Toon Saint

Interesting post, but some points to pick up on. Comparisons with Rooney are a bit extreme - let's not forget AL has had one season in the Premier League, Rooney has been playing in it since age 16 (eleven years ago, not a 'few'). Not convinced it is that PL defenders have sussed him out either, but a combination of poor morale, fitness issues, and being played out of position that has led to his recent troubles on the pitch. I don't deny that Lallana is perceived by opposing fans as one of our more talented players, and rightly so, but I'm not sure whether teams have been set up purely to nullify his threat. Tactically, I think teams will set up to exploit our high-line rather than focusing on individuals. Also, I really don't think Adam had a good enough season to justify being man-marked or deliberately targeted as our danger-man. As you say, he started the season brightly but faded badly towards the end. Why? The injury problem in December was obviously a major reason, but he also had the double difficulty of trying to win his place back in the team under a new manager. Being a yard off the pace can't have helped with adjusting to Poch's high-pressing style. Yet even allowing time to regain match fitness, he just didn't do enough in the second half of the season to justify a starting spot - let alone to receive any special treatment from opposing managers. We looked badly balanced every time he was employed out on the right and his approach play was frustratingly over-elaborate. Very effective coming on against Reading away, but he was up against tired legs and a poor side. I am hoping that he will have better time of it next year and he certainly has the talent. Yes, we need to be patient with him, but that doesn't mean to say that we can't be critical of some of his performances towards the end of last season on an internet forum. Nor does it follow that a poor run of form is somehow indicative of a 'quality player seeking to be better' - should we also apply that logic to James McClean of Sunderland or Stewart Downing of Liverpool, or are they just average players who can't affect the game? Interesting that you managed to explain away Lallana's poor form because teams were focusing all their efforts on nullifying him, but Puncheon success owes to him being underestimated. Is it not that Puncheon actually has more experience of PL football than Lallana? Was he not just more consistent overall? Why did teams not respond to JP's obvious threat but, supposedly, remain intent on containing AL? Again, I don't recall any games last season where specific players were targeted for man-marking. The bad defeats under Poch (Newcastle, West Brom) owed more to the opposition exploiting our general game plan - long diagonal balls over the top to pacy, athletic wingers/strikers - than a focus on particular individuals.

Yeah, fair point. I guess that argument could be extended to Wanyama blocking JWP's future, etc. Though I do still think that certain positions require more responsibility than others. Knowing when to blood the youngster is obviously quite a complex process with a lot of variable factors that I cannot be bothered to list. As you say, there is a big risk of burnout, which might not impact the player immediately but further down the line of their career - take Rooney's current form/injury problems, for instance. Michael Owen certainly thinks that playing too much as a youngster affected his later career, when comparing him to someone like Giggs who was introduced into the Utd team gradually. With that in mind, we shouldn't expect the likes of Shaw to play in every single game next year. Having that pathway open to the first team though is a must, for player and for club. Take Chelsea's academy, which Terry and Bertrand aside, has really not performed as it should with all the investment ploughed into it over the past decade. Not necessarily a reflection on the football education the youngsters receive - they produced Jack Cork after all - but just that those players don't get the opportunity to get anywhere near the first team as often enough. As a club who are massively associated with producing fantastic young talent it's just important that with all the new TV money pouring in, we stay true to that ethos - which I am sure we will. Rather than scouring the foreign or domestic market to beef up the squad in certain areas I'd just like us to look in-house first, then consider quality additions. Which seems to be precisely what we are doing and renders my entire post pointless.

Alex Crook said on twitter that Poch is concerned about whether Yoshida and Ramirez will be match-fit for the first game of the season. Not always been the most reliable source, granted. But he was over in Austria at the training camp, interviewing players and manager. I'm pretty certain it's not something he would make up. EDIT: Alex Goring Crook‏@alex_crook20h Ramirez and Yoshida again absent from #saintsfc line-up. Poch told me yesterday he feared they may not be match fit by start of season.

There is a subtle difference between Shaw's elevation to first-choice LB and Jack Stephens own progress in that there is a lot more pressure playing the CB role. Stephens and Jordan Turnbull both look physically mature for their ages, but whether they have the positional awareness, concentration levels, mental strength etc., is a massive ask for a teenage centre-back playing in the PL. Not many examples of teenagers playing in that position regularly in the league - I can only think of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling - where as it seems quite a bit more frequent with full-backs (Baines, Gibbs, Jenkinson, A. Cole, Bridge, Bale, Rafael & Fabio Da Silva, etc.) Big advantage for Shaw coming into the team was the likes of Cork and Morgan mopping up any positional errors, where as with a CB, this would probably be a lot more costly as they would be so exposed. In that respect, breaking into the CB role is probably the hardest position to do so as a youngster (hence why Marquinos and Verane are so coveted,) so there is probably bit of discrepancy there in the opportunities that they can be afforded when compared to other positions. I do think it's important that players like Targett, Chambers & Isgrove are given their chance and that we don't bloat the squad with any needless acquisitions. I take your point about Shaw's physical and mental maturity, which is definitely rare, but I do see his integration into the team, while risky, as part of a more considered approach rather than just 'good fortune' - Adkins did play JWP in the first game of the season vs. the reigning champions, after all. Yes, they need to be blooded gradually and there shouldn't be an over-reliance on the young'uns coming through (I'm sure Poch knows the pitfalls of this too well from his time as Espanyol,) but the opportunities need to be there for them to take when ready.

Agreed, especially if Gaston isn't going to be match-fit for the start of the season. As a side-issue, I'm not sure why we only seem only to be able to complete one transfer at a time with the report suggesting that the Banega deal was put on the back-burner because of finalizing Wanyama's transfer. Not suggesting at all that we emulate Sunderland and bring in any old dross to the club, but their transfer activity does suggest that they have multiple persons working on multiple deals - or at least, an ability to juggle multiple transfers at once. No surprise that our own transfer activity has been so slow of late with Cortese recovering from his broken leg, but it does beg the question whether he needs anyone brought in to help with the transfer negotiations. Can anyone shed any light on Les Reed's role here?

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed reading it.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?gid=2013-07-25a.1451.0 Stumbled across this debate held yesterday in the House of Lords, discussing the international economic and cultural contributions of Premier League football. Saints fan, Baroness Brinton, had some interesting words to say about us, especially with relation to the Bath academy: Baroness Brinton (Liberal Democrat) My Lords, I, too, thank my noble friend Lord Bates for initiating this important debate. The English Premier League and the clubs that comprise it have real cultural and economic significance. Looking at the gender balance of today's debate, your Lordships’ House might think that football was still very much a male preserve. I inherited my Southampton gene from my mother, who remembers cycling with her brothers to Southampton, by way of the Hythe Ferry, from her home in the New Forest during the war. My brother and I are season ticket holders and, if your Lordships’ House did not have such a strict dress code, I might even prefer to wear my 125th anniversary shirt, to make my support even more visible. I am mindful of the point made by my noble friend Lord Taylor about the women’s game. It is noticeable that most of the clubs in the EPL have been developing their women’s game but it needs to go much further. I will focus on skills, and the importance of developing the next generation of English players, so that perhaps we might once again hold up the World Cup. The statistics look worrying. In 1992 76% of the starting 11 in the top league were English. By 2009 it had fallen to 37%, and it rose marginally last year to 39%. Last year, Southampton and Norwich—which my noble friend Lord Addington will be pleased to hear—were the only two clubs with more than 60% English players. Fulham had the fewest, at 15%. No wonder we struggle to win games at the highest international level. There are some shining examples bucking this trend in the Premier League, and Southampton is one of them. Indeed, it has a long history of developing its youth; I remember Mick Channon coming up through the youth team into the main team in the 1960s. Today’s Premier League stars who are graduates of the Saints academy are Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. More recently, I have delighted in watching James Ward-Prowse and Luke Shaw, both of whom have been with the club since they were eight years old. Southampton’s Football Development and Support Centre is unusual in professional football in that it looks after pre-academy, academy and professional squads together at Marchwood. It is particularly important because it provides a seamless pathway that supports young players from the age of eight right up into the first team. Southampton currently has the enviable position of being the supplier of the highest number of players to the domestic international squads, particularly England, over the past season. We have had an England player selected for every competitive squad, from the under-17 squad to the national team and the Olympics. For me, what is impressive is the satellite academy at Bath University, also unique in the academy system in football. Bath’s global expertise in sports medicine, psychology and technical performance is balanced by Saints’ long experience in growing its own talent. I believe that it is a groundbreaking model that should be not only protected but duplicated in the wider game. The English Premier League academy courses are rated by Ofsted as outstanding, and are all deemed to be one institution. We should celebrate this fact. Southampton academy scholars have a 100% pass rate, achieving predicted or even better grades in their formal exam results. Through the Bath academy, they are given the opportunity of three pathways: academic, including degree courses at Bath or elsewhere; vocational, learning to coach; and football, via the Southampton academy, and a chance of playing with other professional or semi-pro clubs. This is vital because, as I am sure your Lordships are aware, very few will make it to the top flight. The Daily Telegraph said in 2009 that fewer than 10% of those, “who join a Premier-ship academy will … make it into the first team. Most won’t even become professional footballers”. Southampton’s principles are to develop those young footballers to their full potential but also to ensure that alternative routes are available to them, which they will need at some point in their careers, whether at the age of 18 or 25 or when they retire as players. They will have important and relevant skills that ensure that they will not be on the scrapheap. To pick up on my noble friend Lord Taylor’s point, it will also provide the next generation of black and ethnic minority managers in the English Premier League. I want to speak briefly of another important economic aspect of English Premier League clubs, and that is, to use the title of the EPL report, Using the Power of Football to Positively Change Lives. It is not just about enabling youngsters to participate in football in their communities, although that is important. There are many projects where those heading for offending or disengagement have a chance to rethink and develop themselves in ways that they did not think possible. I was particularly impressed with the English Premier League’s scheme to take young boys to northern France to visit the battlefield sites, combining that with playing football at the same time, giving young lads who have come from backgrounds where offending might be a real possibility in future to think more broadly about the sacrifice that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers made. Andrew was one such person from Southampton, who had a real problem with his start in life. When he started with the Kickz programme, which is one part of the Southampton foundation, based in an antisocial behaviour hotspot, his youth inclusion officer and local police constable agreed that he was hard to engage with, did not respect the police and had serious anger management problems. Through the programme, Andrew has learnt to channel his anger. His inclusion officer has said, “A spark came alive in Andrew that made him want to achieve and go further in his life”. Using football as a vehicle, Andrew has turned his life around and is now working towards going to university. Throughout the English Premier League, there are many committed and excellent clubs and staff training the next generation of outstanding footballers. Just as important are the initiatives to support those who do not make it into other roles and those for whom football can turn around their lives. Each of these strands is vital to our economic well-being, both in our clubs’ local areas and nationally, and I am proud to say that my club, Southampton, leads the way in all three.

Who is attacking our summer spending?

Wouldn't recommend searching his name in Google images, mind. Especially with David Cameron watching.

Born in Winchester, raised in Andover (where my parents still live). First game, aged 9, was vs. Sheffield Wednesday in 1995. Got a season ticket with my Dad the following season in front row of the West stand, where we stayed until the move to St. Mary's. Great seats but always got wet, and had one memorable incident in 1999 (I think?) when Claus Lundekvam and Michael Owen went in for a tackle and fell on top of me. Was on a few Sky replays and I had Owen's studmarks in my side for a week or so - the sort of thing you love to gloat about around school at that age. After the Dell, I had a season-ticket in the Itchen for one year. Unfortunately, had to stop going when I started College for a number of reasons, mainly as I started to work weekends. Lost a lot of interest in football during that time (call it oversaturation) but actually regained my love for the club when I moved to Liverpool in 2004 to start Uni. Quite a strange thing, but being surrounded by people from around the country who also supported their local teams, it somehow rekindled that flame. Had a mutual friend in Manchester who was also a Saints fan so used to go to a fair few games with him during five years I was in Liverpool: Derby play-off semi-final being one of the highlights, despite the result. I'm up in Newcastle now - still studying - but try to get to games when I am at my parents, or away games that are do-able. Carlisle and Hartlepool away, among the more horrible recent memories. Only managed 4 games last season (first two home games, and Newcastle and Sunderland away) so hoping to improve my numbers for the coming season. Looking to move to London once my life as a student finally ends this October, so that should make things considerably easier...Will probably look into getting an S/T once more in 2014/2015.

AL- Needs a more consistent year, but clearly belongs in the Prem with his natural ability. Needs to be moved to AMC, and arguably played as a substitute in that position, to get the best out of him. Given his relative lack of pace (and slowness in getting shot away), think he'd be much more effective when used against tired legs. GR - Way too much hate for Gaston who is easily our most technically accomplished player. Real issues with his fitness but with an actual pre-season behind him with us, think he will have a big season and could well double his goal scoring tally for us next season. EM - Never been convinced with this guy. He has bundles of pace but I'm not sure a lot else. Poor game intelligence and should definitely not be utilized as a lone striker. Would be happy to see him gone before seasons starts. LI - Is it a one year contract or one year extension? Regardless, hoping that he will fight hard for a starting place next season. T'would be nice to have an actual proper winger with some decent pace tearing up the flanks. Obviously he is quite raw, but seems to be impressing in pre-season so things bode well... JS - Way too early to call for a CB, and he's far too young to just be thrown into Premier League action. Hoping he gets some cup games to impress next season and can start to be thought about as cover. Same with Jordan Turnbull really. PG - Clearly got bags of natural ability. Fantastic distribution and sharp reflexes, but its the mental side of his game that needs improving most. Really needs to sharpen his concentration and presence in the box to be considered a realistic alternative to AB or KD. JC - We hardly signed him for his goal scoring record did we? Quietly effective in everything he does, ridiculous to moan at him considering the vital role he plays. That criticism should definitely be directed at our AMC's and wingers. JWP - Love the attitude JWP has. Think he has a fantastic future at the club and outstanding in the few times I saw him play first-hand last season. Needs to offer more than his usual dilligent possession play, but showed glimpses of that with dynamic sub appearance vs. Sunderland away. VW - FFS, let him play a few games first before making stupid judgments like that. (Out of interest, who said that one, OP?) Think the lad will be a collusus for us in the middle of the park next season. Hoping he can chip in with a few long-range blasters as well, as need to up our scoring record form outside the box.

Leave it out dude, it was clearly just a careless whisper.

Horrible corporate jargon, please keep this in the boardroom. I do agree with a lot of this. Not sure why Lallana was ever made captain, aside from his long association with the club. As a flair player, he doesn't seem the inspirational sort and his own form is too inconsistent to rally those around him. Would much prefer someone like Rickie or Morgan as vice-captain to take over in that role next season. Hoping to see a much more consistent season from Adam next year. I do wonder whether he is more suited to an impact role off the bench, his touch, awareness, and movement being better utilized against tired legs. His relative lack of pace as a Prem winger and slowness in getting the shot away, seem to scupper a lot of his chances last year - leading to his trademarked 'scuffed' effort. When he came on against Reading (away) he was, by contrast, pretty clinical. Don't think he is good enough to replace Gaston in the XI, but employed as a direct subsitute as an AMC once Gaston has had his usual 65-70 mins, think he will serve us a lot better and turn some games for us. He is most definitely wasted out on the wing.

Me too. Can't see what they can offer him that we can't, unless he wants to live in London or he is being offered bumper wages. Maybe it's just that he's afraid of being worked like a 'dog' again by Poch.

I think there was a lot of intent in what Poch said at the last press conference and I have a feeling Cortese was behind much of it. Pretty sure that they knew they were close to securing Wanyama and they 'spun' that conference in order to go get the most out of it. If Cortese wasn't happy with the interview then it was strange that the media team made explicit reference to Poch's interest in Wanyama on the OS, along with the line that 'we conduct transfers on our own terms'. That Wanyama signed within days of that interview and then Poch trotted out the same lines about setting our own deadlines for transfers and being a 'serious' club, suggests to me, that Cortese's fingerprints were all over it.

I think Cortese will certainly expect a top-half finish given investment made so far and the calibre of players we are being linked with. If we finished 14th again, I'd say unless there were real mitigating circumstances (extensive injury list etc.) Poch's position would come under serious review.

Alex Crook suggesting on Twitter that he is surprised that we haven't gone for Soldado this window (he has a £25.8m release clause). This is the same man who 'broke' the story that we had £30 million to spend in total. Give it up pal.

Well I think we should be automatically better for a full pre-season under Poch, as well as the fact that all of our players will be playing their second year in the Premier League. So if the season started now, then yes, I could see us finishing in the top half with our new additions. Obviously I'd like us to sign a couple more. But I don't think the question about bridging the gap between 12th and 8th, or even 8th and 6th, is necessarily on how much you spend, but how effectively you spend it. That might sound a little trite, but comparing West Brom and Stoke's transfer activity over past five seasons makes for interesting reading, given where both teams finished last season (8th vs. 13th) http://www.transferleague.co.uk/league-tables/transfer-league-table-last-five-seasons.html Full table is above - but Stokes 5 year net spend is at £89 million, while West Brom's stands at only £12 million. That in itself could support the idea that it is 'futile' to spend lots for little gain. I talked a bit above about the 'glass ceiling' that Cortese and Poch are trying to break through with the PR overload, and they will have to work hard to shift perceptions to sign the players to drive us to a top 6 finish. But I definitely think it is possible and I'm not of the view that the teams that typically occupy those spots (Liverpool, Spurs, City, United, Arsenal, Chelsea) cannot be caught. Being content with 8th-12th every season certainly isn't the way forward. The 'strategy', for want of a better word, that we are taking with the signings of Wanyama/Ramirez/Lovren etc., combined with our youth team products, looks to be solid and I honestly think if we continue down the same road then we can get there in 2-3 years without spending ridiculous amounts.

Thread has gone off topic as there is nothing new on the Banega front to talk about. When there are updates, we can discuss. In the meantime, all you moody bums stop whining and join in with the Ostlund lulz.

WBA I think the biggest blow for West Brom hasn’t necessarily been Lukaku (it was inevitable after all), but actually Dan Ashworth’s departure to the FA as director of elite development. He worked wonders in the transfer market for them over the past couple of years, bringing promising players in such as Yacob and Mulumbu dirt-cheap. Not convinced that policy is being taken forward with the signing of Anelka, which seems a curious one given his age and the wages he is probably raking in. Steve Clarke did really well last season, and while not expecting them to be worrying about relegation, they need to inject a bit more new blood into a team that faded in the second-half of the season in order to stand a chance of repeating their 8th placed finish. Prediction: 12th West Ham Ah, Big Sam: the walking contradiction. An innovator off of the pitch in the realms of sport science and nutrition, yet thoroughly regressive on the pitch, implementing his despised brand of hoof-ball. To be fair to him, in spite of the limited aesthetic qualities of his teams, he seems to know this Premier League lark rather well. He’s brought in, permanently, his wet-dream fantasy target in Andy Carroll (who scored a whopping seven goals last season) for a mind-boggling £15 million. Razvan Rat has also come to offer some decent international experience at full back, with Adrian set to challenge Jussi (can’t be bothered to attempt his surname) in goal. Hardly a transfer window to get excited about, but when is it ever when Big Sam has the purse-strings? I think they’ll be pretty much the same as last season. They’ll stay up. No more, no less. Prediction: 10th

Spurs If ‘Don’ Cortese has earned a somewhat silly reputation of a Mafioso in the transfer window, mercilessly batting away agents and conducting deals only on his terms (Forren I hear you say?), then Daniel Levy is the equivalent of the gunslinger on horseback, riding into town as sunset approaches, engaged in a high-stakes duel that could well end in all manner of glory or tragedy. Metaphor stretched to breaking point, Levy seems to enjoy the thrill of deadline-day dealings, those transfers that are only ratified after the window ‘slams shut’ (in Sky Sports News speak), and as per usual, ending up with zero useful strikers. Since ‘Arry was shown the exit door (and despite his protestations, we all know he loves to wheel and deal), Levy has taken steps to remedy this cavalier approach to transfers: Baldini has been brought in as sporting director to give poor AVB a helping-hand. Paulinho has been brought in quick-sharp and looks to be an upgrade on Scott Parker, offering a much more mobile presence in central midfield, an eye for a goal, and a decent aerial threat, also. Chadli, signed from FC Twente, has impressed me when I have seen him play (pacy, strong, great technique and a powerful shot), and he offers them another option on the wings where they seem to suffer from a fair few injury problems. The forward trident of Lennon, Bale, and Chadli would certainly give a few opposing managers headaches next season. The main talking point this summer will undoubtedly be whether they can hold onto Bale (I think they will for another season) and bringing in a top striker that will get them 20+ goals a season. Until they do this, and I’ve not seen them linked with too many thus far, they are going to struggle to break into that top four spot. Prediction: 5th Stoke Mark Hughes has his detractors, and not, you might say, without good reason. I actually think Stoke as a club will suit Hughes - who has always worked well on a budget - better than the nouveau riche of QPR and Man City. He will certainly look to exploit the foreign markets more than Tony Pulis ever did. They will be robust, organized and hard to break down but attempt to play in a slightly more enterprising fashion. The problem for Hughes will be, given Stoke’s association with turgid hoof-ball and general poverty, attracting creative and flair players to the club. While he might have brought in the likes of Muniesa and Pieters – who look good signings on paper, and solve some of their problems at full-back – it remains to be seen whether he can transcend the unglamorous preconceptions of the club, and attract high quality players in forward areas. I’m not banking on it and I think they will flounder around the middle of the bottom half of the table. Prediction: 15th Sunderland Might as well roll a dice and call this. Di Canio, such an erratic, combustible personality, along with the spate of new signings brought in to the club this summer, could work wonders, or on the other hand, repeat QPR’s failings of last season. I have to say that I’d err towards the latter view. Despite Di Canio being a talented player and achieving his coaching badges with record-breaking results, his man-management skills are deeply questionable. While there is sense in moving on players clearly used to a bit of a playboy lifestyle in the North East, the scatter-gun fines that he seemed to mete out willy-nilly towards the end of last season, suggests, much like his political views, a strict authoritarian regime that might provoke considerable unrest in the dressing room. His press-conferences last year were bordering on farcical – banging on the desk and cursing when Wigan scored in a game being played simultaneously – and he will need to keep a reign on his emotions so that he doesn’t make the club a laughing stock. As for the signings, they look a bit of a rag-bag collection of freebies, cast-offs, and players with squandered potential. The Italian international winger, Giaccherini, looks the best purchase so far, and with recent goals for the Azzurri, suggests that he has some talent. They were a team without any identity when I watched them play us at Stadium of Light in April, but with even more signings seemingly imminent, it might well be a case of trying to change too much, too soon. Prediction: 18th Swansea Last year’s success story looks likely to be repeated again with Swansea making a number of singings to bolster their squad ahead of a potentially gruelling season with attendant Europa League commitments. A couple of these are low-key Spanish signings that I know little of, but the purchase of Bony should give them much more of a presence up front, with Michu dropping deeper into his favoured position. The muscular and athletic Bony has scored goals a plenty in the Dutch league, but time will tell whether or not he is another Afonso Alvez dud, or the real deal. You’d like to give Laudrup the benefit of the doubt with his successes in the transfer window last season, though I’m not entirely convinced with the Shelvey signing. One of the main problems for Swansea, aside from balancing the Premier League with mid-week games in Europe, is the tensions that have surfaced between Swansea’s chairman, Huw Jenkins, and Laudrup over the summer. I think Laudrup has been pretty underhand in some of the things he has said to the media – imagine Poch putting that much pressure on Cortese to make new signings – but with the League Cup win, he has a strong hand to play from. The rumours of Laudrup’s departure to a more prestigious team won’t go away quickly, and I actually think he will be off at the end of the season. That said, he won’t want to depart on a low. Prediction: 7th

Norwich It’s good to see that they have a bit more ambition than they let on last year, as I thought they were consistently mediocre and bordering on tedious to watch at times. They seem to have made some astute purchases this summer, with Fer, injury concerns aside, adding some much-needed creativity to the midfield, and the brilliantly named Van Wolfswinkel providing a bit of bite up front (apologies). Olsson and Garrido also improve them in the full-back positions, while Redmond will give them a direct outlet on the wings that they lacked last year. Whether he can establish himself as a decent Premier League winger will be an interesting sub-plot to their season. I think they are being talked up a little bit – and Alderweireld’s rejection suggests they might have problems attracting all the players they have been linked with – but I certainly expect improvements. With the money being spent and players signed I think Hughton will come under the microscope a bit more, and from a neutrals perspective, I hope they can play a bit more of an expansive style. For me, a steady but unspectacular season is in the offing… Prediction: 11th Southampton So far, so good for the Saints. Lovren and Wanyama look to be quality signings, both young with vast potential, and plenty of big game experience already. Lovren should add guile and composure at the back, while big Vic will give us the steel and power to build upon Poch’s high-pressing, high-octane style. Both will also help us out defending and attacking corners (just need someone who can actually take them now). Importantly, we have addressed two key areas nice and early, and seem to be integrating a few of our youngsters into the squad to provide healthy competition for the first-team. I’m hoping that Isgrove can challenge for some game-time on the wings this coming season as we are a bit short there, and Turnbull and Stephens (both physically imposing for their age) look like a natural central-defensive partnership for the future, who may also be handed the odd chance to impress in cup competitions. Given our commitments to developing youth, I don’t think we should be making any more signings in defensive areas. In Shaw and Clyne we have England’s future full-back pairing, and behind them, Targett and Chambers, who are both tipped for big things. It’s important that we continue to trust in our youth system and that we don’t block the pathway with needless squad signings. Granted, we could do with another proven centre back, but unfortunately, this would have to be at the expense of Jos or Jose being moved on. There are certainly areas that are bigger priority now, such as wing positions and up front. It’s a bit of standard observation on here, but we need more pace and creativity in the side especially with us having so much possession in the oppositions half and not being able to kill games off last season. Being linked with players such as Banega, Damiao and Osvaldo is great for the club, and I’m sure we are all hoping that we can pull off another couple of ‘biggies’ before the window closes, especially in those areas that need strengthening. But fans also need to be realistic and patient. We are trying to break through a bit of a glass ceiling at the moment – similar to Man City three or four years ago, though without quite the same amount of cash sloshing about – and our reputation as a club, despite the fruits of our successful academy, is not going to be enough to tempt every big player currently on the market. A lot of this optimism (or even over-confidence) among fans is being generated by the PR of Cortese and Pochettino, who seem to be working damn hard to shift perception of the club, with talk of ‘top 4’ aspirations, and the constant iteration of being a ‘serious’ club and conducting our transfers ‘on our terms’. I would interpret some of this talk as bluster, some borne from frustration with meddling agents (clearly a thorn in the side of Cortese), but importantly, a sign of where we are looking to go as a club. Realistically, we are not going to finish close to the Champions League spots next season, but the potential and ambition at the club is scarily good, and I think, eventually, that will be realized. In the here and now, a top half finish should be well within our means. Throw in a decent cup run and I’d call that a successful season. Prediction: 8th

Liverpool Having lived in Liverpool for a good five years, I’ve become familiar with the sense of entitlement that seems to warp their fans expectations. Accordingly, there is lots of talk emanating from their dressing room of challenging for a Champions League spot, but I think that is slightly premature at the moment. The future of Suarez, from a Liverpool fan’s perspective, must be an infuriating sub-plot – casting a negative pall over their preseason work. At least in Sturridge they appear to have a player they can also turn to for a regular return of goals and the growing understanding between him and Coutinho (who unfortunately for us, looks to be a stellar signing) should give them plenty of room for encouragement. Rodgers, despite his cringey David Brent-isms on the recent Liverpool documentary series, is doing a good job and I expect steady improvement. Mignolet is an excellent purchase and I’m slightly surprised a CL playing team didn’t bit for him (well Arsenal, anyway). Kolo Toure? He looked a bit ponderous on the occasions he did play last year, but should provide Skrtel and Agger with decent competition. Aspas, signed from Celta Vigo, is hardly a marquee signing the fans are probably after, but seems the tenacious scurrying sort of forward that with time, they might just grow to love. The manner in which they handle the Suarez saga will be crucial, and if he is sold, I’m not sure they will be quickly bringing in a like for like replacement in terms of ability. Christian Eriksen of Ajax has been mooted and would be a cracking transfer, but aims of the CL will have to be put on hold for another season. Prediction: 6th Man City All change at Citeh. New manager, new players arriving, and a new style of playing being implemented, equal for me, the clichéd ‘year of transition’. The genial Pellegrini is a far better man-manger than Mancini can claim to be, and that two of the biggest nuisances have been moved on, in Tevez and Ballotelli, should see fewer off-pitch spats and improved dressing room harmony. The signings, so far, look to be impressive but over-priced. Fernandinho has sparkled in the Europa League and Champions League for Shakhtar and as a box-to-box midfielder with considerable pace, good passing range, and a powerful shot on him, represents a significant upgrade on Gareth Barry. Navas, if he stays injury free, can provide the pace and incision on the wings that perhaps someone like Scott Sinclair was supposed to do last season. In Negredo, they have also brought in a powerful and bullish striker with a decent all-round game and scoring record, though without the consistency and ruthlessness to be considered in the world class bracket. Jovetic is probably their best signing this window. Pace, vision, great range of passing, incredible technique, wonderful dribbling skills, the fella has it all, and could light up the Premier League. He is also versatile and can be employed as attacking midfielder or centre forward, while his eye for a killer pass should take some of the creative burden off of Silva. The problem that Pellegrini will face is integrating all of these attacking players seamlessly and adapting to the unique pressures of the Premier League at the same time; the latter shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but as seen with Chelsea’s recent splurges on predominantly creative/flair players, it can take time for that to amount to a credible title challenge. Prediction: 3rd Man Utd It’s the same old adage with Man Utd: underestimate them at your peril. Moyes has inherited a team that, arguably, over-achieved last season. It was a shame for the neutral that none of the other contenders could up their game enough to provide a half-decent challenge, because their squad, despite the departing SAF’s remarks otherwise, contains some obvious flaws. By all accounts, Carrick had a stonking season in centre-mid, but added creativity and steel is a must, as I’m not convinced the ilk of Anderson, Cleverley, a 40-year old Giggs, and long-term absentee, Fletcher, are going to plug that gap. Fabregas and Fellaini look like realistic targets, and with their obvious assets, would certainly improve their chances of retaining the title, immeasurably. Cementing a proper position for the versatile Phil Jones, who I think is hugely over-rated, would help both player and manager. Left-back and the wing positions could also come under review; Evra had a poor season last year, and Young, Nani, and Valencia, were largely underwhelming. I also don’t know how ready Zaha, gifted but raw, will be to make one of those positions his own. I think Kagawa, however, will excel in the role behind RVP. The Rooney saga obviously necessitates a conclusion, but I think even if sold and without a replacement brought in, they have enough up front with RVP, Hernandez, and Wellbeck to plunder the goals. This will no doubt be a testing transfer market for Moyes and a season in which his own performance will come under constant scrutiny. He will rise to the challenge, but I have a feeling that they will come up just short in the title race. Prediction: 2nd Newcastle My place of residence for the last few years, and as always, disaster never seems very far away. Mike Ashley seemed to have won the locals trust back over in the last couple of seasons, but a flurry of rash decisions risk turning Newcastle’s pre-season into farce. Quite what he is attempting by bringing JFK back into the fold is anyone’s guess – though whispers are that he was stung by Pardew’s criticism of him in the press, and is attempting to force Pardew out the back door without having to pay up that bumper 8-year contract awarded only at the end of the 2011/2012 season. But what happens then? Short-termism and vanity seem to inform too many of Ashley’s decisions, despite the good work that the club have done in reducing the wage bill and Graham Carr’s excellent scouting work in France. JFK – nicknamed ‘domestos’ by staff, such is his abrasive style - is a time-bomb waiting to off (and I’m not just talking about his faulty ticker,) and I really can’t see the relationship with Pardew working. The guy is an absolute joke; puffed up on his own self-importance, a pathological liar, and seems to willingly foster a ridiculously antagonistic relationship with the press as well as his own players. It’s hardly going to convince players like Cabaye/Kebab that they should stick around. The whole furore over the Wonga sponsorship branding is also threatening the future of Cisse, one of their better players (I would definitely have him at Saints by the way). Given their fifth place finish a couple of seasons back, and some decent-ish looking acquisitions in January, you’d say that without the distractions of the Europa League to contend with, they would be looking at a top half finish, especially if they get Ben Arfa off the treatment table for long enough. But I just don’t know. I look at their team and I’m not convinced that there is actually a definite style they are attempting to play – though maybe that owes to Pardew’s pragmatism/tactical flexibility as they were certainly effective, if slightly lucky, against us at St. James’s last year. They were rumoured to be going back in for Andy Carroll at a time when they had seemed to have moved away from the more direct style employed under Hughton. Now there is talk of Darren Bent, who although would suit them better, couldn’t cut it at Villa last season. Their reliance on French-speaking imports is all well and good, but if you have a Director of Football who can’t even be bothered to pronounce their names correctly, or a sponsorship deal that is antithetical to many of their religious beliefs, then you have big problems. Hoping for the local’s sake I am proved wrong, but a season of upheaval and inconsistency beckons… Prediction: 16th