Transfer Rumours JANUARY TRANSFER THREAD

Exactamente!!!

 

Have you never played footballl manager?

 

Looking at the players in the victories against Arsenal (posted by fats in the match thread) I was surprised by how many players are still here from those times..Davis, Maya, Bertrand, JWP for example. The good players now absent explains why we are no longer as effective, but it showed that the players still here aren't awful, they just need to be with better players to be the steady, effective players they could be. Therefore, not a case of having to change everybody, but more a case of getting in replacements for those that have gone. Now that is the hard bit...we have to recruit gems...we already have the settings.

Now I have to put my hand up, I thought we recruited some decent players in the summer, but so far they have been disappointing. It will be interesting to see if given a chance and trained in Ralph's style, they can show what attracted Saints' attention in the first place. They may yet be good players that stood no chance when added to the rabble we seem to have become. Or they could be duds that Ralph never picks. Watch this space.

 

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/12/09/tony-mowbray-comments-on-southampton-owned-harrison-reed/
Tony Mowbray hopes that Saints won't call back Harry Reed....suggests two things...1. he is pleased with him and 2. we can call him back. I would think it is unlikely, but Ralph may want to look at him in the summer.

 

sadly the other lads on loan do not seem to be ripping it up

 

I was wondering yesterday if the likes of Reed and Clasie might be Ralph style players. Sadly neither of them are playing in our ‘problem’ positions.

 

Schneiderlin not even in the squad for the 3rd game in a row. He must want out and he would be ideal for us right now. Protect the back 4 and press well.

I do wonder about wages though

 

He's barely kicked a ball full stop under Silva. Although I think he's currently injured.

I have him back without a doubt. But as Laces alludes to, we have more important areas to improve. And if our funds are indeed limited...

 

I agree there are more pressing areas.

Perhaps it would be worth exploring a loan move with an option to buy at the end

 

Ralph has definitely heard something about him...

 

I wouldn't be against that (anything to get Morgan back here really). But as I pointed out yesterday, we've already got Ings on loan - which I believe means we can only get one more loanee from a PL club. We need to use that one slot very, very wisely.

 

I forget Ings is technically on loan. Tbf id say that would be a very wise move as he would be a huge step up in class - plus he would help cover the back 4 (and god knows they need it!)

 

Apparently Victor Moses is available for £12m any takers?

 

Yep. In a heartbeat. Pace and strength we so clearly lack

 

I’ve spent 5 seasons or so saying we should take him. He was the only player I saw tear Shaw apart at St marys. He’s now a Wing back.... perfect.

 

That’s a Yes from me too.

 

Yep.



Sent from my tablet.

(Niche religious joke there).

 

It would be great to have a full back who can send a decent Passover.

 

I’ve been thinking about how this season and last compare to 2012-13 vs 2013-14. Ok, 12-13 was our first season back so the comparison may not be totally fair, but there are similarities that could indicate what we need to do now.

In 2012-13 we were creating and scoring, but conceding so many that I felt we had to score 3 to secure a game. The next season, we bought Lovren who really connected with Fonte, and Wanyama, who worked well with Schneiderlin in midfield. 2013-14 was also the first full season with Poch and the high press.

So back to the present, we now have a more pressing manager, and I think Hojberg and Lemina already have the making of a solid and creative midfield (sorry Romeo, you might have to be Jack Cork). Most of our strikers are also goal threats in a confident team, so controversially I don’t think we need another.

For me, we must fix, not prop up, our defence. We still miss a good defensive leader (a la Fonte). Get one of those and the whole team might loosen up and start playing with confidence. Who to get...can’t say I know, but I’d be looking close to home (current PL), or even to the championship rather than a foreign league, as PL football would be less of a culture shock.

 

Stephen Davis off to Rangers. Good move for all as he still has plenty to offer at that level, will enjoy being back there and we get another off the wage bill.

Should have happened in the summer though.