I'm not against keeping Onuachu tbh. Would offer something different at least. If we're as skint as being made out it's beyond remarkable that we've wasted a first team players wage on Lallana.
Doubt he is on first team wages. He was due to retire before we approached so will likely be on small wage as a squad option. He has essentially been signed for experience and with a view to him becoming a coach but will do a job where fitness allows this season.
Everyone keeps making this coaching comment yet the club itself made no mention of it when he signed which suggests he was brought in as a player for this season. Him getting number 10 too suggests we were expecting him to play a decent part to me too. I can't see that he'd have accepted less than 40-50k personally but we'll never know for sure.
The club haven't said anything but Lallana himself said he has been getting his badges over the past couple of seasons and was looking at retiring from playing and starting to coach at the end of last season. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't stay on in a coaching role.
I meant for this season. Lots of people seemed to assume that he was signed in a player/coach role but the club surely would have announced that if so? Which is why I think he's on a player's wage rather than some pittance which is negligible.
I think Lallana will be decent cover for Downes this year. He seemed to play very deep for Brighton and could be a good option when we are struggling to transition defence into attack.
He has to be fit first to be cover for anyone! I think he'll mainly be used to help retain possession to see games out late on.
Nor am I. Sugawara is an excellent crosser of the ball as well so at the very least he'd be a huge threat from set pieces.
Just skim watched some of the fans forum. The Martin Blackmore dynamic I find interesting. Martin was tetchy at times last season too. Can see it being worse this season when in the spot light more.
Just watched the Fans Forum - I quite enjoyed it actually, and it worryingly made me feel slightly enthusiastic about the season ahead. I don't really see too much edginess between Russell and Adam Blackmore - they may not love one another, but it's not like they resent the other's presence. What really came out, I thought, was the togetherness in the club, particularly with manager and players. Parsons and Bitcoin were meh.
Yeah, I think the RM / AB stuff is vastly overstated. Maybe I feel a bit differently about it from working in the media and behind the scenes in football but quite a few managers just genuinely do enjoy a bit of sparring and have more interest in particular journalists who will give them some and take it back, as AB seems to do in good spirit. He's mentioned before that he gets on well with Russell away from the mic and that he's much more open and talkative than someone like Ralph, who was less defensive and chippy (which RM definitely is) and so would just let comments wash over him more easily
It's this sort of stuff that suggests he isn't just a player. Although his contract probably says he is, it looks to me he has been signed to become a coach.
Particularly excited by Dibling this season. He could be a solution to our issues at 10, particularly if we sell Charly.
I know it was in the Mirror but Tyler Dibling was the “player to look out for” in our squad. His style of play really reminds me of MLT, especially in the way he beats players, although his passing is pretty darn good too. Looking forward to his first goal ( can’t count the deflected effort in pre-season.
Anyone have problems with the Saints App? Keeps logging me out, and I'm unable to watch the longer Archer interview even when I log back in! Wish they just put everything on the main website. Pain in the arse.
