You're not doubting Thomas's post are you? "What more evidence do people want that there is money there to be spent?"
Some people here are just determined to take the most negative stance possible aren’t they? Not only where there wide reports from sources on both sides on 30m+ for Gakpo but also close to 20m bids for Delap that were foiled by city only wanting a loan deal (a claim that is clearly factual as he did indeed go on loan) I get that people have been burned by the media before. But that’s no need to take the stance of the media always lying. Although I can see who one of the people making those claims is and that is his stance on all media stories and not just saints ones (a very common circular topic in the off topic) As to some of the false reporting examples given: - one came from Alex Crook who has been proven to be far less reliable than most sources. And in his TalkSport mode - the one where he needs to constantly generate stories because that channel needs them to exist so he makes things up. And before people suggest no one cares enough about saints for things to be made up - they do if the (potential) counterparty is big 6 or it is deadline day and relatively quiet For example on deadline day this year he claimed a big club had asked about JWP about half an hour before deadline day seemingly just to **** stir. Turns out he was wrong. A big club had asked about one of our midfielders. But it was Lavia. He had no clue. What a sensational scoop that would have been for him to drop on Jim White. Jim would have melted down and it would have been great radio. But Alex doesn’t know - Van Dijk was reported as staying in the window where he was bid for. And he did. So that claim was right - I don’t remember back to Koeman I guess the question is whether people really believe we pulled a West Ham and leaked to the media to try and placate a fanbase. And that we had and were going to spend money that we didn’t actually have. Why would we do that? How would that help? Not least it would make other clubs we want to deal with question if we were sincere in future bids I appreciate not just blindly following reporting but being very very selective about finding examples where reporting doesn’t line up and using that to discredit everything reported doesn’t seem like a great way to go. Of course, I mean discredit any positive story. Because strangely the negative stories are believed readily and happily without anywhere near the same challenge and scepticism What is the cross over between those who don’t believe we were prepared to pay big money for one player and those who believed the daily mail article about Ralph just after the fans forum (which had such obviously suspicious timing that that should have been the first thing picked up on) ? That all said - it is still a fact we haven’t spent that much and will likely remain that way until the summer because I just don’t see us doing it in January. And at that point we will probably have one big sale at least and so the new point will be “well we didn’t have 30m to spend then and now do due to the sales” and “there is still no proof we would have done it without sales last summer” etc. In the good shifting of the goalposts I’m just not sure what value there would be at the higher brackets in January when clubs already don’t want to sell. Unless there are some that need to like PSV apparently do. But Gakpo doesn’t want to come and they will raise their price. So the value disappears in both fee and wages required to entice him. I’d have thought the main January value would be offering relatively small fees for players in the final six months to try and get their clubs money - but that requires players agreeing to effectively waive away a stronger negotiating position. It doesn’t happen often - but it did with Carvalho and Fulham/Liverpool (still wish we would have got him and he would have started every game for us)
Some people take other peoples posts far too seriously FWIW, it is clear there is more money than before, but not a bottomless pit. Not that it matters, we cant do anything until Jan, and then we may not get who we need.
I have been ill and unable to sleep no matter how hard I try. Believe me I would much rather have not been in a position to be awake enough to write that. It’s actually a miracle there weren’t some even weirder timed messages from earlier in the week when I was having even more trouble
You do have a point. It is tricky to tell how seriously you are supposed to take things when it is typed only. No tone or inflection. I’m clearly guilty of being far too much on the “take it very seriously” side. Especially if there is no hint of blue text Also i agree there isn’t a bottomless pit - just some of claims seem to be more to the degree of “we don’t have the money at all”. Those are very different And I’d say it is actually quite likely we won’t get who we need in January just because of the nature of that window and absurd over valuations. I hope there is at least one nice surprise in there though. We still have a loan slot for example. Still not sure why we didn’t utilise both unless the second is specifically being left for January in case there is an “emergency” situation. Or a sudden opportunity Hopefully not being able to get the right person in doesn’t cost us
You’re of course correct, but I wasnt having a go so to speak so hopefully it didnt come across that way. You always put your all into posting which is a great trait to have, and largely enjoyable to read. I never use blue ink, ever, and maybe I should as most stuff I post has been tongue in cheek, then people rightly think im a bit of a ****er. Which is fair! Yeah, for sure we have money, although if we do sack Ralph that is likely to take a little away from our player spend, unless they amortise his sacking as salary continuance until a point he either is out of contract or gets another job somewhere so not our issue. The CM for me was about as bad as not getting the striker we needed. Every year we lack numbers in midfield, and we we go through our bad runs, it is mainly us being totally bossed in midfield. Again, one can argue we tried to get a striker in, we clearly tried, but to fail is harsh on Ralph, which is why I have a small amount of sympathy for him, as in it is illogical and not Ralphs fault that Che missed (still cant believe im typing he missed) on the goal line at Wolves. And todays game I think we be the final one for Ralph, whatever the result, think he will be gone by Monday. I fell the drippings in the press have come from SR, and imagine a few changes will be made. Why they didnt do this over the Intl break though is pretty staggering.
Regardless of whether the money is there or not the fact we didn't land one was a gigantic failure and it's really ****ed up the first half of the season. We surely will need to do business in January as I don't see where the goals are coming from. Probably the worst bunch of attacking options we've had this century in PL and arguably one of (if not the) worst in the league? If we're not doing business in January then I think they'll need a more defensive minded manager capable of lots of 1-0's to make best of this squad.
No it didn’t come across as having a go. If it seemed like it then it is probably because I am under the weather (although I don’t know what my excuse would be the rest of the time!) I’ve got into protracted discussions that got heated using these text mediums where tone is difficult to judge. I’m pretty sure at least one with you! But also other WhatsApp with people I know better! It’s difficult i don’t know if severance can be amortised in that way. I do know one of the people who audits chelsea who definitely would though! That’s how I know that them signing young players on very long contracts in the “American style” is very much their plan. Doesn’t exactly sound revolutionary but in their case they are six years and for bigger up front investments that you’d normally expect We strongly agree on the CM point. It goes back to the spell when it Romeu was injured and we fell apart because JWP and Diallo can’t play together in a two. And we still haven’t learnt. I appreciate allowing Romeu to go but there should have been a ready replacement or it could have maybe waited until January. Relying on Lavia was complacent. Not having a second “proper DM” was the only obvious hole in our squad last season in terms of depth. And that still hasn’t changed If you are right about Ralph (and there are now so many new manager rumours there seems like there is something in it) then the reason would be not wanting the new manager to risk a heavy defeat in the first game. As to whether that is a good reason - time will tell I’m intrigued as to what, if anything, it would take to reverse the seemingly inevitable decision to sack Ralph. Not losing today (but it is away to city so that seems outlandish) and a convincing win the the next match for definite. But it might be too late if the stories about not relationship with the players and not saying anything at full time last week are true then it probably is time. Can’t have that especially with so many young players in the team. And so few experienced ones in the squad.
We can all see the desperate need for a goal scorer however the creativity from a traditional Ralph team comes from his No10's and full backs not from central midfield, their job is to get it out wide quickly to allow them time and space to attack the box This has been our issue for me, Ralph has pick Ely regularly who has delivered nothing, Stu has been in and out but delivered nothing like he has previously, left backs have changed virtually every week and KWP has been our main threat but his crosses into the box generally only have Che stood there marked by two CBs. No doubt when the new manager comes in we will see a complete reboot and players will up their games to try and secure a first team place
This would explain why we seemed to push for Gakpo rather than an out and out striker. We really need an upgrade in that position. Probably more than a striker
Dropping stu for Ely is probably ny biggest criticism of Ralph. It’s no wonder stu can’t find his rhythm when he’s in and out of the side. He’s our most creative player by far (Aribo may be up there too). So ****in play him. I would understand it today in a game where we have to defend for our lives. But against wolves, villa etc where we need a goal? Bat ****
Yeah, this is the main point. How much money we might now have to buy a goalscorer is irrelevant if we don't actually spend it. Money doesn't score goals, money doesn't win you points, money doesn't make you enjoyable to watch. If we were to get relegated this season, having both lost a substantial number of matches by one goal and not signed a goalscorer in January, it's not any consolation that we can say that we've moved on from "sorry, we had no money to sign a decent replacement for Ings" (under Gao) to "sorry, we had the money to sign a decent replacement for Ings but didn't get one over the line" (under SR). Failure is failure, regardless of how you package it up. As I said the other week, it's tough luck that players are more expensive to buy in January. That's (literally) the price we'll have to pay for not signing a goalscorer in the summer.
I’ve never been ITK but this morning I happened to bump into Martin Semmens’ friend’s wife’s cousin’s colleague’s 3-legged dog. She let slip that if Saints lose by 10 or more goals this afternoon, Ralph will be gone by Monday.
When we lose today and lose against West Ham next week ,he will certainly be gone then I would have thought.
The best case when putting it to the owners is that it is cheaper to fork out on a decent striker than it is to get relegated. Going to be a lot of pressure on whoever comes in though.
Before you stain your trousers, odds don't mean it will happen, just loads of money been put on it.....
