alpine_saint Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Reading about Toby's screw-up for Spurs this weeking and the bleating he has come out with (referring to Big Vic and Morgan), and also considering how ill-at-ease our defence is so far this season, could it be that our defence last season was an almost unique combination of talents - a "whole greater than the sum of its parts" - which any team is going to find difficult to reproduce with only one part or the other ? Look at how bad Lovren was last season too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Alpine Spur is already calling him Slow-by Smellderweireld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan The Flames Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 All defences are unique and and one part can't replicate the whole, natch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cascadia Saint Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Alpine Spur is already calling him Slow-by Smellderweireld. That's almost funny enough to forgive all your past sins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint86 Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 That's almost funny enough to forgive all your past sins... Yeah... but not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norwaysaint Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 I think more relevant is that we will rarely again have a midfield as strong as Schneiderlin/Cork or Schneiderlin/Wanyama was. Partnerships like the former are the sort of thing that every club is always desperate for. We've been spoiled for a few years with a midfield that could help us dominate possession against even the top clubs in the PL. I think that was the real "once in a blue moon" factor that we'll miss the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 I think more relevant is that we will rarely again have a midfield as strong as Schneiderlin/Cork or Schneiderlin/Wanyama was. Partnerships like the former are the sort of thing that every club is always desperate for. We've been spoiled for a few years with a midfield that could help us dominate possession against even the top clubs in the PL. I think that was the real "once in a blue moon" factor that we'll miss the most. Shouldn't we give our two new DMs a chance before we make that conclusion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Forster Cedric Fonte new CB Bertand Wanyama Romeu Clasie Mane Pelle JayRod /Tadic Would take us back, quite quickly, to a solid defence, imho Appreciate injuries etc, but Saturday gave a lot of reason for boredom or disappointment, but none for panic. Koeman got it wrong, we were stretched with injuries and sickness, however - small margins, if Mane had got one of early chances the shape of the game would have been different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Forster Cedric Fonte new CB Bertand Wanyama Romeu Clasie Mane Pelle JayRod /Tadic Would take us back, quite quickly, to a solid defence, imho Appreciate injuries etc, but Saturday gave a lot of reason for boredom or disappointment, but none for panic. Koeman got it wrong, we were stretched with injuries and sickness, however - small margins, if Mane had got one of early chances the shape of the game would have been different. I'd have Stekelenburg in there, and will point out against that we don't play 4-3-3 and never have. So --------Stekelenburg Cedric Fonte UnYoshida Bertrand ------Wanyama Romeu -----Mane Davis Rodriguez ------------Pelle for all the Davis-bashing he's still the only player with some defensive qualities who can play in the CM position and drops back to help out (at which point it's a 4-3-2-1... ) - Mane in this side drifts all over which is a bit of a risk to our defence down the right, whilst Rodriguez is often going to be up with Pelle - though I'd probably pick Long away from home as he works back more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verlaine1979 Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 I'd have Stekelenburg in there, and will point out against that we don't play 4-3-3 and never have. So --------Stekelenburg Cedric Fonte UnYoshida Bertrand ------Wanyama Romeu -----Mane Davis Rodriguez ------------Pelle for all the Davis-bashing he's still the only player with some defensive qualities who can play in the CM position and drops back to help out (at which point it's a 4-3-2-1... ) - Mane in this side drifts all over which is a bit of a risk to our defence down the right, whilst Rodriguez is often going to be up with Pelle - though I'd probably pick Long away from home as he works back more. Why couldn't Clasie provide defensive quality while being a much better passer of the ball than Davis? If anything, the Dutch contingent questioned Clasie's attacking qualities, not his work rate or defensive capacity - I'd still play him ahead of Davis once he's fit though for the simple reason that Davis already doesn't score or assist, so if we're not losing out on the work rate by playing Clasie, we might as well *try* and find out if he's got a goal or a killer pass in him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Why couldn't Clasie provide defensive quality while being a much better passer of the ball than Davis? If anything, the Dutch contingent questioned Clasie's attacking qualities, not his work rate or defensive capacity - I'd still play him ahead of Davis once he's fit though for the simple reason that Davis already doesn't score or assist, so if we're not losing out on the work rate by playing Clasie, we might as well *try* and find out if he's got a goal or a killer pass in him... I agree. It is also worth remembering we had one player on the prem team of the season - and he was defensive. It wasn't Toby or Morgan, but Bertrand who I believe is due back soon and was covered by a not 100% young player. If you add Bertrand to the weekend's team it improves hugely. If you add one of Classie or Romeu it improves a lot. Add new CB....? It's the nonsense of the transfer window, if all business done before start of season, as sure clubs want then potentially they would be without Stones, we have settled side and new CB....different result? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally_uk Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Still Early days boys at least let the team play 10 or so games then criticize the transfer market isn't even closed yet. Yes we lost against Everton who are a decent side this is football it happens locate your balls people........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notnowcato Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Bad day at the office.... not the time to wet the bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally_uk Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 ^ Exactly this some of the Melts on here expect us to be top of the league or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Why couldn't Clasie provide defensive quality while being a much better passer of the ball than Davis? If anything, the Dutch contingent questioned Clasie's attacking qualities, not his work rate or defensive capacity - I'd still play him ahead of Davis once he's fit though for the simple reason that Davis already doesn't score or assist, so if we're not losing out on the work rate by playing Clasie, we might as well *try* and find out if he's got a goal or a killer pass in him... He could, I just forgot he existed for a moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldridge Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 This season has started disastrously, unlike the last one where we, uh, had a loss and a draw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainchris Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 I think more relevant is that we will rarely again have a midfield as strong as Schneiderlin/Cork or Schneiderlin/Wanyama was. Partnerships like the former are the sort of thing that every club is always desperate for. We've been spoiled for a few years with a midfield that could help us dominate possession against even the top clubs in the PL. I think that was the real "once in a blue moon" factor that we'll miss the most. Selling Cork was nothing short of a sin... The replacements are not in his league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Selling Cork was nothing short of a sin... The replacements are not in his league. But you can't make a player stay beyond the end of his contract if he doesn't want to do that. Thought we should have kept him until the end of the season and then seen what we could do to persuade him myself, management thought otherwise and no doubt needed the 2 million for whatever reason I guess.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Selling Cork was nothing short of a sin... The replacements are not in his league. oohh new signing ITK? what league are they playing in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ally_uk Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 " Saints Fans when we lose " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brave Sir Robin Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Funnily enough, I heard someone comment on the radio the other day that Man U at least have no defensive worries this season, now that they've got Schneiderlin protecting their back four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norwaysaint Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 Shouldn't we give our two new DMs a chance before we make that conclusion? Of course, but seeing as we haven't had such an effective midfield since, at best, the eighties and possibly never and that a dominant, game-controlling midfield pairing is what most teams, including the top six, spend years searching for, it seems unlikely that we've just plucked up another one immediately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Biscuits Posted 17 August, 2015 Share Posted 17 August, 2015 +1 (I love these +1 threads) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSFC Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 Selling Cork was nothing short of a sin... The replacements are not in his league. Yes Cork is amazing at Swansea he's setting the world alight wow I wish we had a player of his quality that could umm... Play the ball sideways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Tony Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 Yes Cork is amazing at Swansea he's setting the world alight wow I wish we had a player of his quality that could umm... Play the ball sideways. Lol.I've never known such outrage at a team selling a player who wasn't even if the first 11 as there has been on here. And now he's at Swansea and scored for them once he's a world beater Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 18 August, 2015 Author Share Posted 18 August, 2015 Corks return from injury post-Olympics turned the 2012-2013 season around. His contribution to the team was grossly underestimated. And as of today, he would fill the Morgan-sized hole better than our current incumbents (though I conceed that may change) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notnowcato Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 Corks return from injury post-Olympics turned the 2012-2013 season around. His contribution to the team was grossly underestimated. And as of today, he would fill the Morgan-sized hole better than our current incumbents (though I conceed that may change) classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 18 August, 2015 Author Share Posted 18 August, 2015 classic How about you indicate why you take issue with the statement, rather than sneer ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norwaysaint Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 Alongside Schneiderlin, Cork was part of an amazing pairing. He never really stood out as a player on his own, a bit like Claus complementing Svensson so well. We miss what he gave us, but I doubt he'd improve us that much right now. Quality player though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 Alongside Schneiderlin, Cork was part of an amazing pairing. He never really stood out as a player on his own, a bit like Claus complementing Svensson so well. We miss what he gave us, but I doubt he'd improve us that much right now. Quality player though. Everyone seems to be amazing alongside and behind Schneiderlin...it's a trend I've noticed...saw that Man U fans now think that Smalling is the PL's best CB..as the old adage goes..the midfield defend and the defence clear up what's left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notnowcato Posted 18 August, 2015 Share Posted 18 August, 2015 How about you indicate why you take issue with the statement, rather than sneer ? Nah. Sneering at statements of this type suits me just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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