Dangermouth

This is the one that scored them for us; not the bloke with a different name who didn't.

Well we now have at least 3 different types of blog poster: Billy ****e, who could go on Youtube and be our TrueGeordie type of commentator; Redslo who provides the in-depth, analytical and intelligent approach - probably too verbose and information-rich to be a youtuber and Sotonnick (I've capitalised it deliberately) who is starting out. I'll critique the latest passage rather more than some might. This is because it does seem as though the blog writer ultimately does wish to reach a wider audience and because views have been sought. Sometimes a "It's good." isn't really that helpful and something more in-depth gives more food for thought. I'd prefer something along the lines of "As the transfer window closes" or "packs its bags for its annual autumn break" i.e. don't write like every other unimaginative hack/copy-writing clone out there as an opening. The first sentence as a whole is neither especially interesting nor sufficiently crisp as a start. It is somewhat banal. You need to learn how to use commas: sentences have natural pauses as does speech and not every pause needs a comma. "The question remains, however, will RK...?" better English than your wording. Atrocious English: 'exited'. Verbs that mean 'left' include 'left', 'depart', 'transfer to', etc. I'll mention that specifically and not nit-pick every part of the blog because it reinforces the above point that really you should want to distinguish yourself and promote good habits (many of which, it is hoped, would by now be ingrained). Having got to the middle of the first large paragraph, I find two things. Larger paragraphs are not a bad thing: people who complain simply have not read enough demanding material, much of which is oftentimes portrayed in much longer and obtuse passages. I do find, however, that you jump around in your style failing to really develop an idea or any structure and while the format is a paragraph as such, really the piece so far simply reads like a number of slightly-connected, but disparate ideas. I have before commented on Redslo's blog and would suggest you look at how he uses paragraphs. Another suggestion would be to see what other posters deliver e.g. those on RAWK; many are surprisingly erudite and well-expressed notwithstanding the stereotypically-negative view of the 'Scouser'. This does also read as though it is a repetition of a scatter-gun monologue, delivered at a fast pace. In one paragraph thus far you have talked about: the predictability of players leaving, the need for the black box and recruitment team to have to work, TA, gazumping, Les Reed, the need for replacement players, Nigel Adkins and his tactics, NC and his perceived strengths and weaknesses as a footballer, CS and his ability, the view of him by Southampton's fans, his prowess in a game and ... I'll stop there. My first question is: what is it you want to write about? To you it will be obvious but you either need to address these topics in far more depth or you need to choose just part of it and concentrate much more on that e.g. "The role of Les Reed", "The perception of fans regarding players replacing those who left in the summer" so there is something more than either (possibly) a high-level overview of a number of topics or a disjointed mix of ideas and comment. The short part of the paragraph on van Dijk is better because it sticks to one subject, explores it and is thus much more coherent. I would look at the use of 'furthermore' in terms of its use, its repetition as the beginning of two concurrent paragraphs and where the link and flow between the paragraphs are: again, they are disjointed. When talking about Caulker: "He showed...demotions", well, what is a 'demotion'? (relegation, perhaps?) and I have to say that stylistically it reads like a cut and paste passage that has been re-used so often the underlay has worn away. Again, with Stekelenberg, once you have referred to him use the personal pronoun rather than repeat his name: it's clunky and unnecessary and suggests you don't know English very well. I'll leave it there with three further comments: 1/ Don't worry, I have no intention of critiquing your work again (!); 2/ My view is that is reads as though it was written by someone who has been trained to write copy for websites although it is not as bad as that; 3/ I don't know if you read (I suspect little) but just reading a few books ought to give you an idea of how the written word flows and then you'll instinctively copy it more and stylistically your writing will improve a great deal.

Lucid, reasonably intelligent and honest in his interview. Makes a great change from those primed for appearing in front of the camera and thus is worth listening to. From what I can find out about him, he is rated as a very good prospect and mentally, at least, he certainly seems to have the requisite characteristics - and a quite thick neck. I hope he does well, for both parties' sakes.

Pedant alert. Those aren't statistics: they're numerical and graphical representations of a number of pre-determined categories used for the purposes of conveying vague information and to allow a degree of comparison between comparable units (mathematical representations of football players). There may be some form of statistical analysis behind them, but that form isn't. Anyway, if those figures are what it takes to be both the best player in Scottish football and close to an international call-up, why are so many players with better figures still sh!t on FM? And what is the Norwich boss (who does a mean interview, I wonder if the club are watching him as a potential future coach/manager) doing there? That's much more meaningful.

Hi CG. Celtic are obviously a big club: why is it they seem to spend very little on players? Is it because they won't need to until Rangers come back to provide competition or are they prudent with their money (unlike the old Rangers)?

Thanks for the video: my German isn't too hot but I got enough of it to get the gist of it. I agree, van Gall is comedy gold at times! I also agree with the over-coaching part. Certainly it seems as though the English players are very subject to it and it seems to be the case with many of our under 21s, which is perhaps why they just play it safe all the time, like robots. It's annoying because you want them to just play with a free spirit but with a structure and I wonder if the coaches and players err on the side of caution when it's clear the players don't know when to be tight/controlled in their play and when to seize or make an opportunity

On that I think that Koeman has sufficient playing credentials and intelligence to negate the worry that players won't want to learn off him and I would think Yoshida and Fonte are both humble enough and open-minded enough to do so. It's perhaps more a question of their own adaptability. I think that goes for most of the other players too. My gripe about Koeman is that his English hasn't improved sufficiently: I dislike seeing van Gaal actually doing better, even though he still makes many mistakes! I like that Cruyff story. The hope is of course that the players can do that for themselves during the opening stages of the match, but that probably takes an older head and a bit of savvy: I like intelligent people as well as footballers (e.g. Le Tissier) because I think that gives a coach exactly what he wants. The converse is a worry, however: if you want look at the interview by Matt Targett in "When Saturday Comes": he comes across as the stereotypical 'thick' footballer (whereas Reed doesn't) which does make me wonder which of them will go on to have the better career. I would say Reed, provided he learns to copy Clasie (ball-playing, looking up and reading the game).

1/ Agree with Roger. 2/ RK doesn't talk in absolutes.

"That's what I mean with football intelligence, it's like a game of chess..." ... I would like to see Koeman trying Juanmi as the attacking midfielder. ... but Mane does have to learn a few things. His pace is great on the counterattack but he's still a bit "blind" when he's running with the ball and needs to have a better eye for the situation in front of him. " "Sorry for dwelling off from your question! Clasie as a DM will eventually deliver (whether a 4-3-3 or 4-2-2) when he's used to the team and the pace of the PL, off course it would have been better for him to start in a team that already has gelled together but given time it will work out. Let's hope we'll see this kind of passing many times!" 1/ Yes. Football is like speed chess with real players on grass. People still ignore the many mental components that are vital, not just the fact that self-belief is needed and that this can become eroded quite easily and quickly in the duration of a game - think of a defender who has an attacker in his pocket, for example. 2/ I think he'll turn out well if given time and when the ball is passed to him he will need 2 options immediately (which is good play, anyway) so he can give and go and then he will cause teams problems. 3/ I agree: Mane needs to learn to be more of a team player still. He will always have that maverick streak, however, which when used well will help ensure he becomes a very good player. 4/ I think Clasie and Juanmi will need several months of introduction to become fully competent with the way the game is played in the PL so I don't expect to see too much from them until Feb next year when/if they've had 3 solid months of being bedded in, but then I think they'll deliver. 5/ We've already seen one good ball like this from Clasie in his short stint in the under 21s, and I expect J Rod in particular will feast upon this. Mane and Juanmi too although I think they are still not quite as proficient in front of goal as JR (when fit and functioning, currently we see he isn't). 6/ Nice to see that some people get that football is very much about movement and space (see point 1, above).

I agree. Only thing I'd say is that when he gets back to normal, J-Rod does possess a lot of football intelligence, but not usually as a playmaker-type. I agree about the others and I find it surprising that any professional footballer doesn't have that. Mind you, I'm surprised how many don't play with their heads up and can't use both feet despite all those years of coaching.

Looking back at what some of the Dutch posters said on here about Koeman and Dutch football last year is interesting. They said that Dutch football is more interested in technique over physical prowess, hence they struggle when faced with this. They said RK has one tactic which is easily identified and then countered (Pelle as target man) and that he will have one good season, one mediocre one and one **** one. And as other people have said here: when the pressure's on (whether that be RK or the team) we seem to lack the mental strength to impose ourselves and our way of playing on a game which probably explains why the beginning of last season was good: we were mentally focussed and had the right attitude. Oh, and if a player isn't fully fit, you leave them to recover until they are.

He means simply hit the winger/inside forward and have them hit the byline while Pelle steams into the box and gets to the cross.

They don't drink sewage?

Reed doesn't know what a forward pass is and kills the speed of the game. Much like a lot of those coming through the acadamy, the obvious difference being the lightweight but now bulkier than last season Hesketh.

What shape? Amorphous?

You could see when they had the ball and were expected to play they didn't really know what to do. Mind you, everyone knows how to defend against us now: just get bodies back. I wonder how a team that has been playing the same way for over a year can't even seem to do that sometimes. Depressing.

Now on the Beeb and understood to be more than rumour. No doubt Morgan told them how good he is. Hope Les tells them to f(k off. (Unless it's £50m and Wilson ofc).

Nicked from FCM's fans' website: "Hello black wolves, Brentford fan here! 4 of us and other a few other Brentford fans are making the trip tomorrow two Southampton and bliver joining you in the Gauteng condition. Are there many from Denmark making the trip? Also are supporters meeting somewhere before the game for a drink, if so Any idea where? Really looking forward to the game, my first European league game. COYBW" Reading the rest of it, seems they'll have a couple of hundred over: http://www.black-wolves.com/ulvegraven/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=96982&sid=ca45f2eaa0a8dcb4db8a4ee6825c1958&start=15

For Everton's first goal Mane was back in the area and he got back quicker and deeper than VW so I think it's unfair of some to say he didn't track back or work hard. Everton were competent, we were awful in the first half. It's not so much a case of lacking in physical presence as getting in the right positions to prevent the opposition doing anything with the ball. Everton did this better than we did, but I don't expect to see them tearing up trees this season even though a lot of teams look very poor defensively. As other people have said we do play very predictably at times in looking to use the wings and not playing an early ball through the lines and mixing it up (i.e. let Pelle just take players out of position and bypass him). It seems that while Tadic is a good player he needs to learn to just 'get on with it' a bit as well as to cross with his right foot.

Probably cause they weren't playing baseball ...

Anyone see the FCM game? I know it finished 0-0, but would have liked to have seen their style and the standard of play.

Stream's crashed, but in terms of play they've been much better; just as Man City were. Not unhappy with the result as it stands though.

I'd bring back Ben Reeves: far better player. There were a number of things I noticed about him yesterday: how the ball hit his foot in the area and luckily fell to Pelle, how his body shape was wrong and his head was down, how he let a Vitesse player get past him and as the player slowed up because he was running into other players rather than catch him up he let the player go and they had a shot, how the midfield was a gaping hole in part to due to his anonymity (though the likes of Tadic also contributed), how he was slow to get forward when Saints broke upfield, even being overtaken by Davis, etc. I don't think much of Reed either, but he has shown occasional glimpses of being someone who might 'have it'. JWP on the other hand doesn't: mentally or physically or technically. I agree with those who say he has to make a mark this season or he'll just fade away. Would be nice to see a Youtube video highlighting all his brilliant touches of skill, football intelligence and goals from all his PL games. Good, because it would be short.

Not the Guardian, but someone's been reading Saintsweb@ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/11784133/The-20-most-important-Premier-League-players-in-201516.html?frame=3392394

Interested in the reading list too. Ta.