Summer 2020 transfer business

[Baird of the land]

Center mid seems to be absolute immediate priority. Romeu looking like what he always was a backup. Amazed we’ve let the season kick off without a hojberg replacement.

very worried about the winger situation too. Redmond seems to have badly lost his edge and is now injured. Armstrong is injured. Djenepo looks rusty as anything. With boufal seemingly off that leaves sims as our remaining Russian roulette option.

 

[Badger]

55 minutes ago, Sideways Jim said:

On this evidence we need at least 3 in

Have to hope that the piss poor showings will lead to more £ being made avaialble, but doubt it.

[DT]

They’re gonna have Bale for the game with us, aren’t they? Nightmare! Ps are we skint?

[skintsaint]

4 hours ago, DT said:

They’re gonna have Bale for the game with us, aren’t they? Nightmare! Ps are we skint?

I doubt if he signs in the next 48 hours he will be in the team, he could only manage 45mins the other week for Wales, badly short of match fitness.

SAINTS PLEASE BUY A MIDFIELDER! 

[Pilchards]

I expect we are waiting to see how the transfer market turns out.

Chelsea, Leicester and Everton will have some casts off they don’t want. (Wonderful)

Maybe we are waiting for some champions league knockouts before going for a player?

When you look at some of the teams in the EPL they get who they want like Eze for Palace. They paid good money for him and it’s players like him that lifts a team.

[saint1977]

1 hour ago, Pilchards said:

I expect we are waiting to see how the transfer market turns out.

Chelsea, Leicester and Everton will have some casts off they don’t want. (Wonderful)

Maybe we are waiting for some champions league knockouts before going for a player?

When you look at some of the teams in the EPL they get who they want like Eze for Palace. They paid good money for him and it’s players like him that lifts a team.

The transfer activity or lack of is inexcusable and pathetic. I would get a former agent in as a consultant help with decisiveness in negotiations and work with Ralph to get deals over the line. Plenty of deals have shown you don’t need to spend megabucks. There’s a naivety about how the club is operating in a sharp industry.

That said, there’s no excuse for some players reporting back unfit. The internationals are not an excuse, every club has lost a key or two from those. Fine the players concerned and Poch style double training until they are back in post lockdown shape. A bit of throwing up will do them some good.

Unprofessional from top to bottom, especially after the lazy start to last season as well. RH has to take some of the responsibility although at least unlike the weak Puel and Pellegrino he has put some public pressure on the board to pull their fingers out in public.

 

[Turkish]

10 hours ago, TWar said:

I think we need someone who can progress play up the pitch next to JWP as we kept giving it away having to play the long switch to the high up fullbacks, we need another option who can carry the ball. 

I think Redmond is an excellent player but he has definitely had a slower start and him going down injured has shown what could happen if both him and Armstrong are out and it isn't pretty. I think neither Tella or Smallbone is up to pushing them at the moment and we need a depth signing at winger to put pressure on Redmond and Armstrong. 

Bednarek has been surprisingly poor too in the last two games with his positioning being very questionable. I think as soon as we can get Salisu in and fit we need to play him. No need for another cb until we see how he does though. 

Hey buddy! Kind of like a running back? WE could deploy JWP as a quarter back with his offensive ball playing skills he can pick out Redmond and Djenepo as the wide recievers in behind their corner backs, then with a running back able to bring the ball forward in behind their middle line backers? What do you think buddy, kinda looks like a winning formula, hey!

[DT]

Now worried we're selling Ings, maybe to Spurs, having read Ralph's comments. He's clearly exasperated about lack of funds and signings, and isn't happy. Something very wrong at the moment behind the scenes, judging by his words. Selling Ings means relegation.

[ButtikonSaint]

11 hours ago, Dusic said:

FWIW most Everton fans think Davies is awful, especially off the ball which is why they brought in Allan and Doucoure.

For what he would cost he isn't a good option IMO.

But we need new faces soon, even more so if Redmond's injury is bad.

Everton are looking to offload, wondering if Fabian Delph could be a better bet ,maybe  season loan... 30yo but can play across midfield. Has had decent seasons in the past.  

[Barsiem]

2 minutes ago, ButtikonSaint said:

Everton are looking to offload, wondering if Fabian Delph could be a better bet ,maybe  season loan... 30yo but can play across midfield. Has had decent seasons in the past.  

I thought Delph as well.  A solid proven prem player Who’s versatile as well.  Given he’s been at city then Everton though I wonder whether wages would be an issue

[TWar]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Hey buddy! Kind of like a running back? WE could deploy JWP as a quarter back with his offensive ball playing skills he can pick out Redmond and Djenepo as the wide recievers in behind their corner backs, then with a running back able to bring the ball forward in behind their middle line backers? What do you think buddy, kinda looks like a winning formula, hey!

I mean yeah, a bit. I'm a little confused by this comment, are you just bringing up that I enjoy NFL?

I think, if you insist on using NFL lingo for some reason, our style of play relies on many "quarterbacks" ie. players who can play the ball forward successfully and break the lines. I don't think it is a coincidence that we brought on Vestergaard at half time at palace and he immediately started playing those high diagonals. Problem is, Vestergaard is marketedly worse defensively than Bednarek. This kind of leaves us with few options: We could hope that Salisu is an all purpose wonder-player who has greater defensive qualities than Bednarek with the passing range of a Vestergaard, which would be handy but from reports he is great defensively but nothing special with the ball at his feet. Secondly we could try to funnel everything through JWP and have him be our sole "QB", but if he is well marshalled in the middle it means we are reduced to playing long hopeful balls with players who can't really pass so not ideal. Or thirdly we buy a second "QB" and replace Romeu with him.

People complain about our attacking endeavour and how our wingers aren't doing well enough, but to continue the NFL analogy, our "wide receivers" (RB, KWP, NR, ect.) are getting open in good positions we just don't have the quality to break the lines to find them. A similar situation to OBJ at the browns, all the talent, often free, not getting good enough service from a mediocre Mayfield. They do need to work harder defensively though, they have clearly come back unfit and are not pressing nearly as well or aggressively as last season. That will hopefully be sorted by a few weeks of brutal training drills from Ralph.

All I'm saying with any of this is that a single first team player could fix everything, we don't need a big overhaul we just need another deep lying playmaker to play Ralphs "long speculative balls into high-press" style. Would be helpful if he could run with the ball too (though that doesn't make him a running back, quarterbacks rush too, there is no real running back equivalent in football, maybe 1v1 dribblers like Traore, but running backs don't pass. A running back that passes is a quarterback).

Edited 17 September, 2020 by TWar

[the saint in winchester]

Shouldn't we be looking at old boy Nathaniel Clyne, available as a free agent? Now supposedly going to train with Crystal Palace to keep fit.

[disconnect]

45 minutes ago, the saint in winchester said:

Shouldn't we be looking at old boy Nathaniel Clyne, available as a free agent? Now supposedly going to train with Crystal Palace to keep fit.

Now we've got Walker-Peters (and Valery as backup) it's not really a position we need. I guess at his best he was probably slightly better that KWP, but think that may be long behind him unfortunately. Doesn't particularly help our desperate lack of centre midfielders, wingers or goal scorers (aside from Ings). 

[Dusic]

The stupid thing about the central midfield position is that the club would have known for about a year that Hojbjerg would very likely be leaving this summer, and that we would be looking to get shot of Lemina. There was also talk of us allowing Romeu to leave in January.

They must have a whole host of targets in that area as have had ages to scout players specifically for RH's style and to tee up potential deals, much like the Salisu one which has probably been in the offing since January.

Lets hope some of those are still available and that we are just playing a good waiting game, rather than scrambling to find someone available on loan. Our current depth would see us absolutely screwed if JWP picked up a mid severity injury.

Across the whole squad there is only really GK and CB with any real competition for places, all others aside from maybe Adams are nailed starters when fit and thats not healthy.

Edited 17 September, 2020 by Dusic

[Barsiem]

45 minutes ago, disconnect said:

Now we've got Walker-Peters (and Valery as backup) it's not really a position we need. I guess at his best he was probably slightly better that KWP, but think that may be long behind him unfortunately. Doesn't particularly help our desperate lack of centre midfielders, wingers or goal scorers (aside from Ings). 

He was much better than KWP currently is, but agree his best days appear to be long behind him. Hopefully KWP can scale similar heights

[S-Clarke]

Is it me, or is Ralph sounding a bit pissed with the lack of numbers in the squad?

He's got every right to, we've got nothing beyond that 11.

[Give it to Ron]

19 hours ago, DT said:

They’re gonna have Bale for the game with us, aren’t they? Nightmare! Ps are we skint?

You can put away your rubber sheets he won’t be fit for a month.

[bpsaint]

3 hours ago, disconnect said:

Now we've got Walker-Peters (and Valery as backup) it's not really a position we need. I guess at his best he was probably slightly better that KWP, but think that may be long behind him unfortunately. Doesn't particularly help our desperate lack of centre midfielders, wingers or goal scorers (aside from Ings). 

Are we rewriting history again? Peak Clyne was far far better than KWP is, that’s why a team like Liverpool came in for him. 

Wouldn’t be able to say how good a fit Clyne would be - probably still better than Valery though.

 

[SuperSAINT]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

Is it me, or is Ralph sounding a bit pissed with the lack of numbers in the squad?

He's got every right to, we've got nothing beyond that 11.

A little... but he’s the one who wanted a small squad (I know we are short of a midfielder, arguably 2 if Boufal goes).

[Convict Colony]

No doubt we are shopping in a store we can't afford at present and are waiting for the near end of the transfer window for the covid sale to begin.

[Pilchards]

Maybe we are trying to shift all the deadwood out to make way for some better players on the takeover?

We can dream hey?

[Killers Knee]

Nathaniel Clyne, Andrew Surman & Nathan Dyer all available on a free

[Killers Knee]

Nathaniel Clyne, Andrew Surman & Nathan Dyer all available on a free

[Hawkswood]

Oh.

My.

God.

This is like bloody groundhog day. ( Not digging at anybody on here cos youre all right).

No news from the club.

No mention of signings.

No money.

Crap start to the season.

Desperately wishing to sign our ex players.

All expectation killed after the first week.

Oh to be a saints fan. I feel like punching myself in the face.

[gammon cheeks]

27 minutes ago, Killers Knee said:

Nathaniel Clyne, Andrew Surman & Nathan Dyer all available on a free

Thats a better bench than we had the other night!

[Lighthouse]

24 minutes ago, gammon cheeks said:

Thats a better bench than we had the other night!

That would be Clyne who hasn’t played for a year and a half, Surman the unused sub for relegated Bournemouth and Dyer the unused sub for Championship Swansea.

[Straya]

Hey guys, long time reader and first time poster from Australia. I’ll open by saying I’m an amateur in the ways of the EPL but I do find it frustrating that we seem to always be looking for the next big thing in the form of some unknown young obscure player nobody has heard of. Wouldn’t it be great if the club thought about the needs of the fans I.e. some consistent on-field results, and subsequently tried to sign some proven EPL players? 

[verlaine1979]

1 hour ago, Straya said:

Hey guys, long time reader and first time poster from Australia. I’ll open by saying I’m an amateur in the ways of the EPL but I do find it frustrating that we seem to always be looking for the next big thing in the form of some unknown young obscure player nobody has heard of. Wouldn’t it be great if the club thought about the needs of the fans I.e. some consistent on-field results, and subsequently tried to sign some proven EPL players? 

Welcome. I guess you haven't heard about agents' fees and national insurance contributions over in Australia, huh?

[benjii]

21 hours ago, TWar said:

I mean yeah, a bit. I'm a little confused by this comment, are you just bringing up that I enjoy NFL?

I think, if you insist on using NFL lingo for some reason, our style of play relies on many "quarterbacks" ie. players who can play the ball forward successfully and break the lines. I don't think it is a coincidence that we brought on Vestergaard at half time at palace and he immediately started playing those high diagonals. Problem is, Vestergaard is marketedly worse defensively than Bednarek. This kind of leaves us with few options: We could hope that Salisu is an all purpose wonder-player who has greater defensive qualities than Bednarek with the passing range of a Vestergaard, which would be handy but from reports he is great defensively but nothing special with the ball at his feet. Secondly we could try to funnel everything through JWP and have him be our sole "QB", but if he is well marshalled in the middle it means we are reduced to playing long hopeful balls with players who can't really pass so not ideal. Or thirdly we buy a second "QB" and replace Romeu with him.

People complain about our attacking endeavour and how our wingers aren't doing well enough, but to continue the NFL analogy, our "wide receivers" (RB, KWP, NR, ect.) are getting open in good positions we just don't have the quality to break the lines to find them. A similar situation to OBJ at the browns, all the talent, often free, not getting good enough service from a mediocre Mayfield. They do need to work harder defensively though, they have clearly come back unfit and are not pressing nearly as well or aggressively as last season. That will hopefully be sorted by a few weeks of brutal training drills from Ralph.

All I'm saying with any of this is that a single first team player could fix everything, we don't need a big overhaul we just need another deep lying playmaker to play Ralphs "long speculative balls into high-press" style. Would be helpful if he could run with the ball too (though that doesn't make him a running back, quarterbacks rush too, there is no real running back equivalent in football, maybe 1v1 dribblers like Traore, but running backs don't pass. A running back that passes is a quarterback).

Totally agree.

We've needed a creative influence in central midfield for years. Lemina was supposed to provide it but we've never replaced him, despite giving up on any attempt to reintegrate him. 

[Chez]

23 hours ago, Barsiem said:

I thought Delph as well.  A solid proven prem player Who’s versatile as well.  Given he’s been at city then Everton though I wonder whether wages would be an issue

Good quality player, which is what we need (quality), but has had injury problems, which would put us off, I suspect. Everton would have to pay half his wages for us to consider him. 

[rooney]

10 hours ago, Killers Knee said:

Nathaniel Clyne, Andrew Surman & Nathan Dyer all available on a free

They were all very good for us years ago but not now. Will probably sign for Poole Town,

[Chez]

On 16/09/2020 at 17:58, adriansfc said:

Over the hill is such bullshit. He's not even old. Just fallen out with a manager and not played enough, with often causes little injuries.

 

You are right, but he has had his fair share of injury problems over the last four years, not just since Zidane returned. He only played 23 league games in the 2015/16 season and 19 in 2016/17 season. This created frustration for Zidane and probably led to the falling out. He was forced to pick young players, who did well, which meant Bale wasn't first choice. They didn't see eye to eye from then on. Zidane returning was obviously the worst thing that could happen for Bale.

I've not seen him a lot in recent times, but he's still a top player, but he seems a different type of player now, more powerful, but maybe not as quick? It will be interesting to see where he is played.

[danjosaint]

7 hours ago, verlaine1979 said:

Welcome. I guess you haven't heard about agents' fees and national insurance contributions over in Australia, huh?

Yeah because we're the only club to pay that

[Wade Garrett]

11 hours ago, Hawkswood said:

Oh.

My.

God.

This is like bloody groundhog day. ( Not digging at anybody on here cos youre all right).

No news from the club.

No mention of signings.

No money.

Crap start to the season.

Desperately wishing to sign our ex players.

All expectation killed after the first week.

Oh to be a saints fan. I feel like punching myself in the face.

You’re right.  We’re following a very similar pattern.

[DT]

12 hours ago, Pilchards said:

Maybe we are trying to shift all the deadwood out to make way for some better players on the takeover?

We can dream hey?

My worry is current owners wanting to maximise their cash by selling the crown jewels before they exit too, though.

Edited 18 September, 2020 by DT

[Give it to Ron]

18 minutes ago, DT said:

My worry is current overs wanting to maximise their cash by selling the crown jewels before they exit too, though.

What Crown Jewels?

[The Curse of St Mary's]

20 minutes ago, adriansfc said:

Is all a bit tedious now. We'll recover, doubt we'll be in a relegation battle but any chance of a good season will be gone again due to a poor start and lack of signings.

If we want to improve, Redmond, Armstrong, Romeu and Adams should be our back up. I like all 3 most the time, but that's the level we need as back up. As it is, if they aren't fit or playing well, we are truly terrible. 

If JWP gets injured our central midfield would be amongst the worst around. Smallbone is largely anonymous. Fine if he's on the bench, gets 3 or 4 starts a season, but he's not ready or good enough for more.

The keeper situation is an utter mess too. 3 keepers all rubbish in their own way and the only one capable of passing it in the worst form of all and not on the bench.

I think most fans will argue Armstrong is pivotal to how Ralph wants us to play. He's injury prone and it's evident we suffer when he doesn't play. Redmond is important player in terms of system but frustrating that he rarely takes on defenders one on one. 

[SuperSAINT]

 

 

 

 

[S-Clarke]

Lots of pressure on the next couple of weeks....definitely need at least 2, hopefully 3.

Another CM, a couple of wide players. Then let's see where we go.

I imagine we'll use the loan market.

[Dusic]

Two good additions: CM and competition for the Ralph #10s and if those players are of sufficient quality then that gives us a pretty decent window.

[SuperSAINT]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Lots of pressure on the next couple of weeks....definitely need at least 2, hopefully 3.

Another CM, a couple of wide players. Then let's see where we go.

I imagine we'll use the loan market.

I imagine loan market may well be used.

Not been linked with too many wide-players yet. Previously:  Polish lad who went to Derby, Diagana & Rashica (!)

Edited 18 September, 2020 by SuperSAINT

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

I imagine loan market may well be used.

Not been linked with too many wide-players yet. Previously:  Polish lad who went to Derby, Diagana & Rashica (!)

I was surprised to see Leicester going after the Roma winger, Under - he's a really good player.

Even more surprised when I saw it was a loan...! So, they are out there...just got to hope our new 'setup' is ready to do the job. It would be nice for us to back Ralph once and for all, he's been on a shoe-string here since day 1.

[SuperSAINT]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I was surprised to see Leicester going after the Roma winger, Under - he's a really good player.

Even more surprised when I saw it was a loan...! So, they are out there...just got to hope our new 'setup' is ready to do the job. It would be nice for us to back Ralph once and for all, he's been on a shoe-string here since day 1.

True! For every Under, there's a Danso  

I wonder if Demarai Gray might be looked at? (That's a question rather than suggestion?)

Can you think of any domestic loan players we might look at?

[S-Clarke]

Just now, SuperSAINT said:

True! For every Under, there's a Danso  

I wonder if Demarai Gray might be looked at? (That's a question rather than suggestion?)

Can you think of any domestic loan players we might look at?

RLC springs to mind. Hudson-Odoi needs game time, could be an opportunity to be a regular here.

McTominay at Man Utd? (now they've signed Van De Bekk) Davies at Everton? (Given that they've redesigned their midfield).

Delph..?

[S-Clarke]

Just now, adriansfc said:

They're both vital to the system and half decent players, there's no doubt. But there's no point signing back up to them. Both can be improved on given they rarely score, one is injury prone and the other prone so patches of really poor form. 

But it seems to only sign someone if Boufal goes. Why? Sims can do the handful of half decent sub cameos followed by disappointment and injury role. 

This is where we should have been investing properly in players we previously would have gone for, like Bowen, Eze, Benrahma. It's no good just saying prices have inflated if we have any ambition to compete even for top half. 

I do agree with the averageness of some of our players, It felt to me as if we may use this window as an opportunity to 'upgrade' and evolve some positions, it certainly started that way with Salisu (I'd say he's going to be an improvement on our current two) and KWP is certainly a level above Valery.

I wanted to see us go out there and buy a midfielder to replace Romeu, someone who could start every single week alongside JWP. Surely we can find someone?

If we sell Boufal, let's go out there and get a starting wide player...not a squad player, someone who can start.

Otherwise we will just fall backwards and it's boring and painful watching that.

[stevy777_x]

5 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I do agree with the averageness of some of our players, It felt to me as if we may use this window as an opportunity to 'upgrade' and evolve some positions, it certainly started that way with Salisu (I'd say he's going to be an improvement on our current two) and KWP is certainly a level above Valery.

I wanted to see us go out there and buy a midfielder to replace Romeu, someone who could start every single week alongside JWP. Surely we can find someone?

If we sell Boufal, let's go out there and get a starting wide player...not a squad player, someone who can start.

Otherwise we will just fall backwards and it's boring and painful watching that.

With what money can we exactly do that?

i m sure we would like to do it but I don t think we have the means.

[waylander]

31 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I do agree with the averageness of some of our players, It felt to me as if we may use this window as an opportunity to 'upgrade' and evolve some positions, it certainly started that way with Salisu (I'd say he's going to be an improvement on our current two) and KWP is certainly a level above Valery.

I wanted to see us go out there and buy a midfielder to replace Romeu, someone who could start every single week alongside JWP. Surely we can find someone?

If we sell Boufal, let's go out there and get a starting wide player...not a squad player, someone who can start.

Otherwise we will just fall backwards and it's boring and painful watching that.

Isn't that supposed to be Djenpo?

[the saint in winchester]

19 hours ago, bpsaint said:

Are we rewriting history again? Peak Clyne was far far better than KWP is, that’s why a team like Liverpool came in for him. 

Wouldn’t be able to say how good a fit Clyne would be - probably still better than Valery though.

 

Yes, that was the point of my question. I should have made that clearer. For whatever reason, Ralph doesn't seem to want to use Valery, so an experienced old hand to challenge KWP may be useful. Of course, he'd have to accept our wage structure, but I'm sure a few years on Liverpool's wage level would have bloated his bank account.

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, stevy777_x said:

With what money can we exactly do that?

i m sure we would like to do it but I don t think we have the means.

This is the problem, I thought Gao was supposed to help with further 'investment'. He's killing us, really.

But let's not go into that debate again.

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, SuperSAINT said:

True! For every Under, there's a Danso  

I wonder if Demarai Gray might be looked at? (That's a question rather than suggestion?)

Can you think of any domestic loan players we might look at?

 

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has hinted Demarai Gray could leave the Foxes.

The winger is in the last year of his contract at the King Power Stadium and has struggled to cement his place under Rodgers.

He said: “It’ll be up to him. He’s in his last year and he hasn’t signed another deal but, for me, I will always respect Demarai and what his wishes are.

“He is working very hard to play a part while he’s here. We’ll see how it evolves over the course of the season."