Jose Fonte

Was a strikers dream tonight. Has been awful lately, Martin in next week defo.

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No! He's been shocking! He was to blame for both of them goals!!! Shocking!

No! He's been shocking! He was to blame for both of them goals!!! Shocking!

he has not been shocking as he...he made a mistake ffs

Agreed. Sorry but awful tonight. IF we go up (and it's a big if ) we need defenders, midfielders and forwards. We ain't gonna a Norwich/Swansea in the premier !

He has been very average this season, lucky to have Jos alongside him who has bailed him out countless times.

he has not been shocking as he...he made a mistake ffs

A mistake? Did you watch the game?

Fox cost us the 1st, cork? 2nd, Guly 3rd

A mistake? Did you watch the game?

obviously

not been a fan of fonte this season.

Deffo at fault for third

Have a word with yourself, yes poor for the third goal but has been a Rolls Royce in the leag ue this season. No need at all forth knee jerk reactions to a single loss.

He has been very average this season, lucky to have Jos alongside him who has bailed him out countless times.

Absolutely.

2 goals, his fault.

Has to be said sorry.

Doesn't mean he's sh1t all of a sudden though.

Needs to learn from today, pick himself up and for the whole team to be ready for boro!

Reading were very very lucky today.

1st GOAL WAS FOX, what a pathetic pass hes been are weak link in defence.

2nd Goal Was every defs fault 2 marking each other

3rd Goal was Gulys and Fonte but gulys stupid header back put us under pressure.

For me we were all over reading if Fox doesn't make that mistake we go carry on domainting the game Reading get more frustrated, means different result, Nigel doesnnt help himself either bringing on Guly.

Finding scapegoats isn't helpful, but I do believe it's fair to question Fonte's form recently.

We win as a team and lose as a team. We conceded 3 poor goals tonight.

Fonte has not been reliable, how many chances did they have and score from? Defence not good enough, Reading had men fighting to spoil our attack. We had no fight at the back.

we did seem to play verry well just missing the goals! We can do this still.

Slow getting back.

Jos has been our best defender this season for sure, but Fonte is by far the second best centre back we have. No chopping and changing now FFS. Fonte is a pro, he will learn from his mistakes. IF we go up we can bring in a challenger, but until then, get behind him... and all the lads FFS.

FFS.

He was poor, stripped by Le Fondre on numerous occasions when he came on and made everyone a bit nervous.

But players make mistakes and they have bad games, unfortunately this was the night for his bad game - but you cannot ignore his contribution over the season.

Have a word with yourself, yes poor for the third goal but has been a Rolls Royce in the leag ue this season. No need at all forth knee jerk reactions to a single loss.

He really hasn't.

Last year? Yes. An absolute cut above, League 1 football was far beneath him, it looked ridiculously easy for him at times.

This year, he's struggled at times to impose himself, and as much as I also like Jos I feel they still have some very shaky moments together. They're good for this level, and usually pretty consistent, but the Rolls Royce analogy is way, way over the top.

How many time were we screaming for saints to by Le Fondre last year. Sickening.

What really separates the premiership players from the championship ones is not how well they can play at their best, but what standard they can play to consistently week in week in out. It pains me to say it but imo Joase and at least four other first team regulars dont have what it takes - not just in the premiership but also top of championship.

I haven't been that impressed by him this season. He has done a solid job, but at times he has struggled. And unfortunately, I can see the pace and quality of the prem getting the better of him, if we go up.

I have not been overly impressed by Fonte this season either.One of 6 or 7 tonight who are not good enough for the premier league,if we get there.

Not been great second half of season but overall still quality.

Perhaps it was the haircut. Has he got time to grow a moustache?

Quality at what? Certainly not defending.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how good a player he is or he isn't, his current form is terrible and is costing us points.

Fox cost us the 1st, cork? 2nd, Guly 3rd

Thought it was Hammond who costed us the 2nd, seem to remember him losing it in the midfield.

Just seen a replay of the third, holy ****. Horrific.

Fox gave it away for 1st and fonte let roberts get in front of him. Roberts gave fonte tough time all game.

2nd goal resulted from fonte giving ball away with aimless pass

3rd goal weak header back to davis by fonte and le fondre nipped in to score

Shame because jos was outstanding tonight so was butterfield. Up until their 2nd goal we were on fire and had reading on back foot. Reading were extremely lucky. Really impressed with lambo and sharp link up play. Play like we did tonight in remaining games and we will be ok.

Thought it was a shaky performance at the back tonight all round.

Davis at fault for first, Fonte handled the ball for 3rd and would have been sent off

He didn't have a great game but drop him? Are you mad? It is very important to the way we play that we have two centre halves who are comfortable with the ball at their feet. He was excellent vs Palace, too.

I'm usually in the "keep the faith" camp, but with the way his form has been declining I'd definitely drop him for Martin. Possible that he's got too comfortable in his place in the team.

I'm usually in the "keep the faith" camp, but with the way his form has been declining I'd definitely drop him for Martin. Possible that he's got too comfortable in his place in the team.

Not at this stage of the season, no way. These lads got us there and they will get us over the line. Believe.

How many time were we screaming for saints to by Le Fondre last year. Sickening.

But it was frequently stated that not good enough, as not tried at this level.

Reading sign him for about £300,000 . No further comment.

Anyone that thinks Martin would have handled Roberts better needs to think again. Fonte made mistakes but he also did a lot of very good things. He's not world class and he hasn't been quite as dominant in quite as many games this season in this higher division, but overall he's still been bloody good.

As I saw it:

Fox at fault for the first with an overly ambitous pass.

Hammond lost possession too easily for the second, although Le Fondre did have too much time and room to score

Third goal... game might have been over by then..but feeble back header

Anyone that thinks Martin would have handled Roberts better needs to think again. Fonte made mistakes but he also did a lot of very good things. He's not world class and he hasn't been quite as dominant in quite as many games this season in this higher division, but overall he's still been bloody good.

Fair point, but then we have no reason to suspect he'd have done any worse either.

He really hasn't.

 

Last year? Yes. An absolute cut above, League 1 football was far beneath him, it looked ridiculously easy for him at times.

 

This year, he's struggled at times to impose himself, and as much as I also like Jos I feel they still have some very shaky moments together. They're good for this level, and usually pretty consistent, but the Rolls Royce analogy is way, way over the top.

As usual sir you've called it right. Our fans hero worship Fonte because he dropped down a division to join us and looked class in league one. As for jos, yes he's been decent but not great. In reality neither have been that much this season. I always look at a how solid a defence Is when it under pressure and can any saints fan honestly say we'd have won tonight if we'd got the battering Reading got? People might point to the Leeds game but that was more awful finishing and great goal keeping rather than a tremendous defensive display. It's easy to be a great defender when your team has 60% possession and wins 3-0. Can anyone honestly say we've won a game this season because we've defended brilliantly and caught a team on the break with clinical finishing? Because I can't

As usual sir you've called it right. Our fans hero worship Fonte because he dropped down a division to join us and looked class in league one. As for jos, yes he's been decent but not great. In reality neither have been that much this season. I always look at a how solid a defence Is when it under pressure and can any saints fan honestly say we'd have won tonight if we'd got the battering Reading got? People might point to the Leeds game but that was more awful finishing and great goal keeping rather than a tremendous defensive display. It's easy to be a great defender when your team has 60% possession and wins 3-0. Can anyone honestly say we've won a game this season because we've defended brilliantly and caught a team on the break with clinical finishing? Because I can't

Good post, imo. As soon as Le Fondre came on, I said to my grandson that we were in trouble. I just felt he was going to tear our two CH's to bits.

As usual sir you've called it right. Our fans hero worship Fonte because he dropped down a division to join us and looked class in league one. As for jos, yes he's been decent but not great. In reality neither have been that much this season. I always look at a how solid a defence Is when it under pressure and can any saints fan honestly say we'd have won tonight if we'd got the battering Reading got? People might point to the Leeds game but that was more awful finishing and great goal keeping rather than a tremendous defensive display. It's easy to be a great defender when your team has 60% possession and wins 3-0. Can anyone honestly say we've won a game this season because we've defended brilliantly and caught a team on the break with clinical finishing? Because I can't

Good point. We win well by scoring and getting on top of teams - the opposite to Reading. Hopefully we can get ahead and control the play at Peterboro and Middlesboro not have to defend for our lives a la Reading. I never understood why we didn't get a fourth centre back just to be ableto change the formation, replace struggling players, injuries suspensions and so on.

Good point. We win well by scoring and getting on top of teams - the opposite to Reading. Hopefully we can get ahead and control the play at Peterboro and Middlesboro not have to defend for our lives a la Reading. I never understood why we didn't get a fourth centre back just to be ableto change the formation, replace struggling players, injuries suspensions and so on.

It's a difficult one. There are a few players in the team who have found it more difficult to cope in the Championship this season, rather than League 1. I would say that Fonte, Hammond and Harding have all struggled and therefore not been as effective. Adkins does eeem to want to develop players rather than making whole sale changes and you can see his point as Saints have been in the top two all season whilst West Ham and Leicester who have both brought in over 12 players each, have struggled to find consistent form. Saying that, if we do get promoted Nigel will have to revamp the team quite substantially as I don't think half our current team would cope with the speed and quality of teams in the Prem.

Was a strikers dream tonight. Has been awful lately, Martin in next week defo.

No-one can play well every game ..even Ricky Lambert, but Fonte was injured in the C. Palace home fixture before Chrsitmas and was out for half a dozen games. (Aaron Martin came in). Since his return he hasn't really shown that early season form we saw.

I am reluctant to criticise any player based on one game (except I did when Bart played in the Blackpool game) however..

Fonte has looked a yard too slow and not always in the right place. His own goal v. Millwall was somewhat unlucky, and he wasn't alone with a poor performance v. Blackpool but his last seasons goal touch has also deserted him, and even NA was heard to say Fonte should have scored a third in the recent Palace game.

He was at fault for the first goal last night, and the third really was a schoolboy error ...a poor backpass that left Davis stranded, and Le Fondre (a VG poacher IMHO) took his 92nd min. chance well.

I know all about not changing a winning side, but we've only won ONE in the last FOUR (!) and now it's critical ...he may like a settled side, but Adkins would be brave to bring in Martin at this stage, instead of Fonte for the last few games.. but I'm sure it must be in his thoughts.

 

Saying that, if we do get promoted Nigel will have to revamp the team quite substantially as I don't think half our current team would cope with the speed and quality of teams in the Prem.

I'm absolutely certain of it. I won't name names (again) but barely half the present squad aren't upto scratch IMO, and there are a few first teamers now who wouldn't make the cut either.

But it was frequently stated that not good enough, as not tried at this level.

Reading sign him for about £300,000 . No further comment.

.....and more than a few on this site ...who said the same about Rickie Lambert !

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I'm absolutely certain of it. I won't name names (again) but barely half the present squad aren't upto scratch IMO, and there are a few first teamers now who wouldn't make the cut either.

I think most would agree with you but we have to get there first.

I am a big fan of Jose, but Roberts gave him the run around last night and made him look very average.

Fonte needs to have a word with himself before the Peterborough game.