Meltdown version 2

[SaintJackoInHurworth]

As the song goes, 'Let's all have a meltdown, let's all have a meltdown. Na, na, na, na! Na, na, na, na!'

 

So... last summer we had complete meltdown but that was followed by our most successful season for many years and one that would have been more successful without a few injuries at key times and/or more strength in depth in our squad.

 

Now it looks like we could be in the midst of another mini-meltdown with the departures of Clyne, Alderweireld, Bence, Limbrick, potentially Schneiderlin and also injuries to Forster and Bernard. But, like last season, we have also seen some potentially significant arrivals and I'm sure we will see several more (and hopefully with them an increase in our strength in depth, which could be further enhanced too by more development squad players beginning to step up a level).

 

So... based on last season's experience, what's the likelihood that we will not only cope with the departures but once again emerge stronger and better and more successful?

 

I'm gutted to see both Clyne and Alderweireld leave (especially Toby) and will be even more gutted if we lose Morgan, but maybe, just maybe, we can surprise the naysayers once more! I certainly hope so! COYR!

[Dig Dig]

Not sure who half those players you list are but I think most people understood that there was a high probability in losing Clyne, Scheiderlin and Alderweireld this summer. I'm not sure if we can do the same as last summer but we still have some very good players and the opportunity to reinvest.

 

We'll be solid enough for a while, and will continue to be one of the better teams outside of the usual suspects.

Edited 8 July, 2015 by Dig Dig

[Saint Charlie]

Also will end up making a transfer profit two seasons in a row quite possibly, not so that bad.

 

Bence will be the hardest for Koeman to replace.

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

As the song goes, 'Let's all have a meltdown, let's all have a meltdown. Na, na, na, na! Na, na, na, na!'

 

So... last summer we had complete meltdown but that was followed by our most successful season for many years and one that would have been more successful without a few injuries at key times and/or more strength in depth in our squad.

 

Now it looks like we could be in the midst of another mini-meltdown with the departures of Clyne, Alderweireld, Bence, Limbrick, potentially Schneiderlin and also injuries to Forster and Bernard. But, like last season, we have also seen some potentially significant arrivals and I'm sure we will see several more (and hopefully with them an increase in our strength in depth, which could be further enhanced too by more development squad players beginning to step up a level).

 

So... based on last season's experience, what's the likelihood that we will not only cope with the departures but once again emerge stronger and better and more successful?

 

I'm gutted to see both Clyne and Alderweireld leave (especially Toby) and will be even more gutted if we lose Morgan, but maybe, just maybe, we can surprise the naysayers once more! I certainly hope so! COYR!

 

We did incredibly well to achieve what we did last season after so many departures, however, I honestly believe it'll be a different story this year. Clyne, Toby & Morgan will be a far greater loss than Lovren, Lallana and Lambert. Add in the injuries to Forster and Bertrand and I think we've got a real problem. I know there's going to be some new additions but the chance of replacing and improving for a second term is very slim.

[Saint Billy]

Who are some of those names the op mentions?

[JxgrSaint]

Who are some of those names the op mentions?

 

The CFO and U-18s Manager

[angelman]

[Saint Charlie]

Bence was apparently good friends in the dressing room with Mane and helped him settle, so slightly concerned what impact that could have.

[S-Clarke]

Bence was apparently good friends in the dressing room with Mane and helped him settle, so slightly concerned what impact that could have.

 

lol wtf

[SaintLiam]

Bence was apparently good friends in the dressing room with Mane and helped him settle, so slightly concerned what impact that could have.

 

Yeah, their attacking partnership was looking quite good early on in the season

[Pengi]

Who of our youngsters is really ready for the first team?

[Norm]

Bence was apparently good friends in the dressing room with Mane and helped him settle, so slightly concerned what impact that could have?

 

 

The poor lad. Samaritans?

[shirleysfc]

Bence was apparently good friends in the dressing room with Mane and helped him settle, so slightly concerned what impact that could have.

 

You need help.

[Saint Charlie]

You need help.

 

I think its you...this is a joke thread, right?

[Ewell]

I wouldn't call it a meltdown per se but the issue is its absolutely essential to freshen up your squad with 1 or 2 changes per season, but have the kind of numbers we keep experiencing then you are asking for trouble, it will eventually bite you on the arse too!

I also think Saints have to be far more on th ball when renewing contracts. The time to get Clyne tied down was last summer once Chambers was off, maybe even before that! Toby was never our player but we should have been more proactive and just got the deal done at the end of this season, we gambled to try and get him on the cheap and lost! We were never going to get a player of his class for 6.8 million!

[eddie]

As the song goes, 'Let's all have a meltdown, let's all have a meltdown. Na, na, na, na! Na, na, na, na!'

 

So... last summer we had complete meltdown but that was followed by our most successful season for many years and one that would have been more successful without a few injuries at key times and/or more strength in depth in our squad.

 

Now it looks like we could be in the midst of another mini-meltdown with the departures of Clyne, Alderweireld, Bence, Limbrick, potentially Schneiderlin and also injuries to Forster and Bernard. But, like last season, we have also seen some potentially significant arrivals and I'm sure we will see several more (and hopefully with them an increase in our strength in depth, which could be further enhanced too by more development squad players beginning to step up a level).

 

So... based on last season's experience, what's the likelihood that we will not only cope with the departures but once again emerge stronger and better and more successful?

 

I'm gutted to see both Clyne and Alderweireld leave (especially Toby) and will be even more gutted if we lose Morgan, but maybe, just maybe, we can surprise the naysayers once more! I certainly hope so! COYR!

 

Really? limbrick I think was the most important cog. now he's gone, we are metaphorically up a transfer creek with no paddle.

 

In more serious analysis....who said it was a meltdown? I don't understand all the hoo ha about last summer. We felt it was a meltdown, because we had no idea that the board actually knew shaw was an utter must-sell at 30m, lovren was expendable and wanted to go, lambert fair enough I agree was the most unfortunate because he was solid and committed *****il he left..), and lallana was always wanting to go somewhere 'bigger' for last couple of years I reckon, so fair enough. I'm not saying that saints heirarchy wasn't surprised by some of the comings and goings, I think even they couldn't have forseen how well it would turn out.

 

However, for this summer, it definitely is not a meltdown. We've strengthened in attack, by wisely resting jay rod for the last couple of games when he could have played, and buying juanmi. We've got a solid goalkeeper and right back, though both could go either way in reality (i.e. have good or bad seasons).

 

We'll replace morgan when he goes, and likely find a strong defender to replace toby, though the latter isn't as certain.

 

We've got a good manager, a good squad.....not sure what all the fuss is about.

 

granted though, limbrick is a massive loss for us, the scale of which may well constitute a meltdown

[Torres]

Bence was apparently good friends in the dressing room with Mane and helped him settle, so slightly concerned what impact that could have.

 

Well done Charlie, that's actually made me laugh aloud.

[Torres]

I wouldn't call it a meltdown per se but the issue is its absolutely essential to freshen up your squad with 1 or 2 changes per season, but have the kind of numbers we keep experiencing then you are asking for trouble, it will eventually bite you on the arse too!

I also think Saints have to be far more on th ball when renewing contracts. The time to get Clyne tied down was last summer once Chambers was off, maybe even before that! Toby was never our player but we should have been more proactive and just got the deal done at the end of this season, we gambled to try and get him on the cheap and lost! We were never going to get a player of his class for 6.8 million!

 

Thing is, we don't know that the club didn't try to do all that.

[Ewell]

Thing is, we don't know that the club didn't try to do all that.

 

That's true but for me personally the signs are not good.

 

The CFO leaving, Koemans comments to the media, Les dashing off to Madrid after the reported threat of legal action.

Also even bidding half the value of a release clause on another player shows signs of a club desperate to compete but in doing so for me we are looking a tad foolish.

 

I am the last person who wants us to make previous mistakes aka 2005 and even Osvaldo\Gaston cock ups but if you can't afford the going rate for a top class international then don't get involved and end up looking like a fool with your pants down.

[monosaint]

I don't feel as worried as last summer. I always felt that Clyne, Morgan and Toby would probably leave but in a more controlled manner than last summer. If you include JR coming back and also signing a long deal we now have 5 new players in and so far only 2 out. With rumours that Ramirez may stay that's 6. So the squad is now larger with may be the need for one more if Morgan goes.

[Window Cleaner]

I don't feel as worried as last summer. I always felt that Clyne, Morgan and Toby would probably leave but in a more controlled manner than last summer. If you include JR coming back and also signing a long deal we now have 5 new players in and so far only 2 out. With rumours that Ramirez may stay that's 6. So the squad is now larger with may be the need for one more if Morgan goes.

 

Have not Elia and Djuricic left as well, if Toby counts as an out so should they surely.

[Give it to Ron]

That's true but for me personally the signs are not good.

 

The CFO leaving, Koemans comments to the media, Les dashing off to Madrid after the reported threat of legal action.

Also even bidding half the value of a release clause on another player shows signs of a club desperate to compete but in doing so for me we are looking a tad foolish.

 

I am the last person who wants us to make previous mistakes aka 2005 and even Osvaldo\Gaston cock ups but if you can't afford the going rate for a top class international then don't get involved and end up looking like a fool with your pants down.

 

Ignoring the fact we have signed a Dutch, Spanish and Portugese international for less than 10m all are an improvement to the squad...will ignre Martina for now as never heard of that country until this week.

[Wes Tender]

 

Also even bidding half the value of a release clause on another player shows signs of a club desperate to compete but in doing so for me we are looking a tad foolish.

 

I am the last person who wants us to make previous mistakes aka 2005 and even Osvaldo\Gaston cock ups but if you can't afford the going rate for a top class international then don't get involved and end up looking like a fool with your pants down.

 

In whose eyes do we look like a fool with our pants down? This bid was so well publicised that a thread was started about it because the OP hadn't even realised a bid had been made. Does the release clause reflect the going rate for a player? That is a statement of intent by a club to say that is what they want for a player, but doesn't necessarily reflect the circumstances which might change from time to time and it is surely normal practice in business to make an opening bid much lower than that which is expected in order to start the ball rolling. If we are seriously interested, then we make a subsequent higher bid, or decide to go for somebody else.

 

This is the same tactic used by Spurs bidding for Schneiderlin and the offer is only deemed to be ridiculous if there are other suitors offering substantially more money as there is for him. Spurs managed to outsmart us for Toby for half the sum this guy is supposedly worth to his club, so as always, the players value is purely what somebody is prepared to pay for him, or what a club deems the cost would be to replace him with somebody of equal quality. After last season, our stock has risen massively as a club which is eminently capable of obtaining the best possible price when selling a player and for paying a comparatively small price for their replacements in return. We wouldn't wish to encourage the perception that just because we might get £25 million of a midfielder, that we are prepared to pay that for a replacement, would we?

[st alex]

Ignoring the fact we have signed a Dutch, Spanish and Portugese international for less than 10m all are an improvement to the squad...will ignre Martina for now as never heard of that country until this week.

 

Exactly this. We've signed far more players this transfer window than we've sold. (sold one, probably rising to 2). It looks like Saints have actually acted fast to secure 2 young international players on cut price deals - they've clearly done their research. Yes a few have got away i.e. Toby.

 

Both Lovren & Toby were similar kinds of transfers to the ones we've already made this summer, young internationals for good european sides at established clubs. I thought it would be tough to replace Lovren but we got someone in who was possibly better, so I'm confident we can do the same again. We also have a 7th place finish and European football to help lure new signings.

 

Also how bad are the injuries to Bertrand & Forster? I though Bertrand would miss the first few games and Forster out until around christmas but people seem to have written them off for the whole season.