mrfahaji

If the PL get on board you just know it will be: PL: "We've picked out Manchester United vs Watford as a possible fixture to play in the US" MU: "Sorry but we don't want one of our home games to be played away from Old Trafford" PL: "Ok, fair enough, Watford v Manchester United then?" MU: "Sounds good" WF: "Hang on a sec..." PL: "That's decided then."

And Danny Ings isn't one of them! (yet... uh oh, now I've done it)

Yes that's what I said - "only like relegation from an income perspective", but not from a football perspective. Everything you talk about is related to income, but that will be the same for every team, so from a competition perspective it will be unchanged.

But who cares? It would only be like relegation from an income/spotlight perspective, and why should we be bothered about that? We're only props for the big clubs anyway. We would still be playing in the top tier of English football, thus not like relegation.

The issue I have with the amount of money being paid to footballers is that it is the quality/level has not significantly improved (in some cases it is exactly the same players) in what, 10 years? Ok, so at the moment Manchester City play some scintillating stuff, but were 10th placed Newcastle from 2018 any better than 10th place West Ham in 2008? Also the amounts in question are extreme. Zaha isn't earning more in a month than most people earn in a year, he is earning more in a WEEK! You hear a lot about what the increase in revenue into the PL (and football in general) will do, but ultimately teams just splurge it all on higher transfer fees and more importantly, higher player wages. I'm not sure there is ANY extra money going into anything which genuinely improves the game. No significant investment in grassroots, no reduction in ticket prices, no improvement in infrastructure at or near the stadium... instead it's just more money in the pockets of players and their agents, who have done nothing to earn such an increase other than being in the right industry at the right time.

Exactly this. Thank you.

Yes, I would rather Liverpool didn't get to the Champions League final, and if that means watching Vojvodina instead, so be it!

They are managed by a different person though. Presumably Silva won't employ the same tactics and formation as Allardyce?

It's worse. There used to be no hope of winning the league, now there's no hope of finishing 6th.

I think you've answered your own question. Having a player with pace (and some footballing ability, obviously) also changes the complexion of the game because the opposition can't afford to ignore that threat by committing players forward or playing a high line.

Only problem with that is his name is Danny Ings, not Danny Ing.

And yet, you have Hoedt in your starting XI.

That is surely a reasonable concern? A serious knee injury often affects a player's pace, and he has had two at Liverpool. From his showing yesterday it looks like - hopefully - he might still have that quickness, but most people were saying "IF he has lost his speed" rather than "he HAS" lost it.

I thought he did quite well, but I didn't see the first 30 minutes... My frustration with Redmond normally coincides with him playing on the left. He always seems better when he plays centrally or even on the right, so he doesn't constantly cut back inside instead of taking anyone on.

Yep, I've seen Gabbiadini (admittedly, when he first joined when everything he did was good) hold the ball up and link play well, but it very much depends on the style of our overall play. Short passes and quick interplay would work, but as soon as you're hitting hopeful balls up to him to 'fight' for, there's little point!

I think this is true. Austin is a good player to have on if you're peppering their box with crosses but the further from goal he has to play, the less effective he becomes.

This is it for me. Ings could turn out well, but there is a sense that we just caved in to what Liverpool wanted - and what most people thought was a ridiculous asking price. I find it hard to believe he was the only player we wanted.

Maybe not, but I just don't think they will be cut adrift at the bottom like everyone is presuming. And the reason why I went off on one is not because I think Cardiff will stay up, but because the "not a PL manager" line is so common but he's never really been given a chance with anything other than clubs on a shoestring that he's got promoted.

Just goes to show how short-sighted football clubs are (were, but probably still are). The number of players you hear of being rejected on that basis seems to be pretty high, when unless you're a goalkeeper and probably centre back, your height is pretty irrelvant for how good a footballer you might become. Some of the greatest footballers that have ever lived are/were tiny.

It's "hit OR miss" for a start

When the dog bites When the bee stings When I'm feeling sad I simply remember we've got Danny Ings And then I don't feel so bad

Well, yes, it kind of does matter. Your other points are all valid, and the amount we paid shouldn't make you any less excited about seeing him play and hopefully do well for us. But there is always an opportunity cost with a deal - if Ings isn't up to it, then that's £20m that could have been spent on someone else, or more realistically we could have paid £10m and and used the other £10m to go towards another player. I wanted us to sign Ings when he was at Burnley, so I'm obviously not disappointed he's here, but if your club doesn't have unlimited money (which, thankfully if you ask me, ours doesn't), then it is about getting value for money with every transfer you can, and something Saints used to be pretty good at.

Liverpool demand £20m for Danny Ings. Everyone laughs at them. Then Southampton pay £20m. (I'm not particularly anti this signing btw, just can't believe Liverpool wouldn't have accepted a slightly lower, or differently structured deal. And if not, then it is still a huge amount to risk on someone with his recent injuries).

I meant, "do we still have to buy Ings?" (I think you read my comment as 'we still need to buy another striker', apologies if not)

Being fit and being as sharp/quick as you were before 2 major knee injuries are two different things. I hope he is back to the player he was - we have him now so the only thing we can do is support him and keep our fingers crossed - but it's a bit of a gamble.