This is how I see it GK - NEW/Darlow/Cairns RB - Bogle/Schmidt CB - Rodon/Wober CB - NEW/Struijk LB - NEW/Firpo CM - Ampadu/Gruev CM - Tanaka/NEW LM - Solomon/Ramazani RM - James/Gnoto CAM - NEW/Aaronson ST - NEW/Piroe/Bamford Sell Meslier Gyabi Gelhardt Greenwood Harrison New signings needed (Players just example of type & around about prices) GK - De Gea - 10 CB - Omobamidele - 10 LB - Davies - 10 CM - Longstaff - 10 CAM - Buendia - 20 WING - Solomon - 15 ST - Delap - 25 Total - 100 Loan Debayo Joseph Release Byram Goulavogi Loans gone Rothwell
Afternoon all from a pleasantly warm and sunny Spain. From the times I’ve seen Southampton this season the scores would have been carnage but for Ramsdale. He was also pretty good at Arsenal. My concern with Darlow is that he was never considered good enough to replace Meslier so is he really PL quality (has he even played at that level?)
Made over 50 appearances in the EPL for Newcastle, although the highest number in one season was in 20/21 when he played 25 times. The other 25+ games have been spread out over 3 seasons where he played 10, 9 and 8 games
Just a thought but do we really think Piroe is a Premiership striker ? OK getting 4 against an extremely poor Stoke but does he have the pace/ability to cut it ? I'm sure one of the teams coming down would pay a good price, if a quality replacement could be found......
He is a finisher. They don’t come cheap so unless in unlikely event we’re buying two quality strikers of course we keep him. Also he’s 25. Vardy was 29 when he reached his prime
Piroe and Bamford on the bench next season as back up. Joseph out on loan. New signing in as a 9. I think that Isidor from Sunderland can step up a level and thrive if he stays fit. Tammy Abraham would be available from Milan. We'll probably go with a young unknown quantity from somewhere though. Paddy and Piroe provide experience.
Piroe as reserve and just in case we went back down, loan out Joseph and sign a new striker, if we can sell Bamford great as I’d imagine he is on PL wages again
First rumour... George Hirst from Ipswich... Burnley are also interested and Ipswich are trying to tie him down to a new contract
Interestingly, I was reading the Southampton forum next manager thread, someone on there mentioned Farke if we replace him. It was a 50/50 split on yes would take him and a definite no. For a newly relegated team, who were worse than terrible this season, I’m amazed their fans think they could do better
Lots of our fans did too when we got him. Some fans tend to see their clubs as being a lot better than they are. Re Bamford. Get him out the door as quick as possible. 20 minutes a game for last five games of the season is near zero contribution. He’ll be laughed at in the pl
I didn’t want Farke, then I saw the alternatives, reality hit and I thought okay, does it matter too much as we have a great squad. A bit like Ipswich, whoever manages them next season they should be top two with the talent they have. The difference this season, Farke can add two more recent years experience at this level, one play off final, one promotion and over 180 points in two seasons, his stock level must have doubled
Think we could do a lot worse than Isidor, looks strong and has a good strike on him. Wouldn’t get bullied. 3 very different strikers we’d have then which would be helpful in the PL. Abraham would be an immense signing and if we want to stay up probably the sort of player we need to be signing. Surely not? Don’t know much about him but his stats don’t look all that.
I guess it’s be careful what you wish for, lots of gossip that we might be replacing Farke with Jose, I seriously hope not. Bamford to Ipswich possibly which would be good
Think Jose would suit us and he’d attract more players. But only someone of his credentials should be a reason for sacking Farke, not a complete unknown. Personally think we should keep Bamford as a squad option until his contract runs out next season, showed he can be useful in games and just gives us something different. Joseph needs a loan and isn’t ready. We could do worse than Bamford and Piroe as squad options alongside a new starting number 9.
Julian Weigl is a name that keeps popping up, we’d definitely be keeping Farke if this is genuine as it’s his number one target. He will be 30 is September and it’s thought he is on £55k - £60k a week. This would be an upgrade on Gruev who I’d guess we’d still keep
1. **** Jose I don't like him. He can stay in Turkey. 2. Need to cash in on Bamford. Don't want another injury season with him. 3. Some football writer last night suggesting that we are looking at Mallorca coach.
I don’t see Piroe as an auto for PL, however I’ve been impressed with him more recently. He’s looked a bit sharper to me. Perhaps the prospect of PL football will have him at peak fitness levels more often. He’s our best finisher by some distance but for me he’s a squad player. Isodor would be a great shout, but likely out of our price range, as I think would be Delap, though not sure Delap would suit DF’s current playing style. Still think we’ll likely purchase a good number of relative unknowns, not being mentioned in mainstream media. So have no idea who they’ll be.
I knew I could rely on you. Did Bloody hell, I also hope not. A Portuguese Big Sam these days, just a pantomime villain.
