If we were to let 2 CBs go (+Hoedt), then for me it would be Stephens and Vesty. Just think Vestergaard is too limited for this league. And if we are looking to bring in a starting CB to partner Bednarek, I'd rather Yoshi was on the bench as cover than Vesty. However, not sure how easy it would be to sell Vesty given we only bought him last summer and given Yoshi is entering the final year of his contract, maybe that will play a part in who stays and who goes.
Who you let go can also depend on who you can bring in...especially if money is limited. A good CB with leadership qualities is obviously a priority....can we afford two if we also need a striker? Genuine question as have no idea. The point is that we may need to keep players we already have if they are good enough purely on financial grounds. We all know how much better we were with Virgil....we didn't have 2 Virgils*. Guess it comes down to how much money can be generated or freed up by sales....that is going to be harder than just buying players. And I hope I didn't appear too hard on Forster earlier....I hope he can come back...if not for us, for some other team. He's obviously been suffering....no one chooses to go to pieces. *Though we did have Mr Loveliness himself, Fonte.
Hell of a statement to say you think a player that has never played a game of first team football may go on to be the best CB in the world. That is essentially what Virgil-good has to mean.
It’s difficult to estimate the transfer budget, but from the accounts published it looks like we won’t be carrying forward very much(once the Ings transfer is made official). Back of *** packet mathematics of 17th place broadcast income less wages give a conservative £20m. Plus... £2m a place in the league up for grabs still Wages savings e.g Forster 80k a week(4m per annum) and no replacement needed. Player sales of our bloated squad As mentioned earlier in the season...my petty heart would like Man City to win the league and Ajax the champions league, but Liverpool trophies would likely see a bonus for the super saints
GK: McCarthy, Forster, Gunn, Lewis, Rose RB: Cedric, Valery, Ramsay, Flannigan CB: Stephens, Vestegaard, Hoedt, Yoshida, Bednarek, Jones LB: Bertrand, Targett, McQueen CM: Romeu, JWP, Hojberg, Armstrong, Lemina, Reed, Clasie, Slattery AM: Redmond, Sims, Elyounssi, Boufal, Hesketh ST: Austin, Ings, Long, Gallagher, Obafemi, Carillio, Barnes The ones in red are the players I definitely would be looking to let go, if we can shift all of them (unlikely) that is 12, throw in Lewis,Valery, Ramsay, Slattery, Obafemi, Jones and Barnes not needing to be registered/going out on loan and we have 19 players who would need to be registered (including Sims who I am not sure about). Couple of ones I haven't highlighted could quite easily be off too (Hoedt, Yoshida, Hojbjerg, Reed, Elyounoussi, Boufal, Long) but if I could pick exactly who I would get rid of and keep that would be my list.
Vesty is an interesting choice. My first sighting of him was at Wolves when he was lucky not to have been red-carded. The bloke next to me wanted him sent off, as he felt we could only improve. Still makes glaring mistakes - Derby away in the Cup for example - and I still don't get why he can't win every header coming his way, but there has clearly been an improvement. Ralph seems to like him, and given I can't see anyone giving us more than an out of date Mars bar for him he'll be staying!
I think Reed is the sort of player who would thrive under Ralph, and is exactly the sort of player that Ralph likes ... think he's going to want a close look at him before any sort of deal is agreed, at any rate.
I agree, but we aren't exactly short of CMs. In my list of players to stay/go I had Reed staying along with every other CM apart from Clasie, that leaves us 7. It may come down to who we can/can't get rid of which is why I have been saying for some time I wouldn't be at all surprised if Hojbjerg left.
Probably the two worst individual CB performances of the season I have seen from us have both come from Vestergaard. Being that Wolves away game, and also Spurs at home. If we moved him on, I wouldn't bat an eye lid. But at the same time, this is his first season in English football. And, as part of a back three, he has gradually grown into the season. I have seen some good performances from him. I put him above Yoshida and Stephens, not that that is saying much mind. Either way, we absolutely have to sign a decent CB this summer.
As does almost every Saints fan. Still yet to find someone who has rated Hoedt from his time at Saints.
Pah, what does he know. I would be giving Wes a chance personally. If Stephens (who is miles worse than Hoedt) is young enough to improve despite being 3 months older than Hoedt then I think it is only fair that Hoedt could improve aswell. As I've said countless times on here I think there is a really great centre back in Hoedt, he just needs to not have that one massive brain fart per game, I believe that can be coached. The big question for me was more with his attitude with the rumours of him being a **** behind the scenes, but I don't comment on rumours
It says alot that our Wesley was literally the only player that Ralph didn't play. Even Gabbiadini got some game-time. There's no way back for him here, his attitude isn't up to what Ralph wants.
You are probably right, he might return with a change in attitude though who knows. If he does move on it may be hard to find a buyer as I assume he will be on pretty high wages, so I guess another loan move would be on the cards.
