Current Squad

[spyinthesky]

Whilst hopeful that things will improve for the better (but feeling quite uncertain in this respect today) it was interesting to have a look at the squad listing on the official site.

 

First of all no photos of Big Vic or Billy Sharp. Can understand the latter but surprised that there is no shot of Vic as he has been here a year!!

 

Is he on a witness protection scheme perhaps!!

 

Also only a few of the team are shown in updated team colours but I suppose this is the least of our worries.

 

Anyway a list of the current squad for the minority who don't realise how thin our current squad is :

 

1.Goal keepers

 

BORUC

DAVIS (great servant but.....)

(GAZZINIGA/CROPPER - both unlikely to feature unless desperate)

 

2.Right back

 

CLYNE

No specialist cover as yet (who will play there if Clyne gets injured?)

 

3.Left Back

 

BERTRAND

TARGETT

 

4. Midfield

 

BIG VIC

CORK

JWP

DAVIS

TADIC

RAMIREZ (question mark over his future)

SCHNEIDERLIN (if he stays)

 

5. Central Defence

 

FONTE

YOSHIDA

HOOIVELT (!!!!!!)

STEPHENS (prospect but unproven at top level and played cameo midfield roles pre-season)

 

6. Attackers

 

MAYUKA (!!)

MCQUEEN (prospect but unproven)

ISGROVE ( ditto )

 

7. Central Strikers

 

PELLE

GALLAGHER (prospect but unproven)

 

RODRIGUES (Not available until near Christmas and uncertain future beyond this)

 

SHARP (Likely to be on his way)

OSVALDO (definitely on his way)

[farawaysaint]

Whilst hopeful that things will improve for the better (but feeling quite uncertain in this respect today) it was interesting to have a look at the squad listing on the official site.

 

First of all no photos of Big Vic or Billy Sharp. Can understand the latter but surprised that there is no shot of Vic as he has been here a year!!

 

Is he on a witness protection scheme perhaps!!

 

Also only a few of the team are shown in updated team colours but I suppose this is the least of our worries.

 

Anyway a list of the current squad for the minority who don't realise how thin our current squad is :

 

1.Goal keepers

 

BORUC

DAVIS (great servant but.....)

(GAZZINIGA/CROPPER - both unlikely to feature unless desperate)

 

2.Right back

 

CLYNE

No specialist cover as yet (who will play there if Clyne gets injured?)

3.Left Back

 

BERTRAND

TARGETT

 

4. Midfield

 

BIG VIC

CORK

JWP

DAVIS

TADIC

RAMIREZ (question mark over his future)

SCHNEIDERLIN (if he stays)

 

5. Central Defence

 

FONTE

YOSHIDA

HOOIVELT (!!!!!!)

STEPHENS (prospect but unproven at top level and played cameo midfield roles pre-season)

 

6. Attackers

 

MAYUKA (!!)

MCQUEEN (prospect but unproven)

ISGROVE ( ditto )

 

7. Central Strikers

 

PELLE

GALLAGHER (prospect but unproven)

 

RODRIGUES (Not available until near Christmas and uncertain future beyond this)

 

SHARP (Likely to be on his way)

OSVALDO (definitely on his way)

 

Probably Cork, loving the exclamation points by the way.

[The9]

Spell hell.

[Wrensup]

And only 12 days until the start of the season :mcinnes:Oh wait it's okay, we still got 2 weeks after that until the windows closed so it's fine.

[Bearsy]

Midfield looks good. Left back is ok I suppose. Everything else is f*cked

[Turkish]

Great balance of youth and experience. English core with some good prospects waiting to burst on the scene. What's not to like?

[spyinthesky]

Great balance of youth and experience. English core with some good prospects waiting to burst on the scene. What's not to like?

 

Sir

 

Your post is most comforting.

 

However I fear your trust in the youth/experience mix is possibly misplaced within the competiveness of the EPL.

 

Most happy to be proved wrong

[Spaceman Spiff]

Sir

 

Your post is most comforting.

 

However I fear your trust in the youth/experience mix is possibly misplaced within the competiveness of the EPL.

 

Most happy to be proved wrong

 

Yeah, didn't work for us at all last season.

[Matthew Le God]

Sir

 

Your post is most comforting.

 

However I fear your trust in the youth/experience mix is possibly misplaced within the competiveness of the EPL.

 

Most happy to be proved wrong

 

So Saints last season with the youth of Shaw, Chambers, Ward-Prowse, Wanyama, Clyne, Reed, Gallagher etc didn't work "within the competiveness of the EPL"?

[Deano6]

Wanyama's been playing in Kenya, hence no photos. They did well to only lose narrowly 1-0 to the mighty Lesotho.

[Matthew Le God]

Wanyama's been playing in Kenya, hence no photos.

 

That doesn't explain it, because the rest of last seasons squad are still using last season's photos.

[DT]

Have always thought Wanyama would be off. Surprised not so far

[Bucks Saint]

That doesn't explain it, because the rest of last seasons squad are still using last season's photos.

 

he refused to let the club use the old one, wanted to get his current hair cut in the new one

[Bearsy]

So Saints last season with the youth of Shaw, Chambers, Ward-Prowse, Wanyama, Clyne, Reed, Gallagher etc didn't work "within the competiveness of the EPL"?

 

Wanyama ain't youth! You have neglected to adjust for african passport, it's like dog years he's prob in his mid 40s.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Wanyama ain't youth! You have neglected to adjust for african passport, it's like dog years he's prob in his mid 40s.

 

Emoticon for "uncomfortable silence"?

[Saint Mikey]

So Saints last season with the youth of Shaw, Chambers, Ward-Prowse, Wanyama, Clyne, Reed, Gallagher etc didn't work "within the competiveness of the EPL"?

 

Not quite the same is it?

 

1) Shaw, Ward-Prowse & Clyne had already made a number of appearances the season before.

2) Wanyama cost £12m. FFS.

3) Reed made a couple of cameos and is yet to make his full league debut.

4) Gallagher made little impact and looks too raw for the EPL at this stage.

 

Chambers is the only player who came from nowhere and established himself. Are you expecting 3/4 to do it this season?

[Bearsy]

Emoticon for "uncomfortable silence"?

 

oh what have i done? Is he not Africa?

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Current squad is good enough to stay up but falls well short of clubs stated ambitions.

[The9]

oh what have i done? Is he not Africa?

 

I think you may have referred to our African friend as a dog in some people's minds.

[Tony F]

Emoticon for "uncomfortable silence"?

 

Emoticon for "political correctness attention seeking plonker".....

[Saint Charlie]

Current squad is good enough to stay up but falls well short of clubs stated ambitions.

 

Current first XI is good enough to stay up but not the squad as a whole. And its a squad game.

 

Central defence, wide and up front we are woefully thin.

[Lets B Avenue]

Woof?

[Spaceman Spiff]

Emoticon for "political correctness attention seeking plonker".....

 

You should try not being white. 3 posts, unfortunately no allowance for 24 hours being shorter in dog years.

[Tony F]

You should try not being white. 3 posts, unfortunately no allowance for 24 hours being shorter in dog years.

 

Hmm.... bit of an assumtion there.....maybe I already do, every day?

 

And no, thats not me in my avatar!

[The9]

Ok, so to clarify, Bear was (clearly) referring to the none-too-accurate ages of a number of recent African international footballers. That Skate Kanu and Obafemi Martins spring to mind.

[Bearsy]

You should try not being white. 3 posts, unfortunately no allowance for 24 hours being shorter in dog years.

 

sorry bud i was trying to mug off the reliability of African Registrar of Births & Deaths vis-à-vis Kanu & Eto'o situations, not people who ain't white or dogs or whatever else.

 

Edit: Like The9 said!

[smarmy]

I like small squads. Good for morale, not having players hanging around knowing they won't get a game. Also if we are to keep our reputation as a club that gives youth a chance, develops talent etc, we have to at least trust the young players to come in if we have injuries. Zidanes y Pavanes. Only without the Zidanes.

 

Having said all that, the squad is unbalanced. But they are gonna bring in a 1st choice CB and a 2nd choice striker, I hope/pray.

 

I think we're alright in the AM positions, plus looks like more coming there. Dunno about right back. Cork or Bertrand play if Clyne gets injured?

[The9]

sorry bud i was trying to mug off the reliability of African Registrar of Births & Deaths vis-à-vis Kanu & Eto'o situations, not people who ain't white or dogs or whatever else.

 

Edit: Like The9 said!

 

I hear he can't count.

[Turkish]

Not quite the same is it?

 

1) Shaw, Ward-Prowse & Clyne had already made a number of appearances the season before.

2) Wanyama cost £12m. FFS.

3) Reed made a couple of cameos and is yet to make his full league debut.

4) Gallagher made little impact and looks too raw for the EPL at this stage.

 

Chambers is the only player who came from nowhere and established himself. Are you expecting 3/4 to do it this season?

 

1/ Bertrand has a champions league winners medal FFS!! JWP and Clyne are still here and more experienced.

2/ Wanyama is still here and has a season under his belt now

3/ Reed is said to be one of the best players to ever come through the academy, like Shaw, maybe this is his break through season??

4/ Gallagher has already made a number of apperances the saeson before

 

It is very similar actually. Arguably in terms of youth we are in a much stronger positon.

[The9]

I like small squads. Good for morale, not having players hanging around knowing they won't get a game. Also if we are to keep our reputation as a club that gives youth a chance, develops talent etc, we have to at least trust the young players to come in if we have injuries. Zidanes y Pavanes. Only without the Zidanes.

 

Having said all that, the squad is unbalanced. But they are gonna bring in a 1st choice CB and a 2nd choice striker, I hope/pray.

 

I think we're alright in the AM positions, plus looks like more coming there. Dunno about right back. Cork or Bertrand play if Clyne gets injured?

 

I'm starting to doubt the sanity of some of the people on here - do you really think our currently decimated squad without any further additions looks good enough?

 

As for playing Cork at right back, do we never learn? He's utter gash there. Does raise an interesting question about cover though - I'd assume at the moment Stephens would cover, but he's off to Swindon isn't he?

[Bearsy]

Dunno about right back. Cork or Bertrand play if Clyne gets injured?

 

someone was saying that new cornetto loan bro from inter plays sometimes right back

[Saint Mikey]

1/ Bertrand has a champions league winners medal FFS!! JWP and Clyne are still here and more experienced.

2/ Wanyama is still here and has a season under his belt now

3/ Reed is said to be one of the best players to ever come through the academy, like Shaw, maybe this is his break through season??

4/ Gallagher has already made a number of apperances the saeson before

 

It is very similar actually. Arguably in terms of youth we are in a much stronger positon.

 

If I didn't know your posting style, I'd think you were being serious...

[smarmy]

That's not what I was saying. I was saying the problem with the squad is that it is unbalanced not that it is too small. And I agree that Cork is not great at right back but was speculating as to what we would do. We seem to have plans for most of the holes, but not RB cover.

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Current first XI is good enough to stay up but not the squad as a whole. And its a squad game.

 

Central defence, wide and up front we are woefully thin.

 

We're short in areas but many teams in the bottom half are. I think we're in better shape than we were two summers ago. I've been very scathing of our summer thus far but I am not too worried about relegation. I am just concerned about our prospects beyond middling as a lower half team that festers away just happy to exist and be a part of the party.

[for_heaven's_Saint]

Always loved a relegation scrap!

[Fitzhugh Fella]

I hope Koeman is not as nervous as I am. Right now things are looking iffy

[DG]

Always loved a relegation scrap!

Yep it has been a while since we had a decent one.

[Turkish]

Yep it has been a while since we had a decent one.

 

We're not that club anymore though. THe great scraps at the Dell are a thing of the past. These days our fans are bunch of whinging pussies with a sense of entitlement, probably born out of the fact the clowns were dreaming of the champions league when we were in league one. If we were in a relagation scrap our melts of fans would be sulking and crying, whinging about the shirts, the pies, the players, whinging about everything. We even had scape goats and whipping boys when many were saying it was the best time in their lives to be saints fans and look at how the helmets are behaving now, gods knows what they'd be like if things went wrong. There wouldn't be the togetherness like there used to be. We're club where a lot of fans need bringing down a peg or two.

Edited 4 August, 2014 by Turkish

[Saint Mikey]

We're not that club anymore though. THe great scraps at the Dell are a thing of the past. These days our fans are bunch of whinging pussies with a sense of entitlement, probably born out of the fact the clowns were dreaming of the champions league when we were in league one. If we were in a relagation scrap our melts of fans would be sulking and crying, whinging about the shirts, the pies, the players, whinging about everything. We even had scape goats and whipping boys when many were saying it was the best time in their lives to be saints fans and look at how the helmets are behaving now, gods knows what they'd be like if things went wrong. There wouldn't be the togetherness like there used to be. We're club where a lot of fans need bringing down a peg or two.

 

I agree with your sentiment, mostly. However, there were plenty of whipping boys in the Dell relegation battle era. Benali, Cockerill, Dowie, Beasant (when he first came here) all got loads of stick. TBF though, I can't remember fans booing their own players when they came on or giving ironic cheers when the GK caught the ball or anything like that...

[Turkish]

I agree with your sentiment, mostly. However, there were plenty of whipping boys in the Dell relegation battle era. Benali, Cockerill, Dowie, Beasant (when he first came here) all got loads of stick. TBF though, I can't remember fans booing their own players when they came on or giving ironic cheers when the GK caught the ball or anything like that...

 

 

There were, but i dont remember it being anything like it is now. Ironic cheers you mentioned, booing players when they came on, sarcastic applause when they came off. Some of the abuse given to Fox and Guly was absolutely shameful. this when we were doing well! When things are going badly whilst i dont agree with it, it's at least understandable.

[Goatboy]

sorry bud i was trying to mug off the reliability of African Registrar of Births & Deaths vis-à-vis Kanu & Eto'o situations, not people who ain't white or dogs or whatever else.

 

Edit: Like The9 said!

 

My westie's called honky.

[Doctoroncall]

I'm starting to doubt the sanity of some of the people on here - do you really think our currently decimated squad without any further additions looks good enough?

 

As for playing Cork at right back, do we never learn? He's utter gash there. Does raise an interesting question about cover though - I'd assume at the moment Stephens would cover, but he's off to Swindon isn't he?

 

 

Jason McCarthy?

[eelpie]

Great balance of youth and experience. English core with some good prospects waiting to burst on the scene. What's not to like?

 

Results will be the answer beginning in less a fortnight's time

[Saint IQ]

Whilst hopeful that things will improve for the better (but feeling quite uncertain in this respect today) it was interesting to have a look at the squad listing on the official site.

 

First of all no photos of Big Vic or Billy Sharp. Can understand the latter but surprised that there is no shot of Vic as he has been here a year!!

 

Is he on a witness protection scheme perhaps!!

 

Also only a few of the team are shown in updated team colours but I suppose this is the least of our worries.

 

Anyway a list of the current squad for the minority who don't realise how thin our current squad is :

 

1.Goal keepers

 

BORUC

DAVIS (great servant but.....)

(GAZZINIGA/CROPPER - both unlikely to feature unless desperate)

 

2.Right back

 

CLYNE

No specialist cover as yet (who will play there if Clyne gets injured?)

 

3.Left Back

 

BERTRAND

TARGETT

 

4. Midfield

 

BIG VIC

CORK

JWP

DAVIS

TADIC

RAMIREZ (question mark over his future)

SCHNEIDERLIN (if he stays)

 

5. Central Defence

 

FONTE

YOSHIDA

HOOIVELT (!!!!!!)

STEPHENS (prospect but unproven at top level and played cameo midfield roles pre-season)

 

6. Attackers

 

MAYUKA (!!)

MCQUEEN (prospect but unproven)

ISGROVE ( ditto )

 

7. Central Strikers

 

PELLE

GALLAGHER (prospect but unproven)

 

RODRIGUES (Not available until near Christmas and uncertain future beyond this)

 

SHARP (Likely to be on his way)

OSVALDO (definitely on his way)

 

No Reed?

[spyinthesky]

No Reed?

 

Well spotted sir

 

He was on my original hand written list but forgot to include him when transferring over

 

Reinforces the fact that we appear to be OK in certain areas and woefully short in others

[Matthew Le God]

No Reed?

 

No Rodriguez, Gazzaniga or Hooiveld either.

Edited 4 August, 2014 by Matthew Le God

[sentry]

We're club where a lot of fans need bringing down a peg or two.

 

Agree, we have had it so easy over the last few years. Too easy. Sure everyone is entitled to their opinions (for example I dont like Hernandez, over-rated), but he ahave been linked with Inter players like Schelotto, and people dont want him here?

 

I remember when we signed Mark Draper I almost wet myself at how big a signing that was at the time.

[Miltonaggro]

Wanyama ain't youth! You have neglected to adjust for african passport, it's like dog years he's prob in his mid 40s.

 

You might be on to something, I'm sure he was a member of The Drifters in the 80s...

[peacey]

Am i the only one who still thinks we have a fairly strong team?! I mean people espically the media think what has happened is the start of the end for southampton. Yes not as strong by any means as last season but still strong enough to easily hold our own this season, without adding any of the expected potential signings set to come in imho:

 

Here goes:

 

----------------------------------Bourc-----------------------------------

 

 

N.Clyne-------------J.Fonte--------------M.Yoshida--------------R.Bertrand

 

 

------------------M.Schneiderlin-------V.Wanyama-----------------------

 

G.Ramirez------------------------------------------------------------D.Tadic

 

--------------------------------JWP----------------------------------------

 

 

----------------------------Pelle/(Jay Rod)-------------------------------------------

 

With a subs bench of the followng:

 

GK: Kelvin Davis

J.Hooveld

H.Reed

J.Cork

S.Davis

E.Mayuka

S.Gallagher.

 

This leaves out the likes of Lyodd Isgrove who has looked the dogs nuts in preason, and future star of the future Matt Target. Also there is Billy Sharp (i know), Sam McQueen, and Keepers Paulo Gazzaniga and Cody Cropper. Also Jack Stephens (likely to be loaned out to Swindon), and Jake Sinclair (I believe Jordan Turnball has allready joined Swindon on loan?) Also good things are expected of Omar Rowe but still one more for the future me thinks.

 

We have some really exciting young talent coming through who i think will easily make the grade. We can not block there progress by making signings for the sake of it, but having said that 3 or 4 more signings maywell be needed for squad depth and cover.

 

Maybe we need a bit more experienced players in the squad to arrive which we know is likely to happen, but i hope not at the younger players expence of not getting any game time:

 

All in all i feel our squad is still strong enough to compete midtable, but as others have said really lacks depth if we were to have injuries etc. I feel we need a keeper to make sure Boruc stays on his toes, a NEW CB to go and play along side Fonte and one more striker. Midfeild looks fine to me, although having said this we for some reason have been linked with midfeilders more than any other postion which is a bit worring! Oh and i nearly forgot another RB as Clyne is all we have i believe?

Edited 4 August, 2014 by peacey

[Saint Charlie]

We have a fairly strong team but possibly the worst PL squad depth wise.