Summer 2019 Transfer Thread

[YoungWolf]

I think he will be a decent squad option and someone to help us against teams who play in a low block (whether by design or because we are behind in a game). Think he might be seen as versatile too which Nuno clearly appreciates in a player. Can understand why people might be underwhelmed though

 

[prawnking]

He's certainly not popular with Saints fans

 

[Jabbawolf]

If we do sign Lemina to a positive reaction then it will just confirm my theory that football fans like signings, any signings. He doesn't improve us in any conceivable way whatsoever and will probably cost the club at least £2m for a year. But hey, a new player!

Just looked at a few videos of him - looks like he likes a tackle and a step over - no hint of a defence-splitting pass though - so, yes, not giving us much we haven’t already got.

 

[Jinky]

I think he will be a decent squad option and someone to help us against teams who play in a low block (whether by design or because we are behind in a game). Think he might be seen as versatile too which Nuno clearly appreciates in a player. Can understand why people might be underwhelmed though

I agree. He would be a useful squad option & definitely improves the depth of the squad. Plus I trust Nuno to get the best out of him. A lot of Southampton fans think he’s a bit of a show pony. The type of player who gives you a worldly every 4-5 games & bang average the rest of the time. Hopefully if he features less for us and has more to prove, we’ll see the top end of his performances more often.

 

[big mean bunny]

Playing less regularly isn't going to improve an inconsistent players consistency surely.

 

[AndyWolves]

I don't think we're in for Lemina, it feels like it's all media like we've seen previously with Pele, Nakajima etc

He doesn't fit our character profile

 

[Jinky]

Playing less regularly isn't going to improve an inconsistent players consistency surely.

Maybe not. But gives Nuno & co more time to work with him off the pitch & gives the player more fire in his belly to prove himself and play well when he does get the chance.

I have to say, none of us know exactly who we were in for this summer (we’ve literally been linked to hundreds of players) but it definitely looks like we’ve struggled to attract the first tier or two of targets. This is the issue with trying to really mix it with the big boys. We’re not “prestigious” enough yet.

 

[Deano]

A lot of people at the start of the window were saying they wanted us to improve the 11 and not sign squad players. Lemina doesn't improve our team, if Lemina is our last signing then all of our signings apart from Vallejo won't start in our first choice 11. I'm not being a moaning bastard as I think Cutrone for example will be a quality player for us but I do think most people would have expected a bit more should Lemina be the only one in.

 

[Jabbawolf]

A lot of people at the start of the window were saying they wanted us to improve the 11 and not sign squad players. Lemina doesn't improve our team, if Lemina is our last signing then all of our signings apart from Vallejo won't start in our first choice 11. I'm not being a moaning bastard as I think Cutrone for example will be a quality player for us but I do think most people would have expected a bit more should Lemina be the only one in.

I thought most people wanted to have a squad that meant we didn’t have a relatively weak bench, as our starting XI was seen as pretty strong already.

 

[Johnny75]

A lot of people at the start of the window were saying they wanted us to improve the 11 and not sign squad players. Lemina doesn't improve our team, if Lemina is our last signing then all of our signings apart from Vallejo won't start in our first choice 11. I'm not being a moaning bastard as I think Cutrone for example will be a quality player for us but I do think most people would have expected a bit more should Lemina be the only one in.

I tend to agree with this. You can't stand still in the PL and whilst we've clearly improved the squad we are relying on our XI being better than last season.

I shall wait till Friday morning but I think our recruitment has been the bare minimum rather than good. I'm hopeful that will change.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I thought most people wanted to have a squad that meant we didn’t have a relatively weak bench, as our starting XI was seen as pretty strong already.

I fundamentally disagree with signing senior players to sit on the bench. A keeper would be an exception (if say, Ruddy decided he wanted to leave suddenly and we weren't allowed to call Norris back until January) and obviously signing kids for development is fine.

26 year old midfielders who have done absolutely bugger all for years (he's played 20+ league games in a season twice out of seven seasons, never played more than 25), not for me thanks.

 

[Kenny]

Are we setting our targets too high for where we are? Cancelo last season and Dias this. We know we can afford them but can't just go out and spend the money required due to controlling budgets for FFP etc, so chancing our arm that we can get deals due to th elinks between us, Mendes and the clubs.


Probably 2 more seasons of top finishes away from being to break out the cash like no one cares.

We will see what Jeff thinks of it all next week. If he isn't happy then people will be moved on. Away from targetting Dias it tooks like the goal this season has been to improve the squad rather than the 11. Are we better off with Costa and Cav gone and Cutrone, Jesus and the Dodgy Twins added (and of course 1 more possibly coming in)?

 

[jlo]

Strikes me as an Alfred N'Diaye type of signing, so I can believe it would happen. Doubt it strengthens us by anything at all, but in some games he might be the better option to MGW (maybe MGW has a loan lined up?)

 

[Kenny]

(maybe MGW has a loan lined up?)

I seriously doubt it

 

[Gonby's Games Gone By]

A lot of people at the start of the window were saying they wanted us to improve the 11 and not sign squad players. Lemina doesn't improve our team, if Lemina is our last signing then all of our signings apart from Vallejo won't start in our first choice 11. I'm not being a moaning bastard as I think Cutrone for example will be a quality player for us but I do think most people would have expected a bit more should Lemina be the only one in.

I think Cutrone will be a regular starter in time: Cutrone & Raul up top and Jota in behind them. This based on me never having seen Cutrone play.

 

[Jinky]

Are we setting our targets too high for where we are? Cancelo last season and Dias this. We know we can afford them but can't just go out and spend the money required due to controlling budgets for FFP etc, so chancing our arm that we can get deals due to th elinks between us, Mendes and the clubs.


Probably 2 more seasons of top finishes away from being to break out the cash like no one cares.

We will see what Jeff thinks of it all next week. If he isn't happy then people will be moved on. Away from targetting Dias it tooks like the goal this season has been to improve the squad rather than the 11. Are we better off with Costa and Cav gone and Cutrone, Jesus and the Dodgy Twins added (and of course 1 more possibly coming in)?

Re; the part in bold - 100%. We’re aiming too high. It shows ambition, which is great - but it’s also a dangerous game to play because you can end up scrambling around in the last day or two of a transfer window, ending up with players that are 2-3 tiers below the ones you initially wanted. As I said in an earlier post, we’re just not “prestigious enough” for the top level players yet.

Unfortunately, unless we pull something out of the bag in the last day or two (looking very unlikely), we haven’t learnt from our previous mistakes - which is slightly concerning. I know Nuno likes to work with a small squad, but I think people are kidding themselves if they believe he wouldn’t want another 1-2 quality additions.

 

[Alan]

I think Cutrone will be a regular starter in time: Cutrone & Raul up top and Jota in behind them. This based on me never having seen Cutrone play.

I'm not sure where the idea that Jota should play deep came from but for me it is a total non-starter.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It would be far more likely to be

---Jota-----Cutrone-----Jimenez

than

------Cutrone--------Jimenez

---------------Jota

 

[Tony Towner]

I have no idea why anyone would advocate either Jota behind the forwards nor Raul on the right of a 3 for anything than a game changing tactical switch

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

The top line wouldn't be wide at all. The width would still be coming from the wing backs. Literally stretching our current set up by ten yards to fit Cutrone into the middle.

So back to 3-4-3 basically. It wouldn't happen immediately or even necessarily quickly but I could see it being tried. Probably as the switch to which you refer. Take one of the midfield three off and then send Cutrone on in that central position of the now front three.