I think the next 18 days are going to be some of the most crucial of the past 2-3 seasons. From reading several forums, to talking to other Saints fans, I feel that the club are going to need to make a couple of signings to show commitment to the future progression made in the last 5-6 seasons. I know that the next step is going to be the hardest, but if we want to be regular qualifiers of the European Competitions, of which the club have said they do on several occasions via LR or Ralph. Most of us accept that we will lose 2-3 players per season, as long as they are suitably replaced as they have been in the last 2 years. However this season we have lost six 1st team squad players Stek / Gazza / VW / Mane / Juanmi and Pelle, and have replaced with McCarthy / Hojbjerg and Redmond. Pied has come in to replace Martina and there is still the possibility of Losing Fonte. So anybody saying our squad is stronger than last season must be mad. Also this year we have a guaranteed 6 games in The Europa League compared to just the qualifying games last season. I think the main concerns are that we still have more players being linked with moves away (Fonte @ Austin), with very little if any being linked as to signings coming in. (I know we like to do things under the radar). It also shocked me a little on Saturday that at half time I heard boos after a pretty poor first half performance, of which brings me back to my main point. As Southampton fans, we don't expect to be winning the Premier League or spending £30 million on a player, but we have been bought up in the last couple of seasons to trust Les and the board to keep pushing forward with the clubs ambition, of which most Saints fans including myself have bought into, and is fully behind. After watching Saturday, I think we need a couple of players at least. We were out muscled by Watford and missed VW's physicality. There was also one point where VVD made a run forward, which highlighted to me what a small team we have this year. We also look to be set up to rely heavily on pace upfront with Long and Redmond, and if either are injured or rested as they will need to be, we would have to change Puell's preferred system to allocate Austin or Jay Rod? We also need another CB (2if Fonte leaves) as you can't go into the league with 3 and another who is permantly injured (Gardos). I know I will get slated by some for these views, but like I said, this is the feelings I'm getting from a lot of Saints fans at present and that some positive news will give most of us a spring back in our steps. Ps: This is no meltdown. YET
Heard it with my own ears. Couldn't believe it. But I think it has more to do with the general feelings at the moment as I mentioned in my original post.
Don't think your views deserve a slating and i'm sure all fans share the same concerns, but I can't be happy or disappointed until the window closes. For me personally, I think Mane was such an exciting "X Factor" player that I think that element is missing from the side. Tadic is skilful & Redmond shows promise, but if we can get someone who gets you off your feet when they're on the ball then i'll have more hope that we can remain a threat to the Top 6.
Agree. This is why I said the next 18 days etc. Just get the feeling that the fans need a lift with some good news, especially on match days where negativity can quickly transfer onto the pitch with the players.
My perception was that the booing was directed at the ref, who was totally incapable of preventing the time wasting which Watford engaged in once they had scored. I don't think anyone booed the Saints players, if they did they should be ashamed of themselves.
The club seems to make a few statements here and there saying 'we're moving forward our way' and so forth. But we can't keep losing all of our best players and hoping that cheaper replacements will come good. Crewe did that succesfully for few seasons, now look at them. I love our current run were we keep getting written-off and then proving everyone wrong but the pessimist in me thinks the wheels will come off eventually. It remains to be seen how badly we come a cropper though and whether we can pick ourselves up from such an occurence [should it actually happen of course]. It worries me but not unduly because at the moment my wife has kidney cancer and I think that is slightly more important and worrisome
My point was the need for some positive news. Just get the feeling that the fans aren't convinced by Puell and the new system etc. I personally think that once the players get more used to the system and Puell gets to know which players suit the system, all will be fine.
I'm not super happy with the state of things right now. But I'm not too worried about it just yet. We didn't get Mane until after the season started. There was that year where I think all summer most of us felt that the Saints needed a CB and we didn't get Hooiveld until very late. And it was initially a loan. That first year in the premier league we were really hurting for a GK until Boruc stepped up. We fired Adkins in the middle of the season and Cortese left, that was a bit scary. I don't think we are at anything approaching the darkest days of meltdown summer. Things were momentarily bleak last year during the winter as well. It didn't last long but there were 1-2 weeks there where getting sucked into a relegation battle seemed a little too close for comfort. The next couple weeks are pretty important without a doubt. But I just feel like it's kind of always like this. Most years there's a big crisis at some point. I feel like I've gone from DEFCON 5 to DEFCON 4... but we've been at DEFCON 3 before (and during the board battle/administration years we were at high DEFCON 2 and a hair's breadth away from oblivion.
