Southampton

[Northern Canary 0]

How well do you think Southampton are going to do this season?

For me, i am not as worried as i originally was and heres why.........

After selling Phillips, Telfer, Crouch, Jakobson, others and probably Niemi - Redknapp just made a statement on sky sports saying he is hoping to get 4 or 5 frees. IMO freebies will not be able to replace anywhere near the quality of Crouch et co. THere squad looks to me a lot weaker than expected. I have no doubt they will be contenders somewhere along the line. but they are not looking as strong as Norwich and Palace.

We have not spent much, no, but remember we havent let most of our quality players go.

I am not under estimating Soton, they have a good manager and will probably do ok, but how good do you think they will be?

thoughts........

[Tumbleweed 106]

They have also lost Le Saux and Redknapp who have retired.

However don''t underestimate whats left. In Prutton they have a good attacking midfielder, Pahars can run rings round many defences if fit and Ormerod will be very useful at this level. Blackstock is also pretty highly rated. I don''t know much about the defence but Niemi is a very good goalkeeper who will save them quite a few points this season.

Plus, they have £7m to spend and may not be as constrained as Nigel when dealing in the transfer market.

[Trent Canary 0]

"I am not under estimating Soton, they have a good manager and will probably do ok, but how good do you think they will be?"

As I said elsewhere, I saw an interview with Harry on Sky sports news, and he really didnt seem interested. His board are selling his best players, and hes been told that he wont get much of the crouch money.

Bet he regrets leaving portsmouth now

[Saint Canary 0]

Saints may have lost a lot of players but I still expect them to be contenders for automatic promotion.  The loss of Crouch is the only one that will hurt them.  As already pointed out they still have some quality in the likes of Prutton, Pahars, Delap, Higginbotham, Svennson and Oakley and other players that should be more than capable in this league.

The key factor from Saints will be the youngsters.  I would rip someones arm off for half of the talent in their youth system.  The likes of Blackstock, Best, Jones, Crainey, Mills and Dyer look like they will be seriously good players.  Some Saints fans are very pleased to have lost most of those players as they feel it will be a excellent opportunity to blood those youngsters.  Add to that a couple of shrewd signings from ''Arry and I think Saints are not looking as bad as some think.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote]They have also lost Le Saux and Redknapp who have retired. However don''t underestimate whats left. In Prutton they have a good attacking midfielder, Pahars can run rings round many defences if fit an...[/quote]

To bring you up to speed Tumbleweed, on Sky sports this morning, Lowe has told old Harry R, he will only get a small portion of the transfer money received, to spend on new players.

I can see Rednapp getting sacked in 3 months time......unless he walks out earlier.

[Temp the Revelator 0]

[quote]Saints may have lost a lot of players but I still expect them to be contenders for automatic promotion. The loss of Crouch is the only one that will hurt them. As already pointed out they still have...[/quote]

Hasn''t Svennson gone back to Sweden with our beloved Matty?  I''m sure I remember Elfsborg signing both Svennson''s at the same time.......

[Saint Canary 0]

[quote]To bring you up to speed Tumbleweed, on Sky sports this morning, Lowe has told old Harry R, he will only get a small portion of the transfer money received, to spend on new players. I can see Redna...[/quote]

To be honest I don''t expect Saints to spend £7m but I think these comments are to let other clubs know that they are not going to pay silly money for players.  It appears that Saints will sign Darren Purse from West Brom for £600k+, so there is some money there.

I think it''s much the same as the "I would like to sign Dean Ashton/Darren Huckerby but we cannot afford him" comments.

[AJ 1,359]

i think saints are going to struggle this season.

Svensson has indeed gone to the same club Matty Sven did. And it sounds like they have money problems too so they could well be in trouble!

[Northern Canary 0]

Soton have two svenssons - Mikael Svensson and Anders Svensson

[keely LUFC 0]

[quote]How well do you think Southampton are going to do this season? For me, i am not as worried as i originally was and heres why......... After selling Phillips, Telfer, Crouch, Jakobson, others and pro...[/quote]

i''d put them in the play-off places, but i don''t think they will go back up this season. the season after next i think they will self destruct and go down to league one.

[Saint Canary 0]

[quote]i think saints are going to struggle this season. Svensson has indeed gone to the same club Matty Sven did. And it sounds like they have money problems too so they could well be in trouble![/quote]

AJ/Temps, you are correct as such ,Andreas Svensson signed with our super Matt but Saints also have a centre back called Svensson who is a very good player.  He was injured for most of last season but was an integral part of the side that did so well under Strachan.

AJ why do you think Saints will struggle? They still have good players, despite who they have lost.  They do not have any money troubles, it''s just Lowe trying to avoid being ripped off on transfer fees.  They spent very little of the money they received for Beattie add £7m for Crouch and you are talking £13m plus other player sales and saved wages.  Add to that the fact that all their players (except Delap) have it in their contracts that they must take a pay cut means they are not in trouble.  It''s just a smokescreen IMO.

Believe me people, do not underestimate Southampton this year. 

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

IMO they will struggle big time.  For several reasons.  They have lost several good players.  In particular players who score goals.  They have also lost experienced pros (Le Saux, Redknapp etc).  ''Arry will walk soon.  He doesn''t hang about once the chairman has p***ed him off and I think this has started already.  However, MOST importantly.... Their fans still think they are a Prem club.  They are going to get the West Ham esque shock of seeing just how difficult Burnley away is!  They aren''t prepared for it and think they will walk this league.  They are sadly mistaken

[Alex Harvey-Jones 0]

I''m predicting mid table or play offs at best depending on who they bring in! Crouch and Phillips are huge losses! They do have players though who will probably do quite well in the Champ. It will be interesting to see!

[breaker 0]

Getting out of the Championship is more about attitude and focus than talent - if you believe you are better than the other clubs you are likely to fail (as Norwich did all those years ago). I don''t know whether even Harry will be able to motivate players who have spent most/all of their time in the top division.

[Mark .Y. 375]

"Andreas Svensson signed with our super Matt but Saints also have a centre back called Svensson who is a very good player"

That is Michael Svensson and he is very good, widely believed by Saints fans to have carried Lundekvam for a couple of years - he should be fit for this season.

Will Saints do any good ? The fans I know down here don''t think so, ''Arry is only likely to get about £3m of the transfer money and their ground will not be sold out next year like it has been in the Prem.

The other side of the coin of course is ''Arry himself (assuming he stays). He does have a pretty good record and the one thing he can do is "wheel and deal". Doesn''t do a lot for squad stability or long-term building but does do a short-term job. I am sure he will get himself a couple of decent players for the £3m and then will bring in a couple of loanees. Pompey are apparently willing to loan out Todorov and Pericard (both forwards), I am pretty certain ''Arry bought them both to Pompey so wouldn''t be surprised to see one of them at St Marys. They do also have a very good youth system but I suspect it is a year or two too early for most of them (I mean, you don''t win nothing with kids do you !!).

Final verdict, in my opinion, chasing a play-off place.

 

Mark .Y.

     

[Saint Canary 0]

For those who think Saints will not spend money or are in financial trouble.  It''s worth pointing out that they offered close to £1.5m for Kamara but he decided to go to WBA.