Yeah we did and that particular game was one that stood out as a complete failure. We had absolutely nothing in the final 3rd and the ball just kept coming back at our pitiful defence.

They have a 'false 9' in Firmino, so it's more like WF - AM - WF. We tried it last year with Dack through the middle and you could argue it ruined our season. We got battered off Preston because of it.

Yeah, the long and short of it is they have better players who are much quicker at pressing from the front than us. It won't work.

I don't mind him trying stuff but this was an absolute disaster last season.

Is Foderingam any good?

3 at the back with wing backs is difficult to play against IF you can pull it off. You can't just try it willy nilly, you have to fully commit to it to get it right, which we never have. More importantly you have to have good enough quality wing backs to pull it off. With the amount of attacking quality we now have it would be a bad idea. We'd be better off defending from the front than playing to our weakness (defence). I'm convinced of we played 6 a the back we'd still concede bucket loads.

I don't disagree time is against us but we're not a club in a position to do our business early. Every manager will say that they ideally want to sort their squad out ASAP but it's simply not the reality.

I've been as pessimistic as any since Venkys took over but the negativity on the footballing side of things I find pretty amazing at the moment. We're about to sign a young English centre forward who's proven himself here before and people are dissapointed? I mean fair enough and each to their own but who do we think we are anymore? Being miffed about International title winning keepers joining? Centre forwards who have scored double figures for us coming in, still have Dacky, Rothwell with his best years ahead and a full season as a starter, Chapman and other exciting young players breaking through... Yeah we need defenders and a keeper but give it time. Things aren't looking too bad at the moment.

Great shout pal

I expect low expectations under Venkys but I think this squad plus a good centre half and goalkeeper will be a side no one wants to play against. Graham is player defenders hate to play against, Johnson is an absolute bastard who hates to lose. We have a pace and creativity in attack. I know there's a bit of doom and gloom with transfers being slow but I think we have the makings of a decent side.

He's not going to be on peanuts so if he is coming here it is going to cost us. I think most keepers we've been linked with will be on massive wages tbf.

I find it a bit nuts that people are so against Hart coming here. Be a massive coup to have a goalkeeper like him for us in this league. Being 32 he will be feeling like he lots left to give and would still like to prove himself at the top level, which would be great for us if we have any ambitions of getting promoted.

Can't help but feel that if Sam Gallagher is costing 5 million that John Marquis would be a better value for money.

Travelling up from on the 10am train from Preston... According to my dad, everyone is travelling on that train.

Still like to see us go for Ivan Toney.

If there is any truth in what Nixon is saying... How can Southampton be commanding such a fee when only 2 lower championship clubs have shown an interest? Its not like clubs are falling over themselves to sign him. If this is what TM is referring to when discussing clubs demanding silly fee's then I don't blame him for waiting. He's a 2 million player, 5 is just ridiculous.

Where has the Joe Hart talk come from? Have I missed something?

There's a lot of panic about Raya but at the end of the day he wanted to lesve. Also, what's the point in developing goalkeepers in the acacemy if he's just going to stay there and stop us bringing more through? Mowbray doesn't fill me with confidence either, I wanted a change last season and there are many other managers i'd take over him but I think he's doing the right thing so far in aiming for more expdrience. It's been too long since I've watched players who absolutely hate to get beat, who are real leaders and I think this could be the difference for us next season. A few additions of the right age at centre half, left backend CF and we'll be looking in good shape.

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A departure could also be a loan.

Yikes, can't see that one happening.

I could see other teams being interested, even if we don't rate him.

He might if he feels like he's not going to be in the managers plans.

Been discussed somewhat, many can't understand why we aren't in there but we could well be without having knowledge of it.

Hope the unlikely departure is Evans. He's probably one that might bring a fee, being a full international at a decent age too.