Jannik Vestergaard - Leicester Sign Defender

[Stan]

 

Not a bad choice to fill in for Evans/Fofana or both. Only £15m which, for his experience, isn't too bad. Played a lot with Bertrand and Kasper too. 

[Reluctant Striker]

Yes, Southampton have had a dodgy defence the last few seasons, but it's always felt to me it was more despite Vestergaard & Bednarek at CB, rather than because.

[Dr. Gonzo]

If I had to give an answer of how I think Vestergaard performs, I'd say...

 

[Cicero]

I always thought he was a top defender. 

[Dave]

Based on his PL form he's good for a mid table side trying to avoid a relegation battle, but for a team with top four ambitions? I'm not too convinced. 

He will score a couple of headers and he has leadership qualities, but Southampton have always been susceptible to the back and they should be looking at an upgrade in his position if they want to further themselves.

That said 15m is a fair place and maybe playing in front of a very good Goalkeeper hes familiar with will see the best of him.

[Dan+]

I have to say, we were linked a year ago and I really didn't like the idea - struck me as a really ill fit for the team, mainly due to the fact we play a quite high line and his weakness without doubt is his lack of speed.

But ever since I have kept a bit more of an eye on him. We do persist with targets even if we miss out a year or two before so I always had a feeling we'd get him, and I have quite warmed to him as a player. First of all we are atrocious at defending set pieces, the single worst side in the league for me, so he's a massive help in this area as he's a giant. I remember us losing to a 10 man Southampton under Puel, quite early in Hasenhuttl's reign and he just won absolutely everything. He's got a good range of passing too.

With Fofana's injury and Evans looking like he's got at least another month before we even get him back into training, this makes sense to me. Got plenty of experience playing with Schmeichel too and don't forget how big a pain in the arse Denmark are to break down.

I think this makes some sense really. Been told tonight it's done as well.

[Danny]

Good signing for depth, not so good for long term first 11. But you never know

[Dan+]

Does make me laugh though we've now signed half of the back line we put 9 past

[Stan]

2 minutes ago, Dan said:

Does make me laugh though we've now signed half of the back line we put 9 past

To be fair Bertrand was only part of that for 12 minutes  

[Dan+]

2 minutes ago, Stan said:

To be fair Bertrand was only part of that for 12 minutes  

Yeah I said when we signed him we signed probably their best player on the night!

Even more bizarrely Vestergaard got sent off in very similar circumstances in the same fixture the season just gone.

[Rick]

Saints must have somebody lined up, there’s no way you can get rid of him and not bring in a replacement. Hassenhuttl will be raging. 

[Dan+]

Hasenhuttl must surely be looking at a way out of there. It's appalling what they're doing. I'm quite confident they'll go down. That's Ings, Bertrand and Vestergaard all gone - they weren't exactly strong before this.

[Stan]

6 minutes ago, Rick said:

Saints must have somebody lined up, there’s no way you can get rid of him and not bring in a replacement. Hassenhuttl will be raging. 

Nat Phillips' name has been thrown about.

4 minutes ago, Dan said:

Hasenhuttl must surely be looking at a way out of there. It's appalling what they're doing. I'm quite confident they'll go down. That's Ings, Bertrand and Vestergaard all gone - they weren't exactly strong before this.

They really could be hot favourites for relegation. They tailed off hugely even with those players after they went top in October I think it was. Huge fall. 

And they've lost approximately 20 goals which is big in their situation.

[Devil]

12 hours ago, Dan said:

Hasenhuttl must surely be looking at a way out of there. It's appalling what they're doing. I'm quite confident they'll go down. That's Ings, Bertrand and Vestergaard all gone - they weren't exactly strong before this.

Unbelievable how many players they've let go without replacing them now. 

It's not like they've got this stock of young talents like they usually have, they've basically lost three of their best players this window for peanuts. 

[Danny]

They've replaced Ings though. Just Bertrand and Vestergaard, who hasn't even left yet.

[Devil]

55 minutes ago, Danny said:

They've replaced Ings though. Just Bertrand and Vestergaard, who hasn't even left yet.

Don't know much about that Armstrong lad, is he any good?

He's cheap on the Fantasy football and these ex Championship players always prove to be a bargain. 

[Danny]

Just now, Devil said:

Don't know much about that Armstrong lad, is he any good?

He's cheap on the Fantasy football and these ex Championship players always prove to be a bargain. 

Second best striker in the league last season just after Toney, and he's a similar type of striker to Ings.

They have also already signed a left back from France, so that's Bertrand replaced.

[Devil]

2 minutes ago, Danny said:

Second best striker in the league last season just after Toney, and he's a similar type of striker to Ings.

They have also already signed a left back from France, so that's Bertrand replaced.

Yeah, just checked his stats, not bad. 

Only difference for me Toney is coming up with a club that will be on the crest of a wave and hopefully get positive results from the get go. Armstrong on the other hand is going into a side that lacks creativity other Ward Prowse. 

[Danny]

3 minutes ago, Devil said:

Yeah, just checked his stats, not bad. 

Only difference for me Toney is coming up with a club that will be on the crest of a wave and hopefully get positive results from the get go. Armstrong on the other hand is going into a side that lacks creativity other Ward Prowse. 

Yeah Toney plays for a side that will move heaven and earth to provide chances for him. But I think at some point Southampton's system will work for them, they normally have a long good run and a long bad run, so don't see why Armstrong can't do well there. I do think with Saints it's a matter of stagnating this season rather than moving forward or weakening.

[Dan+]

I suppose in a way you'll just have to see how it goes. I've little faith in Southampton but we've proven many a time that selling players isn't a huge error. The difference I suppose is that we never lost more than one key player a season and they've lost three.

[Dave]

Given the Southampton owners have had the club up for sale for a significant period of time I'd be surprised if the same effort is going in to there recruitment as it was when they signed several class players to replace leaving talent.

[Dr. Gonzo]

2 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

Given the Southampton owners have had the club up for sale for a significant period of time I'd be surprised if the same effort is going in to there recruitment as it was when they signed several class players to replace leaving talent.

Tbh though, if you are looking to sell a premier league club... you're going to want a shitload of money... and not reinvesting in your side when it's losing so many key players is a good way for your club to tank back down to the championship and suddenly lose a whole lot of value.

I wonder if they've got the faith in Hassenhuttl to be able to shithouse enough like Steve Bruce. Although with Bruce, it took giving him substantial backing that wasn't really given to the man before him... and it doesn't really look like Southampton are truly going to splash the cash.

I do hope this means they come in for Nat Phillips though. I don't think we'll get more money for him than we will this summer.

[Lucas]

15 hours ago, Dan said:

I suppose in a way you'll just have to see how it goes. I've little faith in Southampton but we've proven many a time that selling players isn't a huge error. The difference I suppose is that we never lost more than one key player a season and they've lost three.

Saints fans are fine with Vestergaard leaving though. I think because he scored a couple goals and got a few fantasy points his stock is a little higher amongst neutrals than what it should be.

Last season, they bought Salisu who didn't feature till near the end of the season and was very impressive, they have every confidence he will slot in fine next to Bednarek.

Bertrand has been replaced by Romaine Perraud who was sought after by a few clubs after an impressive season in France, and Armstrong will fill the void from Ings.

So they have replaced who has left, it's just whether the newer players can prove themselves at this level.

They also have Romeu back who was a big loss for them when he got injured against us in February and Stuary Armstrong is a very underrated player, much like John McGinn was for a while.

What they haven't done however is add more creative talent to a side that needed it. That's what they need tbh. The likes of Redmond, Djnepro, Walcott are all sub par players.

And it doesn't help they swap the keepers about, I don't think either McCarthy or Forster are solid no.1's these days.

Nathan Tella is one to watch though.

[Stan]

1 hour ago, Lucas said:

Nathan Tella is one to watch though.

Ibrahim Diallo as well, their defensive/central midfielder. He was one of their standout players when we played them in January/February I think. 

 

They may have replaced some players but they've lost a lot of experience - Ings, Bertrand and Vestergaard are big players to lose for a side like Southampton. For their sake just need to hope those replacements are up to it. Armstrong will probably be settled the quickest you'd think. It's also up to other players to step up now - those like Adams, Ward-Prowse, Stuart Armstrong. It's their time to be better than they have ever been. 

[Stan]

Signed. 

Available for tomorrow as well.