Match Day Thread Southampton v Chelsea Sunday 7th October 2018 14:15

I think that Lambert is an excellent example of what we haven't achieved in the transfer market. We bought him for around £1 million albeit we were a third tier club when we made the signing. As I said, I don't think it is the value of players that is significant - it is identifying the correct player who will have an immediate impact and hit the ground running. This was quite a significant sum for a club playing at that level but it proved to be an investment which paid dividends. As someone said earlier on the thread, there aren't many players in the current squad who other teams would look towards to enhance their own teams. Too many journeymen at the moment and no talismanic personalities for the fans to pin their hopes on. I would have thought that Austin would have taken up the mantel when we signed him but I feel he has generally been disappointment. No doubt if we sold him, he would probably score against us at some point!

 

Ian

I do agree with a lot of what you say in here.

But surely the players you state that haven’t been replaced, ie VVD, Mane etc. were still identified, negotiated with and signed by the same Board?

So, is it the case, as with most clubs, that we get some right and some wrong, or was it managers who stifled players (I think we did with Boufal and he lost the plot over it). Maybe some of those players could be good enough, we just played pretty poorly.

I am sure I am alone in thinking it but had Carrillo come at the time that jan under Koeman when we were near the top and playing well that we and him would have succeeded. Somehow he reminds me of Beattie when he first joined us.

 

I agree with a lot of that, espescially the point about the lack of a talisman which we've lacked since Rickie really.

I still have hopes that Ings can become that for us though so fingers crossed.

 

Ian ......there is investment and investment. I was mainly referring to the quality of player for the money they spent. We have bought some excellent prospects in the past. But then what did they do...sold them!! That is not investment in the team in my view just money for the owners. Sorry to say we have spent cheap and got average of late. Players prices have gone up its true, but the quality for the cheaper price is going down.

 

Didn't we have different people identifying who to buy then? Wasnt it the same chap who went to Spuds and then Leicester and wasnt he instrumental in signing Vardy and Mahrez. If it was he had a track record of identifying good talent for a good price. I know it went badly wrong when he went to Everton

 

As so often happens.

 

Vardy? Leicester signed him years ago.

 

I think your on about Paul Mitchell....who left Spurs under a cloud and I believe is now working somewhere abroad.........don't remember him going to Everton though.

 

This bit ...
Just goes to prove that myth we created about us, only a few seasons ago was just bluster. The black box, just myth, the constant ascendancy planning to ensure we replace those who leave with better, just a load of bollocks.

We did what we did based on a plan that worked and gave us a good number of seasons of progress and gave us entertainment

Whats happened is that its stopped working and we should be sad about that now and happy about the good years
For me they were bollocks mind, the dogs bloody bollocks

It also seems to say, when we succeed its just luck and when we fail its because we are led by idiots who stopped getting lucky

I think its more because the system is basically set up to kill any rising clubs, look at Leicester
Other clubs can get to the top of the 2nd league within the Prem but can never get above that as to do that they will have to bring in players that the top6 will just constantly steal until the uncertainties of trying to buy unknown stars catch up with them

The most succesful clubs outside top6 are now getting there with a lot of players who the Top6 aren't interested in and that must have a limited life span in itself and probably depends on having exceptional managers. What happens to Bomo or Burnley when someone nicks their managers?

 

Lambert was a natural finisher. God knows why, but they’re rarer than hens teeth at any level. Gabbi looked like one when he arrived, I’m hoping he still can be. And Ings too. Get the pair of them, and Hojbjerg, banging them in regularly, and we’ll only have the defence to worry about then.

 

I'm really keen to see that team that we started with against Chelsea given a proper run.

 

Maybe Vest in for Wes for me.

 

That wasn't me re-writing history in a Hollywood kind of way, its what we were told. What is arguable is the validity of what they told us, which is now looking very questionable.

 

Autopsy complete.
Washes hands.
Goes to bar to drink doubles.
Ahhh, better now.

 

Fu:k yes!
Give him a rest. He needs it.

 

You've got me thinking about 'Saints - The movie' now. There should be two. A gritty grim black and white SaintsWeb version (like Titanic starring Kat & Ralph) and a sparkly happy not-606 version (like Mary Poppins starring Mr Gao)

... anyway my point being it was true at the time and they had a vision and they were realising it for a short time, but then it went wrong. Partly due to circumstances outside of their control and partly due to Kat's concentration on the finacial plan at the expense of other factors.

What our vision is at the moment I have no idea.

 

I'm definitely not against that. Although if the Vestergaard I saw against Burnley re-emerges, then he would come straight back into my back three.

I know it left us with Gabbi almost playing RB for the opening 20 minutes, but I largely put that down to the fact that we were playing Chelsea and we couldn't get close to Hazard or Willian. Against most sides, I wouldn't expect to see Gabbi get sucked back so deep.

(But then equally, I'm not against 4-4-2, or the 4-1-4-1 which we turned to at HT against Chelsea. The most important thing for me is the XI players who we select, as opposed to the formation we play. When you're not blessed with quality to mask over any of your deficiencies, you can't afford to carry under-performing or invisible players where possible. Rarely do I get particularly bothered about seeing us play a particular formation, but I often do when seeing us play a particular player. And that is why I liked the Chelsea XI. There was no Austin, and the other two weakest performers vs Wolves (and arguably, earlier games), Vestergaard and Ely, weren't involved either.)

 

Yeah, tend to agree. I feel a lot happier with Austin out of the team. I just don't think he offers much these days (other than his instincts in the box he can barely move). Ely and Vesty I'm happy to interchange with current players as I think both have shown promise. I'm utterly unconvinced that Armstrong offers much though, sadly.

 

Agree with all that. I'm hoping that Moi will build on an ok-ish but rather safe start and surely if Vesty can play in the Bundesliga he can play in the EPL
Is Armstrong still not fit? Sparky bought him so surely he's going to play him and I think he will offer more energy and penetration going forward. We need to see more of him

Not sure its right to play Gabbi v Chelsea and end up with him defending all the time, I want to see more of him in upcoming games. We had games last season where Nathan was playing as a defender too much and I was thinking what's the point? Danger is they use all their energy when we don't have the ball so aren't as sharp when we do

 

I've been quite impressed with Mo in the couple of games I've seen him, reckon there's a player there.