January Hcdajfu time?

[whelk]

Sam Byram 2 goals tonight

[Saint Charlie]

Sam Byram 2 goals tonight

Not playing at RB though. Hasn't for ages.

[UpweySaint]

Gray looks decent for Brum tonight, not exactly a cheap player but bags of direct running and potential, would love to see us sign him up!

[Saint Charlie]

Gray looks decent for Brum tonight, not exactly a cheap player but bags of direct running and potential, would love to see us sign him up!

Didn't look anywhere near ready to impacting games at PL level to me. Obvious talent but not better at this stage than any options we have in the first team squad.

[ADutchSaint]

It really doesn't take much viewing or even listening to dutch league fans to know this is a very average player in a very poor league. Pelle, Tadic, Clasie and Depay stood out a lot, and yet are still inconsistent. It's a very low quality league.

 

It's really not that bad of a league and what you expect? Price/performance wise your not going to get it much better and if you pick the right ones, your going to get a 'ok' player at worst and that's why so many ex Eredivisie players are walking in the EPL right now. It's worth the gamble.

 

Btw you can't expect if you pay 10 million for a player that he's going to light up the Premier League every week.

 

If you can get Vilhena on a free, then I would do it cause the kid has plenty of potential. He only has attitude problems, like so many other cocky young guys who make too much money for their own good.

[UpweySaint]

Didn't look anywhere near ready to impacting games at PL level to me. Obvious talent but not better at this stage than any options we have in the first team squad.

 

Happy to admit he looked a bit raw and can understand your point but I just don't think we are shopping in the market of ready made top class. I did think there looks to be enough about him to become a top player and could see him making an impact in our squad as it stands - though not a starter by any means.

[CB Fry]

Happy to admit he looked a bit raw and can understand your point but I just don't think we are shopping in the market of ready made top class. I did think there looks to be enough about him to become a top player and could see him making an impact in our squad as it stands - though not a starter by any means.

We've bought quite a lot of ready made Prem standard players from Forster and Bertrand, Pelle, Mane and Tadic to Virgil. Pretty much everyone we've signed under Koeman was signed to be "ready made".

 

Clasie was signed to be ready made but hasn't quite made it yet. But of course he's one of those cheap dross replacement players we bought on the cheap from the bargain bin what with him being more expensive than every single player signed by Leicester this summer.

 

The only exceptions are Martina and the loans we made last Jan. I'd hope if we do make signings in January they will be ready to go into the first team and not be Elia standard.

[UpweySaint]

We've bought quite a lot of ready made Prem standard players from Forster and Bertrand, Pelle, Mane and Tadic to Virgil. Pretty much everyone we've signed under Koeman was signed to be "ready made".

 

Clasie was signed to be ready made but hasn't quite made it yet. But of course he's one of those cheap dross replacement players we bought on the cheap from the bargain bin what with him being more expensive than every single player signed by Leicester this summer.

 

The only exceptions are Martina and the loans we made last Jan. I'd hope if we do make signings in January they will be ready to go into the first team and not be Elia standard.

 

To a point yes but January signings are a different ballgame as you acknowledge. Not sure how many first team ready players we could attract/afford in January but of course the scouting set-up probably have a few tricks up their sleeves. I maintain signing the likes of Gray - players we can develop into top class talent, isn't the worst way to go.

 

Not sure what your Leicester rant is all about...

[SuperSAINT]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-transfer-target-demarai-gray-7042755

[DuncanRG]

Clasie was signed to be ready made but hasn't quite made it yet. But of course he's one of those cheap dross replacement players we bought on the cheap from the bargain bin what with him being more expensive than every single player signed by Leicester this summer.

 

Thank you for making this point. Blaming the board is for people who don't understand sport.

[Batman]

Has to be austin

 

Pelle is terrible at the mo. A big factor in why we are not scoring.

[bubblyone]

Think Steven Naismith would be a good shout.

Experienced, with an eye for a goal.

[UpweySaint]

Think Steven Naismith would be a good shout.

Experienced, with an eye for a goal.

 

If the price is right hcdaju. Can score, can create, could link between Pelle and midfield, knows the league, seems like a good character.

[Saint Charlie]

We don't tend to sign players from other PL sides.

[Window Cleaner]

We don't tend to sign players from other PL sides.

 

And when we do we pay way over the odds for middling crap..à la Shane Long.

Then again Ryan Bertrand was a good signing.

[Give it to Ron]

Shelvey is exactly what we need in our middle. Can pass, score and is a nasty bastard.

We obviously won't go for him but that is what we need.

We need leaders not namby panby disinterested ponces

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dig Dig]

Thank you for making this point. Blaming the board is for people who don't understand sport.

 

The "board" is probably the wrong term to use but ultimately the technical, footballing functions are the ones which will come under scrutiny although the board are the ones who give them the budgets to work within. It's not the cost element which is the issue with Clasie and others, it just seems that as the premier league has become all about high tempo and energy, we've signed a lot of players who are either slow, weak or a combination of the two.

[CB Fry]

The "board" is probably the wrong term to use but ultimately the technical, footballing functions are the ones which will come under scrutiny although the board are the ones who give them the budgets to work within. It's not the cost element which is the issue with Clasie and others, it just seems that as the premier league has become all about high tempo and energy, we've signed a lot of players who are either slow, weak or a combination of the two.

Absolutely, and it is the manager at the very heart of that.

[Kingsland Red]

Here's hoping:

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/charlie-austin-could-leave-qpr-in-january-admits-les-ferdinand-a3141986.html

[derry]

It's a no brainer. Austin is out of contract in July and reportedly on circa £38k per week. His goals would shoot us up the league and the extra place money would go a long way to covering the cost. Because we sure as hell aren't scoring now and Rodriguez has a long way back when medically fit. The talk of him not moving in January and running his contract out makes sense but an offer that covers that and gives QPR something won't be dismissed out of hand, especially if he wants to go to Euro 2016, he really has to be scoring in the Premier League.

[Cabrone]

Here's hoping:

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/charlie-austin-could-leave-qpr-in-january-admits-les-ferdinand-a3141986.html

 

We'd have some competition for him IMO, proven prem goalscorers are valuable commodities and QPR won't let him go for less than £10M or even £15M as was quoted earlier on in the season.

 

I'd like him though, he knows where the net is and is too good for the champ.

[derry]

We'd have some competition for him IMO, proven prem goalscorers are valuable commodities and QPR won't let him go for less than £10M or even £15M as was quoted earlier on in the season.

 

I'd like him though, he knows where the net is and is too good for the champ.

 

He won't cost anything like that with only five months left on his contract after the window. Besides a lot of the teams linked are relegation candidates at the moment. He won't be going to a struggling team like last year.

[Nordic Saint]

Tonny Vilhena has not been a regular starter for Feyenoord this season. But, he is young so he may be one for the future. I wouldn't expect him to be ready for the Premier League this season. What we really need is someone who can come straight into the team in January.

[Batman]

We'd have some competition for him IMO, proven prem goalscorers are valuable commodities and QPR won't let him go for less than £10M or even £15M as was quoted earlier on in the season.

 

I'd like him though, he knows where the net is and is too good for the champ.

should have him tied up now IMO

not wait through jan and then lose him to palace.

 

for les to come out saying all sorts of stuff like it was all deliberate and we have been watching him for 5 years with some champions league waz thrown in

[hasper57saint]

Charlie Austin is almost a local.Born in Hungerford just up the road from Tidworth.I believe he'd be more than happy to play for Saints.His goal scoring record is outstanding.Sign him ASAP.

[Dark Munster]

Charlie Austin is almost a local.Born in Hungerford just up the road from Tidworth.I believe he'd be more than happy to play for Saints.His goal scoring record is outstanding.Sign him ASAP.

Money > Local club

[Dig Dig]

Absolutely, and it is the manager at the very heart of that.

 

Yet 'the Southampton way' is supposed to prevent this. For all of the back slapping, self indulgent documentaries, interviews and articles about how we do things, we end up falling into the same traps as everyone else who we like to turn our noses up at.

[Batman]

And you've checked we haven't done that?

 

Why is no one thinking about it the other way round? Next season is huge for TV money. Championship clubs are desperate to get up. Why is 10m helpful to QPR now when it would basically kill their chances of promotion?

yeah, the manager has even said we have not.

[Saint Charlie]

Yet 'the Southampton way' is supposed to prevent this. For all of the back slapping, self indulgent documentaries, interviews and articles about how we do things, we end up falling into the same traps as everyone else who we like to turn our noses up at.

Those Southampton Way documentaries have been well put together but in hindsight a bit of an oops moment so far:

 

Episode 1 - Reed and Wilson bigging up Cedric and Juanmi and explaining how we identifed them, beat off competition etc. One has been exposed defensively and isn't a patch on his predecessor, the other barely played.

 

Episode 2 - Followed the European Journey which ended after an abysmal team selection in Denmark and an even worse performance.

 

Episode 3 - Biographical video celebrating JWP's 100 games for Saints showing how he is still searching for an "elusive" open play goal and is the player the Academy lads all look up to. Reality being they probably aspire to be Walcott, Bale, AOC, Shaw or Chambers more and really JWP hasn't improved aince his first year in the squad.

 

Can't wait for episode 4 which I'm reliably informed is Tadic and Pelle talking about how they can avoid a mid season slump in their second PL year because they are more PL experienced.

[Chalkboy]

Those Southampton Way documentaries have been well put together but in hindsight a bit of an oops moment so far:

 

Episode 1 - Reed and Wilson bigging up Cedric and Juanmi and explaining how we identifed them, beat off competition etc. One has been exposed defensively and isn't a patch on his predecessor, the other barely played.

 

Episode 2 - Followed the European Journey which ended after an abysmal team selection in Denmark and an even worse performance.

 

Episode 3 - Biographical video celebrating JWP's 100 games for Saints showing how he is still searching for an "elusive" open play goal and is the player the Academy lads all look up to. Reality being they probably aspire to be Walcott, Bale, AOC, Shaw or Chambers more and really JWP hasn't improved aince his first year in the squad.

 

Can't wait for episode 4 which I'm reliably informed is Tadic and Pelle talking about how they can avoid a mid season slump in their second PL year because they are more PL experienced.

 

That video about how we do things behind the scenes - the Black Box and Paul Mitchell was another "oops" moment for me. Within a couple of weeks he'd s*dded off to Spurs!

[saint lard]

I know for a fact we showed no interest in Austin previously.....which I posted....has that changed?....I don't think so.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ed Rooney]

We'd have some competition for him IMO, proven prem goalscorers are valuable commodities and QPR won't let him go for less than £10M or even £15M as was quoted earlier on in the season.

 

I'd like him though, he knows where the net is and is too good for the champ.

 

Or maybe 8 million would be enough

[Saint Charlie]

I know everyone loves chatting about Austin but:

 

1. Koeman has said he is too expensive

 

2. Austin himself said he will wait til the summer before going

 

3. Les Ferdinand said he could go if a big top 6 club comes in (which we obviously aren't)

 

4. The club specifically said in the summer we had no interest in Austin

 

5. He is a free agent in the summer so absolutely in his interests to wait til then and earn monster wages that we won't pay anyway (zero chance of him getting in the Euro squad whatever he does IMO)

 

6. We never spend big in January and indications have been we won't again so hardly likely to go spunking £8m on someone who in theory is free about 5 months later.

[VectisSaint]

I know everyone loves chatting about Austin but:

 

1. Koeman has said he is too expensive

 

2. Austin himself said he will wait til the summer before going

 

3. Les Ferdinand said he could go if a big top 6 club comes in (which we obviously aren't)

 

4. The club specifically said in the summer we had no interest in Austin

 

5. He is a free agent in the summer so absolutely in his interests to wait til then and earn monster wages that we won't pay anyway (zero chance of him getting in the Euro squad whatever he does IMO)

 

6. We never spend big in January and indications have been we won't again so hardly likely to go spunking £8m on someone who in theory is free about 5 months later.

 

Nailed on signing then ;-) .

Edited 21 December, 2015 by VectisSaint

[Saint Charlie]

Nailed on signing then.

Only in people's minds on here.

 

In reality if we sign someone it will probably be someone more unknown on loan...

[CB Fry]

Yet 'the Southampton way' is supposed to prevent this. For all of the back slapping, self indulgent documentaries, interviews and articles about how we do things, we end up falling into the same traps as everyone else who we like to turn our noses up at.

You sure about that? All the interviews I've ever heard, often with Les and Ronald sat next to each other, talk about the manager having approval on all incoming signings. All of them.

 

You can get excited about the black box or whatever but that is just glorified scouting and unlikely to be much beyond anything anyone else does at the top level.

 

I know you're desperate to blame 'orrible old bumbling Les and a season where we don't improve our league position is fertile ground (at long, long last) for you to finally make hay but sorry, not having it.

[Batman]

You sure about that? All the interviews I've ever heard, often with Les and Ronald sat next to each other, talk about the manager having approval on all incoming signings. All of them.

 

You can get excited about the black box or whatever but that is just glorified scouting and unlikely to be much beyond anything anyone else does at the top level.

 

I know you're desperate to blame 'orrible old bumbling Les and a season where we don't improve our league position is fertile ground (at long, long last) for you to finally make hay but sorry, not having it.

agree with you.

 

you dont need a black box for 'unearth' VvD

I suspect Mane was on many a radar

 

a black box should not recommend spending £12m on long

 

and WTF is martina all about

 

this is very much ronalds side from a scouting system much the same as other middle sized premier league clubs

[Saint Charlie]

Bournemouth in the process of trying to gazump Watford to sign Iturbe from Roma on loan.

[CB Fry]

agree with you.

 

you dont need a black box for 'unearth' VvD

I suspect Mane was on many a radar

 

a black box should not recommend spending £12m on long

 

and WTF is martina all about

 

this is very much ronalds side from a scouting system much the same as other middle sized premier league clubs

Quite right.

 

It's a bit of a myth that we are plucking nobodies out of thin air - we're buying relatively expensive (typically £8, £10, £12m) players from big clubs in second tier European Leagues. Hardly magical top secret gems spat out from the Player-Tron 2000 Machine in the black box room.

 

And nearly all of them can be directly linked to Koeman pretty easily, and those that can't he has been unequivocally supportive of (ie Long).

 

We haven't really signed any mystery gems for peanuts (like, say, Mahrez) for a fair while, we don't do seem to do that. We've been good at growing our own, but not so good at plucking our own.

[whelk]

Agree but Black box is about matching stats I thought For direct replacements who fit in perfectly not some kid from the beach in Ivory Coast. Ridiculously hyped though although we all believe it when things going well.

[whelk]

Bournemouth in the process of trying to gazump Watford to sign Iturbe from Roma on loan.

 

January always gets hyped but this year so many will want to spend to have a shot at top 4.

[shurlock]

[Dig Dig]

You sure about that? All the interviews I've ever heard, often with Les and Ronald sat next to each other, talk about the manager having approval on all incoming signings. All of them.

 

You can get excited about the black box or whatever but that is just glorified scouting and unlikely to be much beyond anything anyone else does at the top level.

 

I know you're desperate to blame 'orrible old bumbling Les and a season where we don't improve our league position is fertile ground (at long, long last) for you to finally make hay but sorry, not having it.

 

 

I'm not looking to blame Uncle Les. He's done a very good job overall. He did however enjoy putting our approach to transfers and player development up on a pedestal, especially last season. You can't expect people not to scrutinise this if the evidence points to something which looks very different. Either we are overly reliant upon Koeman which insinuates that player profiling ins't bespoke or we have miscalculated what was actually needed.

 

he player profiling is bespoke to Southampton,” says Paul Mitchell, Southampton’s head of recruitment. “Really we try to interline our recruitment with our philosophy. It’s important our players play in our system and in our style and cope with the demands of the manager and the coaching staff. Our lists aren’t endless. It’s not every player that can play in our style but we look for the best fit for us when we put together our recruitment targets.

 

“The player profiling is bespoke to Southampton,” says Paul Mitchell, Southampton’s head of recruitment. “Really we try to interline our recruitment with our philosophy. It’s important our players play in our system and in our style and cope with the demands of the manager and the coaching staff. Our lists aren’t endless. It’s not every player that can play in our style but we look for the best fit for us when we put together our recruitment targets.

 

“At the moment we are a very athletic team. We cover an awful lot of distance. We’ve matured a lot over the last few years in the Premier League. The attributes of a Southampton player? He has to be athletic, he has to be able to move and engage with the environment and engage with the information that Southampton give them to make them successful in their careers.”

 

Identifying potential new signings is a collaborative effort but Southampton will already know who they want to buy next summer. Mitchell and his team work on targets for Koeman and he will make suggestions too. A lot of time is spent in that room they call the black box and the system means that Southampton were able to move quickly for Pellè and Tadic, who have both been a roaring success so far. Southampton do not want to block the path to the first team for the academy players but signing proven, experienced talent is also part of the ethos.

Edited 22 December, 2015 by Dig Dig

[Batman]

Southampton do not want to block the path to the first team for the academy players but signing proven, experienced talent is also part of the ethos. [/i]

 

 

.

[CB Fry]

 

.

One can only imagine they classify VVD and Clasie as proven experienced talent.

 

We're not going to start signing 29 year olds any time soon.

[CB Fry]

I'm not looking to blame Uncle Les. He's done a very good job overall. He did however enjoy putting our approach to transfers and player development up on a pedestal, especially last season. You can't expect people not to scrutinise this if the evidence points to something which looks very different. Either we are overly reliant upon Koeman which insinuates that player profiling ins't bespoke or we have miscalculated what was actually needed.

 

he player profiling is bespoke to Southampton,” says Paul Mitchell, Southampton’s head of recruitment. “Really we try to interline our recruitment with our philosophy. It’s important our players play in our system and in our style and cope with the demands of the manager and the coaching staff. Our lists aren’t endless. It’s not every player that can play in our style but we look for the best fit for us when we put together our recruitment targets.

 

“The player profiling is bespoke to Southampton,” says Paul Mitchell, Southampton’s head of recruitment. “Really we try to interline our recruitment with our philosophy. It’s important our players play in our system and in our style and cope with the demands of the manager and the coaching staff. Our lists aren’t endless. It’s not every player that can play in our style but we look for the best fit for us when we put together our recruitment targets.

 

“At the moment we are a very athletic team. We cover an awful lot of distance. We’ve matured a lot over the last few years in the Premier League. The attributes of a Southampton player? He has to be athletic, he has to be able to move and engage with the environment and engage with the information that Southampton give them to make them successful in their careers.”

 

Identifying potential new signings is a collaborative effort but Southampton will already know who they want to buy next summer. Mitchell and his team work on targets for Koeman and he will make suggestions too. A lot of time is spent in that room they call the black box and the system means that Southampton were able to move quickly for Pellè and Tadic, who have both been a roaring success so far. Southampton do not want to block the path to the first team for the academy players but signing proven, experienced talent is also part of the ethos.

You're getting a little too excited over the word bespoke.

[ErwinK1961]

He won't cost anything like that with only five months left on his contract after the window. Besides a lot of the teams linked are relegation candidates at the moment. He won't be going to a struggling team like last year.[/QUOTE]

 

Rules us out then.

[Batman]

Iturbe going to bournemouth it seems from Roma

[CB Fry]

Iturbe going to bournemouth it seems from Roma

Big Cherries fan as a kid, I believe.

[Wrensup]

I'm not looking to blame Uncle Les. He's done a very good job overall. He did however enjoy putting our approach to transfers and player development up on a pedestal, especially last season. You can't expect people not to scrutinise this if the evidence points to something which looks very different. Either we are overly reliant upon Koeman which insinuates that player profiling ins't bespoke or we have miscalculated what was actually needed.

 

he player profiling is bespoke to Southampton,” says Paul Mitchell, Southampton’s head of recruitment. “Really we try to interline our recruitment with our philosophy. It’s important our players play in our system and in our style and cope with the demands of the manager and the coaching staff. Our lists aren’t endless. It’s not every player that can play in our style but we look for the best fit for us when we put together our recruitment targets.

 

“The player profiling is bespoke to Southampton,” says Paul Mitchell, Southampton’s head of recruitment. “Really we try to interline our recruitment with our philosophy. It’s important our players play in our system and in our style and cope with the demands of the manager and the coaching staff. Our lists aren’t endless. It’s not every player that can play in our style but we look for the best fit for us when we put together our recruitment targets.

 

“At the moment we are a very athletic team. We cover an awful lot of distance. We’ve matured a lot over the last few years in the Premier League. The attributes of a Southampton player? He has to be athletic, he has to be able to move and engage with the environment and engage with the information that Southampton give them to make them successful in their careers.”

 

Identifying potential new signings is a collaborative effort but Southampton will already know who they want to buy next summer. Mitchell and his team work on targets for Koeman and he will make suggestions too. A lot of time is spent in that room they call the black box and the system means that Southampton were able to move quickly for Pellè and Tadic, who have both been a roaring success so far. Southampton do not want to block the path to the first team for the academy players but signing proven, experienced talent is also part of the ethos.

 

Was this written bespoke for Southampton?