SaintTex

Wanyama's sending off not that big deal. He was already on plenty of yellows and on the verge of suspension anyway. Plus, we should be able to handle Sunderland with Romeu, Classie, JWP. More importantly, Romeu didn't pick up a yellow after he came on, as I think one more yellow, he goes on suspension. So he is available next week. So expect a yellow from Romeu next week at Sunderland when he plays. Then he misses Stoke, but we'll have Wanyama back. Then, we have both Romeu and Wanyama available for City. I think 7th in the table with only 2 losses after 11 matches is something we all would have taken in August. Lineup has stabilized which is great. I hope Fonte was just taken off as a precaution. Yoshida to me, despite his brilliant goal last Wednesday, is like a curse. We seems to always play worse when he is in the lineup. (even if he is not directly responsible for it)

I think this is our best line-up and formation going forward for the rest of this season. I might entertain Romeu instead of Clasie depending on who we are playing, but IMO, this should be the line-up every match (if fit).

much weaker than what I was expecting. keeping fingers crossed.

put down the crack pipe. 01) Our League position is safe, we aren't going to get relegated. 02) our next League game is at home against a reeling Bournemouth, who also play this Wednesday. you put your strongest team out there, in my opinion. We are trying to win the Cup, right? Who are you saving them for? Bournemouth at home next Sunday? Why risk fielding a weak squad? -----------------Stek---------------- Soares--Fonte--Van Dijk--Bertrand ----------Romeu-----Clasie--------- ---Juanmi-------Davis------Tadic--- ----------------Pelle----------------- would be nice if Long or JRod were fit. I worry about goals. Presumably you would have JWP, Gaston, and Wanyama as your likely subs. I really don't want to see Yoshida out there again. Even when it is not directly his fault, as a team, we seem to falter when he is on the pitch.

fairly even match/squads. and yes, I am bored, so.. check this out. Saints starting line up today ( transfer fees in parenthesis) Stek (loan) Cedric (£4.7) Fonte (£0. VvD (£11.5) Bertrand (£0.0) Wanyama (£12.5) Clasie (£8.0) Mane (£10.9) Davis (£0.0) Tadic (£10.9) Pelle (£8.0) TOTAL (£68.2) Liverpool Benteke (£32.5) Firmino (£29.0) TOTAL (£61.5) add Lallana (£25) TOTAL (£86.5) another interesting comparison Our Front Starting 4 Davis / Pelle / Tadic / Mane = £29.8 |||| Firmino = £29.0 Our Back Starting 4 Cedric/Fonte/VvD/Bertrand = £17.0 |||| Lovren = £20.0

01)Was Tadic playing on the right again? why?! 02) VvD played well, wish he had put that first half header to the far post, Andy Carroll style. Minolet was already leaning near post, would have never gotten there. 03) Cedric continues to improve. He has cemented his spot at RB 04) Clasie acquitted himself well; solid, if unspectacular. 05) Pelle seemed to be more engaged with the referee than the match at hand. 06) Davis was quiet. 07) Stek didn't have much to do. Nothing could have been done on that Benteke header. Kicked well. 08) Inspired substitutions from Koeman - very positive. 09) Mane out for Villa is hopefully not a big deal. They are in disarray. 10) Romeu starts on Wednesday?

Liverpool played 53 minutes against a 10 man tea far, far from home and still couldn't get the goal to win.

I hope it was just S. Davis was just knackered for the international break, because the tide turned when he went out. Terrible strategic move. And the JRod substitution for Tadic made absolutely NO sense. Romeu was the choice there for JWP. What JRod has to offer was not what we were needing.

that great one-on-one opportunity Mane had earlier looming large. that would have ended it.

What is your internet go-to source on how many bookings players are currently holding? So I don't have to ask again. thanks.

I think you are close. Steklenberg Cedric - Fonte - VvD - Bertrand Wanyama - Romeu Mane - Davis - Tadic Pelle Leicester can score goals. I think you come out defense in the back 7. And although this really only leaves 4 in-play offensive playmakers, all 4 are in really good form right now. Romeu hasn't travelled, so he should be well rested. How many more yellows for him before a suspension? 1?

Soft spot? The comment is insulting and patronizing if you ask me.

Cedric and Fonte play for Portugal v. Denmark - clean sheet.

I liked the article, but the press' repeated narrative that Van Dijk had a nightmare dealing with Martial has been greatly mischaracterized.

What I would like to know what exactly is the 5 year strategy of the club. So far, it's fairly obvious, you invest in players with potential, buy them inexpensively, watch them grow, sell them for a profit, reinvest that into the team, build a stronger team. That's GREAT! Good strategy. However.. What do you do at the point where you hit the ceiling with this strategy and are merely treading water? This strategy gets you comfortably as a Top 10 club every year, but not really a Top 4 contender. What next? So, a scenario....Is Mane worth more to the club if he fulfills his 4 year contract, but you lose £40m by not selling him, and he moves on? Do you achieve more by keeping him Saint for the full 4 years or do you achieve more by selling him when his value is at his highest? What if having Mane on the team those 4 years enables the Club to win 2 trophies and earns a Top 4 spot? Is losing that £40m worth it? Are the 2 trophies worth more than £40m? Does going for it hurt the club in the long run? Do the trophies and CL provide more cache for the club and attract better players? All interesting questions, but at some point you have to keep your best players on the team to reap the rewards. If not, it is just an endless cycle and you spend years spinning your wheels but not going anywhere. This doesn't even factor in what other motivations the Board might have beyond football: ie: guarantee the organization is a profitable venture, the brand, etc. I guess that is why they pay Ralph and Les the big bucks - to figure it all out.

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and we have him signed on a 5 year contract. I know that doesn't mean much these days, but at least we can expect him to be hanging around for a few years.

This. Everything ball high and crossed into the box, VvD was there. Just a monster. Cedric is gaining confidence, settling in, and looking good. The back 4 now looks SO stout. I am so happy the defense is getting settled. What a difference from the start of the season, where Targett, Yoshida, and Caulker were ever present in the starting XI. With everyone healthy at this point, we have to strike now and get every point. My one concern is Romeu. he just cant seem to find his rhythm. There is quality there, but he seems to be stumbling a bit trying to find his way. Great tactical move by Koeman bringing in JWP at half as Romeu was on a yellow.

Well, in that line up it would be Tadic terrorizing Ivanović, which I could certainly see happening.

I know what we don't need....two disgruntled strikers because they are being rotated game to game. but to answer the question. We need a offensive minded midfielder who can distribute and put the ball in the back of the net every now and then. (Maybe that will be Clasie, that remains to be seen.) as far as who is realistically available to sign to fill that role, no idea.

yet.. 2014/2015 PL Adam Lallana : 27 appearances | 1792 minutes | 5 goals | 3 assists Shane Long : 32 appearances | 1542 minutes | 5 goals | 5 assists 2015/2016 PL to date Adam Lallana : 3 appearances | 180 minutes | 0 goals | 0 assists Shane Long : 4 appearances | 176 minutes | 1 goal | 0 assists 2015/2016 - all other competitions to date Adam Lallana : 2 appearances | 1 goal | 0 assists Shane Long : 4 appearances | 3 goals | 0 assists statistically pretty even.

I think he is making weird decisions because he has too many players. He is tinkering, because he can. He is overthinking it. Really. Yesterday's starting line-up should have been a no brainer. -----------Stek------------- Soares-Fonte-VvD-Targett ----Wanayma---Romeu--- --Mane----Davis---Tadic-- ------------Pelle------------ the only internal debate should have been Davis or JWP.

Well to be fair, you predicted the season before as a fight to stay up and the season before that one, as well. who knows, maybe this time you will be right.

uh huh.. So, I read this whole thread and what I gather: Koeman is cowardly Stek hasn't done anything this season Yoshida commits a howler a game and is a Championship player at best Fonte is well below his best and can't pass. Tadic is a waste of space and people wonder what he does James Ward Prowse is a total non-entity Romeu was pure garbage Wanyama needs to practice passing Van Dijk was **** Martina is a joke Pelle's first half goal attempt was a sitter and he is an average player at best Long and Davis are Championship players Cedric has looked poor, weak and really not that quick We need 11 Juanmis on the pitch apparently. people need to get a grip, jeez.

Maybe so, but I still think it was a good, low risk move by the Saints. We desperately needed some PL experienced depth at CB and we got it. Remember... when we signed him, we had Fonte and Yoshi at CB.. That was it. So in a way it was a bit of relief when we got him, just for depth sake. As far a Caulker, the player....As it stands now, I don't see much reason to sign him come summer, but he has a year to convince Koeman otherwise. It would be nice if he could step into Fonte's position once Fonte's age becomes a factor and he loses a step, but so far the outlook is mostly cloudy.