Particularly now that we're in to the silly season in terms of fixtures...we're going to run Pelle/Mane/Tadic into the ground. I don't think that we need to spend 100m either, but we definitely need a couple more options in attack, and a player capable of handling CB/RB in lieu of Caulker.
Thing is, all clubs take pretty much the same stance. Unless you're Chelsea or the Manchester clubs, who can you buy in January that isn't languishing unwanted in some team's reserves? We should be careful what we wish for, as we could end up with Andros Townsend, or some more Caulkers on the wage bill.
Are there any of the U21's that could be promoted? Could be a temporary solution until the summer transfer window and gets them blooded in the prem.
I'd expect any incomers in January to be loaners, possibly with an option to buy. That's how we got Ryan and..er..Toby. Vin
We should have done the buying over the summer, though. Our needs were pretty well known then. Alternately, it's not a bad time to buy players whose contracts are winding down.
We may have been after other players in the summer but failed for whatever reason...Saints do like to play their cards close to their chests. There will no doubt be a list of targets...probably for next summer rather than January, especially if they are aware we will lose a couple. As said, January will probably involve loans....if any at all.
Sounds about right to me. They're not the Ronaldo or Messi level though where you're going to get a goal a game. So we need other options for when they don't click.
Bear in mind that last summer the thinking was that it'd be 3 from pelle Mane Tadic Long and JRod each week - plenty of rotation. But JRod out again and Long having been inured has meant it's the same three every week, no chance of a rest for any for a while (Long back now though) So an attacker (winger/striker) should be looked for, to fill the JRod sized hole.
Kinda; there was a feeling that we needed another option who'd be more like a winger than a wide forward. Neither Jay or Long provide much of a creative spark...having them on the pitch alongside Pelle would have made for quite an old school 4-3-3.
Have to respectfully disagree with this. Under MP we were always stressing possession. We won time of possession just about every match, even ones in which we were beaten handily. That changed a lot under Koeman. We often win games despite having less time of possession. And if anything Koeman is kind of a nut about speed. Other than Pelle and Tadic every attacker we've signed has been pacey. Mane certainly isn't slow or measured. Sometimes all they have is pace (hello, Elia). We played Elia and Long all the time, much to my chagrin.
So, who thinks we have the quality to avoid the drop without new blood now after drawing with lowly Villa?
Absolutely zero chance of us getting relegated in my mind. Swansea are on the slide more than we are, and I can't see them going down either. It's almost certainly three from Norwich, Bmouth, Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle. But like Shad says, beyond that... (you can't rule out a 14th or 15th place finish)
Any way, as for spending money, I would love us to spend some in January, but I can't really see it. That's not a criticism, more just facing up to the reality that options are limited in January. Much more likely I would suggest utilising the loan market again. Regular PL football is the only possible way that the likes of Austin, Townsend, Mason and Welbeck (once fit) have of going to Euro's, so that could be a 'market' to look at in January.
Charlie Austin is a poacher and finisher, maybe we could acquire him, I expect a lot of teams will look at him in January.
It is quite extraordinary that for over a year now the club still has no viable alternative to pelle when he runs out of steam and/or form. No doubt, like last season, we will simply keep playing him and like last season we will struggle on until he finds his scoring boots again
I'm no great fan on Long, but we should be starting him up top with some regularity, if only so that we don't run Pelle into an early grave.
As far as I am aware, his contract is up at the end of the season. So I imagine that PL teams who are interested in him would prefer to wait until then. But it would only take one team (who Austin would be willing to join) to make a bid for him in January, to force the hand of all the other interested teams who were wanting to wait until the summer.
