January 18 transfer window

[shurlock]

Despite the football experts on here writing Walcott off, he does appear to have been our number one target, so it would seem that we've failed on our own terms.

Edited 17 January, 2018 by shurlock

[doddisalegend]

Despite the football experts on here writing Walcott off, he does appear to have been our number one target, so it would seem that we've failed on our own terms.

 

 

Shocking if that was the case all the issues this squad has and the club thought they could fix it by signing Walcott? Bizarre.

[James]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/15845433.Saints_forced_into_January_rethink/

 

Laughable.

 

Bravo Saints, bravo. Seems that lessons aren’t being learnt at all levels. Will be a nightmare scenario if we are left with a lame duck Pellegrino and an un strengthened squad at the end of Jan but that’s what we all know will happen. Incompetence at its finest.

[SuperSAINT]

If you break it down, the 2 types of players we are looking for right now are basically Pelle & Mane replacements 18 months after they f*cking left.

[Batman]

If you break it down, the 2 types of players we are looking for right now are basically Pelle & Mane replacements 18 months after they f*cking left.

I remember when a select few from the great and good on here said we will not be going down, Austin was Pelle's replacement brought in 6 months before he lest and the great Nathan redmond was "fine" as Mané's replacement

[CB Fry]

Shocking if that was the case all the issues this squad has and the club thought they could fix it by signing Walcott? Bizarre.

Personally I think it would have gone a long way, at least on the surface, the build some confidence in a) the team on the pitch maybe winning a game once and b) the team off the pitch actually trying to stop us getting relegated.

 

If signing Theo is a futile gesture then I think it was exactly what we needed right now.

Edited 17 January, 2018 by CB Fry

[aintforever]

Day 17 still naff all, what is it, arrogance or apathy? We ****ing deserve to go down.

[skintsaint]

Shocking if that was the case all the issues this squad has and the club thought they could fix it by signing Walcott? Bizarre.

 

Purely a signing to try and get the fans back onboard. He wouldn't have added much to our squad/system imo.

[shurlock]

Day 17 still naff all, what is it, arrogance or apathy? We ****ing deserve to go down.

 

A bit rich to talk about apathy, wouldn’t you say pal?

[CB Fry]

I remember when a select few from the great and good on here said we will not be going down, Austin was Pelle's replacement brought in 6 months before he lest and the great Nathan redmond was "fine" as Mané's replacement

We didn't go down, we finished eighth and got to a cup final.

[Batman]

We didn't go down, we finished eighth and got to a cup final.

Great. no. New signing needed then

[austsaint]

I remember when a select few from the great and good on here said we will not be going down, Austin was Pelle's replacement brought in 6 months before he lest and the great Nathan redmond was "fine" as Mané's replacement

 

The thing is though, there aren't that many Mane's around - he was outstanding and it really sparked Saints for two seasons apart from the time that RK benched him for the lack of the late note. These days we have virtually no pace out wide and no one to head crosses in when Charlie's hurt. Yes, JWP was on hand to score a couple last week but how can you play someone like him out wide and expect pace and width? Or even expect the lad to deliver these highly rated crosses and frees into the box when we don't have anyone to head them in? A player like Walcott would have been ideal to provide the pace, width and skill and give the whole Club an injection of feel good confidence.

[CB Fry]

Great. no. New signing needed then

Disagree.

[alpine_saint]

We ****ing deserve to go down.

 

Yep, I have begun to think this.

 

So little is being done to address the issues, I have even begun to think this is intentional.

[fanimal]

But the lack of activity in the whole market is remarkable despite the hype from Sky! Notice as the day draws nearer the dresses get more revealing..

[alpine_saint]

But the lack of activity in the whole market is remarkable despite the hype from Sky! Notice as the day draws nearer the dresses get more revealing..

 

Not every club is in the dire straits and sitting on a 75m windfall like we are.

[aintforever]

Not every club is in the dire straits and sitting on a 75m windfall like we are.

 

Indeed. there are only a handful of clubs on the planet that have received a larger transfer fee than what we got for Van Dyke.

 

Barcelona for Neymar

Liverpool for Coutinho

Borussia Dortmund for Dembélé

Juventus for Pogba

Spurs for Bale

Manchester United for Ronaldo

Napoli for Higuaín

[angelman]

Everton for Lukaku.

[aintforever]

Everton for Lukaku.

 

Yeah plus that one, That is also 75mill but with add ons.

 

When you factor in our other massive sales recently, the Prem TV money which gives us a competitive advantage over most clubs in Europe, and the fact that we are supposed to have a new owner to "take us to the next level" - we shouldn't have much problem bring in players to improve the side even in a January window.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

The problem is we need to buy players that will improve us - I'm not sure this Monaco bloke sounds like he would, and I wouldn't trust anyone that Pellegrino brought in.

 

The real negligence here is on not replacing the Manager. That is what needs to be rectified and will be the reason we go down.

[Rebel]

I remember when a select few from the great and good on here said we will not be going down, Austin was Pelle's replacement brought in 6 months before he lest and the great Nathan redmond was "fine" as Mané's replacement

 

They weren't though.

 

This is a prime example of Les Reed's revisionism and spinning of the messages to supporters. When we brought Austin in the message to fans was that he was to provide the cover and competition for Pelle that we desperately needed as the Italian was our only real centre forward at the time. When we sold Pelle and then failed to sign a replacement Austin suddenly became the replacement for Pelle that we had cleverly bought before he'd left and at a very good price.

 

The same with Redmond - he was bought to add the cover and competition we needed on the right wing - and which the club actively talked about needing - and that was the message we were spun. But then he became our 4th striker and the next Thierry Henry and Mane replacement rolled in to one when we failed to sign another striker and were left with Austin, Rodriguez and Long as our goal scorers.

 

I think there were issues with the squad make-up when Puel joined as he didn't want to play with a centre forward but with a false 9 / number 10 and two wide strikers or inside forwards. But our squad was set up to play 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 so we didn't really have the players to play a 4-3-1-2 so it was a case of adapt what we have with Redmond becoming a wide forward and Austin struggling to fit in anywhere in that formation.

 

I've always thought Boufal was bought to play as the number 10 in Puel's formation - but he was injured when we bought him - and Tadic struggled as a No.10 so we couldn't really play that way anyway - and by the time Boufal was fit we'd abandoned it for a 4-3-3 and then a 4-2-3-1 as we didn't really have the wide striker either.

 

Who know if we'd bought a fit Hakim Ziyech for a lot less money to play as the number 10 and a couple of wide forwards it may well have worked - and a fit and firing Jay Rodriguez, Long and Redmond would probably would have suited it as well. But Austin and Tadic would have struggled - but they would have given us a plan B at least.

 

I think Claude Puel learnt a lot from what happened with us as he's not tried to re-invent the way Leicester play but slowly tweaked it. I think his better grasp of English after a year with us has probably helped as well. I still maintain with Puel it was a case of the wrong man with the wrong squad. And despite wanting him gone at the end of last season I think we would be far better off now if we'd stuck with him and backed him in the summer transfer window with the players he needed to play his way.

 

I think one of the reasons he played so defensively in the second half of the season was that he thought our central defence - in Yoshida and Stephens - wasn't good enough and it had to be protected at all costs. And I think you have to say given the evidence from this season that even with Hoedt and Yoshida he was right.

 

In my mind Les Reed is at fault for most of this - not replacing Pelle, signing an injured Boufal when we really needed a pre-season to adapt to the diamond, not giving Puel the players he needed to change the way we play, not replacing Fonte which cost us the League Cup, not buying a decent second right-back etc.

 

And now Pellegrino - he's definitely the wrong man but he hasn't got the squad he needs either. Although I have no idea what he is trying to do with what he has or how he is trying to play.

 

We need a centre forward who can score goals, a leading centre back to partner Hoedt, a winger with pace who can score goals and probably a goal scoring midfielder as well.

[Badger]

 

We need a centre forward who can score goals, a leading centre back to partner Hoedt, a winger with pace who can score goals and probably a goal scoring midfielder as well.

 

That's four players required. I'd add a GK as well, making it five.

 

Can't see Les suddenly being that active can you? We've taken half the transfer window not to sign anybody leaving the Master Ditherer a fortnight to achieve it. And we haven't sacked the hapless manager in that time either.

[del boy]

But the lack of activity in the whole market is remarkable despite the hype from Sky! Notice as the day draws nearer the dresses get more revealing..

Its frustrating, given our current situation, but I don't think the lack of signings really means lack of activity. I imagine there are a lot of "what if" conversations as agents try to get the most money for themselves and their players

[Toadhall Saint]

That's four players required. I'd add a GK as well, making it five.

 

Can't see Les suddenly being that active can you? We've taken half the transfer window not to sign anybody leaving the Master Ditherer a fortnight to achieve it. And we haven't sacked the hapless manager in that time either.

 

Can I have half a pound of dolly mixture as well please just to round it off to 130m

[Useful Idiot]

They weren't though.

 

This is a prime example of Les Reed's revisionism and spinning of the messages to supporters. When we brought Austin in the message to fans was that he was to provide the cover and competition for Pelle that we desperately needed as the Italian was our only real centre forward at the time. When we sold Pelle and then failed to sign a replacement Austin suddenly became the replacement for Pelle that we had cleverly bought before he'd left and at a very good price.

 

The same with Redmond - he was bought to add the cover and competition we needed on the right wing - and which the club actively talked about needing - and that was the message we were spun. But then he became our 4th striker and the next Thierry Henry and Mane replacement rolled in to one when we failed to sign another striker and were left with Austin, Rodriguez and Long as our goal scorers.

 

I think there were issues with the squad make-up when Puel joined as he didn't want to play with a centre forward but with a false 9 / number 10 and two wide strikers or inside forwards. But our squad was set up to play 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 so we didn't really have the players to play a 4-3-1-2 so it was a case of adapt what we have with Redmond becoming a wide forward and Austin struggling to fit in anywhere in that formation.

 

I've always thought Boufal was bought to play as the number 10 in Puel's formation - but he was injured when we bought him - and Tadic struggled as a No.10 so we couldn't really play that way anyway - and by the time Boufal was fit we'd abandoned it for a 4-3-3 and then a 4-2-3-1 as we didn't really have the wide striker either.

 

Who know if we'd bought a fit Hakim Ziyech for a lot less money to play as the number 10 and a couple of wide forwards it may well have worked - and a fit and firing Jay Rodriguez, Long and Redmond would probably would have suited it as well. But Austin and Tadic would have struggled - but they would have given us a plan B at least.

 

I think Claude Puel learnt a lot from what happened with us as he's not tried to re-invent the way Leicester play but slowly tweaked it. I think his better grasp of English after a year with us has probably helped as well. I still maintain with Puel it was a case of the wrong man with the wrong squad. And despite wanting him gone at the end of last season I think we would be far better off now if we'd stuck with him and backed him in the summer transfer window with the players he needed to play his way.

 

I think one of the reasons he played so defensively in the second half of the season was that he thought our central defence - in Yoshida and Stephens - wasn't good enough and it had to be protected at all costs. And I think you have to say given the evidence from this season that even with Hoedt and Yoshida he was right.

 

In my mind Les Reed is at fault for most of this - not replacing Pelle, signing an injured Boufal when we really needed a pre-season to adapt to the diamond, not giving Puel the players he needed to change the way we play, not replacing Fonte which cost us the League Cup, not buying a decent second right-back etc.

 

And now Pellegrino - he's definitely the wrong man but he hasn't got the squad he needs either. Although I have no idea what he is trying to do with what he has or how he is trying to play.

 

We need a centre forward who can score goals, a leading centre back to partner Hoedt, a winger with pace who can score goals and probably a goal scoring midfielder as well.

 

This is exactly as I see the situation as well.

[shurlock]

Redmond AND Boufal to replace Mane wasn't the worst investment. Redmond was alright last season in parts, Boufal has shown he has ability. Both require decent management though. Would Mane have become as good as he did under this manager? Seriously doubt it.

 

Ideally we'd have gone a got Walcott when Mane left. But it's difficult to criticise the signing of younger players with potential when that's exactly what got us Mane, VVD, Clyne, Cedric, Wanyama etc in the first place.

 

It was Redmond and Boufal for Juanmi and Mané.

[Useful Idiot]

Redmond AND Boufal to replace Mane wasn't the worst investment. Redmond was alright last season in parts, Boufal has shown he has ability. Both require decent management though. Would Mane have become as good as he did under this manager? Seriously doubt it.

 

Ideally we'd have gone a got Walcott when Mane left. But it's difficult to criticise the signing of younger players with potential when that's exactly what got us Mane, VVD, Clyne, Cedric, Wanyama etc in the first place.

 

To buy Redmond and Boufal to replace Mane is like buying a Suzuki Swift and a Golf GTI to replace a BMW M3.

[CityRanger]

This is exactly as I see the situation as well.

 

Yep, particularly the bit about finishing the season ultra defensive to protect weak CB’s.

[SuperSAINT]

:(

 

SILVA TO SWANSEA?

 

Swansea are favourites to sign AC Milan’s £35m striker Andre Silva, according to Wales Online.

 

Carlos Carvalhal’s side are understood to have moved ahead of Wolves in the race for the 22-year-old Portugal international’s signature.

[shurlock]

To buy Redmond and Boufal to replace Mane is like buying a Suzuki Swift and a Golf GTI to replace a BMW M3.

 

With double the petrol money (i.e. wages).

[Supersubpuckett]

One thing I don't think Puel did was basically replicate Koemans style of play with Redmond in the Mane role and Austin instead of Pelle - I'm sure we would have seen more entertaining football, more goals and maybe got more from Redmond. There have been so many instances where players were looking to play the ball into the attacking channels for the likes of Long, Tadic or Redmond to run onto....except of course they're too busy 'defending when attacking'.

[Suomi Saint]

75 million received and nothing spent. I realise that the 75 million will be received over time, but by the same token we only have to pay for new players over time also. Therefore, we can afford to spend 75 million on players now and still break even (minus Celtic's sell on fee).

[S-Clarke]

:(

 

Yeah I saw that one yesterday. He has been a bit of a disaster at Milan if truth be told, but he has pedigree. It'll only be a loan though, not a buy, and I don't think the club are really looking at loans as priority options. We're just fluffing around unrealistic permanent transfers before we try and mop up the remaining loans left on the 31st, after we've failed to sign any of our unrealistic permanent transfers. (sorry, still being cynical)

[Delmary]

It could be a very nasty atmosphere at the game on Sunday. Les Reed won’t be a popular man.

[hypochondriac]

:(

I mean ffs if that happens.

[James]

I mean ffs if that happens.

 

If he is available we should surely be looking at him - no doubt we will continue to shop in the bargain bin and bring in a reserve Monaco striker because our hopeless manager wants him. God, how depressing.

[Killers Knee]

75 million received and nothing spent. I realise that the 75 million will be received over time, but by the same token we only have to pay for new players over time also. Therefore, we can afford to spend 75 million on players now and still break even (minus Celtic's sell on fee).

Honestly, of that £75m I would expect £25m the maximum to be reinvested. The rest to pay off the loans used to purchase the club.

 

Then, not all the £25m would be available now.

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

[S-Clarke]

Honestly, of that £75m I would expect £25m the maximum to be reinvested. The rest to pay off the loans used to purchase the club.

 

Then, not all the £25m would be available now.

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

This is where we need a bit of transparency to be honest. If Gao has taken out loans to buy the club AGAINST the club he's buying, then we are ****ed. But I can't see that would be the case, surely the loans are against him and his company, rather than hooked onto the club? So fair enough, he may want to dip into the club to help repay them, but we shouldn't necessarily be seen as carrying that debt.

 

Does need some clarification to be honest. Still waiting.

[Maggie May]

It could be a very nasty atmosphere at the game on Sunday. Les Reed won’t be a popular man.

 

Why though? Why are we entitled not to be where we are in the league? Fans have very short memories.

[Convict Colony]

I am now of the belief that no player will help the manager become better, they would only improve our performance as a team despite MP and only if he picks them.

[Saint_clark]

Anyone else getting the slightest worrying inkling that nobody is coming in at all?

 

No. We will bring a couple in. Just frustrating that seemingly a couple more PL games will have gone by before we do.

 

Clearly crying out for reinforcements now.

 

No we will get someone in probably not anyone the fans want but we will clearly bring someone in the whole point of selling Van Dickhead was to free up funds for bringing in reinforcements. Though listening to Adam blackmore on solent the other day we've got more like 40 million to spend rather than the head line 75 million.

 

Careful. CB Fry will say ‘Jesus wept’ if you even suggest this. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

No, I'm sure we'll sign someone but it will be towards the end of the window and a waste of money given the useless manager they will play under

 

 

Anyone starting to think like me yet...?

[hypochondriac]

No. We obviously wanted Walcott and we will definitely get at least one player in. As benji says though, it will make little difference under this manager.

[niceandfriendly]

It's not worth signing anyone who won't want to play in the Championship next season and League 1 the year after that. We really need to plan for the future, not just the next few months of enjoying our last few games as a Premier League side. Some fans really need a reality check if they think the club are going to try and buy Premier League quality players this window who they'll have to let go in the Summer. They're smarter than that.

[Disco Stu]

Why though? Why are we entitled not to be where we are in the league? Fans have very short memories.

 

He won't be popular because we're ****, the manager is **** and he's dithering in the transfer market. We are massively under-performing this season. Nobody's entitled to a league place, but everyone is entitled to feel disgruntled at the boards incompetence.

Edited 17 January, 2018 by Disco Stu

[simo]

This is where we need a bit of transparency to be honest. If Gao has taken out loans to buy the club AGAINST the club he's buying, then we are ****ed. But I can't see that would be the case, surely the loans are against him and his company, rather than hooked onto the club? So fair enough, he may want to dip into the club to help repay them, but we shouldn't necessarily be seen as carrying that debt.

 

Does need some clarification to be honest. Still waiting.

 

There's obviously a reason the premier league changed their rules on owners after Mr Gao slipped thru the net !

[woodsaint]

No. We will sign at least 1 player, preferably 2 or 3

[Badger]

This is where we need a bit of transparency to be honest. If Gao has taken out loans to buy the club AGAINST the club he's buying, then we are ****ed. But I can't see that would be the case, surely the loans are against him and his company, rather than hooked onto the club? So fair enough, he may want to dip into the club to help repay them, but we shouldn't necessarily be seen as carrying that debt.

 

Does need some clarification to be honest. Still waiting.

 

I know the point you're making, but the truth is we'd like to see some transparency, but there is no entitlement to it or need for it to be provided.

 

Providing the owner is not infringing any laws regarding ownership then he is entitled to do as he sees fit, he is not answerable to the supporters, and the only two 'shareholders' are the Gao's & KL.

[S-Clarke]

I know the point you're making, but the truth is we'd like to see some transparency, but there is no entitlement to it or need for it to be provided.

 

Providing the owner is not infringing any laws regarding ownership then he is entitled to do as he sees fit, he is not answerable to the supporters, and the only two 'shareholders' are the Gao's & KL.

 

Yeah, I know that's the case. I'm not really expecting to see full financial details, but just some ideas of their plans wouldn't go amiss. To have such a large takeover and to hear nothing on the back of it is just odd.

 

In a sense I'm glad they're not shouting from the rooftops like the Venky's, but there is another extreme to that - not actually saying anything! Will see how Ralph is getting on with those pledges soon I guess.

[Dusic]

Start of the window puff pieces in Telegraph and Sky etc said we would be very active.

 

One signing doesn't cut it. Simple as.

 

Everton have done what we needed to. Addressed key areas quickly.

[Marsdinho]

No. We obviously wanted Walcott and we will definitely get at least one player in. As benji says though, it will make little difference under this manager.

 

Who is going to want to sign for a manager who may be sacked, of a team that may be relegated....

 

No one is the answer. We need organised protests asap.