He is a marquee signing. I want a bloody marquee signing (but not a South American). Like it or not, it's one way of making a little progress from small club to big club. We can't exactly rely on our trophy cabinet for that. Sign Ox, and a few other similar calibre players might suddenly think Saints are not a bad team to play for. Also might help to convince Mane and Vic of our ambition.
One thing we have to remember is that when Oxo left we were in the process of being promoted to the Championship. There was no guarantee that we would get back to the Premier League straightaway, or that once we did get there we wouldn't struggle. This is the background to a young lad listening to his father's advice and heading for the big time as soon as he could. Now of course things look rather different down at St. Mary's. We are an established top-half Premier League club with ambitions to play in the Europa League and maybe one day the Champions League. We have taken 4 points off both Liverpool and Arsenal this season, and have beaten Manchester United away. I don't think moving back to an upwardly mobile club like Southampton could be seen as anything like a failure, more as a sign that the boy still has ambition.
Anyone that is saying no clearly hasn't watched him enough. The boy is amazing, still young and with a great work ethic. His career has stalled, but that's because he's stuck behind Ozil. He would come in, play at number 10 and be absolutely brilliant for us IMO. He has two good feet, a great footballing brain, a hell of a shot, pace - he basically has everything. Imagine him in the Steve Davis role. He could do everything Davis does with added goal threat. Would also let Davis be rested and rotated with Ox. It would be a wonderful signing.
Ox has 7 goals in 100 league games for Arsenal (Plus 9 in 36 in League 1) Davis has 6 goals in 123 league games for Saints Although Ox would be given the freedom to play all over the pitch as Davis does at the moment. Rather than restricted by Arsene.
If he came back, he would surely revert to his Saints name of Oxo. The Ox is one of those Fancy Dan London things.
I agree with your assessment of him. Add to that he knows he didn't leave us with a bad taste in our mouths (unlike that geezer who turns out for Liverpool occasionally) and would be welcomed back by fans at a club he knows he enjoys playing for. He'd be the player around whom the team would play and could only enhance his international career. It's a totally bonkers idea. I'd love it to happen!
Definitely can't see Lallana return because of the bad feeling when he left...not that we can't get over it, but he surely wouldn't want a return. No such problem with Oxo, but by no means certain he would choose us over others.
A loan-to-buy type arrangement a là Bertrand would be good. Try it out, see how he fits back in & how much he'd want to actually earn a deal & play for the team again...
Plus Lallana is nowhere near being the total package Chamberlain always promised to be. Not even close.
All this speculation sure is fun. Do we really believe this will happen though, as we seem to be taking about how we may or may not welcome him back, and the season isn't even over yet. Not to mention this was in the Mirror. 'nuff said...
Wenger has failed to develop Ox whereas I think RK would do him the world of good. He needs to get away from London and mature a bit but he could still be a top player. I always supported Lallana whilst he was here but he could be a right gobby git on the pitch - a bit like Noble - so no, I don't want to see him back. As others have said. He's not in the same class as the Ox and definitely no better than we have (not even as good as).
Depends what competition there is for him (if he is for sale) Just chatting....I bet no one actually thinks it will happen.
Yeah I don't see it as likely. More a 'if we were interested and he was willing to come then how would we feel about it..'
We are definitely interested at the right price. We have been monitering him for ages. Us being linked to Ox has been going on half a year now.
