$long

At this point in time, has he been worth the £12m (is this correct?) that we paid for him? I was doubtful for a very long (no pun intended) period of time, but right now I say yes! Not the most natural of goal scorers, and #7 is a gilded number to play in, but I tip my hat and say the man is a worthy saint.

At this point in time, has he been worth the £12m (is this correct?) that we paid for him? I was doubtful for a very long (no pun intended) period of time, but right now I say yes! Not the most natural of goal scorers, and #7 is a gilded number to play in, but I tip my hat and say the man is a worthy saint.

The Likes of Long JWP VVD and Clasie are now all showing why Koeman had confidence in them and kept them playing! Forster and Targett also deserve a great amount of credit for the recent run

Long allows us to play so many more variations in tactics than Pelle does because of his movement tenacity and pace

This run also demonstrates our deeper squad giving us the ability to maintain it with a number of key players missing over the last 6 matches

Always though Clasie would come good, still not 100% convinced of JWP, but yes...on the whole, Long has been worth the 12M.

Even though he deserves to have scored more goals, he must be an absolute menace for opposition defenders...like a wasp you can t get rid of ....

considering some of the other so called strikers we ve had, the transfer fee was worth it ...just for his nuisance value.

Yep. Well worth it.

Compared to the £32m the bin dippers spunked on benteke, hell yes.

Compared to the £32m the bin dippers spunked on benteke, hell yes.

It was deemed his fee was not relevant by the forum massive when he was struggling. So, for the sake of consistency, it would be wrong to suddenly start using it as a reference now he has found his feet.

He's doing well now. A proper pain in the arse for defenders. If he can do it week in week out even better.

Yep worth the fee, Longy has been very good this season IMO.

He needs a hatful of chances but luckily he works hard enough to create them. Very entertaining to watch, which is essentially the point of a spectator sport.

he's not just about goals, all the other stuff he does is so important - i love the fact he keeps on running and puts the oppo under constant pressure. on top of that he looks like he actually gives a sh1t and loves it when we win. its taken time but there are some players emerging as those who are all about the spirit of the club and i think he's one of them.

Always hated it when he played against us so more than happy he is playing for us.

Compared to the £32m the bin dippers spunked on benteke, hell yes.

And also a bargain compared to whatever we ended up wasting on that **** Osvaldo.

Listening to 5live on the way home they briefly discussed transfer fees and said £12 million is about average these days. I'd say Long is an about average Premier League player so what's the issue?

No, we should sell him to reinvest

Listening to 5live on the way home they briefly discussed transfer fees and said £12 million is about average these days. I'd say Long is an about average Premier League player so what's the issue?

Issues is what you have ;-)

Hull did well out of us on th fee but he has come good - it's not coincidence form came with a prolonged run in the side.

Always hated it when he played against us so more than happy he is playing for us.

it will be nice to say the same thing about Charlie Austin when he gets into the full side..

As fans should we be bothered about the fee paid, shouldn't we just be concerned about his output. Compare people's reaction to the Long and Austin deals, people think they are playing football manager. This is the real world digital kids.

Looking forward to a Long and Austin partnership up front once they get an understanding.

The turning point for Long was when Koeman gave him a run of games up front.

Until then he was largely ineffective playing out wide or reduced to the role of reluctant Pelle replacement.

For what we had seen from Long before he was overpriced. Now he is doing well, albeit in the knowledge he will always be iffy in front of goal.

Very impressive of late and for the first time is a key, must start player.

Never had a problem with the fee to be honest although comparing other players in terms of Schlongs has made me chuckle. £12m in today's market is not at all out of order and when you look at what other teams pay for bang average players, it's not a bad deal at all. Just really pleased for him (and us) that he's now in the team regularly generally frightening other teams defences.

Happy Valentines Day ?

Always hated it when he played against us so more than happy he is playing for us.

My view exactly. Was very pleased when we he came to Southampton and found it hard to understand the reaction of those who thought he shouldn't have been signed because of the price.

There are very few players like him, so yes. That's probably the price we had to pay to have that useful option in our squad.

Besides, I'm not that protective over our transfer fees. As long as we're not lobbing £20-30m around on flops I don't see the problem.

I never had a problem with Long but was definitely in the camp of those who think we overpaid for him. Not anymore. For me definitely worth the money now.

I read somewhere that Ron asked for a forward used to the premier league , who could play wide in a 3 or down the middle . When put in those terms there aren't too many better , that would come to the club .

Top professional , hard worker but lacking a bit in the finishing department . If he could finish he wouldn't be playing for us , he'd be at a top 4 side

I read somewhere that Ron asked for a forward used to the premier league , who could play wide in a 3 or down the middle . When put in those terms there aren't too many better , that would come to the club .

 

Top professional , hard worker but lacking a bit in the finishing department .

 

If he could finish he wouldn't be playing for us , he'd be at a top 4 side

.......if he could finish properly, we'd be a top 4 side

.......if he could finish properly, we'd be a top 4 side

True enough, but the same could have been said for Pelle last year, and Mane this year.

If only it were so...

.......if he could finish properly, we'd be a top 4 side

If he could finish properly he'd be a £25 million player

The 12m quid Brett Ormerod.

.......if he could finish properly, we'd be a top 4 side

Is there a problem with his goals to minutes played ratio?? Overall it's good, when he's played up front it's excellent

Now even Shane's hair is better than Pelle's.

Is there a problem with his goals to minutes played ratio?? Overall it's good, when he's played up front it's excellent

I'm not argueing that..I showed some stats. in January (that many people chose to ignore) that his goals to game-time ratio was the best of any Saints player.

That comment was (ironically) true.

If he'd put away a few more of those "near misses" we would be even higher in the League, but no blame should be attached to him for that - especially when you consider Pelle and Mane's recent / and not so recent performances.

£12m was a high price at the time but football fans don't ever think about what kind of attributes the players have, how they might fit in to the team or even their personality.

Football fans want the finished product straight away. Too quick to rule out development / improving under experienced coaches.

(re: coaching ).......if you consider Rickie Lambert's progress after he arrived (at a similar age), then maybe the best is yet to come from Shane .

I'm not argueing that..I showed some stats. in January (that many people chose to ignore) that his goals to game-time ratio was the best of any Saints player.

 

That comment was (ironically) true.

 

If he'd put away a few more of those "near misses" we would be even higher in the League, but no blame should be attached to him for that - especially when you consider Pelle and Mane's recent / and not so recent performances.

No pleasing some people. Shane has been outstanding for us this season but no matter what he does some expect more. How endearing.

Think he's fine and would certainly keep him in the squad but long term I'd prefer Austin as the more reliable finisher with Mane and Tadic supporting him.

But to be honest is he any worse than Vardy? Vardy has a Mahrez to supply him and a team that plays to his strengths but on attributes Long and Vardy are very similar. I mean if another club had bought Vardy last year for £12 million you'd have thought we'd had the better deal.

on attributes Long and Vardy are very similar. I mean if another club had bought Vardy last year for £12 million you'd have thought we'd had the better deal.

Not now you wouldn't.

Let's see how many Vardy scores over several seasons.

Beattie got 23 league goals in 02/03 but either side of that he got 12 and 14. I suspect Vardy will end up in similar territory.

PS. Leicester to go down next season.

The question no one has answered is who else with PL experience met the black box standard and valuation. We bid less than £12m and it was rejected. We seemingly wanted him badly so were happy to pay a premium at that time. But saying that, with the new PL deal being well known, it was surely inevitable that transfer fees would rocket thus with hindsight, that premium isn't such a big thing, it's just that we were one of the first to pay the inflated prices.

I like him. Always have. Frustrating but tries and runs until he drops, which is all you can ask for.

The question no one has answered is who else with PL experience met the black box standard and valuation. We bid less than £12m and it was rejected. We seemingly wanted him badly so were happy to pay a premium at that time. But saying that, with the new PL deal being well known, it was surely inevitable that transfer fees would rocket thus with hindsight, that premium isn't such a big thing, it's just that we were one of the first to pay the inflated prices.

 

I like him. Always have. Frustrating but tries and runs until he drops, which is all you can ask for.

We weren't paying an inflated price because of tv money, that stuff hasn't even started yet. We were playing an inflated price because he was still in the first year of his deal with Hull.