. Davis had his best game for us imo. Puncheon a poor game by his (this season very high as it's already been pointed out) standards. The back 4 looked solid, a real credit to the work that has been put in on the training ground. Gaston is starting to look worth the admission fee alone, I love him. Great vision (that back heeled pass at the edge of the box in the first time would be all over MOTD if Berba did it) and a superb finish for the allowed goal, watched the disallowed goal back and the quality of the take and finish was World Class imo. Does go to ground easily. Think I saw a different Wiltshire to everyone else on here, completely agree with the diving/ moaning part but thought he looked an outstanding centre midfielder, literally everything came through him moving forward and he has the uncanny ability to find space in the middle and actually pass the ball successfully to an easy option. Simple football stuff that makes him the closest English player to the Spanish and German midfielders at the moment. Other observations Boroc's kicking was possibly the worst I've ever seen from a professional footballer (even worse than one of Paul Jones' more "shaky" days). His throws were superb, his kicks scared me to death! How many Jap's do we get at St Marys because of Yoshi? Seriously it must be a few hundred, loads with bags full from the mega store too. Canny business move but becoming a genuine player too.

Theo showed class (after the game, thought he was marked out of it during the 90 mins), think he's a top player actually and would have him back tomorrow. Did the old "hero worship" gesture at the Northam which I though was a nice touch, I had a ST there in the dark, Whisky soaked days of Burley and Theo was the one shining light at the time and even then he used to make a point of being the last off the field after clapping the fans. Arsenal fans can moan all they want that he showed more appreciation to our fans than theirs, however a year ago they were booing his every touch and cheering when he was subbed. I personally like Arsenal as a club but their fans are some of the worst in the country (particularly those at the Emirates) for getting behind their club/ manager/ players when they really need it. No wonder Theo remembered the way he was worshipped and supported here. Good lad. Oxo - *meh* not fussed either way.

Have to agree to disagree on that, watched it again on MOTD when I got in and thought JR had the easier chance. Guly had an excellent game IMO, only Lambert better over 90 mins.

Dont You mean the J Rod 1 on 1 miss that he shot straight at the keepers legs? Bet you were incandescent with rage at Gulys awesome delivery to Lambert in the first half! I hope he keeps making the morons look stupid! Up the Guly Up the Saints

Excellent article summing up what I know, that he is one of Italy's top CBs in a good crop. Just hope he isn't expecting cattenaccio from Adkins as he'll be in for a shock

Bloody hell, I follow Serie A closely and this is a bolt from the blue. Absolute quality CB above the level I assumed we'd be going for. Would be extremely happy if this is true! Chapel End, your comment about Italian football not being known for bargains is factually not true. The latest TV rights issues on top of falling gates due to corruption and Ultras revolting mean the state of finances in Serie A is at a worrying level. Plenty of bargains there as clubs look to cash in.

Best player on the pitch today by a mile. Almost our goal of the season from him on top of outrageous vision, excellelent movement, hard work and the ability to draw a foul (don't like it but unfortunately it's an asset). Got a brilliant obvation when subbed at the end. Looked like a world class player today, genuinely excited about watching him play on Saturday, a joy to watch - fair play to whoever bought him!

Potential world class player, will sell him to a top 4 side for £20m+ in 18 Months after the 2014 WC imo. I went over and watched him last season against Juve, he stood out above any other player and kept tabs on him since. His vision is unreal, on another level to our players who will pick things up in time, he takes players on and will lose the ball now and again, he will also try and thread a through ball through tight angles which will lead to interceptions. So what? Can't have 11 Corks passing sideways, we need creativity and he will provide it. Also those suggesting he won't handle the pace of the Prem don't know what sort of player his is and his background. He is far stronger than people realise and was known for picking up a lot of bookings in Serie A for his ability to get stuck in and chase the game, that will not be a problem. Unfortunately we have a high percentage of weapons that don't understand football in our support that will get on his back when every thing he tries doesn't come off. Had a bad game against Sunderland, so did Rooney against Newcastle. Chill out, he is clearly our most talented player (only a moron wouldn't recognise that) and soon the others will step up and allow his vision to pay off.

I agree 100% with Kraken on this, I might also go as far as suggesting anyone that doesn't think Wenger has massively overachieved at Arsenal (inc the last 8 years) does not have the best interests of football at heart. The bloke takes massive stick, gets written off again and again, and because he famously only cares about Arsenal and not fellow managers, PR etc he gets no help at all from the media or other Managers. Yet still creates unquestionably the most attractive playing football team in the Prem for the last 10 years, qualifying for the KO stages of the CL without fail with some massive results on the way, all doing it on a (relative) shoestring. This brings me to my original point, as football supporters we need to recognise there are 3 ways to success. 1- Smash loads of oil/ gas/ sovereign wealth money and pay whatever to whoever wether you play them or not. 2- Get into huge debt by levering the clubs assets against loans, ala United/ Liverpool. 3- Try and play a mixture of young players developed to play a certain way and reluctantly accept you have to sell developed players to fund more potential, ala Arsenal. For the good of the game, and for how for clubs like ours, football supporters should be grateful to Wenger and hope Arsenal succeed to give us hope long term. The same goes for the Bundeslega clubs and their growth, a great model to emulate. On a side note I hope we smash em on New Year's Day but I'll salute Theo, grown to be one of Europes top players with important goals at every level. He left for the right reasons IMO (the same reasons he'll stay at Arsenal and not chase the money and go to City, Chelsea, PSG or any other huge club that disagree with the angry idiots on here that suggest his career "stalled" at Arsenal), I remember the hope he gave us in a horrible period at SFC. Top lad and top player IMO. Anyway I'm off to town to get ****ed up... Up the Saints!

My personal favourite was the Northam sing "I'm forever blowing bubbles" at Millwall. I don't think I've been back in there since actually....

Disagree personally, Lallana usually stands out even in poor team performances, mainly because his 1st touch is unbelievably good and he rarely has a game where he doesn't put a shift in. A key reason why he was made captain imo. Admittedly there were a few games last season where we dropped points because he missed chances, but he certainly didn't go missing in those games, something JP does now and again.....