Signings

[hans gruber]

Ans WBA have just signed Johnny Evans for 6M with a further 2M add ons. How did we miss this one?

 

I despise Evans. Schit player. And comes across As a schit person. If saints signed him I swear I would stop following them

[shurlock]

Edit

Edited 29 August, 2015 by shurlock

[Verbal Kint]

One of the staff (may have been Reed, can't remember) openly admitted in one of those behind the scenes videos that Cedric was being looked at as a signing for the future, to go behind Clyne. When Clyne left and our first choice right back target (who went unnamed) was no longer available, they sat down and debated whether Cedric was ready to go into the team and decided he was.

 

So the club actually agreed with you. If your top target isn't going to come, you can't magic another one out of thin air - you go for who's next on the list.

 

Do you think Martina was on our list of potential right backs? I bet he wasn't. We've signed him because he's the cheapest option available and can cover both full backs.

 

I don't like the fact we've taken the cheap option, as we've made enough money in the last couple of years to be able to invest properly

Edited 29 August, 2015 by Verbal Kint

[bazza]

I despise Evans. Schit player. And comes across As a schit person. If saints signed him I swear I would stop following them

I'm assuming you're under 12 to post ******** like this.

[Dig Dig]

Martini is the most bizarre of all the signings so far and contradicts a number of elements in our transfer policy namely that we don't sign squad players and that we don't block the development of academy players. If Stephens for example is not considered as good a player struggling in the dutch league and refered to as "Cuco the clown" by his own fans, then it doesn't bode well for his career prospects.

[hans gruber]

I'm assuming you're under 12 to post ******** like this.

 

Nope I am not. But I am assuming by your love for Evans that you are either related or don't understand the concept that stopping other teams from scoring is paramount to winning matches.

[DuncanRG]

Do you think Martina was on our list of potential right backs? I bet he wasn't. We've signed him because he's the cheapest option available and can cover both full backs.

 

I don't like the fact we've taken the cheap option, as we've made enough money in the last couple of years to be able to invest properly

 

I have no idea whether Martina was on any list, but the cheapest option would be a free transfer or, even better, bringing someone up from the academy. We have signed two first-choice full backs in the last eight months, remember.

 

Assuming we sign a centre half for £10m or more, we'll have spent about £10m less than last summer, when we had an entire team to build. Very few were complaining about 'cheap options' before we lost a couple of games.

[Mosin]

I have no idea whether Martina was on any list, but the cheapest option would be a free transfer or, even better, bringing someone up from the academy. We have signed two first-choice full backs in the last eight months, remember.

 

Assuming we sign a centre half for £10m or more, we'll have spent about £10m less than last summer, when we had an entire team to build. Very few were complaining about 'cheap options' before we lost a couple of games.

 

Last season we brought two of the best players from the dutch league, got bertrand in and Got in toby who both have been apart of a champion league final teams ( on loan ) and Mane who was highly rated in his last team who did not want to sell him and a few other loanies who are not really worth talking about as they did not perform all to well tbh.

 

but this seasons spending has overall been very lame considering other players that where up for grabs that we seem to have ignored who could do a far better job than some of the players we have brought, a top player went Crystal palace for god sake.a good player also joined Newcastle for little money, Stoke also signed a good player, really this list could be quite big so ill just stop now and save my self the heart ache and the anger i feel for the lame spending the club has done this season.

 

Its ok though, i can count around 40 million of unused transfer money from last season and this season, lets see if the board spend it, dont even get me started on money left over from commercial deals sponsors and tv deals, wages cant have been a lot more than it was last season seeing as FFP rules only allow 4 % rise each season and transfer money cant be included in it.. bottom of the league on investment says it all really, Wonder if Bournemouth are laughing at us? bet they are well looking forward to playing us...... 3 easy points they are probs thinking

 

but most important thing is.. the club made record profits. its all good, great times to be a saints fan, have you seen the wonderful football we are playing makes you dead proud. If only Stoke of old could see us now...... how much would the club lose if we get relegated?

[DuncanRG]

Last season we brought two of the best players from the dutch league, got bertrand in and Got in toby who both have been apart of a champion league final teams ( on loan ) and Mane who was highly rated in his last team who did not want to sell him and a few other loanies who are not really worth talking about as they did not perform all to well tbh.

 

Do you remember how much stick Bertrand, Pelle and Mane got from fans early on, and how much the board/manager got for signing them?

[S-Clarke]

Last season we brought two of the best players from the dutch league, got bertrand in and Got in toby who both have been apart of a champion league final teams ( on loan ) and Mane who was highly rated in his last team who did not want to sell him and a few other loanies who are not really worth talking about as they did not perform all to well tbh.

 

but this seasons spending has overall been very lame considering other players that where up for grabs that we seem to have ignored who could do a far better job than some of the players we have brought, a top player went Crystal palace for god sake.a good player also joined Newcastle for little money, Stoke also signed a good player, really this list could be quite big so ill just stop now and save my self the heart ache and the anger i feel for the lame spending the club has done this season.

 

Its ok though, i can count around 40 million of unused transfer money from last season and this season, lets see if the board spend it, dont even get me started on money left over from commercial deals sponsors and tv deals, wages cant have been a lot more than it was last season seeing as FFP rules only allow 4 % rise each season and transfer money cant be included in it.. bottom of the league on investment says it all really, Wonder if Bournemouth are laughing at us? bet they are well looking forward to playing us...... 3 easy points they are probs thinking

 

but most important thing is.. the club made record profits. its all good, great times to be a saints fan, have you seen the wonderful football we are playing makes you dead proud. If only Stoke of old could see us now...... how much would the club lose if we get relegated?

 

It's a damn good time to be a saints fan actually, I suggest you get your head out of your arse and take a look at the bigger picture once in a while.

[Saint Charlie]

Martini is the most bizarre of all the signings so far and contradicts a number of elements in our transfer policy namely that we don't sign squad players and that we don't block the development of academy players. If Stephens for example is not considered as good a player struggling in the dutch league and refered to as "Cuco the clown" by his own fans, then it doesn't bode well for his career prospects.

 

Alan Brazil said on the Sports Breakfast Friday morning that Martina looked woefully out of his depth.

[PaulSaint]

How about we offer Liverpool £5M for Lovren & team him back up with Fonte. Cant see the Scouse fans caring after today?

[Crazy Diamond]

It's funny how everyone was happy with our summer business until we lost the other night. I seem to recall great excitement about Clasie, and positivity with both Soares and Juanmi.

 

The only negative was around Martina which was perhaps harsh given I suspect 99% of users on this forum had never seen him play. But then again 99% of users on this forum don't know what they're talking about, and have reacted in typical fashion to what is a slow start to the season - and that is all it is.

 

A win tomorrow and the facts that we're out of Europe - at the hands of a very good team, the Danish champions, a tough draw to begin with - and that we've not played well recently will all be forgotten.

[S-Clarke]

Alan Brazil said on the Sports Breakfast Friday morning that Martina looked woefully out of his depth.

 

He didn't do anything wrong, but didn't offer anything in attack. It's not like Alan Brazil to jump on the bandwaggon.

[Saint Charlie]

He didn't do anything wrong, but didn't offer anything in attack. It's not like Alan Brazil to jump on the bandwaggon.

 

Yeah Brazil is a complete wally. I'm suprised he even knows Cuco exists to be honest.

[Rebel]

One of the staff (may have been Reed, can't remember) openly admitted in one of those behind the scenes videos that Cedric was being looked at as a signing for the future, to go behind Clyne. When Clyne left and our first choice right back target (who went unnamed) was no longer available, they sat down and debated whether Cedric was ready to go into the team and decided he was.

 

So the club actually agreed with you. If your top target isn't going to come, you can't magic another one out of thin air - you go for who's next on the list.

 

I am sure I read somewhere we made an £8 million offer for Carl Jenkinson but he chose to sign a new contract with Arsenal and go back on loan to West Ham - and we were supposedly interested in Byram at Leeds in January and made an offer of £4.5 million but they wanted a lot more - £6.5 million or something like that.

 

I am guessing Cedric @ £5 million was a cheaper alternative to Byram - but the same age as Jenkinson. So on paper it made sense. And Cuco at 1.5 million was just a cheap option for cover.

 

The problem is in Chambers and Clyne we sold £28.5 million of right back and have replaced them with £6.5 million whereas if we were actually a progressive club we would have spent at least half the money on replacing them - adding some strength and depth to the squad - and with players who could potentially be better than those we sold.

 

We should have replaced Chambers last summer for a start - Jenkinson on loan then would have been great - particularly as it was obvious to everyone Clyne was going to leave this summer.

 

Jenkinson and Byram as right back options would have been great - unfortunately I don't think we could do anything about Jenkinson but I hope we realise our mistake and go back in for Byram. Cedric and Byram as right back options looks much better on paper that what we've currently got.

[Saint Charlie]

Not sure if you have watched Byram much but he hasn't played regularly at RB for Leeds since 2013/14.

 

Nearly always selected as a midfielder now which is probably why nobody has bought him as a RB, its hard to assess him fully when he rarely plays that role.

[Wrensup]

Not sure if you have watched Byram much but he hasn't played regularly at RB for Leeds since 2013/14.

 

Nearly always selected as a midfielder now which is probably why nobody has bought him as a RB, its hard to assess him fully when he rarely plays that role.

 

Yeah even has played on the left of a front 3 on occasions.

[Saint Garrett]

Need:

RB

LB

CB

AM

Winger

Goalscorer

 

We've brought in some crap this summer, and not brought in any attacking players.

[nta786]

Need:

RB

LB

CB

AM

Winger

Goalscorer

 

We've brought in some crap this summer, and not brought in any attacking players.

 

You think we need 6 extra players

The wage bill would get massive...

And what you have suggested would leave us with: 3 right backs, 6 centre backs, 3 left backs... More than needed.

 

You have written goalscorer- well that's easier said than done... How about suggesting one?

As for attacking mid- if we get rid of Gaston- then yes- we can add an AM.

 

Modern football these days- where fans celebrate a signing more than a win ffs.

[Crazy Diamond]

Need:

RB

LB

CB

AM

Winger

Goalscorer

 

We've brought in some crap this summer, and not brought in any attacking players.

 

Juanmi, a striker, isn't an attacking player?

[Leicestersaint]

So far none look impressive but it's early days (and daze).

[Saint Garrett]

Ok my point was the team needs those which are good enough to play in the first XI. We have made some mistakes so far this summer, I'm not saying we need to bring in 6.

 

Not convinced the ones we've brought in are good enough to play in the prem every week. Caulker and Martina don't look good enough to me. Soares is all over the place defensively and I have concerns about whether he is ready. Juanmi looks decent but there must be a reason why he's not had a look in when we've been so bad going forward. Clasie did not play well vs Vitesse, and needs to bulk up to be able to compete week in week out in the prem. I think we needed a striker and a no10 all summer and we're still missing them and looking unlikely they'll come in. Maybe this will be JRod/Juanmi but not convinced personally.

 

Just my concerns.

[NickG]

Need:

RB

LB

CB

AM

Winger

Goalscorer

 

We've brought in some crap this summer, and not brought in any attacking players.

 

Wonder when we got to the level that signing a midfielder who is current international midfielder for Holland (playing 90 mins when winning 3rd place) a young forward who has played for Spain, a fullback who has played for Portugal, a young central midfielder who has played for Chelsea, gk played in world cup.. Were all crap signings for us??!!

 

Really wonder about some on here!

 

At least can rely on the annual rant from alpine (moaning about crap window, then we out perform, then moan that previously criticised players should have done even better lol)

[Saint Garrett]

Wonder when we got to the level that signing a midfielder who is current international midfielder for Holland (playing 90 mins when winning 3rd place) a young forward who has played for Spain, a fullback who has played for Portugal, a young central midfielder who has played for Chelsea, gk played in world cup.. Were all crap signings for us??!!

 

Really wonder about some on here!

 

At least can rely on the annual rant from alpine (moaning about crap window, then we out perform, then moan that previously criticised players should have done even better lol)

 

But Soares and Juanmi can't even get in a very poor team at the moment...?

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

The right back we were originally linked with was Trippier. He would've been a far better option then Cedric. At least he had some Premiership experience. I don't know how serious we were. It's irrelevant anyway as Spurs snapped him up.

[Saint Charlie]

Cedric I think will come good, just needs to adjust to the pace of the PL and be part of a settled team.

[NickG]

But Soares and Juanmi can't even get in a very poor team at the moment...?

 

Trust me, they are not crap signings and you should look forward to the season ...

29 August

Two away draws,

Poor Everton performance, although even that could have been very different if bit of early luck.

Our new midfield will be good, once all fit and settled.

 

Leagues best left back fit in three weeks.

 

Lost best midfielder in league, but we haven't made crap signings

[Puddings and Monkeys]

It's funny how everyone was happy with our summer business until we lost the other night. I seem to recall great excitement about Clasie, and positivity with both Soares and Juanmi.

 

The only negative was around Martina which was perhaps harsh given I suspect 99% of users on this forum had never seen him play. But then again 99% of users on this forum don't know what they're talking about, and have reacted in typical fashion to what is a slow start to the season - and that is all it is.

 

A win tomorrow and the facts that we're out of Europe - at the hands of a very good team, the Danish champions, a tough draw to begin with - and that we've not played well recently will all be forgotten.

 

Very well written post and sums things up perfectly for me....esp the bit about 99% of the people on here not having a clue what they're talking about.

[derry]

I just think there is a lot of hot air on here about the team at the moment. A team cannot be selected randomly and be successful. One of the most stupid things a manager can do is pick a system and put the players in. That almost never works. We have the players but what we have to do is put in the players that blend together and give a balanced team. Playing three centre backs that patently feel awkward because from childhood they have invariably been part of a pair isn't the answer.

 

Playing a centre back at full back for the same reasons is a square peg in a round hole. A priority has to be a high tempo. As far as I am concerned Soares should play right back, Fonte and either Yoshida or Caulker at centre back. Left back is a conundrum, Targett is underconfident so Martina may be a one game solution. Having said that it wouldn't be a disaster if Targett played there. The midfield picks itself Romeu and Wanyama.

 

The front end is the difficult end. Pelle, Mane, Long, Rodriguez, Juanmi and Tadic. IMO Tadic on the left, Juanmi behind Pelle, Mane on the right. I have left out Davis and JWP because of their inability to score and preference for slowing things down. My view is that making possession a priority in itself doesn't work in average teams. The four I'd like to see up front would make runs and move the ball quickly and three of them will take on players.

 

In my opinion that is a team that could cause Norwich a lot of problems. The two DMs are going to have to cover the space behind an attacking full back. Just my view, however unless Koeman picks another unbalanced team we will probably win.

[Sour Mash]

It's funny how everyone was happy with our summer business until we lost the other night. I seem to recall great excitement about Clasie, and positivity with both Soares and Juanmi.

 

The only negative was around Martina which was perhaps harsh given I suspect 99% of users on this forum had never seen him play. But then again 99% of users on this forum don't know what they're talking about, and have reacted in typical fashion to what is a slow start to the season - and that is all it is.

 

A win tomorrow and the facts that we're out of Europe - at the hands of a very good team, the Danish champions, a tough draw to begin with - and that we've not played well recently will all be forgotten.

There's not a single person I know that was out in Herning that we feel a win against Norwich would make up for Thursday night's result/performance.

[derry]

There's not a single person I know that was out in Herning that we feel a win against Norwich would make up for Thursday night's result/performance.

 

I can understand how you feel. I was at home and just looked at the team picked in disbelief, because having watched the previous leg I could see that two goalscorers up against five defenders, Three slow ball recyclers, two mediocre full backs and three centre backs to mark one forward was daft and bloody incompetent. I was spitting chips especially when it turned out as bad as it looked.

 

I would have been incandescent if like you I had gone to the trouble of making the expensive and difficult journey to Herning only to be let down by the management and to a lesser extent by the players shackled by the stupid team selection.

 

Winning against Norwich won't ever mask that stupidity but it will allow us to move on to a better place than the present.

[Saint Garrett]

There's not a single person I know that was out in Herning that we feel a win against Norwich would make up for Thursday night's result/performance.

 

Indeed, couldn't believe how poor we were it was laughable on the buses back into town after the game

[Crazy Diamond]

There's not a single person I know that was out in Herning that we feel a win against Norwich would make up for Thursday night's result/performance.

 

Yes that's fair enough, I completely take your point there.

 

Indeed, couldn't believe how poor we were it was laughable on the buses back into town after the game

 

Indeed, and it's a shame we've not signed an attacking player. Oh apart from Juanmi.

[Saint Garrett]

Yes that's fair enough, I completely take your point there.

 

 

 

Indeed, and it's a shame we've not signed an attacking player. Oh apart from Juanmi.

 

I meant a starter, someone who is better than what we've got. Juanmi has barely got on the pitch.

 

Hopefully he will be that man but at the moment if he can't get on the pitch at the moment then it seems a bit of an odd signing to me.

 

Hopefully he'll come good as he's looked really handy in pre season.

[Fan The Flames]

It's funny how everyone was happy with our summer business until we lost the other night. I seem to recall great excitement about Clasie, and positivity with both Soares and Juanmi.

 

The only negative was around Martina which was perhaps harsh given I suspect 99% of users on this forum had never seen him play. But then again 99% of users on this forum don't know what they're talking about, and have reacted in typical fashion to what is a slow start to the season - and that is all it is.

 

A win tomorrow and the facts that we're out of Europe - at the hands of a very good team, the Danish champions, a tough draw to begin with - and that we've not played well recently will all be forgotten.

 

So you must be in the 99% if you really think that we shouldn't beat Midjtland.

[Whitey Grandad]

So you must be in the 99% if you really think that we shouldn't beat Midjtland.

 

We should, but only if we play our best team with the right system.

[cobbysouth]

Yes we should've won. That doesn't mean if we have a bad game we will still ein every time. Man United should've beaten mk dons. They didn't.

[Crazy Diamond]

So you must be in the 99% if you really think that we shouldn't beat Midjtland.

 

Point out to me where I said we should or should not beat them. I said they were a very good team and a tough draw.

[bazza]

Nope I am not. But I am assuming by your love for Evans that you are either related or don't understand the concept that stopping other teams from scoring is paramount to winning matches.

 

Neither. He's a cracking player who'll do well at West Brom. You were simply talking crap.

[Crazy Diamond]

This thread has gone awfully quiet...