Long - Thoughts?

He moved Sunderland around all afternoon and completely unsettled them, just as he did against Newcastle. Yes, he may need a goal, but he wasn't bought for his goals - he was bought to offer us exactly what he's offering us right now, allows us to open the game and stretch the opponents.

He moved Sunderland around all afternoon and completely unsettled them, just as he did against Newcastle. Yes, he may need a goal, but he wasn't bought for his goals - he was bought to offer us exactly what he's offering us right now, allows us to open the game and stretch the opponents.

spot on

Just noticed the big part he played in the 3rd goal. The Sunderland LB was far too concerned with Long's movement and was massively out of position when Cork made the run into the box.

Still settling in some ways - goes long when the pass is played short and vice versa - but is certainly getting there. Not worth £12million but we just have to accept that given our financial influx we had to pay over the odds. Judge him on his performances alone, not compared to his price tag.

I was gutted he got taken off as he surely would've got a goal.

He played well and adds a different dimension to the squad.

Still settling in some ways - goes long when the pass is played short and vice versa - but is certainly getting there. Not worth £12million but we just have to accept that given our financial influx we had to pay over the odds. Judge him on his performances alone, not compared to his price tag.

Oh well.

Just noticed the big part he played in the 3rd goal. The Sunderland LB was far too concerned with Long's movement and was massively out of position when Cork made the run into the box.

I was going to say the same thing. I didn't notice at the time but it was Long's run across the face of the goal that opened up the big hole at the far post for Cork.

I was gutted he got taken off as he surely would've got a goal.

 

He played well and adds a different dimension to the squad.

Not bad being able to bring on Mane for him though.

Thought Long looked good today, as we saw against us when he was at WBA he is just a massive pain in the backside.

Agree with the above posts, he is just a dangerous handful.

I had the pleasure of sitting directly behind the Sunderland dugout and watched Long closely in the first half.

His link up play with Clyne was superb and just caused all sorts of problems for them.

Long's a lot better than I thought, have to hold my hand up there. Good job my only job in football is mis-managing my fantasy team!

Played well but think mane is better tbh.

Still settling in some ways - goes long when the pass is played short and vice versa - but is certainly getting there. Not worth £12million but we just have to accept that given our financial influx we had to pay over the odds. Judge him on his performances alone, not compared to his price tag.

I've seen £12m spent a hell of a lot worse. Excellent touch and vision, team player. Fantastic purchase.

Thought he did very well. He literally wins every header too, huge leap. That cross he put in was brilliant. Think we'll see him and Pelle develop my understanding of each other's games. If Pelle gets an injury (god forbid) he will also be useful to play in the middle.

I've seen £12m spent a hell of a lot worse. Excellent touch and vision, team player. Fantastic purchase.

Excellent touch and vision

Was OK yesterday but he was a 7 out of 10 whereas the others were 8s and 9s. Most of our threat went down the opposite side. Mané provides far more threat.

Don't think Long is much of a footballer. Not as pacy as I thought he would be but has surprised me with his ability in the air. He's essentially a grafter -a poor man's jonathan walters if you believe Martin O'Neils national team selections. But at the very least he won't go missing -workrate wise- which could be valuable as we look navigate a very tough December.

Excellent touch and vision

 

Was OK yesterday but he was a 7 out of 10 whereas the others were 8s and 9s. Most of our threat went down the opposite side. Mané provides far more threat.

 

Don't think Long is much of a footballer. Not as pacy as I thought he would be but has surprised me with his ability in the air. He's essentially a grafter -a poor man's jonathan walters if you believe Martin O'Neils national team selections. But at the very least he won't go missing -workrate wise- which could be valuable as we look navigate a very tough December.

Watched the game in full this morning and I think Long had an excellent one. A couple of good crosses and touches and he draws fouls like no-one on our team (except maybe Mane but I haven't seen enough of him).

We over-payed but while I thought he was only a 6million pound player he looks at least worth 8 million after seeing him a few times. (8 million in the premier league market - ignoring Europe considering Pelle and Tadic's prices).

A very good player and I'm glad we have him, he works his socks off and I'd hate to be playing against the bastard

Had to go back three weeks to pick up the Shane Long thread. That may be that the critics are easing off, or that he's only had limited game time. I'm hoping he is in the starting XI in the cup game at Stoke. At the various clubs he's played for he always seemed top be a player that you noticed and I'm much more comfortable having him our side than if, for example, he was in Stoke's team. For me, he's looked confident and assured when Koeman has played him and his lack of playing time is more down to the quality of the players he's competing with for a place than any defect on his part. He must be raring to go, so this week could be great opportunity.

Had to go back three weeks to pick up the Shane Long thread. That may be that the critics are easing off, or that he's only had limited game time. I'm hoping he is in the starting XI in the cup game at Stoke. At the various clubs he's played for he always seemed top be a player that you noticed and I'm much more comfortable having him our side than if, for example, he was in Stoke's team. For me, he's looked confident and assured when Koeman has played him and his lack of playing time is more down to the quality of the players he's competing with for a place than any defect on his part. He must be raring to go, so this week could be great opportunity.

I expect we'll be playing him against Hull next weekend, so it may be we stick with Mane in midweek.

Got a feeling he will score at Hull on saturday

Got a feeling he will score at Hull on saturday

And on Wednesday against Stoke in the Cup!

Despite not been keen on Long whenever I'd seen him on opposing teams, and being disappointed by what we paid for him, I actually found myself thinking "we could do with bringing Long on to make Stoke have something to think about" as the game bece a little more based in our half. I would never have thought I'd be saying that back in August, so all in all he's completely changed my opinion! Well done to him, not going to be a prolific goal scorer but I can definitely see his worth to the team.

Despite not been keen on Long whenever I'd seen him on opposing teams, and being disappointed by what we paid for him, I actually found myself thinking "we could do with bringing Long on to make Stoke have something to think about" as the game bece a little more based in our half. I would never have thought I'd be saying that back in August, so all in all he's completely changed my opinion! Well done to him, not going to be a prolific goal scorer but I can definitely see his worth to the team.

I thought so as well!! But wasn't quite sure which of the front 3 I would have taken off. Tadic seemed maybe to be getting a little tired, having been assaulted for the whole game. Pelle was having an unlucky day. Mane was causing them all sorts of problems.

I really like him, not as talented as tadic or pelle but to win games you need more than 11 talented players, you need players who do different jobs and contribute different things. Long is a bit different, adds something. By the way any of you lads the guy I saw at st marys wearing the t ****t with shlong on the back? Made me laugh.

Meant to put t shirt lol

Hooray!

Glad he was on our side and not Stoke's.

Played brilliantly tonight

Needed that goal. He plays like a wasp that you just cannot get rid of. I wouldn't say he's the most cultured footballer, but he will cause teams problems whenever he's selected. He's a great option for us to have.

thought he did really well, took his goal well, very busy and his work rate was superb. You know what you're going to get from him, forget the fee, i'm glad he's ours.

Long?

Clever player. Very clever player. No guaranteed end product but a team player.

Good fit for the team, whilst you need the likes of Tadic to supply the creativity you also need the likes of Long to do the leg work and he's one of the hardest working strikers around. A real pain in the arse for any opposition.

He may never be prolific but if he allows others to be then he's doing his job.

Thought he was a good signing on the day he came and still stick by that.

Just seen the goals. You could see what that one meant to him.

He's brilliant

Tks for the goal, Shlong, but back to the bench for me pls

thought he did really well, took his goal well, very busy and his work rate was superb. You know what you're going to get from him, forget the fee, i'm glad he's ours.

This

Controls the ball dead so well. Works like a dog and wins us loads of free kicks in dangerous areas. Great addition

Tks for the goal, Shlong, but back to the bench for me pls

A negative bear, that is rare.

Like him.

Basically the same fee as Gaston. One of them runs a lot and is a thorn in the side of the opposition and has little end product, the other has excellent skills and potential is injured a lot and has little end product.

Think I prefer Long. A real 'moneyball' signing. Glad he scored, glad he's with us every week rather than against. Good squad option.

Tks for the goal, Shlong, but back to the bench for me pls

Is he?

Like him.

 

Basically the same fee as Gaston. One of them runs a lot and is a thorn in the side of the opposition and has little end product, the other has excellent skills and potential is injured a lot and has little end product.

 

Think I prefer Long. A real 'moneyball' signing. Glad he scored, glad he's with us every week rather than against. Good squad option.

Do you actually know what a 'moneyball' signing is? Seems to be the mboard mot du jour without any understanding what it means.

Not a fan of Long -he's better suited to the red and white stripes of stoke than us- but fair play on his goal and endeavour.

Just the player we needed.

Like him.

 

Basically the same fee as Gaston. One of them runs a lot and is a thorn in the side of the opposition and has little end product, the other has excellent skills and potential is injured a lot and has little end product.

 

Think I prefer Long. A real 'moneyball' signing. Glad he scored, glad he's with us every week rather than against. Good squad option.

Not Moneyball is it? Tadic and Pelle are 'moneyball' signings.

Not Moneyball is it? Tadic and Pelle are 'moneyball' signings.

At the right price anyone can be a Moneyball signing--assuming they are good enough to do a job for the team. At the wrong price, no one is a Money Ball signing. I could be a Money Ball signing for Southampton if they needed an appellate lawyer in California and I was willing to work cheaply enough.

Do you actually know what a 'moneyball' signing is? Seems to be the mboard mot du jour without any understanding what it means.

 

Not a fan of Long -he's better suited to the red and white stripes of stoke than us- but fair play on his goal and endeavour.

We paid money for him, he kicks a ball.

Moneyball.

Reminds me of Omerod, running, making space for others, occupying the opposition, a working class addition, not a celebrity, suits me, good to have in the squad.

At the right price anyone can be a Moneyball signing--assuming they are good enough to do a job for the team. At the wrong price, no one is a Money Ball signing. I could be a Money Ball signing for Southampton if they needed an appellate lawyer in California and I was willing to work cheaply enough.

Think it's more than that though.

Clearly it's about value for money but it's also about finding hidden and sometimes unlikely relationships in large data sets that otherwise go unnoticed to extract value.

To take one example, Big Sam worked out where clearances and second balls in the box were most likely to drop, a rich source of goals - a MoneyBall signing would be someone who has a knack for taking up those positions, a Kevin Nolan say.

Think it's more than that though.

 

Clearly it's about value for money but it's also about finding hidden and sometimes unlikely relationships in large data sets that otherwise go unnoticed to extract value.

 

To take one example, Big Sam worked out where clearances and second balls in the box were most likely to drop, a rich source of goals - a MoneyBall signing would be someone who has a knack for taking up those positions, a Kevin Nolan say.

Or when Liverpool bought Downing, who had the most accurate crossing (completed crosses) in the PL, to put the ball on Carrolls head (a bit more basic, but you get the point).

A lot easier to do with baseball though.

Shanes a Long way from Tipperary

He took a Long time to score etc

Did a good headless chicken impression at the weekend.

Did a good headless chicken impression at the weekend.

Missed two half decent chances in the first half then ballooned one miles wide from outside the box when he could have taken a touch and got himself into a good position within the penalty area.

He was subbed soon after

Interesting to find out what the Hull fans thought of him.

They thought he was a decent foil for Jelovic but perhaps slightly overpriced at £6m

To sell him for double that amount was manna from heaven for them

Bearing in mind that Saints seem to have got all their summer transfers spot on (apart from the midfielder, who's name I can't remember who was shipped out quickly), the fee for Long seems rather generous

Maybe that is why Steve Bruce and co are so well disposed towards us?

Long has everything, except an eye for goal. Two bad misses that will be analyzed and he will learn from them. He is a work in progress. I am very confident that goals will come.

im Guesssing no-one saw the bit on MNF talking about our defence, where they showed how long helps us defensively as he is alsways busy running up and down the line.