gio1saints

Joe Aribo has the ability to hold the ball in crowded areas of midfield and is hard to dispossess. He showed that characteristic multiple times in the promotion season. He’s not flashy but he retains possession, at this level, very well. He is also willing and able to play almost anywhere so he could make match day squads with injuries etc. Sam Edozie, as has already been mentioned is a LW pure and simple. He will be battling it out with Jay obviously but also the new guy Leo - who will surely get first /second dibs - and then there is Ryan Fraser who has rediscovered the form that saw him ultimately take Sam’s place last time we were here. I suspect Sam is currently going to be fourth choice and not making the match day squad for now.

I hope we do not need to use them but the fact that our reserves will 100% be stronger than most others means that in the depths of fixture congestion we should prove stronger and stay “ up there” in the table fingers crossed.

Damian Downs did not get off the bench in usas recent dismal 2-0 defeat to South Korea. He IS likely to start or play a decent part of the match tomorrow v Japan. That will be worth watching. Quarshie only played a half for Germany u21’s v Albania away other day but from highlights he looked like he was central of a back 3 or at the least he seemed to touch the ball a lot and well - more than I’ve seen as a more advanced CB. He looks the part I must say. Liverpool just bought Leon who is 18 and also 6ft4 and I think there’s an evident euro movement in coach thinking towards BIG CB’s - long throws- long balls happening / in which case we may have caught the zeitgeist early for once in capturing this lad! Tuchel saying that’s how England should look to play says a lot!

Nice spot. Think you are right. Certainly watching that Ireland match with Saints players instead of another episode of same old boring boring England.

Genius sir 🙌

Well I think that he’s been one of our better players this season.😁 If asked to say who is the most improved player for saints this year the answer, for me, is Fraser or Jay then Ryan. Cam fourth. Shea was not here last year.The rest nowhere. Perhaps you do not consider the low base from which he started as relevant but I do. Given his relative unpopularity on the terraces overcoming that as well shows he’s got guts and ability. Add in a very good high pressure WC international performance v Hungary as well plus two excellent goals and the assist that sparked an fightback for his Country and he’s got a good case to being our best / most effective performer this season! But yup- opinions will differ or vary!No worries. He’s not Roberto Carlos or Paolo Maldini and his defending is not very good I totally agree! 😁 On your comment regarding not playing him in a back four - and simultaneously not wanting to see a back 3 versus pfc. Don’t need to be a brain surgeon to work out that you’d be dropping Ryan Manning for the derby in favour of someone else presumably the new signing Jelert at LB in a straight four? If so it’s a bold decision dropping manning especially after last nights success and I have no idea about jelert apart from he is speedy danish a bit injury prone an international ( but not in latest squad) but well regarded - and Caspar made him look like a dustbin in training the other day 😂

Could you clarify what you mean please? My understanding of a #10 is he generally plays behind a front one or front two and goes where he likes. playing next to Charles in a 5 man CM I presume you mean Charles is his minder and Finn still goes where he likes- or take it in turns? Is it that Finn is better when he’s got players close by? I’ve not really grasped the alternate position you suggesting for him? Ah- no need you explained it above. Yes I think you are probably right.

Memory is working fine @trousers. Ryan was very unfairly and stupidly tainted by association with RM - but also by not being very good defensively and often not good enough offensively during most of his saints career. And, despite his work rate the consensus on this forum andNortham was generally meh and groaning whenever he was playing. He also suffered badly by comparison with another not great defender but much better offensively FB in KWP. This season he is a revelation. He has been doing exactly what he likes to do- and is good at - maraud left flank put crosses in - safe in the knowledge that he has defensive back up and managers got his back. A couple if free kicks and assists later and the bloke is obviously in the purple patch of form - of his entire Saints career. Unless injured he’s undroppable at present and must start v Pompey. NB. He may or may not be undroppable in a back four however in which a better defensively LB is required. Manning form, in the position he’s currently playing, may be the deciding factor in whether we go 3CB or not v Pompey. My personal view is play a back four with him in it - but ensure the defence shuffle across to a back three ( Mads, THB, JS) when he marauds.

Nice work thank you. 🙌

It “should” pan out as follows: Fellows takes Aribos #7 shirt Scienza takes Edozies #23 shirt Caspar takes vacant #8 shirt Jelert takes whatever number he likes not already taken. If neither Sam or Joe leave then the newbies can choose a number - or in what might be a tough move- they are asked to give up their squad numbers to the newbies. Don’t think it will come to that if they stay though. Not good for team morale. Or maybe it is. I’m not convinced. Depends ob Sam and Joe training attitude if they stay but not make squads - which I have 100% conviction will be totally professional.

It would be a bold statement starting Casper instead of Flynn or Shea. Ditto starting Jelert instead of Manning and Scienza instead of Jay or Ryan. Of the newbies only Mads Fellows and Azaz are nailed on starters - for me. I think Fraser will start and be replaced last 30 by Jay whilst sane with Scienza for Azaz and Charles/Flynn for Caspar same time. if we need goals the other subs are going to be attackers but if it’s an easy win Jelert may get a run out for Manning or Mads..

I like the idea of having a bona fide dcm. We sometimes appear lightweight in middle of the park because we use a “ player” who can “defend” ( Flynn/ Will for example) there instead of a “defender” who can “play”. ( like perhaps Ronnie ). Now we have more specialist attackers/players up front the chance to install specialist dcm arises. We don’t need quite as many multitaskers.

Ive never seen Flynn Downes nor Shea Charles do what Caspar did to Jelert. I thought fuck! When I saw that. Shea is 6ft 2/3 so I give him benefit of the doubt cos for his size he’s a very good dribbler - and he has that athleticism and physical presence also. I’d say Flynn is more at risk than Shea purely because of Sheas size - even if Flynn is a little dynamo and best expert ball recycler in the league. Flynn never does one on ones. Thats not his game. His game is harassing off the ball and passing passing passing between defence and attackers ( though rather too often for some it’s from defence to him then back to defence ..) Add in that Shea has previously been used to playing the quarterback holding MF in any case (Flynns job) - it means someone like Caspar may have opportunity to do exactly what he showed in training higher up the pitch - and Shea takes up Flynn role. Random thought but I reckon Ronnie Edward’s can do the DCM job as well in extremis. He has the ball skills.

Yes I think the evidence tends to show Jay should stay in the final third - and especially penalty area itself. His job instructions ought to be to find space to receive ball in or around penalty area and then make something happen. Thats it. The rest of the team instructions ought to be- if there’s a chance of a pass to Jay in or around penalty area - even if he’s surrounded- give him the ball. Bit extreme perhaps but young lad like that given simple instructions like that I think he’d get it - we should not try fill his head up with 101 tactical subtleties. Thats for others who do not possesses that X factor to create something out of nothing/ the team watercarriers. ( aka the team domestiques) Essential though they are as well let’s not forget!

Agree and that’s a key point over number of games he may play this year. I hope that Saints can learn from Sam Edozie. He is /was a talent. Was scoring early doors of the season. Making problems for every Championship defender. Not as eye catching as Jay but all the same he was the best we had 1 on 1. But he got injured and his confidence never really returned. Career gone on hold it seems after such promise. Championship defenders are going to be both frightened at being made a fool of by Jay and licking their lips at the prospect of laying one on the slight looking kid. Jay needs to be super fit and ready to avoid getting hit. When fit he’s normally able to duck and weave and twist and flick his way out of trouble. Once he’s obviously tiring I suspect Still will be hooking him off fast just to minimise chances of him getting caught by a late one.

Oh, my vote is for Dibling atm. When Jay gets better it will be for Him though and hopefully that won’t take too long seeing as Tyler is already getting splinters on the bench at Everton. But then again this may be considered Jays “senior development year “ so Will may try to “ protect “ him ( means drop him and play Leo or Fraser more but pretend it’s for his own good to stop an 18 year young man getting tired playing a whole 90 minutes in a whole fucking week ) so we may not see the Full Jay. Unless of course there are injuries. But Half Jay is still going to be worth watching I’d say. Certainly better than watching Tyler watching his new mates play football from three rows back on the team bench like he does atm . Or it could be two rows back u can’t tell it’s quite far from being on the pitch anyways.

You’re not taking this forum as seriously as you used to @Holmes_and_Watson. Why can’t you be banal - or seriously banal - or both, instead of, err, whimsy.😁. People are getting confused. Others frightened. It really won’t do.

Jay is away with England atm -so in the practice and training matches between now and pompey it will be Ryan Fraser and Leo Scienza on that left hand side. Which means Will should be able to have a good look at Scienza in particular to see if he can do the job he wants of him at LW. I think I’d not find it surprising - but disappointing - if Jay was dropped for this home match though in favour of old hand Fraser. Jay scores v Pompey he’s set for life and probably knows it. So if he’s given the chance I think he’s totally going for it. And I reckon he will score. Who wouldn’t go mental if Jay scored?

With neither Mads nor Jelert in the Danish squad and Ryan Manning away with Ireland plus Bree andTaylor gone plusWelington injured there will be lots of time for Will to practise a flat back four with those two newbies as the full backs ahead of pompey..

I think the key factor in the back 5 back 4 debate is that we now have better full backs and wingers. The upgrade in quality from before to now is massive. It means we can play a higher quality back four than previously available - and with higher quality attackers than previously available. Having better defensive full backs in particular allows us to imbue our new and better offensive wingers/attackers with more licence to do what they are best at-attack and score. We don’t have to keep telling them about defensive responsibilities shit so much. I Expect to see a back four v Pompey accordingly.

He looks like he can play defensive midfield. But he won’t get the chance now we have back up. That’s what squad depth is for. But if he does not play by jan expect he will be sold or loaned.

I think he will realise that eventually. Prepare for some extra sucky fluff piece on Leo from him in near future…

If you put what the Constantin guy was basically saying into the context of Scienza’s career trajectory it makes passable sense. But he’s still a cu&t for trying to piss on our new player before he’s even kicked a ball. So I hear what you said mate now fark off. 😤 In effect, the obvious snide dissing aside, he’s said Scienza is on a mission. Mission of Impatient to score and impatient to achieve. Impatient to rise up to the highest level he can. One can infer he has frustrated coaches due to that drive and strong self belief that he has aka EGO? The German Coaches mates of the reporter who have moaned about him no doubt wanted to help him become a good pro- but I don’t know- maybe they are not used to that type of player & such attitudes? Without getting too stereotypical about it I would not be too bothered hearing how a Brazilian winger/#10 who loves to score dribble shoot do tricks plays futsal and no doubt had the crap repeatedly kicked out of him doing so in Sweden and Germany lower leagues does not particularly find defending fun! It’s hardly breaking news - But it might be coming from a reporter in a country that is renowned for prioritising discipline. I expect that from my Brazilian wingers - and its Wills job to give him freedom to score the fuck out of every game - if he can. As for not liking being on the bench….Good! Thats an attribute not a problem. Saints need players who do not want to sit on benches but who want to score and show what they can do- and most of all have the balls to put there hands up and go for it if and when they get the chance. So that guy and the idiot from the BBC can go do one. And Adam you should not have retweeted that pile of shit either so black mark to you as well - youve got off on wrong foot with Leo - and me(😂) and need sort yerself out!😁

@Farmer Saint are the Capology figures with the (40% off or of?) reduced salary relegation clause included? Either way yup it’s mental. Do you have any ideas on the salaries of the incoming newbies yet?

Leo Scienza first interview for Saints delighted me. He has charisma, intelligence, poise. And talks in an heartfelt way. And most of all a big smile! I can almost guarantee he is going to become a massive fan favourite if that approach translates onto the pitch. A late arriver player who until recently been in lower leagues realises it’s Xmas because he joined Saints is a romantic story I’m sure not just our media will pick up on. He’s going to be a star.