Badger Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 If it is as simple as that , we cannot grow our fan base anyway unless every saints fan has 6 or 7 kids each? Not a policy that Chinese owners will endorse, a family ticket will be two adults and one child only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint86 Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 You just have to hope that we recruit well. Sadly our recruitment is not what we make it out to be. Redmond (who I like) will never be Mane. Pied (just...), martina, boufal, tadic, pelle etc etc. Whilst useful, they have all been poor copies of the players we have replaced. I think VVD is the only exception to this, with a possible nod to bertrand and Cedric. As much as I have tried to back Puel, I just think a manager like Poch or Koeman would be doing a lot better with the players available, I therefore think that despite the board letting him down, it is rapidly becoming time for a change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 You just have to hope that we recruit well. Sadly our recruitment is not what we make it out to be. Redmond (who I like) will never be Mane. Pied (just...), martina, boufal, tadic, pelle etc etc. Whilst useful, they have all been poor copies of the players we have replaced. I think VVD is the only exception to this, with a possible nod to bertrand and Cedric. As much as I have tried to back Puel, I just think a manager like Poch or Koeman would be doing a lot better with the players available, I therefore think that despite the board letting him down, it is rapidly becoming time for a change. Our recruitment has been excellent. You've just cherrypicked a few there, but even Tadic and Pelle - have they really been poor copies/poor players? They've both been excellent for us and I'm still struggling to understand why people still cannot see how important Pelle was to us at times over the last two years. Toby for Lovren, VVD for Toby, Bertrand for Shaw, Cedric for Clyne. Romeu for Wanyama, Mane. I think Boufal and Hojburg have huge potential as well, there is no way people should be writing either of those off already. Utter mentals. But generally, our recruitment has been spot on. We've had a few stinkers, but every club has them. Given what we had to replace back in 2015, we did a f**ing heroic scouting job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusic Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 Our recruitment has been excellent. You've just cherrypicked a few there, but even Tadic and Pelle - have they really been poor copies/poor players? They've both been excellent for us and I'm still struggling to understand why people still cannot see how important Pelle was to us at times over the last two years. Toby for Lovren, VVD for Toby, Bertrand for Shaw, Cedric for Clyne. Romeu for Wanyama, Mane. I think Boufal and Hojburg have huge potential as well, there is no way people should be writing either of those off already. Utter mentals. But generally, our recruitment has been spot on. We've had a few stinkers, but every club has them. Given what we had to replace back in 2015, we did a f**ing heroic scouting job. Agree that largely its been fantastic, although not in terms of replacing Schneiderlin or Wanyama. Of our central midfield signings in the last 3 years only Romeu has impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nta786 Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 Agree that largely its been fantastic, although not in terms of replacing Schneiderlin or Wanyama. Of our central midfield signings in the last 3 years only Romeu has impressed. remember we buy potential and them breed them into success. we don't buy success, we breed it. (and then sell it) hence why cannot judge redmond, boufal and PEH as none of them the finished article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Saints Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 Reports that Chelsea will give us Christensen as part of VVD deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wadesmith Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 Guys this just paper talk. Designed at unsettling the player. Nothing to see here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 Reports that Chelsea will give us Christensen as part of VVD deal. Absolutely no chance of them 'giving him away'. He'll either be in their team next year or be sold for mega bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Albert Posted 1 May, 2017 Share Posted 1 May, 2017 Reports that Chelsea will give us Christensen as part of VVD deal. Here's one of them. One minute we're getting Ake for VVD, then it's Christensen, then it's Sakho from Liverpool...it's almost like the papers are making it all up... https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3456772/chelsea-beat-arsenal-50million-virgil-van-dijk-andreas-christensen-southampton/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Here's one of them. One minute we're getting Ake for VVD, then it's Christensen, then it's Sakho from Liverpool...it's almost like the papers are making it all up... https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3456772/chelsea-beat-arsenal-50million-virgil-van-dijk-andreas-christensen-southampton/ If we sell Van Dijk to Chelsea then getting Christensen in would be a great bit of business. This guy is only just 21 and has been getting rave reviews in Germany. He was recently in the telegraphs top 20 Hot prospects in Europe, Very highly rated. Needs to bulk up a bit has all the attributes to be a top class player. As well as the usual criteria for a saints signing of being young, hungry and therefore guaranteed to improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Agree that largely its been fantastic, although not in terms of replacing Schneiderlin or Wanyama. Of our central midfield signings in the last 3 years only Romeu has impressed. Schneiderlin was signed as an 18 year old, for one million Euro, and was nowhere near the standard he is now. Maybe Hojbjerg will be as good. Who knows? But that's why it's stupid to write young players off after one season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 it's stupid to write young players off after one season. Some people on here need that as a tattoo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKD Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 If we sell Van Dijk to Chelsea then getting Christensen in would be a great bit of business. This guy is only just 21 and has been getting rave reviews in Germany. He was recently in the telegraphs top 20 Hot prospects in Europe, Very highly rated. Needs to bulk up a bit has all the attributes to be a top class player. As well as the usual criteria for a saints signing of being young, hungry and therefore guaranteed to improve. Agree. Would personally prefer Ake as he's tried and tested in the PL, however would not be disappointed at Christensen at all - perhaps we could squeeze them for both . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKD Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Schneiderlin was signed as an 18 year old, for one million Euro, and was nowhere near the standard he is now. Maybe Hojbjerg will be as good. Who knows? But that's why it's stupid to write young players off after one season. Exactly. People seem to forget how ineffective Schneiderlin was, at a young age I must add, when he first signed. It was only when we went down to L1 and he seemed to 'man up' a bit when he started to fulfill his potential. I like Hojbjerg, he is younger than JWP and IMO is a perfect replacement for Schneiderlin. He seems a similar sort of player, but obviously isn't the finished article, yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simo Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Exactly. People seem to forget how ineffective Schneiderlin was, at a young age I must add, when he first signed. It was only when we went down to L1 and he seemed to 'man up' a bit when he started to fulfill his potential. I like Hojbjerg, he is younger than JWP and IMO is a perfect replacement for Schneiderlin. He seems a similar sort of player, but obviously isn't the finished article, yet. Schneiderlin never played for Bayern before we signed him , Hojbjerg has regressed this season after showing early promise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Schneiderlin never played for Bayern before we signed him , Hojbjerg has regressed this season after showing early promise! Did he play much for Bayern? They loaned him out the season before he came to us. Clearly given they were happy to let him go and we got him (in current terms) cheap suggests Bayern didn't particular rate him. A lot is made of Pep liking him but not enough to want to sign him for Citeh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKD Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Schneiderlin never played for Bayern before we signed him , Hojbjerg has regressed this season after showing early promise! I agree - I would say a lot of that down to lack of game time. Personally, I would start him next to Romeu for the remaining fixtures, to try and bed him into the team for next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTL Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 There's a good player in Hojbjerg but any amount of time stuck around Puel and Black can't do you any favours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 All Hoj needs is some game time, he really should be one of our first choice CM's. Not sure why he's never held down a place, the in and out nature of the season has not helped him at all. I think he's class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 All Hoj needs is some game time, he really should be one of our first choice CM's. Not sure why he's never held down a place, the in and out nature of the season has not helped him at all. I think he's class. Because currently he has trouble passing to a team mate and loses concentration at the wrong times. I think he was seen as a replacement for an aging Davis but lost out because Davis has to play as captain in the absence of VVD. I certainly don't think Hoj is a DM/holding player seems to me he would be best in front of two solid DMs where he can pick up the ball and run with it and link up up the attack and midfield but for that he would have to oust Tadic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Because currently he has trouble passing to a team mate and loses concentration at the wrong times. I think he was seen as a replacement for an aging Davis but lost out because Davis has to play as captain in the absence of VVD. I certainly don't think Hoj is a DM/holding player seems to me he would be best in front of two solid DMs where he can pick up the ball and run with it and link up up the attack and midfield but for that he would have to oust Tadic. I would totally agree that Hoj isn't a DM type, he's more of a mobile CM who can drive forward. I think his best games are when he's allowed to move forward with the ball and drive towards the box. Potentially he could be the replacement for Davis, but what with the captaincy situation I don't think Davis is 'droppable' at the moment. For me, he'd play in front of Romeu and another. Flanked by Redmond/Boufal or Tadic and Gabbiadini up front. I'd happily lose one of the ''attacking'' 3 to accommodate him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Garrett Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Why not just play a midfield/fwds of ----------Romeu Hojbjerg Redmond----Davis -----Tadic ------------Gabbiadini You could probably swap Boufal in for either Tadic or Redmond, and JWP in for Davis, Clasie in for Hojbjerg, (however if Hojbjerg is seen as a future first teamer then we need to stick with him and give him game time, especially at this point in the season where games are basically pointless. Playing Davis as a DM IMO is ridiculous, and just leaves Romeu basically playing in CM on his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Why not just play a midfield/fwds of ----------Romeu Hojbjerg Redmond----Davis -----Tadic ------------Gabbiadini You could probably swap Boufal in for either Tadic or Redmond, and JWP in for Davis, Clasie in for Hojbjerg, (however if Hojbjerg is seen as a future first teamer then we need to stick with him and give him game time, especially at this point in the season where games are basically pointless. Playing Davis as a DM IMO is ridiculous, and just leaves Romeu basically playing in CM on his own. it is but Hoj is no better he has a horrible habit of giving the ball away in bad areas when playing the holding role the truth is our midfield is horribly unbalanced at the moment and needs major surgery this summer. I still think Hoj has a future but it needs to be in front of two DMs which currently we don't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1ex2001 Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Love all the talk of swap deals, how often to these ever actually happen? If VVD goes this summer it will be for a shed load of cash and we will then take a couple of punts on up and coming players from abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 2 May, 2017 Share Posted 2 May, 2017 Love all the talk of swap deals, how often to these ever actually happen? If VVD goes this summer it will be for a shed load of cash and we will then take a couple of punts on up and coming players from abroad. If we do get a Chelsea player, then I can't see them just giving us one of their highly rated players for free....it'll probably be a loan deal at best, if anything is muted. Not sure that's an amazing idea, as then we'd be back in the same boat again. I do like Christensen though, rave reviews over in Germany. Had some big, big clubs looking at him. I'd probably accept a little less than £50m for VVD if we were getting a prospect as good as him thrown in permanently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 (edited) Done deal with Liverpool according to this as long as they finish top 4..... Virgil van Dijk agrees to join Liverpool if they secure top four place http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/news/virgil-van-dijk-agrees-to-join-liverpool-if-they-secure-top-four-place/ar-BBAFwH2?li=AA572I&ocid=spartandhp We need to sack Puel and bring in Silva now to stop this happening............................ ............... Edited 3 May, 2017 by doddisalegend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Give it to Ron Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Done deal with Liverpool according to this as long as they finish top 4..... Virgil van Dijk agrees to join Liverpool if they secure top four place http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/news/virgil-van-dijk-agrees-to-join-liverpool-if-they-secure-top-four-place/ar-BBAFwH2?li=AA572I&ocid=spartandhp We need to sack Puel and bring in Silva now to stop this happening............................ ............... Yeah I mean why would we want a manager that hasn't lost a home game in 3 1/2 years when we can be as entertained as Saturday. Your desperation is beginning to tell Dodd...you normally post decent stuff but your recent posts are lacking their usual good sense. Puel will probably still be here this time next year and we may have done a better job on recruitment which is what most want. Recently its been shocking surely you can see why some are unhappy? Lack of belief from the players, tactics, formation and team selections coupled with poor substitutiions has some rightly questioning Puel or isn't that allowed and we all have to be happy clappers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisenberg Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Done deal with Liverpool according to this Virgil van Dijk agrees to join Liverpool if they secure top four place We need to sack Puel (regardless) and bring in someone like Silva + get rid of Les and Kat now to stop this happening............................ Corrected it for you. You're welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALWAYS_SFC Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Corrected it for you. You're welcome Yep, lets ask Virgil who he wants as manager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Done deal with Liverpool according to this as long as they finish top 4..... Virgil van Dijk agrees to join Liverpool if they secure top four place http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/news/virgil-van-dijk-agrees-to-join-liverpool-if-they-secure-top-four-place/ar-BBAFwH2?li=AA572I&ocid=spartandhp We need to sack Puel and bring in Silva now to stop this happening............................ ...............Surely not Ralph told us that this wont happen.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisenberg Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 I doubt very much we'd sell another player to Liverpool. If we do Les needs to be investigated as they must have sh¡t on this fool. After they blanked us for Sakho when we were desperate I doubt Leslie will do business with them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Christ, please not to Liverpool or Spurs. Chelsea i could just about stomach. Best would be to Barca or - keep him? not a hope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Won't be Spurs, they don't really spend big fees. Their model is pretty sound, they seem to operate in the £10-20m player bracket. Main difference between themselves and us is that they keep hold of their players longer term and they've been able to build a team. I don't think we'd be far behind where Spurs are if MP had stayed and was able to keep the side he had together. But Liverpool, if it is...people are going to start working out if we have something going on! It's insane. Who needs Russians and arabs bankrolling us, when we have Liverpool? Maybe all along we've actually had a rich benefactor supporting us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALWAYS_SFC Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 If he goes to pool, who is for the chop up there then? cant be Lovren, despite him being average he has just signed a new 90k a week deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchards Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 All we need now is for Les Reed to announce he is a great Liverpool supporter and that he is doing everything he can to help them win the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusic Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Bit of a shame that everyone is resigned to losing our best player without a fight after less than two seasons and only a few months after signing a long term contract. We will still be fed the "no need to sell players" line but we all know he is going. Not saying we can keep him, just that its so BAU for us to sell so readily that nobody even thinks there is more than a 1% chance he will stay which is a bit demoralising after four summers in a row of this. I hope we do better than we did in hindsight for Mane. Is £50m really enough given the money available to these teams? He is probably the best CB in the league with no real downside or weakness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Albert Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 So first it's Chelsea "confident" of winning the race to get VVD, now it's Liverpool. If the article is true (a huge assumption) and Saints did not authorize these talks (another assumption but I would be surprised if they did), I would hope that Les would refuse to deal with them on principal once Liverpool finally get around to talking to him having finalized everything through VVD and his agent. Perhaps even report them for tapping up. Go on, strap a set on and take a stand, Les. Given VVD's contract Saints are in a position to tell Liverpool to take a flying leap. I'm not saying that we shouldn't or won't sell VVD in the summer if we're offered stupid money, or that we should keep an unhappy player who has had his head turned, just not Liverpool. Not again. It's beyond embarrassing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Give it to Ron Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 If he goes to pool, who is for the chop up there then? cant be Lovren, despite him being average he has just signed a new 90k a week deal With Champions League games etc they will want a bigger squad he will in effect replace Sakho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren2 Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 What ever happen to "Tapping up" rules? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simo Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 I currently can't see him leaving while there's a chance of a takeover , surely it would affect the value of the club !? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Yeah I mean why would we want a manager that hasn't lost a home game in 3 1/2 years when we can be as entertained as Saturday. Your desperation is beginning to tell Dodd...you normally post decent stuff but your recent posts are lacking their usual good sense. Puel will probably still be here this time next year and we may have done a better job on recruitment which is what most want. Recently its been shocking surely you can see why some are unhappy? Lack of belief from the players, tactics, formation and team selections coupled with poor substitutiions has some rightly questioning Puel or isn't that allowed and we all have to be happy clappers? Ron you're missing the point. A number of posters are suggesting that a change of manager would stop players leaving in the summer do you really believe getting in Silva would stop VVD or Bertrand leaving this summer to the likes of Liverpool or citeh? Who is better Puel vs Silva isn't the point I was making but pointing out the straw clutching that a change of manager will make players stay (well it might make Long stay....... ..yay) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Give it to Ron Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Ron you're missing the point. A number of posters are suggesting that a change of manager would stop players leaving in the summer do you really believe getting in Silva would stop VVD or Bertrand leaving this summer to the likes of Liverpool or citeh? Who is better Puel vs Silva isn't the point I was making but pointing out the straw clutching that a change of manager will make players stay (well it might make Long stay....... ..yay) Ok misread your point then - all players bar Le Tiss are mercenaries and go where the biggest pay check is no matter who is manager - we know that full well. Puel has had a rough deal with the board and injuries but I question his player management skills, tactics, formations and lack of game changing when its failing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGalpin Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 http://sportwitness.co.uk/players-father-frank-potential-move-southampton-chelsea-says/ If Christensen is supposed to be coming to Saints, someone should let his old man (and agent) know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint77 Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 no way will he sign for Liverpool ,Chelsea would be no1 option he wouldn't have to move house and his wife has already informed him she will not move home for the next 2 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 no way will he sign for Liverpool ,Chelsea would be no1 option he wouldn't have to move house and his wife has already informed him she will not move home for the next 2 years Under the thumb! I'm sure that would be up for negotiation if he showed his wife a tasty signing on fee.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 http://sportwitness.co.uk/players-father-frank-potential-move-southampton-chelsea-says/ If Christensen is supposed to be coming to Saints, someone should let his old man (and agent) know... They are apparently keen to keep him at Gladbach, but they cannot afford what Chelsea want. They had a £15m bid for him turned down in the last window, so he's just been on a 2 year loan. With that in mind, I cannot see why Chelsea would want to flog him away as part of a deal. He's a big young talent - but given how easily they flogged off De Bruyne, who knows.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint77 Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Under the thumb! I'm sure that would be up for negotiation if he showed his wife a tasty signing on fee.... do know what i don't think it would change her and having had the pleasure of meeting him several times I'm not sure his head would be turned by the money personally think we could keep him for one more season but you never know in football Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally_uk Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Done deal to Liverpool? he has verbally agreed....... according to the Daily Rag http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/610980/Virgil-van-Dijk-Liverpool-transfer-news-Southampton-sportgalleries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGalpin Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Done deal to Liverpool? he has verbally agreed....... according to the Daily Rag http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/610980/Virgil-van-Dijk-Liverpool-transfer-news-Southampton-sportgalleries The Daily Star are quoting their source as ReadLiverpool; now even if there is a legitimate leak, isn't it funny how it's on Liverpool's side? Jeremy Wilson is saying that Chelsea and Manchester City are the clubs in front (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/05/02/arsenal-poised-miss-alexandre-lacazette-top-summer-targets/). I'd be inclined to believe someone with genuine links to Southampton personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Albert Posted 3 May, 2017 Share Posted 3 May, 2017 Christensen's dad does not sound too keen on his son being part of the rumoured VVD deal: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/799877/Chelsea-news-Antonio-Conte-Virgil-Van-Dijk-swap-deal-Andreas-Christensen-Southampton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts