09 Aug 2024 20:43:36
E&S reporting H Bueno going on Loan to Feyornord (sorry about the spelling). I think Bueno is great, but this must mean that we're keeping RAN for at least another season.


1.) 10 Aug 2024
10 Aug 2024 07:40:42
I agree BW1 but am more concerned about this development than the sale of Neto (which we all sensed was happening in this window).
Now we have lost for 2024/25, Neto, Kilman and Bueno. They are all left-footed and all possess excellent left-footed pass and cross skills.
If RAN gets injured (currently) he will be covered by a right-footer. It feels to me that we need to add a left-sided player with a sweet left-foot to restore some balance to the squad.


2.) 10 Aug 2024
10 Aug 2024 09:58:33
Who is now the back up LB?
Toti? Surely not Doherty?
Transfer window is still open but after losing 2 players yesterday we now have lots to do.
We have bought 1 player who should, (R. Gomes although potentially a major downgrade on Neto?), start but lost 2.
When it comes to depth as well we have sold 3 first team squad members and bought 3, (Doyle was alrady here).
It all looked so good on Thursday just a new starting CB and maybe if greedy a back up CB and GK.
Now you have to add a back up LB and potentially a starting WF?
When ever we start to build a good team we make a major error and cut our own legs off!
Just imagine if we hadn't paid to get rid of Jota, (the swap for Fabio and Hoever costs us millions pa!).
Jota, Cunha, Neto
Mario, Gomes
RAN, Toti, Dawson Yerson (or Kilman) Semedo
Sa
Is not a Europa side but a Champions league one!
Of course if the club was run properly from a finanical point fo view ( or we hadnt bought Guedes!) we could still have Neves as well!
If and but the two greatest players to play the game.
But self inflicted.
Only two/three players different from what we can still put out this year but our best 2 and both at the sharp end where the game is won and lost!


3.) 11 Aug 2024
10 Aug 2024 11:52:26
All valid points TFIOG but maybe things might look a little different after 2 or 3 purchases in the next few weeks? I just hope the replacements aren’t all youngsters and we fall into the Southampton trap of 2 years ago.
Clearly the powers that be have looked at the Brighton model and thought ‘let's get a bit of that’. The difference for me is that I suspect we have gentlemen’s agreements to let certain players leave in certain windows and the buying clubs benefit from having the likes of Mendes advertising the fact rather than have our players being head-hunted at highest prices.
My feeling is that RAN and J Gomes will be offered out next summer and they’ll be aware of the fact and push for it eventually. Looking at the prices we are consistently receiving for some very good players, you have to worry that we’re a bit lacking in financial and commercial acumen.
Also has GON been rewarded with a pay rise and contract extension for a good 12 months’ work or because he is willing to work happily under the constraints of consistently losing his finest tools?


4.) 11 Aug 2024
11 Aug 2024 13:59:21
NES - great to see you posting again. Don't disagree with anything you say, certainly with respect to not buying exclusively unproven kids from overseas - for every Neto there is a Fabio.
But will we buy any proven experieinced Prem players? I very much doubt it nor probably can we afford to do so, (often), as other clubs tend not to sell cheaply.
However if Toney is really available for £30m (?) we should have bought him yesterday!
With Cunha injured, (how long for?), I don't see where the goals come from - fear Hwang was a never to be repeated purple patch, Larsen looks well off the pace and none of the others, Guedes, Sarabia, Fabio, Sasa, Podence or Gomes R have a track record of scoring regularly in the Prem.
And at the back if we think Doherty, (until Semedo returns at least), Yerson and Toti are 3 of a Prem back 4 we are deluuded. (Surely given our weakness at CB we have to play 5 at the back and pray that Dawson recovers - or perhaps buy a new CB of his ilk!)
We are seemingly expecting Yerson and Gomes R to do a lot of heavy lifting this season
With 5 days to go to the start of the season it is v hard not to acknowledge that the squad that finished 14th last year is now no deeper but a lot weaker! Note as well that we only finished that high as Neto, (and to some extent Dawson), carried the team for a few months - see last year's results for the veracity of that statement.
I, unlike the bookies and many other "experts", don't actually think we are likely to down as we still have a number of high quality players albeit the squad is too small and dreadfully unbalanced - shock horror!
But we have hugely increased that risk and the £50m "excess" cash that we now have following the sale of Neto is lost in a few weeks in the Championship.
I hope we aren't penny wise pound foolish!


5.) 11 Aug 2024
11 Aug 2024 15:57:29
In 5 seasons Neto made 111 appearances for us 51 of those came in the last 3 seasons, I can see the clubs thinking but would have rather left the sale until January to see if Gomes establishes himself first.


6.) 18 Aug 2024
18 Aug 2024 11:57:34
Agree with many points above, running cost of club is huge, and yes we have the money from prem league
But it doesn’t cover it all and buying younger gifted talent before the rest, and developing them to full potential and making sales in profit is a huge part of the gamble. The issue with these players is when it doesn’t click and there value actually goes down and the huge wages they on whilst with have them drifting the wilderness is one of the biggest black holes in our finances. Ref (Fabio Silva) we lost a fortune when you take is wages into account and that’s just one player.

You want to make a positive change and impact for future and build a module to sustainably compete on top half of the league, then the ground needs to be redeveloped to a larger capacity and the football attractive. That is the foundation on which success and profitability can be built.

We have the fan base and future generations will be attracted to the club with a more attractive football leading to fans for life.