saintbob40

Tadic, Mane, Pelle has been our best front 3 over the season as a whole. I would just stick with them get Toby back and Davis in with MS and VW.

 

Thats our best team.

 

Playing Long and Elia would just mean a lack of composure.

 

Mane is miles better than Long.

How about the team that spanked Sunderland 8 0 ?

Deja vu

I don't think Deja Vu has got his work permit just yet, but great things are indeed expected of him.

Totally agree. We've looked worse since he came back. I don't understand why he seems to be one of the first names on the team sheet every week.

Saints poster boy for the Southampton Way.........can't imagine Tadic and Morgan are too happy.

The Southampton Way clouding the need to start with the best 11? Interesting to see how this turns out.

Several things are required of midfielders, passing, ability to drive forward and score some goals, ability to defend competently. Some of our players possess two of these, Wanyama and Schneiderlin pass well and are good defenders who sometimes can break forward and score the odd goal which makes them outstanding holding midfielders. Reed passes well, defends well and is mobile enough to be a good all round midfielder.

 

Davis and Ward-Prowse fall into an entirely different category. They both are content to just circulate possession and rarely break forward with the intent to do anything other than pass. Neither is a good defender, they just don't go in hard, just try and jockey or nick the ball away. Davis yesterday had the opportunity to clatter Shelvey thirty yards before he eventually hit the post but just let him run, he pulled out of several tackles and just let Shelvey run past him for the goal. IMO we cannot afford to play both of them as their circulation of the ball in front of the opposition usually goes back to the defenders and the goalkeeper to launch. Defensively they are an open door. As an attacking goal threat non existent.

 

Tadic is an enigma. The first dozen games he was brilliant. I get the feeling of brittle confidence, would he be better on the other side or in the middle?

 

It looks like Djuricic is nearly done deal. Mainz have announced going to us but Benfica have to finalise. He could well be the missing link as an AM.

 

Sunday we were far too slow in moving the ball and allowed Swansea to compact their defence. Reed had a good game but the other two were too comfortable passing, we needed the three midfielders to make runs off Pelle but they didn't. Possession doesn't win matches nor does pressure. Dead ball specialists, don't make me laugh, it was disgracefully wasteful.

Wanyama passes well-really? He has a range of about 5 yards, after that its a lottery, especially when he is on the move. Very, very good off the ball, not great on it.

James Ward-Profligate.

61 PL games as an advanced midfielder no goals. Hmmmmmmm

I was curious how JWP's development compared to other midfielders at similar ages.

 

JWP, aged 20, 76 first team appearances, 61 in premier league.

 

At same age;

Schneiderlin 52 league - 22 league 1, 30 championship.

Steve Davis 16 prem

David Beckham 4 prem

Scholes - yet to make league debut

Lampard 35 prem for west ham

Gerrard 41

 

 

As he is already one of Koeman's first picks it is easy to forget how young he is.

Think he has been excellent recently, possibly overtaking Davis.

...and how about each players respective premier league goal record out of interest......

I think a lot of this comes down to Les Reed not rating Jack that highly. Back in the summer I posted something I'd heard from a very credible source that I think got lost in the endless "x player is leaving" threads. Basically not only had Palace had a bid accepted for Cork but he was almost on his way to London when Koeman stepped in and said no way.

 

It would be a shame if he left as I think he's a very good player, and we'll miss him more if Morgan goes. But as people have said he could potentially block the fabled 'pathway' to the first team for some youngsters, and he could be playing every game elsewhere.

You seem a very knowledgable chap . How about £6 million turned down and then no contract offer followed until now . Bizarre really as Cork now goes for nothing in June. Whether or not Les Reed fancied JC or not somebody has just dropped a £6 million bollock.

.......Not a holding mid though. We were lucky to get away with a result on Saturday.

We will struggle today with that team.

This is shocking........

Team set up to defend. Can't keep the ball.

Odd side with Wanyama and Reed in it neither of whom are that sparkling on the ball and two left backs. Looks a bit stodgy to me.

JWP would be good if you could bring him on and off the pitch for set pieces. The game is passing him by.

No Tadic? JWP 59 PL starts as an advanced mid- zero goals.

Being offered a contract doesn't mean the player will always sign it.

 

Jay Rod (months ago), Clyne and Toby have all been made offers in semi recent times.

 

If he is available on a free in 6 months then he may want to see whats available to

If I were him, I would be a little peeved that after 4 years of good performances and total professionalism that I hadnt been offered something earlier, especially when Davis was and he had a couple of years left on his.

Yep, boot on the other foot now though as Cork can choose from a list of clubs in June who willbe more than happy to get a proven premier league player for free. Reed may regret turning down the £6 million from CP on the last day of the last transfer window. Mind you at that time the club was in absolute turmoil....... Or so we all thought.

Chances are Clyne, Jayrod, Cork and Morgan will leave in the Summer. This year has been pretty miraculous, its a big ask to follow that next year with most of the established ( at least 3/4 year Saints .....) players then gone....and I don't see the same quality in the youth players coming through to match Shaw and Chambers.

Miraculous this year, a bloody miracle next year.

That might be prescient.

A Christmas prescient?

Mayuka the human bazooka I think you may be useless fooka.

Nothing to play off up front and ball retention average. Distinctly **** ....

55 PL games usually as advanced midfielder no goals.......needs to work on his game outside of dead ball situations. Would agree if he is on the pitch JWP should take penalties.

Outside of Morgan and Cork we have no one who can run a game which is our biggest issue at present. VW is very good without the ball but not very good with it.......and I see SD as more of an AM rather than a DM.

**** again just like Monday.

Lacklustre . No zip like v Villa. Wanyama having mare.

Wanyama cock up .... Heavy touch