How would you keep us in prem?

[ally_uk]

Fantasy scenario you are manager the board have given you the go ahead to sign three additional players this Jan Window. 

Keep the targets realistic and Saintsy. 

Who would you get that would give us best chance of remaining in the Prem and why? 

[woodsaint1]

Vitinha, Jesper Karlsson and Naby Keita. Hopefully its enough

[Toussaint]

It’s a hard question, keeping it Saintsy probably means I’ve never heard of them or am only vaguely aware of them. On that basis  I’ll take whatever the current versions of Pele and Mane are, plus the current version of David Armstrong, ie a tough “box to box” driving midfielder. They must be around, we just need to abandon the principle that we need to by players whose values are potentially going to increase, we may need to go old and hungry.

[Streaky]

Experienced centre back probably only on loan, big target man along the lines of kiefer Moore and play 532 and go more direct. Lavia needs to be fit again soon too otherwise we are fu##ed!

[Give it to Ron]

34 minutes ago, Streaky said:

Experienced centre back probably only on loan, big target man along the lines of kiefer Moore and play 532 and go more direct. Lavia needs to be fit again soon too otherwise we are fu##ed!

Don’t we have one in Calleta Car I haven’t seen him do much wrong?

I am baffled why Jones picked Lyanco over him I guess Lyanco is better at hoofing it into touch

[SotonianWill]

Find a goalkeeper. Sign a striker taller than 6ft. Bring back Tella to show AMN how to smile and increase team morale. Get a midfielder who actually puts in a shift and gives someone a good kicking. Introduce Lyanco to meditation so he can calm down. Someone tell Jones if he wants a back 5 stop picking the shitters. Spend big in January and start signing players right now like other clubs. Put more players in midfield as we get overrun every game and yet no f*cker ever changes it. Force Che Adams to watch videos of Danny Ings and maybe some Messi clips. Get Djenepo to play chess so he knows there is strategy involved in life/ getting past a player, you don’t just run straight into them. Buy Bazunu a new pair of gloves. Introduce Elyonoussi to painting so he become more creative. Give laxatives to Aribo and put the toilet on the other side of the training ground to make him put a shift in… 

[saintant]

You make the task impossible by limiting us to 3 signings. We need a minimum of a competent goalkeeper, a couple of big athletes in midfield with stamina who can pass and move, a creative number 10 who doesn't get knocked off the ball with the slightest touch and a big centre forward with pace who can head and shoot and knows where the goal is - oh and a new manager probably as well. 100 million should cover it. Failing that we're down and won't win many more games this season. Over to you Dragan.

Edited 29 December, 2022 by saintant

[Mr Nimbus]

Somehow sort the defensive erosion thats happened over the last 2-3 years out as a priority.

A back 4 of KWP - BC - Sali/DCC - Perraud is good enough personal for a team in the bottom half to be better defensively then what we are.

So then its about is the GK good enough. Long term I would say yes. Right now, in our position, I think Bazunu is not what we need. 

So signing 1 a GK - Who? I don't know, but I would like someone who has had some top level experience.

Midfield is causing us issues as we are not offering enough support to the back 4. Our midfield is porous. 

Signing 2 - A proper holding midfielder who can compliment Lavia. 

Signing 3 - A solid 10 - 15 goal striker. Won't be popular but Ings would be great back here. Complemented Adams really well and scored foals out of nothing. Something teams in the bottom half need.

 

[derry]

A wish list is all well  and good but we need two goalscorers and a powerful captain at the back. How we are going to do that I haven't a clue except any player brought in will probably be at an inflated price to get what we need. However we have to in the meantime carry out drastic surgery on the existing team. We need to stop playing as starters, Elyonoussie, Diallo, Djenepo, Lyanco, A.Armstrong for a start. Bring back Tella, Bednarek, Stephens and Smallbone to thicken the squad again. Play Bazunu, KWP, ABK, Salisu, Perrault  ( Liveramento when fit )  Lavia, S.Armstrong and JWP, Edozie, Adams and Tella in a 433. That leaves Mara,CC, Walcott,, Aribo, McCarthy and Caballero plus the non starter list and the loanees to cover injuries.

The squad is wafer thin because there are too many non performers. We need to play in packs closing down the ball as a team not just.single players standing off and being picked off. Play on the break quickly from back to front. Cut out Kamikaze full back attacking and play a tight defensive back four plus Lavia and JWP and get some clean sheets and goals on the break. This is the quickest team apart from JWP in the club.

 

Edited 29 December, 2022 by derry

[Killers Knee]

Get the best striker within budget whose OPTA stats mirrored Erling Haaland.

Get the best 10 within budget whose OPTA stats mirrored Diego Maradona.

Get the best DM within budget whose OPTA stats mirrored Lothar Matthaus.

[Crab Lungs]

Play Caballero, Caleta-Car. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them, unlike some of the other losers in our squad.

Sign an experienced CDM and striker, proven in the PL. 

Tell the dross they’re done at this club and get them out of the door as quick as possible. This will be quite an exodus. We all know who these players are.

[egg]

1 minute ago, Crab Lungs said:

Play Caballero, Caleta-Car. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them, unlike some of the other losers in our squad.

Sign an experienced CDM and striker, proven in the PL. 

Tell the dross they’re done at this club and get them out of the door as quick as possible. This will be quite an exodus. We all know who these players are.

Agreed. Caleta-Car should be our first choice CB. Experienced and a talker. Caballero gets in by default for me - Bazunu needs taking out of the firing line, and McCarthy is McCarthy. 

We need a proper clear out and an injection of fresh blood. The problem is that we have to many players that aren't good enough for us, it for anyone else who'd meet the wages. 

[Morse]

Not sell Lavia or BK. Loan in an experienced defensive midfielder.  Get a decent striker. Sack Jones. 

[Baird of the land]

I've not got much knowledge of foreign markets. Also given we're last and there is a fair chance of relegation we need to be careful we are not signing players that are going to refuse to play in the champ if staying up fails. CB is the only position i'm happy with our depth.

We Need a striker. Gyorkeres perhaps. Doing well in a mediocre champ team and scored against us last season.

We need a centre mid. Not really got a firm thought here. I see Luton's midfielder Allan Campbell aged about 23 won several awards at their player of the season last year so wonder if Jones might be inclined to bring someone he trusts into the engine room.

I'd recall Tella, which gives us much improved pace in the squad. 

If i've still got a 3rd, if we've still got a PL loan slot maybe the best player we can get. 

[Turkish]

6 hours ago, SotonianWill said:

Find a goalkeeper. Sign a striker taller than 6ft. Bring back Tella to show AMN how to smile and increase team morale. Get a midfielder who actually puts in a shift and gives someone a good kicking. Introduce Lyanco to meditation so he can calm down. Someone tell Jones if he wants a back 5 stop picking the shitters. Spend big in January and start signing players right now like other clubs. Put more players in midfield as we get overrun every game and yet no f*cker ever changes it. Force Che Adams to watch videos of Danny Ings and maybe some Messi clips. Get Djenepo to play chess so he knows there is strategy involved in life/ getting past a player, you don’t just run straight into them. Buy Bazunu a new pair of gloves. Introduce Elyonoussi to painting so he become more creative. Give laxatives to Aribo and put the toilet on the other side of the training ground to make him put a shift in… 

I read that like the "Choose life" opening scene from trainspotting.

[Give it to Ron]

Don’t recall Bednarek that would help. 

[AlexLaw76]

Not playing Bednarek and Stephens.  That will be a good start

[gallaghert366@yahoo.com]

"If the right offer came in for United Group, he says, he would have no qualms about recommending a sale to his partners.

When it comes to Southampton, Šolak says he does not plan to squeeze the club for profit, and would prefer to build it and increase the value."

 

Thoughts anyone?

[ally_uk]

I would play DCC and Bella Kotchap 

Recall Tella

Play Stuart Armstrong

As for signings and priorities: 

Def Mid needs to be a leader prefably with a bit of height about them. To protect the back line

Target man type striker: 

I don't think Wood would come here 

Striker at Genk the tall matey good goal record in Belgium league 

Or try and entice Ings on a loan with heavy financial incentives. 

Lastly a creative type Tadic players someone who can link the attack and is capable in the Prem who that is God knows 

 

[Daft Kerplunk]

At minimum, we need a DM, AM and CF with ability and grit, as well as having the ability to get the best out of others. This won’t necessarily save us but it’d give us a better chance. 2022 has been pitiful, 2023 could be the sad end of a decade that promised so much. 

[saintscottofthenortham]

Smuggle Mateusz Klich in on an 18-month contract. Ultimate shithouse. Exactly what we're missing.

Offer Cole Palmer a 6-month loan from City, because fuck it if we're going to have the City youth team, let's have the City youth team.

If Newcastle bring a forward in, I'd be all over Chris Wood like a rash. Sounds right up NJ's street and would suit Che to play off of.

[Lighthouse]

54 minutes ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

At minimum, we need a DM, AM and CF with ability and grit, as well as having the ability to get the best out of others. This won’t necessarily save us but it’d give us a better chance. 2022 has been pitiful, 2023 could be the sad end of a decade that promised so much. 

We’ve had a top six finish, been in Europe twice and beaten Inter Milan, had a cup final, two semis, beaten all the big teams at least twice, scored the fastest goal and hat trick in PL history, beaten someone 8-0, developed the worlds best defender and produced the only Englishman to score in a major tournament final since ‘66.

Im not sure what you’re referring to which was promised and not delivered in the last ten years.

[woodsaint1]

I dont think 3 signings would be enough. 4 is what I think is likely needed. A message needs to be sent to the current squad that they're not doing the business and will be replaced.

I would target a CF, an AM, a winger and a DM.

CF - Moussa Dembele (Lyon) - very good scoring record and out of contract in the summer. If Dembele is too unrealistic then Vitinha (Braga) as an alternative. Top scorer in this season's Europa League to date

AM - Jesper Karlsson (AZ) - was only second to Tadic in assists in the Eredivisie last season. Regularly gets on the scoresheet and is an excellent free kick alternative to JWP.

Winger - Benjamin Bourigeaud (Rennes) - tricky winger and will be 29 next month so will bring some much needed experience.

DM - Rani Khedira (Union Berlin) - big physical presence but great on the ball too

I would also look to bring back Nathan Tella. Direct and full of confidence right now.

We desperately need goals and creativity. These players would certainly bring that

[MarkSFC]

1) get a manger who inspires the players has tactics nous and high standards.

 

2) Get a manager who the fans believe in. This guy needs a lot of games to win the fanbase around

 

3) Sign 3 Attacking players who have more than just potential, and have ability to score and create NOW

 

4) Sign a DCM. 

 

5) Work bloody hard between games  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 30 December, 2022 by MarkSFC

[Saint_clark]

Sign an experienced goalkeeper whose contract is running down - Yann Sommer, Ron Robert Ziegler or Timo Horn jump out at me. 

Spend big on a striker - Marcus Thurman is one I like. 

Those two positions are the bare minimum we need to be able to stay up. The third is tricky to decide between DM and AM but Lavia seems to be made of glass so I'll go for a defensive midfielder, someone who could be available is Elneny who is also out of contract in the summer. 

[Daft Kerplunk]

8 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

We’ve had a top six finish, been in Europe twice and beaten Inter Milan, had a cup final, two semis, beaten all the big teams at least twice, scored the fastest goal and hat trick in PL history, beaten someone 8-0, developed the worlds best defender and produced the only Englishman to score in a major tournament final since ‘66.

Im not sure what you’re referring to which was promised and not delivered in the last ten years.

You’ve answered it for me. Those moments were part of what promised so much about a more positive future. Today, we are bottom of the premier league, and this calendar year has been a horror show. A well run club would’ve built on those positives you very helpfully mention, and sustained it, but we are now facing likely relegation. I know you see no wrong with club but even you must be gutted that we are now where are. 

[Saint86]

From where we are right now approaching new years?

Sack Jones. Rehire Ralph - it's his team and they know his tactics... Then actually buy him a decent striker (to replace ings) and get him a fit CDM ffs. Easily finish 15th or higher over the rest of the season and then go again next year with a fit and competent squad. If only we had done that rather than the actual calamity SR have presided over. When you look at this season, it's actually very difficult to imagine how they could have made a worse bunch of decisions than they have done. 

Edited 30 December, 2022 by Saint86

[david in sweden]

23 hours ago, Give it to Ron said:

Don’t we have one in Calleta Car I haven’t seen him do much wrong?

I am baffled why Jones picked Lyanco over him I guess Lyanco is better at hoofing it into touch

I agree with you about Caleta-Car, and don't see a lot wrong with Lyanco. He may not be pretty to watch, but he is effective. 

To my mind he should be " the new Romeu" .  A midfield destroyer who doesn't take prisoners and doesn't need to play a lot of

 " pretty football " to get the job done.  The yellow cards may come (but Romeu got more than 60 - whilst still avoiding a red).

We need some bite in midfield,  as JWP is always cleaning up elsewhere and we can leave the skilful stuff to Stuart Armstrong.

 

We may still lacking creativity and ball-winning in midfield, but for goodness sake find us someone who can actually score goals.

[Dark Munster]

11 hours ago, Saint86 said:

From where we are right now approaching new years?

Sack Jones. Rehire Ralph - it's his team and they know his tactics... Then actually buy him a decent striker (to replace ings) and get him a fit CDM ffs. Easily finish 15th or higher over the rest of the season and then go again next year with a fit and competent squad. If only we had done that rather than the actual calamity SR have presided over. When you look at this season, it's actually very difficult to imagine how they could have made a worse bunch of decisions than they have done. 

Agree with most of that, except about re-hiring Ralph. Bring in someone with experience like Dyche or Big Fat Sam on a rolling one year contract, who would get the players' respect, and hit the ground running (ok, waddling in BFS's case).

[Ex Lion Tamer]

13 hours ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

You’ve answered it for me. Those moments were part of what promised so much about a more positive future. Today, we are bottom of the premier league, and this calendar year has been a horror show. A well run club would’ve built on those positives you very helpfully mention, and sustained it, but we are now facing likely relegation. I know you see no wrong with club but even you must be gutted that we are now where are. 

I can't think of any clubs which have sustained it longer than us without massive investment. Look at Wolves, Leicester, Bournemouth, Burnley, Swansea, Bolton, Pompey. All now on the downward spiral. We've actually had a really good run in the Premier League which might now come to an end or perhaps we can survive and continue for a while longer