What an interesting summer we are in for...

[Seaford Saint]

You would be hard pushed to find many people who didn't believe that there are positions which need strengthening. As with every summer transfer window, we will improve the squad.

 

The usual hysterical critics from a far will no doubt spend all summer telling us what we should be doing whilst also still bleating on about last summer where we actually did do enough solid business to secure our top flight status which was the main objective of the season.

 

People like Alpine bang on as usual about signing everyone early but we have done well worrying about bringing in the right players rather than signing someone as quick as possible. It's a nonsense argument which is raised every year. I remember in the summer, a few people pointing at Readings "excellent" early summer transfers and even McDermott was boasting about it as it they are a benchmark to aspire to. Most people ignored that most of their signings were not very good despite getting them in early.

 

 

 

Good post...someone else has said the same later....we have made some excellent aquisitions in the last year or so. This will continue or even accelerate, I have no doubt of that. We are on the threshold of a dream.

 

I have Alpine on ignore. Saves a lot of headache, if more people did this he would end up talking to an empty site.

[Matthew Le God]

Mayuka is not a winger.

 

He's looked far better out wide for Saints than he has centrally in his brief cameos this season.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Good post...someone else has said the same later....we have made some excellent aquisitions in the last year or so. This will continue or even accelerate, I have no doubt of that. We are on the threshold of a dream.

 

I have Alpine on ignore. Saves a lot of headache, if more people did this he would end up talking to an empty site.

 

I love that last seasons 'awful' acquisitions include:

 

- Clyne, who looks an absolute bargain at c.£2m. Would be looking at close to 5 times that if we were to sell him on.

- Yoshi, who again looks something of a bargain. Would much prefer him to Scott Dann for the £6m mooted or even Samba for £12m + £100k p/w. I don't get why people rate Samba so highly. He is huge, that is about it. Last season he was at Blackburn, how did they end up doing? Now he is at QPR, and look how well they have done.

- Davis for £800k - quite simply a steal.

- J-Rod, looks class. Being touted for a possible England call-up and linked with a move to Liverpool not all that long ago.

 

This whole, everything needs to be done by July 1st is just an absolute nonsense. I keep trying to make the point to Alpine_Troll, but for some reason he always ignores it, that why does he think the last week of the Transfer Window is always the busiest? These deals, involving huge sums of money, and a number of stakeholders wanting to ensure they get their piece of the pie take time. It isn't just us. It is the way the market works.

 

If Saints were the only team signing players towards the end of the window I would be more inclined to share his worries. But anyone with half a brain cell, and an ability to look at the bigger picture can see this is not the case.

[VectisSaint]

The reason most transfer activity doesn't happen until July isn't due to contracts expiring. Man Utd did all of their key transfer activities very early last summer. Yes it probably helps that they're Man Utd, but equally the size and scale of the deals they are negotiating would be more complex than ours and would have plenty of agent intrusion.

Buttner signed on 21 August, just 4 days after van Persie. Kagawa signed on 22 June. Their only other signings last summer were Henriques who went on loan to Wigan and Nick Powell from Crewe. So which of these were the key Manure signings made early in the transfer window? As usual, when you dig into what Alpine states as facts the reality is that there is no evidence to back up what he says. It seems that you too don't seem to have much of a grasp of the facts in this case either Sour Mush. Sadly the fact of life is that it is a contract related issue that signings are not made before July, whether you agree or not is irrelevant, because its a fact.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

I would say that, looking at our position now, last summers acquisitions were actually on the whole a success. However, it would have been nice to get them into the club earlier. We need to hit the ground running next season, and certainly with CB's it is imperative they build a partnership before the season starts. Due to this I believe that we will get another CB in early Summer to play alongside Forren.

[jawillwill]

I don't know if anyone else has pointed this out yet but:

 

Since Saints were losing at half-time on Saturday, Alpine Saint has made 60 posts on SWF (an average of about 30 posts per day). During Saints unbeaten run between beating Liverpool on 16th March and playing WBA, he made just 80 posts* (an average of about 1.8 posts per day).

 

 

* most of these 80 posts are about England's poor performances during the international break.

 

I think he likes it when Saints lose.

[The Kraken]

He's looked far better out wide for Saints than he has centrally in his brief cameos this season.

 

Far better? Leaving aside for now he's hardly played in either position; against Swansea he was on the pitch for about 5 minutes but only denied a goal by a great reflex save by Vorm. And against WBA his closing down and block should have resulted in a goal but Lambert f*cked it up.

 

And he's not a winger.

[Greenridge]

I love that last seasons 'awful' acquisitions include:

 

- J-Rod, looks class. Being touted for a possible England call-up and linked with a move to Liverpool not all that long ago.

 

 

Took him a while to settle in and indeed get a regular spot but what a player he's turning out to be. Seem to recall a few who were continually moaning about him being one for the future and not what we needed now.

Edited 29 April, 2013 by Greenridge

[S-Clarke]

We don't need major surgery. I can see 3 or 4 signings tops.

 

That is all we need.

 

An injection of ''star quality'' at CB, a utility defender to cover all over the back 4 and maybe 1 or 2 wide players who can roam across the front 3.

 

That's probably all we need. We've got the base of an exceptional young team and people would pay a lot of money for the likes of Lallana, Ramirez, Morgan, Shaw, Clyne, Cork, Rodriguez - so let's be pleased we have those as a base to work from. We're not that bad at all.

 

Amazing how Alpine only comes alive after we lose. I don't get the crap that there's not much to talk about when we win, of course there is. There's the same amount of activity on here. It's just that a negative tone is what seems to drive you here, for whatever reason.

 

Hey ho.

[Smirking_Saint]

Personally Id like us to sign

 

A topclass CB to replace one of our current bunch

 

A top class holding midfielder to replace Cork or Morgs

 

A top class winger to replace Punch or Lallana

 

A top class striker to replace Lambert

 

Thus providing competition and improving the team

[S-Clarke]

Personally Id like us to sign

 

A topclass CB to replace one of our current bunch

 

A top class holding midfielder to replace Cork or Morgs

 

A top class winger to replace Punch or Lallana

 

A top class striker to replace Lambert

 

Why would you be looking to replace either Cork or Morgan???????? Both of those stay as 1st names on the team sheet next year.

[The Kraken]

Personally Id like us to sign

 

A topclass CB to replace one of our current bunch

 

A top class holding midfielder to replace Cork or Morgs

 

A top class winger to replace Punch or Lallana

 

A top class striker to replace Lambert

 

Thus providing competition and improving the team

 

Add in a spare left back and that would be a very productive summer. Can't see us spending big on a CM though. The other 3 positions are the priorities IMO; have to wait and see on Forren for the CB but I'd still be inclined to go get one more. Forren is only a shade over 6 foot, alongside Yoshida that would be a (relatively) tiny CB pairing. Could do with someone Jos's size (but much better, clearly). Lambert has had a great season but his limitations have shone through in the last 2 or 3 games; and Lukaku showed what a top PL striker looks like on Saturday, he was absolutely superb.

[Smirking_Saint]

Why would you be looking to replace either Cork or Morgan???????? Both of those stay as 1st names on the team sheet next year.

 

Dont get me wrong, I love both of those two, our midfield is so much better with them there. For me at any level it is noticeable having a midfielder that can break up play.

 

But we are looking to improve, you dont do that buying back up, and so should someone be available to replace either I would.

 

Kraken, I agree completely, but looking at the likes of Benteke, Lukaku and Michu it shows what top top strikers can achieve. You are right though, Lukaku was completely unplayeable on Sat

[The Kraken]

.....looking at the likes of Benteke, Lukaku and Michu it shows what top top strikers can achieve. You are right though, Lukaku was completely unplayeable on Sat

 

And their clubs didn't have to break the bank to get any of them (Lukaku obviously on loan). 15, 14 and 17 league goals each so far. That's a good instant return.

[Dig Dig]

Why would you be looking to replace either Cork or Morgan???????? Both of those stay as 1st names on the team sheet next year.

 

Agree, wouldn't look to replace them per se but there are a couple of positions where if our first choice isn't available we become so much weaker and unlikely to win. Holding CM is the main one closely followed by full back

[Sour Mash]

Buttner signed on 21 August, just 4 days after van Persie. Kagawa signed on 22 June. Their only other signings last summer were Henriques who went on loan to Wigan and Nick Powell from Crewe. So which of these were the key Manure signings made early in the transfer window? As usual, when you dig into what Alpine states as facts the reality is that there is no evidence to back up what he says. It seems that you too don't seem to have much of a grasp of the facts in this case either Sour Mush. Sadly the fact of life is that it is a contract related issue that signings are not made before July, whether you agree or not is irrelevant, because its a fact.

Not quite. Van Persie and Kagawa were bought in time to play in their first game of the season and make an impact from the start - we had to wait over a month into the season to see anything of Yoshida or Ramirez our two key signings.

 

Oh and how come players are signed before July then?

[UpweySaint]

Not quite. Van Persie and Kagawa were bought in time to play in their first game of the season and make an impact from the start - we had to wait over a month into the season to see anything of Yoshida or Ramirez our two key signings.

 

Oh and how come players are signed before July then?

 

Perfectly fair point but I dont think utd can be our benchmark, aspire to the best and all that but we dont have their pulling power and may have to play the long game to attract the best players. Ramirez case in point, had Liverpool, Spurs or AC Milan come knocking we'd be in trouble whereas I imagine Utd dont have similar issues, not many sides can wield that kind of pulling power.

[Smirking_Saint]

And their clubs didn't have to break the bank to get any of them (Lukaku obviously on loan). 15, 14 and 17 league goals each so far. That's a good instant return.

 

They have all been fantastic signings, we dumped 12m on Ramirez (fwiw I still think it will end up worth it but he probably wasnt needed at the time) when we could have used that to grab almost 2 bentekes or 4 Michu's

 

I am sure there are more like them out there, young and hungry, lets hope this year of scouting has upturned some gems

[alpine_saint]

I don't know if anyone else has pointed this out yet but:

 

Since Saints were losing at half-time on Saturday, Alpine Saint has made 60 posts on SWF (an average of about 30 posts per day). During Saints unbeaten run between beating Liverpool on 16th March and playing WBA, he made just 80 posts* (an average of about 1.8 posts per day).

 

 

* most of these 80 posts are about England's poor performances during the international break.

 

I think he likes it when Saints lose.

 

 

 

Quite the opposite, but I doubt you understand the distinction or believe what I say anyway.

 

The bleating and character assassination about me expressing my opinion is really quite sad. So many of you have a genuine problem with a voice that dissents from your own..

[Dalek2003]

Have we a good enough squad for promotion ?

[Whitey Grandad]

Have we a good enough squad for promotion ?

 

Yeah, no worries. They're all out on loan at the moment.

[norwaysaint]

Quite the opposite, but I doubt you understand the distinction or believe what I say anyway.

 

The bleating and character assassination about me expressing my opinion is really quite sad. So many of you have a genuine problem with a voice that dissents from your own..

 

I have no idea what your motivation is, but he has got a point about your posting hasn't he?

 

You may have some relevant points, but if you lack balance and perspective, how can you expect others to take you seriously?

[VectisSaint]

Not quite. Van Persie and Kagawa were bought in time to play in their first game of the season and make an impact from the start - we had to wait over a month into the season to see anything of Yoshida or Ramirez our two key signings.

 

Oh and how come players are signed before July then?

But you missed the point, by ignoring what the argument was about. Alpine was saying and you were agreeing that Manure do all their key transfers early in the window and we should follow their model so that we have players in for a full pre-season etc etc. The reality though is that it is just not the case. Very few transfers to Premier League teams take place before the end of June - last season there were 17 in total, and about a third of these were players to QPR. Manure signed two players in this time frame, Kagawa and the kid that went to Wigan on loan. Well ignore the Wigan bound lad, clearly he was not key. Kagawa, well he has come good in the latter part of the season, but really was hardly key, in fact his season somewhat mirrors our own J-Rod who was similarly signed in June, about the same time. So RVP was signed just in time to play first game of the season, hardly early in the season, and with no pre-season time with this new team mates. In summary then Alpine was basing his argument on fiction, when in fact our summer activity was really very similar.

 

Again if you want some facts, there were only 17 transfers in to PL teams in June, 37 in July and 63 in August. Fact is that only one team was busy in the incoming transfer market in June, so if we want to model ourselves on that team fair enough, but it seems to me that QPR is not really the model I would choose based on results. Good players are not generally allowed to leave their clubs during June for a variety of factors, including the fact they are usually still under contract, they are on holiday, the manager is on holiday, the players are on international duty (every 2 years, or in the case of 2012 on Olympic duty, a la Ramirez), clubs have not finalised their squad needs etc etc. Alpine bleats every season about getting in players early, but in reality it does not happen and will never happen while the transfer window operates the way it currently does. In reality we did a lot of our business quite early last season, with J-Rod coming in during July and Steven Davis and Nathaniel Clyne in early and mid July - now they were actually 3 key players all available for most of pre-season. Accept that Yoshi and Gaston were late, and we were also somewhat screwed by Buttner having his head turned late on.

 

So, I think Alpine's boring argument about getting players in early llike Manure is well and truly bunked.

 

[source: Wiki list of English football transfers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_football_transfers_summer_2012]

 

Incidentally although RvP was signed in time for the first game of the season, he only appeared as a second half sub, and I wonder whether he would have played at all if Manure hadn't been playing their first game on MNF. Buttner of course signed after the first game.

Edited 30 April, 2013 by VectisSaint

[Junior Mullet]

We could officially be in the ****. Worried.

[Sour Mash]

But you missed the point, by ignoring what the argument was about. Alpine was saying and you were agreeing that Manure do all their key transfers early in the window and we should follow their model so that we have players in for a full pre-season etc etc. The reality though is that it is just not the case. Very few transfers to Premier League teams take place before the end of June - last season there were 17 in total, and about a third of these were players to QPR. Manure signed two players in this time frame, Kagawa and the kid that went to Wigan on loan. Well ignore the Wigan bound lad, clearly he was not key. Kagawa, well he has come good in the latter part of the season, but really was hardly key, in fact his season somewhat mirrors our own J-Rod who was similarly signed in June, about the same time. So RVP was signed just in time to play first game of the season, hardly early in the season, and with no pre-season time with this new team mates. In summary then Alpine was basing his argument on fiction, when in fact our summer activity was really very similar.

 

Again if you want some facts, there were only 17 transfers in to PL teams in June, 37 in July and 63 in August. Fact is that only one team was busy in the incoming transfer market in June, so if we want to model ourselves on that team fair enough, but it seems to me that QPR is not really the model I would choose based on results. Good players are not generally allowed to leave their clubs during June for a variety of factors, including the fact they are usually still under contract, they are on holiday, the manager is on holiday, the players are on international duty (every 2 years, or in the case of 2012 on Olympic duty, a la Ramirez), clubs have not finalised their squad needs etc etc. Alpine bleats every season about getting in players early, but in reality it does not happen and will never happen while the transfer window operates the way it currently does. In reality we did a lot of our business quite early last season, with J-Rod coming in during July and Steven Davis and Nathaniel Clyne in early and mid July - now they were actually 3 key players all available for most of pre-season. Accept that Yoshi and Gaston were late, and we were also somewhat screwed by Buttner having his head turned late on.

 

So, I think Alpine's boring argument about getting players in early llike Manure is well and truly bunked.

 

[source: Wiki list of English football transfers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_football_transfers_summer_2012]

 

Incidentally although RvP was signed in time for the first game of the season, he only appeared as a second half sub, and I wonder whether he would have played at all if Manure hadn't been playing their first game on MNF. Buttner of course signed after the first game.

 

Right, so for all your so called "facts" you can't explain why some players are signed in June, despite you saying earlier this never happens. And you can't dispute the fact that Man Utd had their two key signings playing in their first game of the season, we had to wait a month for Yoshida and Ramirez..................

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Right, so for all your so called "facts" you can't explain why some players are signed in June, despite you saying earlier this never happens. And you can't dispute the fact that Man Utd had their two key signings playing in their first game of the season, we had to wait a month for Yoshida and Ramirez..................

 

What single day is the busiest in 99% of transfer windows?

[Sour Mash]

What single day is the busiest in 99% of transfer windows?

What has that got to do with anything?

[KelvinsRightGlove]

What has that got to do with anything?

 

It is a fact, that the busiest day of the window is the last.

 

Why is that?

[Sour Mash]

It is a fact, that the busiest day of the window is the last.

 

Why is that?

 

Because all the deals that have not previously been completed have to be squeezed into one remaining 24 hour period.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Because all the deals that have not previously been completed have to be squeezed into one remaining 24 hour period.

 

So, does this suggest that it is endemic of Saints that our transfer windows are 'Cluster F***s' as someone put it? Or, is it perhaps more likely how the transfer window works?

[Sour Mash]

So, does this suggest that it is endemic of Saints that our transfer windows are 'Cluster F***s' as someone put it? Or, is it perhaps more likely how the transfer window works?

Well I didn't use that phrase or suggest that there isn't going to be an obvious rush to get players in before the cut-off point, so I'm not too sure what your point is?

[a1ex2001]

Not once has anyone associated with the club even suggested anything like that to be honest.

 

They don't need to it'sobvious, very very few promoted club ever state that as the goal everyone talks about pushing on etc etc etc but realistically any club promoted to the premier league has the simple goal of staying up first season and we all know it!

[CB Fry]

They don't need to it'sobvious, very very few promoted club ever state that as the goal everyone talks about pushing on etc etc etc but realistically any club promoted to the premier league has the simple goal of staying up first season and we all know it!

 

Even when we sacked Nigel there was no mention of the aim being just staying up as it was with, say, Reading or Sunderland when they communicated their changes.

 

The club's aim was far beyond just staying up. Might have been your aim. It was mine. It wasn't the club's.

Edited 30 April, 2013 by CB Fry

[MOSaint]

IMO I think some more pace and power should be injected into the spine of the team to help us deal with the more physical sides. Lambert, Morgan, Shaw & Jos (who isn't good enough) aside, our team are susceptible to a pohysical approach

 

A ball playing CB with some pace & power

 

Cover at both FB positions

 

Another quality DM, one with pace and power (A player like Wanyama)

 

An attacking midfielder/winger who offers more goals and assists (For example Lens or if we're really willing to spend big Dries Mertens)

 

A striker who can both hold the ball up and run in behind (Lukaku is an example, but we have no chance unless they want to loan him out again). IMO if we want to play one up front more effectively the attack needs to revolve around a player who can offer both as harsh as that may sound on Lambert.

[DuncanRG]

But we are looking to improve, you dont do that buying back up, and so should someone be available to replace either I would.

 

In which case we could buy an entire XI, no? Everybody understands how to improve a team through signings but I'm not sure why you'd look at that area first. You don't want to break up a good partnership, and if we're going to kick on and become a top half team I think defensive midfield will be the one area where we'll look no different. Though if we're after Wanyama...

 

Personally I'd be happy with a refreshed squad and more strength in depth (a few ins and outs) with the first XI left intact besides centre half. I wouldn't say no to another attacking midfielder/winger with a bit more goalscoring prowess since otherwise we might be relying on Ramirez to improve.

Edited 1 May, 2013 by DuncanRG

[Saint_clark]

Mayuka is not a winger.

 

Well he sure as sh*t isn't the lone striker in our team, so one of the three support positions will be where he plays (if he plays).

[VectisSaint]

Well he sure as sh*t isn't the lone striker in our team, so one of the three support positions will be where he plays (if he plays).

Interesting though that when he came on on Saturday that was where he played. Clearly not a direct replacement for SRL, but it is his preferred position. He sure as **** is not a winger though, and a winger is not someone who plays up front as one of three strikers as you very well know.

[VectisSaint]

Right, so for all your so called "facts" you can't explain why some players are signed in June, despite you saying earlier this never happens. And you can't dispute the fact that Man Utd had their two key signings playing in their first game of the season, we had to wait a month for Yoshida and Ramirez..................

OK, although I did not say transfers never happen in June, I can see where you may have picked that up from. But if you refer to my previous post what I actually said wass "very few transfers take place before the end of June". This is borne out by the facts, last year 17 out of 117 took place during the month of June, which is 14.5%, which in my view equates quite well to "very few". Most (not all) of those that do are where clubs have made a prior agreement, or where perhaps the buying club is paying silly money such that the selling club bites their hand off, as was possibly the case with 1/3 of the transfers in June which were made by QPR, the club that has showed us all how to make the transfer system work.

 

You seem keen to support Alpine's argument even though you don't seem to have actually read what it says, instead picking up on some responses, but as the original point was that Manure were highlighted as being great models because they do all of their incoming activity very early in the window. But you have twisted this by saying their key players - by this you have to mean Kagawa and RvP were available for the first game. Well in the case of Kigawa you are absolutely right, in exactly the same way that J-Rod was available for our first game. RvP was only available for the first game because Manure's first game was played on Monday night, he would probably not have been eligible if they had played on Saturday, and even SAF decided that it wasn't right for him to start that game, instead bringing him on for 22 minutes plus Fergie time.

 

The argument Alpine makes every year and which is so wrong and so boring is complete fantasy. In reality we signed 4 of our 6 players not only early in the transfer window but in most cases early in the pre-season build up, and were more effective at bringing in key players much earlier than the role model proposed, i.e. United. JRod, Davis, Clyne & Gazza (key from the POV of having a backup keeper rather than relying on Tommy Fourpast). Only Yoshi and Gaston were signed late on. The biggest issue was that we missed out on a LB because of the Buttner situation caused ironically by Manure's late transfer window activity.

 

I'm done arguing now on this, I've set out what I wanted to achieve which was to completely blow Alps silly arguments out of the window. If you are unable to comprehend a coherent argument and want to support Alps contentions then so be it. Truth is no PL clubs will be making many significant transfers in during the month of June and during that time no doubt we will all be subjected to Alpine's whinging posts bemoaning the lack of transfer activity. We shall see :-)

[tajjuk]

According to that BBC interview with Pochettino we have already signed two new players and the club is looking at more, so presumably those will come in on the 1st of July.

 

In fact that is a key point, unless the transfer are from another English league club you can't actually sign anyone until the 1st July so I'm not sure what all this rubbish about June transfers is about.

 

That already makes Alpine wrong. I'm sure he will weasel it round and will claim these new signings are the wrong signings whoever they are.

[Batman]

According to that BBC interview with Pochettino we have already signed two new players and the club is looking at more, so presumably those will come in on the 1st of July.

 

In fact that is a key point, unless the transfer are from another English league club you can't actually sign anyone until the 1st July so I'm not sure what all this rubbish about June transfers is about.

 

That already makes Alpine wrong. I'm sure he will weasel it round and will claim these new signings are the wrong signings whoever they are.

 

he said that two players are very close to agreeing deals, with another 2 to follow

[Smirking_Saint]

According to that BBC interview with Pochettino we have already signed two new players and the club is looking at more, so presumably those will come in on the 1st of July.

 

In fact that is a key point, unless the transfer are from another English league club you can't actually sign anyone until the 1st July so I'm not sure what all this rubbish about June transfers is about.

 

That already makes Alpine wrong. I'm sure he will weasel it round and will claim these new signings are the wrong signings whoever they are.

 

I dont think players can we officially registered until July 1st and so will play no part in integration to the team etc before that date but players do sign with clubs before that. Whether they sign pre-contracts, a statement of intent to sign or something else I dont know but it wouldnt be the first time that clubs have signings ready to go.

 

Its interesting though, I wonder if it is transfers we tried to get in this season which were unsuccessful at the time ? Maybe because we were not guaranteed prem next year or their own teams needs for this season ? Lens and Astori perhaps ?

[tajjuk]

I dont think players can we officially registered until July 1st and so will play no part in integration to the team etc before that date but players do sign with clubs before that. Whether they sign pre-contracts, a statement of intent to sign or something else I dont know but it wouldnt be the first time that clubs have signings ready to go.

 

Its interesting though, I wonder if it is transfers we tried to get in this season which were unsuccessful at the time ? Maybe because we were not guaranteed prem next year or their own teams needs for this season ? Lens and Astori perhaps ?

 

They can be signed before the 1st of July if they are from the same association so if we've signed a player from another premier league club he could be at the club after the Stoke game, but then there are no games and everyone goes on holiday after that anyway so there is little point getting them in. Transfers outside England though can't be registered until the 1st of July and obviously bosmans you need to wait for their existing contract to expire.

 

I'd reckon one is Astori, we've been massively linked to him. I rekcon the other one might be a bosman transfer.

[Saint Garrett]

They only put that article up for Alpine!

[ericofarabia]

he said that two players are very close to agreeing deals, with another 2 to follow

 

Still pretty p!ss poor - back in the day we'd signed Kevin Keegan in February in preparation for the next season

[Chewy]

We signed messi in February but had to keep it quiet. That's obviously why he's pretending to be injured and on the bench.

[Saint Garrett]

I'd much rather we'd sign more Kenton + Pruttons before the season's even finished.

[alpine_saint]

Vectis Saint is hillarious. If he finds my opinion so tedious, why does he spend so much time writing monologues that actually do nothing to dispel our perceived transfer shortcomings ?

 

J-Rod came in early last summer. That is because the club identified him some time before (we were linked with him for ages) and made damn sure we secured his services early in the summer before someone else came in. Imo that was the best bit of proactive positive transfer activity the club has undertaken in f**king years. Despite my general complaints, this was well done and imo should be the reference benchmark for our transfer activity.

 

We took f**king ages to bring in Yoshida, and didnt bring in a second CB. Consequence ? The first third of our season was unmittaged disaster due to defensive shortcomings. But look !! Oh, Wow !!! The same defenders having had some time to familiarise and play together massively improved things in the second third of the season. If this is not an open & shut case as to why we should have been buring up telephone wires getting CBs in after the Reading home game in the NPC, to get our back line assembled for the start of pre-season, I dont know what is.

 

Let's come to Ramirez. Came in late, taxed the patience of our transfer negotiating people without a doubt, cost and arm and a leg, was pretty but ineffective, incapable of lasting a game, and probably will leave over the summer. Time, effort and money that could have been used elsewhere. But no, we became obsessed with a marque signing...

 

Vectis Saint can refer to what everyone else does as much as he likes. I dont give a sh*t about them, I give a sh*t that Saints are optimally prepared for the next season start.

[Wes Tender]

We took f**king ages to bring in Yoshida, and didnt bring in a second CB. Consequence ? The first third of our season was unmittaged disaster due to defensive shortcomings. But look !! Oh, Wow !!! The same defenders having had some time to familiarise and play together massively improved things in the second third of the season.

 

There is some validity to your points about our defence, but in my opinion there were two other major factors influencing our early season performance defensively. Firstly, we had a baptism of fire playing three of the top teams in the first four matches, this with players who had been playing in the second division the season before. Yes, it was only to be expected that they would take a while to acclimatise themselves to the Premiership strikers facing them, so it wasn't expected that we would get off to a strong start anyway. Secondly, it is evident that partly at least, we missed having Jack Cork available to us, as our defensive weaknesses were less exposed when he and Schneiderlin forged their partnership, once more offering valuable protection to the back four. We were also very lucky though that Shaw proved to be a revelation for someone so young, filling the LB slot instead of Fox.

[kwsaint]

The BBC article on MP mentions that there are two players about to sign

 

'Behind the scenes the club is already working hard to plan for next season. Two players are already close to agreeing transfers, and one or two more may follow.'

 

Left footed defender almost certain to be one of them.

[Saint Garrett]

In an ideal world Alpine, I think everyone would rather we had all our targets in by the start of pre-season, but football just doesn't work like that. Surprised you can't see that.