Van Dijk out for 3 months!!

Vin

 

Looks like we've decided to keep Virgil by selling everyone else

 

Steve

I think most Saints fans will appreciate that VVD leaving in the summer will only be because he wants to play for a bigger club and experience champions League football, He is easily the best central defender in this country at the moment and probably the most "in demand" player too. Claude Puel will not get any stick and I doubt whether the board will either as any decision to move on will be entirely his choice. Whoever buys him will pay a heavy premium and I am less inclined to believe it will be Liverpool because they will be in the Europa league next season. I suspect that he will either go to Chelsea or Man City if not abroad.

 

They're 3rd in the league.

 

At the moment.

Liverpool should beat 'Boro but West Ham will be tough. Man Utd have a game in hand and should be capable of picking up the six points that are necessary. Have you seen Arsenal's run in ? They have two games in hand of Liverpool. I can't see them finishing outside of the top four albeit I would love us to ruin things for Wenger on Wednesday. Probably closer than I had thought having checked the table. Still see Liverpool as being weaker than both Man Utd and Arsenal who are used to end of season pressure.

Wondered what the odds might be of Klopp being the highest profile casualty next season ? It might be a punt although Newcastle always like to make changes early in the season

 

But we're going to beat United and Arsenal.

 

I think we owe Man Utd one after Wembley but I would have to admit I probably get more satisfaction from seeing Southampton turn over Arsenal than any other team. Notwithstanding the fact that they have pinched so many of our players over the years, Wenger always seems a poor loser and ungracious in defeat. He seems to have little sense of humour or even the irony of Mourinho. The Portuguese' quip yesterday afternoon was quite funny. There is also that bloke from Arsenal TV with the big glasses who sounds off whenever we beat them who is 1st class entertainment. Can't think of his name but is almost a pastiche of the kind of idiot who rings up 606. Beating Arsenal is probably more fun than beating any other team especially as it leads their supporters in to a "Wenger out" frenzy.

 

Not dissimilar to those who comment on the Daily Echo reports, or post on the Southampton Facebook page in fairness.

 

There are a lot of trolls on the DE site but some of the arguments have been well constructed of late. It is no different from most provincial papers but I think the Arsenal bloke is priceless. Someone posted a link to him on here once. I suppose he was almost like Arsenal's answer to the Wealdstone Warrior,

 

A few weeks back I did text BBC606 on the reaction to Barcelona beating PSG, and I suggested that it smelt rather strongly of a fix. Minutes later I ran the shower and got in. Moments later came a text notification [I often get them fairly late from friends] which I thought would be a mate asking about the next day goings on. So I reached out, dried my hands and picked up the Samsung, which was on the Net incidentally, blaring out BBC R5 Live's reaction to the match [Smartphones can be quite loud in bathrooms]. The notification went something like this:

Hi, this is BBC Radio 5 Live. You recently sent this office a text where you suggested that the Barca v PSG match may have been fixed. This office thinks so too. Would you like to come on the programme and debate this with Mark Chapman.?

Whilst I was pondering what to do, the Samsung rang. It was Radio 5 Live. The guy on the other end was quite excited. He repeated that the BBC office were of my opinion and asked me to go on the programme. I had to tell him that I was taking this call in the shower and was off to bed soon. I was tempted to say that if they were prepared to wait 10 minutes then I might be prepared to do it [basically to give some time to collect my thoughts], but he wanted me there and then. So, seeing as this was my, as then, pre-dropped in motor oil for 3 hours, and therefore not waterproofed yet, Samsung Galaxy S2, and it was getting a little steamy already, I thought it best to decline the offer. But it was very close. Next time I text them with a radical opinion I won't jump in the shower.

 

He ran just one more pace and broke down with an injury.

 

It is a funny radio programme. There is a mixture of intelligent comment bit they also seem to attract people who want to mouth off. It would be interesting to discuss with Mark Chapman as he always seems quite informed and more likely to want sensible comment. I would be wary of him as he is super-informed and I would imagine the pressure of live radio would mean you could quickly get out of your depth. Fair play to you for texting but totally understand the hesitation of speaking to someone like Chapman.

I have often wondered what kind of people rang up. It is a shame that Robbie Savage and Ian Wright have taken over as the tone of the programme has changed even though I quite like IW. Savage is another matter !! Oddly, although I really disagree with his politics, the programme seemed at it's best when Richard Littlejohn was hosting as he would attract some quite eccentric supporters and also favoured smaller clubs which , for a neutral, makes the programme more interesting. I have to say I easily tire of Arsenal / ManUtd / Liverpool fans ringing up and would find a supporter of someone like Hartlepool or Orient far more interesting assuming they were articulate.

Never rung any radio show myself and can well recall the hammering a work colleague got for ringing in to a local radio station to speak to Michael Boulton! (totally justified.) I think you either need to be really confident and knowledgeable or prepared to go in guns blazing and not worry about the consequence.

 

Comes to something when the fact we don't want to sell is considered news, even to the BBC.

 

Just pulled up outside Waitrose in Winchester next to Virgil, who was sat in his parked merc and on the hands-free, which was turned up very, very loud. I had my window open and thought I might get some juicy gossip, but the conversation was nothing of note!
I know he is back up and running, because I saw the video, but I swear he is still walking with a bit of a limp!
He was a gent though and stopped for a photo op with my kids...

 

So the Daily Mail say, Spurs may sell Kyle Walker for £45M.!So how much is Virgil worth now then?

 

£145m ...

 

It looks like Spurs are the new Saints and having had a great season, all their players are looking to cash in on a good season....Walker, Rose and Dier already have had their "heads turned" and no doubt many others will follow

 

And earlier this week:



Hard to tell how up to speed he is. At his fittest he has the laziest looking sprint I think I've ever seen.

Vin

 

And you didn't fix his car, rescue his dog or carry his bags??

FFS Keith, we know who to blame if he leaves!

 

I probably should have offered, because despite the injury he parked in a standard bay. I have previously seen both Mane and Boufal parked there in disabled spaces...