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[Dan]

I'm curious what you two (and anyone else) seriously think about SFC's chances to make the Premiership. Is Championship football their destiny? Do you think they have a legit shot at promotion in the coming years? How much do you buy the chairman's talk and all of the fanboards' rabid support?

[Cockney Rebel]

Not this coming season. Maybe the one after.

[rva]

I could see them getting back to the Premier League in 2-3 years if the Liebherrs continue to back them.  I'm not buying the more optimistic talk of them joining the big boys in Europe.  Or if they do, it could end up being a bad mistake a la Portsmouth.

Realistically, I think they are a yo-yo club.  That seems to be what they were the last decade or so in the Premier League, except that they had LeTissier.  And that's very unlikely to happen again.  I kind of like that, though.  You get the excitement of a title push or a relegation battle just about every year.

As far as this season goes, I think the talent level they have is mid-level Championship.  Don't see either a play-off push or a relegation battle beckoning.  But the pundits are all saying it's a pretty even league this year, so just a tiny bit of difference could go a long way-- good or bad.

[Dan]

I'm disappointed in their new kits. I wanted to keep something with the sash since it was so successful last year. Oh well...now we can look like a dozen other teams again.

[rva]

Saints sign Steve De Ridder.

Never heard of this dude.  All I can tell from the few YouTube clips available is that he's pretty fast... which since he's a winger is not surprising.  I'm still not sold on Adkins' ability in the transfer market.  So far he's brought in N'Guessan, Forte, Stephens.  Two of them were busts.   Stephens was okay, but is now with Charlton.  I'll give him somewhat of a pass as Saints were in desperate need of midfield help due to injuries so you take what you can get. 

I'm also not really sure what Saints are doing so far this summer.  I would have looked to improve at striker rather than re-signing Barnard, but it looks like strikers are going for outrageous prices.  Still, the Saints team right now looks to me to be very deep in decent players, but lacking stars.  That doesn't bother me so much, except that if they are going to build depth and not get promoted right away I'd rather see them bring in some of the younger players. 

I think Oxlade-Chamberlain gets sold for 8-10 million pounds upfront. 

[Dan]

I think Oxlade-Chamberlain gets sold for 8-10 million pounds upfront. 

The signing of De Ridder certainly would hint that they want some depth at AOC's position if they do sell him.

I agree with your comments about Nigel's transfer market record. Jack Cork was big in my book, but since he always has been saying they'd sign two players and that's it, I think we're probably done. If anything notable comes through I will be thoroughly surprised.

Pardew did have the transfer aspect of managing down, if nothing else.

[Cockney Rebel]

My spies tell me there's one more to come.

No big name, maybe a centre half

Quite a few clubs were after DeRidder - I think he's quite the coup but time will, as always, tell

Sounds as if Alex wants away so lets take that 8-10 mill now before his form suffers too much from not wanting to play for us

Still, if the youth team keep pumping them out one a year like this its keeps us far closer to solvency. I reckon that's wise considering Murdoch's Sky millions may not be around for ever

[Dan]

I read that Adkin's actually said they are working for one more transfer, too, but wouldn't expound on that until the paperwork was done.

I also like how this signing came out of nowhere - in other words, the Saints do not let their interests leak to the media - so anything you read in the media about transfers, including AOC, is pure bologna.

[rva]

Yup.  Agree with both of you guys for the most part.

I'm not down on DeRidder; simply reserving judgment.  He sounds somewhat promising.  I'm just not one of those "If Adkins thinks he's good enough, I won't question it" people.  I *did* feel that way about Pardew.  He had some problems but he brought in some excellent transfers.  Including Puncheon, who played well with Pardew.  And who Saints should be able to sell at a profit even with his attitude issues, so that's how cheap Pardew got him.

Jack Cork was sort of a gimmie.  Everyone knew him, everyone wanted him.  Saints just had the most cash.  It's clear to me he preferred to stay at Burnley but they got priced out.  Which doesn't mean he's unhappy going to Saints or he hates Adkins... just that Adkins/Saints are maybe still not the draw they'd like to be. Admire Cork's loyalty though, so maybe in two years he'll feel the same way about Saints.

AOC wanting to leave is no rumor.  Those quotes aren't just coming from dodgy media sources, they're straight from his mouth and on they are on ESPN, not just the Mirror or Daily Mail.  He's 17 and loads of cash and the promise of superstardom are being thrown at him.  And his dad thinks it's a good idea.  So of course he wants to go.  I can't even really blame him. 

I have no beef with AOC.  He stayed to help the club gain promotion, and his effort on the pitch was always decent.  Even while making it clear he wants to go, he still had nothing but good things to say about both the club and its supporters.  I don't think he's a pouter.  If forced to stay, he would still TRY to give 100% on the pitch.  But it won't be as good as if he were happy here.  Also I think that if players sense they will be stuck at Saints and never be allowed to move to bigger clubs it will hurt their ability to attract players to the team and the Academy.   8 million pounds is a ton to pay for an unproven player.  They're not getting ripped off.  That cash can go a long way, so let AOC walk and everyone will be happy.  I don't think he'll forget where he came from and will continue to speak well of the club.

Was not that happy to see Barnard re-signed.  I don't hate him, and think he'll be okay in the Championship.  But I think if you want to move on, that's a contract you let expire and invest some money in a younger and better player.  Right now, Saints have tons of depth but lack superstar quality outside Lallana, Fonte, and maybe Cork.  

Holmes, De Ridder, Forte, Chamberlain, Lallana, Guly, Schneiderlin, Cork, Connolly, Lambert, Barnard, Hammond.

Try and pick just four midfielders and two strikers out that group.

[rva]

Oh, I'm also amused that De Ridder claims Jan-Paul Saeijs really sold him on the club.

I can barely even remember Saeijs.  He was there on loan for like half a season and the team was terrible, the coach was fired, and the club lost 10 points and went to administration.  I do recall he seemed like a decent player and put in 100% despite a crappy situation, but I thought he kind of just kind of endured it and was happy to get away.  But I guess he really loved it there.  Odd.

[Dan]

Holmes, De Ridder, Forte, Chamberlain, Lallana, Guly, Schneiderlin, Cork, Connolly, Lambert, Barnard, Hammond.

Try and pick just four midfielders and two strikers out that group.

This is fun.  Okay - in order of how *I* rate them:

Lallana
AOC
Cork*
Lambert
Schneiderlin
Guly
Barnard
Connolly
Hammond
de Ridder*
Chaplow (adding)
Holmes
Forte

*I actually don't know anything about Cork or de Ridder, this rating is just based on what I've read/guessed.

So if I'm picking 2 strikers and 4 mids, I'm just picking the top two strikers in that list and the top 4 mids. Heh. Overly simplistic, I know.

[rva]

I think Holmes and Connolly might be the two best players on the Saints team when fit.  But because they never are, I would probably rank those guys in about the same order you did.

The problem here is that you and I end up with a starting group of Lambert and Guly up top, with AOC, Schneiderlin, Cork, and Lallana in midfield.  But who just got new contracts in the last six months?  Barnard, Connolly, De Ridder, and Forte.  I get the need for depth.  But you still get depth when you bring in better players. You sign Cork and Hammond gets bumped, and Hammond is a pretty good guy to be coming off the bench.  Except he's the team captain which causes its own set of problems.  I think Saints have more depth than they need and should look to cut out some deadwood and take that money and bring in some quality or give an academy player a shot.

[rva]

Kaspars Gorkss for Jason Puncheon?  Yes please.

[Dan]

I saw that too. I don't know who Gorkss is, but I know it's a happy deal for us.
(I imagine he's pretty good)

[rva]

Kelvin Davis might be my favorite Southampton player, so I find it difficult to complain about a contract after all he's done for the club.....but from a strictly tactical perspective I kinda wish they hadn't done that. 

The dude is turning 35.  Why not let him finish out his contract and if you really think you still need him you can always sign him on a year-to-year basis?  I was sort of hoping Saints would start to work Bialkowski into the mix this year.

I don't care about the money.  I'd pay the guy until he was 45 just to hang out with the club if he wanted.  And he's still the best goal keeper on the team.  I just hope  there doesn't end up being a GK controversy next year and the whole thing ends up ugly.