ScepticalStan

Indeed, say what you like about Poch, Lallana etc. but you have to give credit where its due to last season's front three, who were pretty much able to shoulder the entire goalscoring responsibility between them without us really needing all that much more from midfield. Scoring wasn't anywhere near as much of a pressing issue then as it has been this season, and that was with the midfield contributing even less goals then than they have been now (Morgan and Davis got two each, whilst neither Cork nor Wanyama got off the mark; as opposed to Wanyama/Schneiderlin chipping in with eight goals between them in this season).

I think part of the reason we're talking about Steven Davis isn't so much his performances or the fact that shooting or creating chances is one of his weaknesses (as if this was somehow news), but the fact that he's 'so underrated that he's become overrated'. Davis is a likable player. People notice his work-rate, he's obviously British and comes across as humble and industrious. He plays a role which we all accept is largely unglamourous and he appeals to the average Sunday League-playing beer-drinking fan, regardless of how 'effective' he actually might be. The reality is that fans opinions of a game can be very easily shaped and swayed by people around them. Its no unique phenomenon, its standard groupthink. Case in point: one particularly mouthy guy who sits near me clearly has a personal dislike of Mané, who he spent the entire game hollering abuse and criticism towards (as he does all the damn time). There was one point where we hit a long ball up to Pelle which neither he, nor the defender managed to flick on, yet this guy behind me shouted abuse at Mané for not 'getting near him'. Says it all really; he was literally criticising Mané for not getting on the end of a non-existent flick-on. Anyway, you take my point. So yesterday, everyone around us is grumbling and whining bout Mané's lack of work rate and so on and saying that we should take him off at half-time. I come back to look at the forum and everyone says that he's the MOTM. There you have it. (Incidentally, this should largely put paid to the idea that being at the game is hugely vital to having an objective opinion of how a match went, and I've been a STH for getting on for 7-8 years so rest assured I'm no armchair fan). Anyway, the Steven Davis criticism is partly down to recent poor performances, but also largely down to exaggerated praise that he received at the start of the season. Is Steven Davis a useful player? Sure. Is he the kind of player that lets be honest, is never, ever anywhere near the ability of a team that finishes in a Champions League spot and that we would realistically need to improve upon were we to try and reach that level? 'fraid so. Long story short? He was never that good then, and he isn't that bad now.

If you're going to suggest Alderweireld or Schneiderlin then there's not much point having a vote for Player of the Season; you might as well just ask the question "who is the best player at the club?" As such, its got to be Fonte. He's been utterly outstanding and a true captain. Would love to see him finish his career with Saints as well as get a proper crack at a major tournament or two with Portugal.

You say that, but its unbelievable how often you hear this kind of sentiment echo around Saint Mary's. Whether its Lambert waddling around the pitch towards the end of last season being just as ineffective as Pelle has been in this, or Paddy Long scuttling round like a headless chicken unable to trap a bag of cement (and actually getting applause for knocking it past the full back before failing to even so much as get on the end of his own pass; and then perhaps committing a foul in an effort to win the ball back) our fanbase is the very prototype of the ignorant bunch English fans: hopelessly biased towards 'solid, honest, English' talentless, try-hard-cloggers and immediately unappreciative of anyone with a foreign name. So clueless its embarrassing.

I think the one thing we all need to take into account here is that Mané is black and thus, won't be able to learn and understand the way the team plays. Furthermore, being black, its also very unlikely that he's only 22. It doesn't matter that he's got pace to burn, is wonderfully two-footed, can pick a pass, can beat a man, does indeed track back and win the ball and despite played out of position on the wing, is our top scorer in terms of minutes-to-goals-ratio, he's just too much of a loose cannon. Obviously he's African as well so probably doesn't care about THE TEAM. Shane Long on the other hand is a good, solid, honest, hard-working player who tracks back and runs fast. Despite the fact that he's Irish, he has a beautiful British name as well, so surely cares about THE TEAM. I think the league should award us goals for effort on account of the fact he tries really really hard. Our fanbase is ****ing asinine sometimes.