No solid bids though, as far as I'm aware. He could end up staying. If not, I guess Giaccherini can take over as the AMC and they're back to trying to get some consistency out of Johnson or McClean.
Still, you basically said they'll either do good or bad. I was having a joke as it was rather sitting on the fence esque.
True, I just can't see them being average. It will either work well or fail massively. If I had to say right now I'd say they will finish in the top half, on no more logic than just a gut feeling.
left back is our priority. I really rate fonte and don't think we need another centre back, i would be very happy to see yoshida and fonte start the season as they both proved to be up to it last season. Turnbull and stephens being included in the touring squad suggest that they are up to being squad players whereas matty targett is atleast a year off. Last year ben reeves didn't travel but played a few games at left back so perhaps we could see targett but looks like he isn't rated higher enough atm. Another decent left back would bring our squad up to atleast midtable in quality. I genuinely feel we are only 3 top quality attackers off being top 6. Damiao banega and another. I have my doubts over damiao but banega would be a class above immediately. As I have stated before ramirez will be huge for us this season if he fires we will be top 6 without a doubt. I also expect improvement from lallana which really leaves us needing 1 attacker to be top 6, banega would be my pick. So banega plus a decent left back and significant improvements from lallana and ramirez and we will be sorted. That's not too much to ask really. Of all those things I am most doubtful over lallana but he deserves a proper crack as he does have the ability.
Rabbit, you say left back is our top priority and then say striker is needed to get top 6. Which is the priority? For me, a striker is priority now. Left back we have options and although I would like better cover than Fox, we have others that can play there. Striker we have two and only one of those is capable of getting in behind a defence. I thought Banega was an ACM or no. 10, in the hole type? I may be wrong. I think we need another out and out striker. Mayuka maybe the answer but I haven't seen enough from him to say he is. My targets in order of priority are: Centre Forward Pacey or Lacey wide player Full back
Agree with that FLT. We are lightweight up front especially if Rickie or Jrod picked up a long term knock.
I said we need 3 better attackers not strikers. By attacker I meant anyone who predominantly attacks not necessarily a striker, banega is an attacker. IMO we don't need to sign a striker as we like you say we have Lambert, rodriguez, mayuka, plus do prado. For left back we have luke shaw plus clyne who plays rightback, fox isn't anywhere near good enough nor is targett. Southampton employs professional footballers who get payed to win games of football, I bet you every single member of the club wants to see a proper left back signed except fox and targett. We can't start the season with Fox as back up. I remember Lmbert screaming at fox to get down the line to offer an option, and no doubt he wasn't the only one frustrated by his lack of competence. It will be tough to find a left back good enough but also willing to play second fiddle to an 18 year old but imo it would be well worth paying over the odds as if Shaw gets injured we will drop a lot of points. Another striker would be my next transfer but I would be happy enough for that to happen next season.
Fair enough, but I believe that a club needs 4 forwards. I don't think that Guly and Mayuka (from what little we've seen) are the answer for a progressive premier league team. If we lose Lambert and JayRod, we then look a little toothless. I agree with your comments on Left back, I just see the priority the other way round that's all.
I suspect that both Guly and Mayuka would be enough of a goal threat to function as a striker alternatively we could play without strikers and just have 4 attackers all switching places, something that to some extent we already do. I would even say that Rickie and Rodriguez don't play enough as strikers instead going out wide way too much. I would rather see Fox as a striker than left back, we might look toothless but we wouldn't drop nearly as many points as playing fox at left back imo. Im not even joking he's scored more premier league goals than guly, mayuka, and pretty much everyone else which says quite a lot about our striking depth too. if mayuka can have a top preseason he will be class he definitely has the ability imo and guly showed against spurs that he can hold his own although he didn't play as a striker.
I'd say a striker and wide player are priorities. Banega would be fine if we plan to move Ramirez wide. Another centre back would be nice (I'd rather Yoshida was backup than first choice) as would new cover at left back but I don't see how we will get anyone better than Fox to agree to play second fiddle to Shaw.
