Juanmi Unsettled?

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/juanmi-unhappy-at-southampton-already-wants-return-to-former-club

Would hardly be a suprise to be honest. To go from a Spain squad with all the quality they have to not really being trusted as a sub for a midtable English team must be quite frustrating.

Just looks physically unsuited to the PL. Will be interesting to see how we handle him and try to give him game time - a consequence of being out of Europe earlier than planned too.

Might get a bit more of an opportunity with Jay Rod potentially needing an operation. He is lightweight but he needs to knuckle down and make the most of any chances he does get.

Poor bloke whats he on a million quid a year?

Poor bloke whats he on a million quid a year?

Lol my thoughts exactly! He wants to try and earn 40 times less than that then come tell me about being unhappy :-)

Is he not allowed to be professionally frustrated despite earning lots of money?

Interesting viewpoint.

Is he not allowed to be professionally frustrated despite earning lots of money?

 

Interesting viewpoint.

It's probably a good sign that he is frustrated, he just wants to play and contribute to the first team. Better that then kicking back and just collecting his weekly fortune.

Until we know what he was told when he joined the club I think it is unfair to judge whether he has a right to be unhappy or not. What is clear to me though is that Koeman does not trust him to play for us at the moment. I think he has quality, but he is so small and so weak it's almost like his physical stature completely undermines his ability on the ball. When Koeman deliberately allows Juanmi to be fouled in training in order to toughen Juanmi up then it also isn't just a physical thing, it's also a mental thing for Juanmi.

Lets face it - if we're one down tomorrow and Juanmi gets chucked on for the last 20mins none of us are going to think he is going to turn the game around for us, are they? I'd have more faith in Gaston, and we all know his time is up with the club.

If Juanmi is to go on loan I'd rather he stay in English football otherwise there is no point.

Decent little player, won't play an awful lot this year. A good young addition, who gives us depth in the squad.

He'll take time to settle, wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't make an impact until next year atleast. Needs to bulk up a bit, but has decent technical ability.

When Mane leaves, he will play more!!!

Get rid and buy someone decent.

When Mane leaves, he will play more!!!

And he'll be nowhere near as good in all likelihood

Cheap buy, similar to Mayuka in terms of fee. Unlikely to succeed based on what I've seen so far. Small forwards have to have something exceptional to do well in the Premier League, either pace or skill or great vision. Havne;t seen anything to suggest this guy has any of these attributes.

Seems totally unsuited to our football. But to be fair, even world class players have needed a year to settle. Give him a season before writing him off.

Is the phrase 'needs to bulk up a bit' becoming the new HCDAJFU? If we had signed Messi ten years ago everyone would be saying 'looks promising..needs to bulk up a bit'

I thought Ramirez was better, more lively, more effective, on their cameo appearances recently.

think of ozil....world class but needed a season or two.

trouble is that in spain if the team is awful, generally their defending is awful too. In england, the bottom league teams go the other way, very very defensive, 11 men behind the ball, makes it difficult for a little player like juanmi to find space and do anything half decent.

definitely needs time to get used to england in that regard, esp. to playing very tightly organised, men behind the ball type teams.

I think he wouldn't do badly in a game like swansea or bournemouth where the game is stretched and the other team is coming at us a little more.

His dinked cross for Long's goal in the first Euro qualifier suggests he's got decent technique and vision, so there's definitely hope for him. Since we're set up to play to Pelle's strengths, our other forwards have to be extremely versatile, and at the moment I think Juanmi is probably struggling to make the transition from on-the-shoulder striker to a more all-purpose attacker who is expected to make chances as well as loiter up the field looking to sneak a yard.

Is the phrase 'needs to bulk up a bit' becoming the new HCDAJFU? If we had signed Messi ten years ago everyone would be saying 'looks promising..needs to bulk up a bit'

Not even sure how it helps it's not like going to the gym is going make him taller he'll just end up looking like a short incredible hulk. FWIW the little bits I've seen of him I thought he looked promising but seemed to struggle with the pace of games. It's not so much he got knocked off the ball because of his stature but because he wasn't anticipating opposition players closing him down so quickly. The only way he will improve is through regular game time in the league. Which is going to be a problem given how on form our current forward line is right now (not to mention Shane Long on the bench)

The manager is responsible for team selection and clearly Ronald Koeman doesn't rate him above others in the squad. Can't disagree with that.

Clearly he has (some) talent, but the reports about " toughening up " routines in training seem to have tilted the balance.

The Prem. is a tough (physical) league, too..and skilful players who come along have to get used to that PDQ. ( A reminder of the early days with Gaston here).

As always there are two options.

(1) I'm not getting game time and I want to go back home .........or....... (2) I'm willing to stick it out and fight for my place.

In time Juanmi will make his own decision, but just now ....we're not missing him.

There were a few moments in his last couple of appearances that suggested he is getting physically and mentally stronger. Add this to the comments Koeman made about his physical strength, needing time to adapt and the fact he's working with him specifically to prepare him physically and mentally for the EPL and it all paints a picture of him being 'one for the future'. Koeman's comments were quite funny really, saying he is sometimes the ref' in training games and doesn't blow the whistle when Juanmi gets taken down, suggesting he needs to man up, get up and get on with it more.

I think he's got the ability, he's young, he's small, so he's being introduced gradually and built-up ready for next season. I don't think Koeman or anybody else at the club would bother if they didn't rate him.

Think he was planned to be used more during the Euro games, before we made our quick exit, along with Caulker. These players were brought in to give us depth for the extra games, which are now now there imo.

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/juanmi-unhappy-at-southampton-already-wants-return-to-former-club

 

Would hardly be a suprise to be honest. To go from a Spain squad with all the quality they have to not really being trusted as a sub for a midtable English team must be quite frustrating.

 

 

Just looks physically unsuited to the PL. Will be interesting to see how we handle him and try to give him game time - a consequence of being out of Europe earlier than planned too.

Mid table prem team? Last time I looked we were 7th.

Mid table prem team? Last time I looked we were 7th.

Last time I looked that's a mid table kinda position.

Seems totally unsuited to our football. But to be fair, even world class players have needed a year to settle. Give him a season before writing him off.

Even Mane took a while to get settled. That miss away to Spurs last season...

He can't have too many complaints. It's not like he's done well and been ignored.

He needs to take his chances as a sub and show what he can do. It's been 5 minutes so far, he'll get chances over the season.

Be more worrying if he was delighted with how it had gone so far.

you know I might have agreed with this " Adrians " - except that Juanmi has had far more games time than many of us might have thought.....

......even if we put aside over (c.100 minutes) he played in the 4 Euro League games...

......and the fact that he played a full 90 mins v.MK Dons...... and 67 mins.v. Villa in the Capital One Cup..

..... Juanmi has (before yesterday) had 4 Prem. sub. apps (totalling approx. 50 mins) - all seemingly without making any sort of impression that many of us can recall.

YES - it's hard to come on as sub. and be expected to make a real impact, although the oft-maligned Shane Long has scored two of his four goals this season as an oncoming sub. (and we recall that we won the game v. Leicester last season thanks to his double) - after coming on late in the game.

Now I'm not going to go out now as say (as some might) that Juanmi is rubbish, and never should have been signed, because it does take time for some new players to settle in, but it's clear there are a number of issues here to be resolved. Koeman has already hinted at the " toughening-up " ploy he used in practice games, and it's clear the player is not used to the pace and physical nature of the Prem. game. Something that needs some adjustment time.

In time, he will (we hope) improve to the level that he can come on and make an impact, and not just to make up the numbers.

Sadly with Jay Rod for an indeterminate period of time, we are thin on the ground. With Pelle out v. Man.City and the Liverpool Cup game upcoming -

.....if there was ever a time for " a fringe player " to make his mark - it's now. The next month or so maybe a make or break time for Juanmi's Saints' career.

Is the phrase 'needs to bulk up a bit' becoming the new HCDAJFU? If we had signed Messi ten years ago everyone would be saying 'looks promising..needs to bulk up a bit'

He's welcome to dance through defenders like Messi, if he likes. Otherwise, he does need to strengthen because he is being brushed off the ball too easily.

He's not much use when we bring him on 5 minutes from the end when all we're interested in doing is lumping the ball in the air.

I'm really not " anti-Juanmi " (as Saints paid out £5 million for him, I'd like to see him succeed), but he's not shown much at all in the time he's been here.

I published his stats here on #26, but the fact is that he was a sub. 4 times in the Euro League games coming on after 61, 64, 83 and 82 mins.

In addition this he has started 2 Capital Cup games, and been sub. in 4 Prem. matches. on at 85, 75, 82, and 85 mins. ....but has yet to score in any match.

The only player he can be compared with (from Saints viewpoint) is Shane Long who made only his second Prem. start on Saturday, and has been a sub. on only 6 occasions in games and scored late goals in two of those. Long was selected to start just once in Capital Cup and scored twice. ( A game that Juanmi also played in).

As above, I wrote if the sole purpose of subbing players is just to bring off a tired ,or injured player and keep the numbers level ....then OK, but as a supposedly oncoming striker...then Juanmi has been singularly unlucky .. so far. We must hope his luck changes soon.

He might get a bit more game time from the bench at City with Pelle being out.

I well remember the late Alan Ball as a youngster.Not very big but once he filled out he was quite a terror. Juanmi should be given a chance because people like RK don't just buy stocking fillers.He must have some potential which we don't see.Up to now we've hardly seen much of him and he's been disappointing but I'd rather trust RK's judgment than the experts in the stands.

I'm really not " anti-Juanmi " (as Saints paid out £5 million for him, I'd like to see him succeed), but he's not shown much at all in the time he's been here.

 

I published his stats here on #26, but the fact is that he was a sub. 4 times in the Euro League games coming on after 61, 64, 83 and 82 mins.

In addition this he has started 2 Capital Cup games, and been sub. in 4 Prem. matches. on at 85, 75, 82, and 85 mins. ....but has yet to score in any match.

So that's about a match and a half of game time total in Europa/Premier League and the 2 Capital One Cup games (one of which he did very well in). Hardly worth worrying about him not having scored is it?

He is a player RK see's as a future star and not for this season. 100%

Agreed - I thought it was well documented that he is seen as " one for the future".

From the little I have seen of him he looks lightweight and has not impressed.

He hasnt particularly impressed in the prem so far (despite a few flashes of good stuff), but has looked a class above in a few of the reserve and pre-season games I saw him in. Needs time and fingers crossed he'll settle in and be with us for a good few years having shown more of what he can do by the end of the season / beginning of next.

Also a quick reminder that Mane still looked at best dodgy after a similar amount of time, with twice as many games under his belt, and he turned out alright.

Also a quick reminder that Mane still looked at best dodgy after a similar amount of time, with twice as many games under his belt, and he turned out alright.

TBF, Mane did do that sick back-heel to Bertrand on his debut against QPR though

Agreed - I thought it was well documented that he is seen as " one for the future".

Yep there was a newspaper article earlier in the season about our recruitment. The jurno who wrote it, whose name escapes me, seemed to be getting his info direct from the club and he used those exact words when he mentioned Juanmi in the article.

Watching this perhaps we are not playing to the young mans strengths and need to play more route one... play him against citeh and get Steks firing long punts down the middle of the field all game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZaFqNRqylw

Seemed fairly obvious to me that we'd signed him in a position where we have current "starters" as opposed to filling the gaps left by Forster, Clyne, Schneiderlin and Alderweireld, so he was going to be introduced to the side less quickly than Stekelenburg, Cedric, Clasie and Van Dijk were going to. Romeu got a look-in too thanks to Clasie's injury.

Watching this perhaps we are not playing to the young mans strengths and need to play more route one... play him against citeh and get Steks firing long punts down the middle of the field all game

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZaFqNRqylw

Most of the clips I've seen show him hammering flat out to tap in a cross or through ball, or dribbling through the middle with the ball from the hole. He's not had much chance to do either for us so far.

Had expected a fair bit more. Barely has a run out in the Premier League, even when Mane hasn't been on the pitch.

Seemed fairly obvious to me that we'd signed him in a position where we have current "starters" as opposed to filling the gaps left by Forster, Clyne, Schneiderlin and Alderweireld, so he was going to be introduced to the side less quickly than Stekelenburg, Cedric, Clasie and Van Dijk were going to. Romeu got a look-in too thanks to Clasie's injury.

I feel this is pretty much it. I don't feel he's played enough for anyone to judge his ability realistically. I can recall a few snippets - a sharp/incisive pass to JRod, releasing Pelle, the assist for Long. Not much done, but then not much played, so it's unfair to be critical. On that point (not having played), does anyone share the belief that Koeman makes substitutions rather late in the game as standard? I have nothing to base this on (i.e. I haven't looked into it - perhaps I will), but I'm under the impression that Koeman always seems to make changes reluctantly/late in the second half. Perhaps if he was more inclined to do so, Juanmi would've had more game time by now.

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/star-has-outline-agreement-on-january-southampton-transfer-money-

Leaving in Jan?

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/star-has-outline-agreement-on-january-southampton-transfer-money-

 

Leaving in Jan?

opens up a space for Austin

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/star-has-outline-agreement-on-january-southampton-transfer-money-

 

Leaving in Jan?

Sounds unlikely really, although if it is why did we sign him in the first place.

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/star-has-outline-agreement-on-january-southampton-transfer-money-

 

Leaving in Jan?

Hopefully we resist any such nonsense. Otherwise all we'll have done is given Malaga a 5 million pound charity donation.

In games where we are winning convincingly I don't understand why RK doesn't replace Pelle with Jaunmi. When Juanmi has played he has been out of position on the wing.

In games where we are winning convincingly I don't understand why RK doesn't replace Pelle with Jaunmi. When Juanmi has played he has been out of position on the wing.

Didn't cost enough and Koeman probably didn't want him in the first place anyway. Probably wanted another dutch league goleador, keeping Elia or something similar but we didn't want to spend enough to get them.

In games where we are winning convincingly I don't understand why RK doesn't replace Pelle with Jaunmi. When Juanmi has played he has been out of position on the wing.

Maybe he will if and when we are.

I personally think he should be given game time, rather than playing England's next back passer.