When Saints announced before the transfer window had even opened that Virgil Van Dijk would be sold to Liverpool, the St Mary's faithful assumed that his replacement was already lined up.

Saints fans were not surprised to hear that Virgil Van Dijk would be sold to Liverpool, they were slightly surprised that this was announced before the transfer window was even open and shocked that the player should be allowed to pose in a Liverpool shirt whilst still a Southampton player, but they assumed that Saints were getting the business done early to allow them to bring in a replacement early doors.

After all it was not as if this was a total shock to the club that the Dutch defender wanted to leave, in essence they had had over four months to line up his replacement, so surely he would be primed and ready to step straight in.

But here we are 11 days in to the transfer window, yet there has been no replacement for Van Dijk brought into the club and we have important games coming up, games that if we go into with the same defenders then we will get the same results.

I am on record that I feel that Saints have a good squad and are in a false position, however something different has to be done and that is replacing players in positions that we have lost quality players in, Wesley Hoedt was a replacement for Jose Fonte, Van Dijk now needs to be replaced and given that Charlie Austin is now likely to miss half of the remainder of the season we need another forward in.

If we dont do this fast then we will get the same results we have been seeing and that is poor marking costing us goals at the back and a lack of goals.

I understand that the Saints board need to make sure they make the right decisions, but they have had plenty of time to do that, I understand that the January window is notoriously difficult and overpriced, but Liverpool managed to sign Van Dijk Ok, we got a higher price for him, we can use that to subsidise the fact that we have to pay more for our targets.

I have also stuck up for Les Reed and Ralph Krueger, I truly believe that their track record over the last four years is as good as anything we have seen before at Southampton FC, that being the case then they deserve the patience from the fans to be given the time to get it right, Ralph Krueger was right the only position that counts is the one at the end of the season, but that doesn't mean you sit back and hope things turn out for the best, sometimes you have to be decisive.

The fact that we have won only one League game in almost three months should have set alarm bells ringing, we should be proactive.

I still back them both to get it right, I have no confidence in the manager at present, but accept that he has had some mitigating circumstances and can understand why Reed & Krueger are giving him time.

But time is running out, we are into day 11 of the transfer window and there is no movement, a year ago the fact that we did not replace Jose Fonte ultimately cost us the League Cup Final and I think Claude Puel's job as he had to go ultra defensive in midfield to cover our shortcomings at the back.

A year on and those shortcomings are still costing us dearly and we could pay the ultimate price, all managers and football boards make mistakes, making mistakes will happen, but what is a crime is when they don't learn from them and repeat them and that looks the case again at the moment to be brutally honest.

So almost half way in the transfer window, it now looks as if nothing will change for the trip to Watford, a game that could either see us peg them back and move up the table or could see us drop into the bottom three.

Make no mistake urgent action is needed with this football team, sooner than later !

Photo: Action Images

LondonSaint added 14:55 - Jan 11 *trying to STAY up
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saintmark1976 added 15:06 - Jan 11 I get the impression Nick that you have finally had your " I've seen the light on the road to Damascus " moment. If that's the case then welcome to reality. I just hope that your conversion does not prove to be temporary. Hopefully we can now look forward to many more posts from you highlighting the abject failings of the curent owners and management. After all they have been pretty obvious to see for many months now.

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pete_boggs added 15:10 - Jan 11 Nick will be the last person clapping.
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SaintNick added 15:32 - Jan 11 Firstly the fact that we our getting the money in installments is not an issue most transfers are done this way these days, I am not coming round to any way of thinking, I am just not unlike some blaming Reed and Krueger before the transfer window is even open let alone shut, however there have to be timescales. Most summers they have surprised us with some good signings, but this is one window they need to be totally on the ball

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saintkev added 15:42 - Jan 11 I'm hearing almost unbelievable rumours that Kevin Keegan will be the next Saints Manager..... you heard it here first
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obelisk added 16:13 - Jan 11 What with Farage calling for another brexit referendum and rumours of Keegan returning to Saints I can only assume that I've entered a parallel universe. Must be time for the pub.
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Abbosaint added 17:32 - Jan 11 SaintNick, are you trying to absolve Forster from blame for all the close range goals scored against us resulting from crosses into the box, and saying poor marking each time by the central defenders was the problem? I usually agree with many points you make on this site but I am surprised you do not appear to appreciate that a commanding keeper, by claiming the ball from crosses can control such situations before they become a goal threat. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but as I remember it, McCarthy was in goal for the Palace game.

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1teeminants added 17:46 - Jan 11 The problem is we aren't exactly a big draw are we ? that's why we're struggling to attract quality players . If players see that we continue (apart from the last window) to flog everything but the kitchen sink they're unlikely to think we're going places are they ? Then there's the wages which as we all know aren't likely to attract great quality. Having said that there will be decent players whose careers for whatever reason have stumbled to a halt and who will see us a way of kickstarting their careers and as a stepping stone to the big clubs in the premier league and the very fact that we do often sell will work in their favour so they will want to join us . It works both ways. but we dont know how many players we e approached and how many times weve been turned down.

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SaintBrock added 19:01 - Jan 11 Could structured payment have anything to do with tax management?
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aceofthebase added 19:12 - Jan 11 Does anyone have news of the bidding wars for Tadic, Forster, Redmond, JWP.
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steve73 added 22:02 - Jan 11 It's not just in January that players get sold for inflated prices. Long and Redmond were both bought in the summer.
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petedoors1 added 17:37 - Jan 12 Day 12 and Still No Incoming Players
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IWOZTHERE added 19:27 - Jan 12 The big mistake was not selling him and strengthening in the Summer. Even for £60/65m we would be relatively better off and not in the perilous state we are now. No doubt we will buy on instalments as Liverpool have but don't gamble with our future Les by leaving it late to save a few quid. Identify who we need and just do the frigging deals! We are in no position to play silly games.

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