You're spot on re the mix of players, and I'm not suggesting for one minute they're not trying, but talent isn't made. What baffles me is the level of fitness we have come back with. Previous seasons when we've had poor starts the following reasons are trotted out, new manager not having enough time pre-season, players being transferred out by the dozen it seemed, playing the top teams early etc. None of that this year with other teams showing us around the park and demonstrating what should be happening. Could be that we'll be ok after a couple more matches, but ........ Let's hope, we're Saints fans after all!
I couldn’t agree more. Spot on for me. I also hope our new CB is an upgrade in what we have. Either one of them needs a dominant player alongside them.
It's not based on any rumour linking him to us, but I would be very happy to pick up Torreira on a season-long loan. I've regularly been impressed with him at Arsenal, and would see him as a big upgrade on Romeu. He's clearly not in Arteta's plans, and by all accounts they would be happy to sell or loan him, in order to free up funds and space for one final big signing this summer (eg Partey). He'd probably be out of our price range for a permanent transfer.
Im not sure he would be, he's usually linked with the middle-weights of Serie A, which we can comfortably match. He doesn't like it in England though, so a loan/move probably would be to Italy.
Nothing wrong with Smallbone if he is played in his proper position in the middle of the park and not stuck out wide
But people have still said he needs to bulk up a bit to be playing PL football. Ruig is probably about 6 inches shorter and a couple of stone lighter, would be kicked to **** in the PL
I thought Smallbone did okay against Palace. Am I the only one who thought that? Not every youngster is going to going to come on and look like a world beater when they break into the first team.
I'd suggest this his worst performance for us so far (very small sample size, I accept) was when he played CM vs West Ham. Which I think represents 50% of his PL starts in that position. Noble and Rice bullied him, and we never had any control of the middle of the park. If you don't have control of that, good luck in winning the game. Until West Ham's fine finish to the season, that win against us was one of only two wins they had in the space of about 12 games or something. If Ralph doesn't see him as a CM, I'm happy to trust his judgements. (It's not like Ralph choosing Cedric over Bertrand at LB, for example - which I could never trust/accept. Smallbone isn't proven at CM like Bertrand is at LB.)
So from tomorrow, we have just 2 weeks to replace Højbjerg (essential) and find that defensive leader we haven’t had since Virgil left (vital). That is the bare minimum required, but another creative midfielder would also be good.
Unless we have ownership change before the end of the window, then we will probably just end up with a CM on loan.
No chance whatever of any change of ownership being sorted before 5th October, so it’s down to whatever loose change we can find down the back of the sofa I fear!
Ralph, mate, your chatting ****. You got this team performing incredible, you wanted a small squad to work with. Yes we have positions we need to fill, but **** me, stop with the excuses.
Ignoring loanees who have been retained (ie not a new addition), I think the number of first team signings made by each team so far is something like: Arsenal - 2 Villa - 4 Brighton - 2 Burnley - 0 Chelsea - 6 Palace - 3 Everton - 3 Fulham - 4 Leeds - 3 Leicester - 1 Liverpool - 3 Man City - 2 Man Utd - 1 Newcastle - 4 Sheff Utd - 5 Saints - 1 Spurs - 4 WBA - 0 West Ham - 0 Wolves - 3 Given that we finished above Everton, Newcastle, Palace and Villa last season, it is worrying that they've been some of the most active sides. Plus Sheff Utd, who were only just ahead of us (and surely would be a team we would like to overtake this season). And then there is Leeds as well, who many people aren't expecting to be troubling the bottom end of the PL. It's been a pretty dire window for West Ham and Burnley, but we're not too far behind. It'll be interesting how the last few weeks go. (It's a bit different for WBA - they have made three signings I think, but in all cases the players were already with them on loan. So no actual first team additions, to my knowledge.)
Could be that he felt he had to say he wanted a small squad because he knew it was unlikely we would bring anyone in, unless replacing.