Saints transfer rumour thread

I better get a new username!

 

John Cross, who broke the Adkins-Pochettino story in the Mirror says he is confident that Southampton still will sign Astori.

We still want him apparently.

 

Makes sense; if we want to play a very high line and press, as is Pochettino's MO, we're going to need an excellent pair of CBs or we'll ship goals by the bushel. No disrespect to either Fonte or Yoshida in that respect, but it adds extra impetus to strengthen the position; if we discover in February that we're not up to the task, it'll be ugly.

 

What's the point?

 

In terms of....?

 

Signing another centre back. A pairing of Forren and Fonte is definitely good enough, Yoshida is solid and Hooiveld has been looking good recently. None of them need or deserve to be pushed aside.

 

last few days should teach you that that doesn't really matter.

 

I agree here, much rather the Astori funds were put towards Coutinho or another winger.

 

I'd agree personally. Dropping two new centre-backs into the team would just be too disruptive and too much of a risk for me, we're starting to get things together at the back, bringing Forren in should be alright but both would be unnecessary. Maybe in the summer, we'll see.

 

Really depends on Fonte's injury, about which we haven't heard much. If we're playing a high line, Hooiveld is not exactly the best choice...I love the guy, but he has the pace of a particularly lazy glacier, which doesn't work well in a tactical set-up that relies on preventing people from getting behind the defensive line. If Fonte isn't an imminent return, that means that we need at least one more CB, and if the money is there I'd rather target the likes of Astori than a stop-gap.

 

Fonte, Yoshida, and Hooiveld in my opinion are adequate at best. You can wait until summer, but if the price is right and the player is potentially World Class why not make the purchase?

I still think improvement at the back is more important than a winger. Puncheon and Lallana are okay. I think we mostly don't score because we have problems getting the ball forward, especially through midfield. A solid CB pairing will allow Cork, Schneiderlin and especially Ramirez not to have to run around so much or play so deep and this will create goal opportunities.

 

Fonte is more than adequate.

 

I think we will sign two more players Astori & Coutinho . . .

 

Pochettino wants to raid his former club for veteran pair Diego Colotto, 31, and former Portugal star Simao Sabrosa, 33, to add some experience to his young Saints team.


Pochettino, who is well known as a defensive specialist, sees both men as key to making the club hard to beat and believes he can get them for less than £5million. Sources close to the new boss said: “Mau believes Southampton can avoid relegation.

 

Mature defenders..what we needed and I suspect what Adkins wanted. Outside the 'plan', but hopefully the new manager will convince NC that this is what is needed to ensure survival (though I think we would have done that anyway). Interesting times.

 

I didn't even know Simao was still alive

 

Note he has another nickname: Mau.

 

I would hope Mau would be looking in the other direction! The middle of the table is very fluid at the moment.

 

It is hard to see new guys in and players we have taken to our hearts out, but that is football. Can't pick defence on sentiment... I love Fonte and Jos, but they are not good enough (especially Jos). Fonte has improved and the backline is playing better as a unit, but better defenders could release our midfielders more.

 

Poch referred to Forren as one for the future, suggesting he won't go straight into the team. I can still see us signing another centre-half.