Do I detect that Vlaar is a last resort if all of the others fail to materialise, although there have been hints, we don't appear to have put in a serious bid yet if the Press are to be believed?
We need a squad of good to decent players not a team. Koeman wants a squad of around 24-25 players ( that can actually do something if they play). We are stregthening the whole team, not just were it needs to be done. Having just a good first team cost us so many points last season. I don't see how you or others can complain if we bring in the players we have been linked to. Yes you may not rate them or a player you like may get moved to the bench, but Koeman obviously does rate them. We have had one of the thinnest squads on the Prem for two years now I welcome it all getting strengthened.
Couldn't agree more Beef. We're trying to establish strength in depth, perhaps with a couple of players that will emerge as stars (Tadic being the most obvious possible example).
Do you know beefy, I'm beginning to think that our Ron is going to be a master of bringing the "team" ethic and making the whole greater than the sum of the parts. You are right, he is bringing in numbers when the opportunity is there and whether player A is not as good as Lambert or Lallana of Lovren or whoever, I think Ron will get the blend and contribution right. I am beginning to believe!
But wait, I've spent the last two years on this board being told that we should only be signing players who will improve our first XI. Every time I have suggested that improving the squad as a whole is almost as important (if not equally as important) as improving the first XI, I've been told that.
I thought that was where the Academy came in. Besides, last season was clearly unfinished business. 2 or 3 really high quality additions to last season's squad would have made a major push into the top 6 very possible indeed. It was not to be though and we'll never really know what could have been achieved under the old regime.
Prowse, Reed,Shaw,Chambers all had release clauses in their contracts. Probably says something about the old regime, it's the reason Reed got a new contract so soon. We took the release clause out, Prowse still has his.
He being offered a new deal? Would hope we get that done quick. Still a talent and could be his breakout year.
No agent worth his salt would let a very promising youngster sign for Saints without a release clause in case his career and hence the demand for him took off. The days when youngsters we have nurtured for years sign their first contract with stars in their eyes is over. It is just what it is...all Saints can do is get that release price as high as possible...however, as recent events have shown, top clubs will pay silly money for players with SFC stamped on their bum. Good for our finances, but we must expect our progress to be slower than it might have been. We can enjoy seeing the youngsters come through and take pride in them, but I suggest for your sanity that you don't get too fond of them.
How come our other youngsters that have since signed pro contracts don't have them? Not saying some may leave in the end anyways.
I welcome the squad being strengthened as well, but depth can only go so far if you don't have top-end quality in the mix, as well. Right now, if we were to get the targets we're chasing (and don't lose anyone else) keeper looks strong. Central midfield is still strong. Central defense might be strong depending on who comes in, but I'm not sure that I'd class any combination of Fonte/Vlaar/Gardos as likely to be above-average. Fullback, even with Byram, would be weaker. The wide positions, even with Redmond, look pretty damned thin. Striker, we'll have to see. To my mind, we need at least one very good central defender, a starting-quality wing, and good-to-very-good striker. Beyond those, add depth. But without those, we're going to struggle mightily even if more injury-resistant than a year ago.
Of course it will look weaker, because we know how good players such as Chambers are. But we have no idea on how the players bought in will play. I wasn't disagreeing that our first team will probably not be as good, but as a whole our squad will be a lot stronger. I was disagreeing that we shouldn't buy a keeper for 10m while we have other pressing needs. As long as the whole team is stregthened(which looks like we want to do) I see no harm in stregthening all areas.
I certainly have no problem bring in Forster (though I'm still less than sure that Boruc will make for a happy backup, if supplanted, given how high a priority he places on the Poland squad). But I'm less certain that the squad will be miles stronger, either...five out/seven or eight in (if what Guan suggested is correct) definitely should minimize the number of situations where we cast a longing eye to the bench for an attacking substitute and see only Guly, but we're still going to have positions where we're at the mercy of the injury gods, and we'll need a strong first XI to put enough points on the board to mitigate the effects of such.
Gk, Lb, cm, winger and Forward in already. Looking for rb, cb, cb, winger, Forward and maybe more. So say that happens that would mean at least ten in.
Yeah, if none of those are and/ors, it definitely does strengthen. I've been using Guan's comments as a template for what we'd likely end up bringing in (ie, we're looking at players at a variety of positions, but not expecting to get all of them), but as his updates have gotten a wee bit erratic, perhaps it's time to revise.
Yeah I was told 8 would come in. But I think Chambers going was the surpise, we then got a player in as part of the Osvaldo deal. Koeman has said he wants a squad of 24/25 that is strong. So I wouldn't be surprised if 10 or more came in.
