Aaron Ramsdale: return to Southampton confirmed

[sushimonster85]

48 minutes ago, JT24 said:

"heavy loan fee" makes no sense in any way whatsoever.

 

Don't get me wrong, Romano is an absolute bellend, but lets take the piss out of him for actual reasons. Rather than just English not being his first language. 

[Chicken Dancer]

Slept on this and still think it’s a fucking shit signing, reflective of our embarrassing scouting network. 
 

 

[GEFAFWISP]

Quick look but Pope usually outperforms against the expected goals conceded while Ramsdale usually underperforms (bar one year at Arsenal). One data point of course, and I'm sure Andy Howe knows more than me, but similar to DCL being historically shit at converting his expected goals, Ramsdale is not the answer.

[Yorkie]

2 minutes ago, Chicken Dancer said:

Slept on this and still think it’s a fucking shit signing, reflective of our embarrassing scouting network. 
 

 

 

Does the fact that Howe obviously rates him count for nowt? 

[Chicken Dancer]

1 minute ago, Yorkie said:

 

Does the fact that Howe obviously rates him count for nowt? 

Howe clearly likes shopping in England. I’m 100% certain we’d be able to get a better player for similar outlay on the continent if we cast the net further afield.
 

As for Ramsdale I’ll be delighted if he never sees the pitch for us. I hope I’m wrong, I have been before under Howe (a good few times). He’s in the DCL/Kilman bracket for me, and we’ve allegedly tried for both of them in the last 12 months too. 
 

Shopping solely in England - with the exception of Ekitike - is a hugely restrictive way of conducting business. We can’t be whinging about PSR in the future if we’re going to insist on shopping in the most expensive market in football. 

[The Prophet]

3 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Does the fact that Howe obviously rates him count for nowt? 

 

I agree, it's an underwhelming signing, but the hyperbole is in overdrive. Especially for what might end up being a stop-gap.

 

You'd think after our recruitment team have made folk look daft over and over, we'd reserve at least a bit of judgement, even if we have our reservations about a signing.

[Roids]

As a backup? sure
As Pope's replacement/competition?  laughable

 

 

Edited July 29, 2025 by Roids

[sushimonster85]

8 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Does the fact that Howe obviously rates him count for nowt? 

 

This is the only thing I'm clinging to to make me feel better about this one. 

[Izakaya]

9 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Does the fact that Howe obviously rates him count for nowt? 

Susan Boyle would be the fittest woman I've ever seen if she's all I had ever looked at. 

[Elliottman]

Everyone who is dead set against this actually watched the lad that much or do we just not like his face? And by watched - more than 20 minutes here and there on match of the day. 

[STM]

I see we are doing the whole "Howe only likes British based players" bullshit again. Cool.

 

Tried to sign Ekitike, are trying to sign Sesko, we were linked with that French goalkeeper who went to PSG, plus 3 CB from Italy, France and Spain. 

 

Also, "why aren't we signing mystery player x from abroad who im sure is better and cheaper than Ramsdale". No names. Never names.

[The Prophet]

Schrodingers whinge #2 

 

"I'm not a scout, but I know there must be better value elsewhere (price to be confirmed)."

[Hanshithispantz]

Ramsdale makes 34 passes per game, Pope makes 21. Assuming Ramsdale is good off his line I think we'll be a fair way better with him than Pope.

[STM]

Just now, The Prophet said:

Schrodingers whinge #2 

 

"I'm not a scout, but I know there must be better value elsewhere (price to be confirmed)."

 

They dont give names, they dont give prices, they have no clue on the attitude or personality of these mystery players but apart from that...

[Chicken Dancer]

Ahh shit yes. Completely forgot that that Howe is ever above criticism. Apologies. Shopping exclusively in England is the way to go  (with the exception of Ekitike who we’ve tried for 3 times now). 

 

Given Ramsdale has been starting games for about 5/6 years now, I’m sure most of us have seen plenty of him. He’s shit, happy to be proven wrong as I have been before, but I’d sooner he just didn’t see any minutes.
 

If he’s being brought in as a backup then fair enough, but I still don’t think he’s an upgrade on the current back up and resources could be best used in other areas.

[The Prophet]

I don't think anyone is saying the recruitment team is above criticism. It's quite the opposite at the moment

[Lordshola]

6 minutes ago, Chicken Dancer said:

Ahh shit yes. Completely forgot that that Howe is ever above criticism. Apologies. Shopping exclusively in England is the way to go  (with the exception of Ekitike who we’ve tried for 3 times now). 

 

Given Ramsdale has been starting games for about 5/6 years now, I’m sure most of us have seen plenty of him. He’s shit, happy to be proven wrong as I have been before, but I’d sooner he just didn’t see any minutes.
 

If he’s being brought in as a backup then fair enough, but I still don’t think he’s an upgrade on the current back up and resources could be best used in other areas.

Care to share any alternatives you think we should be going after?

[Menace]

15 minutes ago, STM said:

I see we are doing the whole "Howe only likes British based players" bullshit again. Cool.

 

Tried to sign Ekitike, are trying to sign Sesko, we were linked with that French goalkeeper who went to PSG, plus 3 CB from Italy, France and Spain. 

 

Also, "why aren't we signing mystery player x from abroad who im sure is better and cheaper than Ramsdale". No names. Never names.

 

Really?

[STM]

4 minutes ago, Chicken Dancer said:

Ahh shit yes. Completely forgot that that Howe is ever above criticism. Apologies. Shopping exclusively in England is the way to go  (with the exception of Ekitike who we’ve tried for 3 times now). 

 

Given Ramsdale has been starting games for about 5/6 years now, I’m sure most of us have seen plenty of him. He’s shit, happy to be proven wrong as I have been before, but I’d sooner he just didn’t see any minutes.
 

If he’s being brought in as a backup then fair enough, but I still don’t think he’s an upgrade on the current back up and resources could be best used in other areas.

 

Noone is above criticism.

 

Weve been in for more than Ekitike abroad.

 

Ramsdale isnt "shit".

 

Hes better than Dubravka.

 

And signing Ramsdale actually frees up money, rather than wastes it because its a loan.

 

Apart from that you nailed it.

[Nine]

1 minute ago, Lordshola said:

Care to share any alternatives you think we should be going after?

They never can 

[Stuy_O]

You can question the scouting or lack of trust in scouting without having a wide knowledge on European footballers. Same as you could question the finances or any area of the club without being an expert on it. It’s called being a supporter. 

 

 

Edited July 29, 2025 by Stuy_O

[Chicken Dancer]

Just now, Lordshola said:

Care to share any alternatives you think we should be going after?

 
I’m not paid thousands of pounds to identify talent.

 

1 minute ago, STM said:

 

Noone is above criticism.

 

Weve been in for more than Ekitike abroad.

 

Ramsdale isnt "shit".

 

Hes better than Dubravka.

 

And signing Ramsdale actually frees up money, rather than wastes it because its a loan.

 

Apart from that you nailed it.

 

Like who? We’ve bid for Ekitike this summer, who else from abroad? I’m not talking about links. 
 

Ramsdale is crap, but I suppose we’ll have to agree to disagree on that and your next point. Matter of opinions. 

 

It’s been reported to be a ‘heavy’/substantial loan fee. I guess until we know it wouldn’t be fair to comment on how much it frees up, but the wording doesn’t sound cheap to me. Obviously will be cheaper than £30m+.

[andycap]

Linked with foreign players is one thing actually making a bid is another. 

Nearly all the English based players we've been linked with we have bid for. 

[Kid Icarus]

I totally agree that when the circumstances are that people are talking about a new manager but can't answer the "who's a better and realistic option then?" that their insistence we can do better than what we have is undermined.

 

When the claim is that we should be able to find a better/realistic alternative to Aaron Ramsdale though, I don't think that's an outlandish thing to expect that needs a host of examples to make it a valid point.

 

 

Edited July 29, 2025 by Kid Icarus

[AyeDubbleYoo]

23 minutes ago, Elliottman said:

Everyone who is dead set against this actually watched the lad that much or do we just not like his face? And by watched - more than 20 minutes here and there on match of the day. 

 

It's mainly because he has a reputation because of that concentration comment he made IMO. As a player he's pretty good, I watched some videos of England training when he was in the squad a while back and he looked very sharp. 

 

He's kind of become a comedy character but it's way exaggerated. And the fact that he's also coming in alongside Pope makes me feel OK about it. Not excited but fine considering where we are.