Saint's already have in place a Good stadium (which will be full each game), a great youth system, a very good manager. I think they have a lot to attract players, I wouldn't dismiss them at all when it comes to competing for players.
Good points, Unless they pull a few rabbits out of the hat I can see the Tarquins struggling next season.
We were in the league 1 relegation zone when Pardew was sacked, doing "ok"? As much as he is very repetitive Adkins is tactically one of the best around also.
I do not think getting a better player than rickie lambert is possible to tell you the truth, most fans that have not seen him play in the last 2 years will be suprised. With Lambert, Sharp and Rodriguez we have 3 of the top 4 top scoring players in the championship last year and were only outscored by manu in all 4 divisions (without Rodriguez and Sharp joined us in Jan). I would much prefer to buy a young british talent than Pog who seems all about the money and is not a top scoring player(I mean at least 1 goal in 2 games). You were in our shoes 2 years ago but have splashed the cash and have broken all your wage structures, whereas our chairman knows he has the financial backing, but will not break the clubs limits this year. Should be a rollercoaster ride, with our style of play (which is down to our slightly nutty but the most enthusiastic manager you have ever seen- you will love his post match comments) we play good open flowing football, we should get spanked a few times but also suprise alot of people
Can't for the love of God see how Pogrebnyak is good business on a free when he's on £65.000 a week for four years??? God knows what the sign on fee was! What does that make Joey Barton, bargain of the century? He's proper crap, always been, always will be. A more pony striker I've never seen grace Die Bundesliga. He got a lucky run on loan at Fulham, now Reading are paying the price for it.
Rickie Lambert is something of an enigma, though I can't imagine him scoring 20 goals in the premiership (unless you get a lot of pens!) very few of his style of player score lots of goals in the EPL though he may create\hold up the ball well for the likes of Billy S. I rate Atkins, he knows the game well, hope he does well though unproven at this level.
It's quite funny that some of you think that we will struggle to stay up,you have every right to think that way,but if I were you I'd make a little research on the saints and you will find out just how much we've changed as a club since the last time we were in the Premier League (2005) and you will be able to notice our drive and our ambition that our chairman,Nicola Cortese,has and that our manager,Nigel Adkins,has as well. Even though we've got rich owners,we won't splash huge amounts of cash on our team like 20,30m,it's not the way we roll and we can't attract these types of players yet.We've got a great stadium,academy,facilities and fan base which will be instrumental in our journey towards the top. No disrespect,but a lot of players will chose us over clubs like QPR. I think Lambert will be fine in the premier league.
Thank you Norway, was beginning to think myself alone in thinking this bloke is hugely overrated. Reading welcome to him.
Interesting to see the divergence of views. I have to admit I didn't see much of him before he came to Fulham, but from what I saw of him there he was pretty hot (including quite a well taken goal at LR). I think he'll do well for Reading but we'll see...
Well, let's not get into name calling until some matches have been played. I've nothing against Southampton, but will be very surprised if at least one of the promoted teams doesn't struggle, like we did last year or worse. Don't know who it will be, but we'll have a good idea by end of November. Saints may do a Swansea or Norwich, Lambert may do a Holt, but it's all hot air until you've kicked a ball. And of course your final comment is disrespectful, putting 'no disrespect' in front of it doesn't change that. No offence taken though.
how does it feel to be a team that cant attract young, up and coming talent but instead gets players that are past thier peak and then pay them over the top wages?
despite everything he is qouted as saying? and multiple players being on 50k plus at the R's when we maybe have 3 on half that?
We are 10 times the club you are... You've had 2? seasons in the prem compared to our what? 14? Cup final in the last 10 years, played in Europe...
