It doesn't change anything for me. I agree it's clear we need more depth at CB and GK, but I still think a long-term approach is the best. I don't feel like Saints have to finish top six this year, though it would be nice. I assume Saints are aware the lack of depth at some of these positions and have been lining up targets or (Targett as the case may be) all along. They should be looking to improve the squad if possible during every transfer window. As such, if the right deal comes along or has already been negotiated bar the final touches, by all means sign the player and it wouldn't surprise me if that happens. But as far as this changing our philosophy where we now consider players/positions we previously weren't due to a temporary and unlucky injury situation that should solve itself by late January... that would be a mistake.
If Targett is to be a first-team player, I'm a little surprised he's not considered better than Fox by now.
He couldn't have done worse than Fox did today, apart from setting Lala up he did nothing else much right. Standing off and giving your opponent space is never going to work against Premiership players.
Probably, I didn't notice it, was texting and looked up too late, but I guess it had to be something of that ilk.
Not really - he was slow to react and there was a general feeling the ball was going out of play. Soldado chased it down though.
I realize that Fox kinda stinks for us at our level, but he's still a decent player in the overall scheme of things. He is, at a minimum, a solid Championship defender. Which is a pretty high standard for an 18 year old. There's other considerations as well. Optimally, you would like to Targett to come into a side with Clyne, Wanyama, Boruc, etc. playing along with him to give him a bit a cover. And as has been mentioned, Fox apparently helps out in training and he's put his time in so giving the veteran the first chance is a good way to encourage those out of favor to continue working hard and letting the young kids know they have to earn their time and learn from those ahead of them. If someone has to come in and stink really bad, you'd much rather it be Fox than Targett. Fox is somewhat expendable going forwards, but you don't want to shatter Targett's confidence. So for me, just because Fox is starting over Targett right now doesn't say that much about Targett. He's at an age where he can improve rapidly, and the circumstances right now aren't favorable for breaking in new players. That could all easily change by the summer. And in fact, it may have changed after this week's performance.
I think our weakest position in depth is now CB. We really need a third PL quality centre back, as I now don't feel that either Hooiveld or Yoshida are up to it. I think we have decent depth at full back, and it does take at least two injuries for Fox to be playing at full back now, but I feel like CB is a higher priority. What would be really useful would be a CB that can double as a left back that provides cover and competition for both Fonte and Shaw - think Vertonghen or a left sided Ivanovic (although these are two very good players, and I don't think we expect to get anyone of that quality in January).
Targett is only 18, there's time for him to break through. Scholes and Beckham didn't make their first team debuts until they were 20.
Another CB is definitely required in my opinion. Hooiveld stumbles from one calamity to the next and he's preferred to Maya which is depressing (I cant help but get the feeling cortese will soon release a dvd of hooiveld's greatest bloopers overlaid with benny hill music for some quick cash.) So yes another CB who can maybe fill in at FB for short spells. We dont need another keeper in my opinion, it would be much more frugal to just hire some dockworker whose job it is to slap some sense into Boruc whenever it looks like he's gonna go rogue and do something stupid again
Whilst I didn't previously think we needed a new centre-back, Jos is just too much of a liability back there. It cant just be bad luck all these times. And sadly today I honestly can say Chambers looked out of his depth and made too many errors. If anything he looked better once he's been forced to switch sides! He will be a great player one day, and much as we want him to be the right-footed Shaw, he's not there yet. Hurry back Clyne.
Wow. I thought I went to see Saints play today where I saw an 18year old right back put in another solid display. ****, looks like I went to the wrong ground. I wonder who I was watching then?
I can't understand why people are opposed to January signings and assume that they are in some way born of panic. To my mind, the Winter Transfer window offers an opportunity to patch up holes in the boat that may not have been noticeable during the summer. I can remember Jose Fonte being brought in by Alan Pardew and making a huge difference to the defence in 2010 (although we just fell short of promotion that season) and Billy Sharp came in a couple of years ago and it could be argued that his goals clinched automatic promotion to the Premiership.
Cisse came to us in January two years ago and his goals propelled us to within 3 points of a champions league finish. He's been awful ever since mind. Signing players in January is fine as long as they've always been on your list of targets. If they haven't, but they've suddenly become available then you should steer clear in my opinion as it means you wouldn't have done your usual level of scouting/research on said player.
