Martina and Van Dijk

Very impressed with him last night, great crosses,good pace and never gave up when defending.

Good Performance last night all round, lets hope it kicks off our season.

Van Dijk was a huge present in defence, so strong rarely gets knocked off the ball.

Well done Saints, now for Swansea....

Martina was good. Cedric not so much in his previous games

Martina gives us more. Certainly his height and heading ability would have prevented one goal we've conceded this season.

 

Delivery of cross last night was certainly enjoyed by Austin.

Koeman preferred Martina over Cedric for a large part of last season and nothing this season has shown that this should change.

Is there a better centre back in the PL than Van Dijk?

 

None immediately stand out

Is there a better centre back in the PL than Van Dijk?

 

None immediately stand out

 

Toby.

Toby.

 

Given the option, you'd swap VvD for Alderweireld?

Is there a better centre back in the PL than Van Dijk?

 

None immediately stand out

 

No.

 

No one for me. He's better than alderweireld.

 

Without van dijk we would have been taken to the cleaners a few times this season and lost to Sunderland.

 

Fonte has been an embarrassment at times with his defending and rashness. I honestly hope to see an unchanged back four for the weekend as crazy as that seems

Toby.

 

Not for me

The Guardian: "Cuco Martina was on his way out of Southampton a few weeks ago but his move to Everton was aborted when Jérémy Pied suffered a season-ending injury. Rather than curse his luck, the Dutchman apparently resolved to play his way back into Claude Puel’s plans and, following his excellent performance against Sparta Prague on Thursday, there has got to be a strong chance of him making his first Premier League appearance of the season against Swansea on Sunday."

Martina's defensive awareness and positioning has improved greatly since he joined us. Seems to be an intelligent footballer who learns quickly.

 

He must be one of the fittest most athletic players on our team as well, the diamond worked so much better last night as he was constantly going up and down the wing, never stopping.

 

If that outside of the foot cross for Austin's header was from an elite player (say Rooney) the media would be drooling over it all eve/morning but barely gets a mention because it was Martina..

Given the option, you'd swap VvD for Alderweireld?

 

Can I have both?

You get the impression that some games are just too easy for VVD, he has that 'style' about him. He was way too strong and powerful for the Sparta attack, he gobbled them up and spat them out again over and over again.

 

Really imposing captains performance as well. I like him a lot, one of the best CB's we've ever had - and we've had a fair few good ones! He has all the attributes to be one of the greatest in Europe before long (although that won't be with us, I'm sure!)

Given the option, you'd swap VvD for Alderweireld?

 

Nope but I'd swap Fonte ..... and throw in Gardos to sweeten the deal

Can I have both?

 

Greedy !!

Vectis Saint can't be happy with the praise Martina's getting. He has a thing for Cedric.

cedric is a weird one.

loads of hype around him (mainly on here) but he is not that good at all

 

his new deal must have been triggered by a him rather than the other way around

Cedric is very good and was part of a good defence last season. Look how many defenders fail to do that, especially coming from a lesser league.

 

Who exactly has been great this season really? It's a team game and our team performances have been poor. I don't mind Martina but good performances against sub standard opposition isn't enough. Martina is good back up and competition with so many games but Cedric has the brighter future. Not convinced any full backs are helped by the formation. Bertrand and Tadic had a great understanding, that's gone, and Cedric needs someone to link up with too.

 

If you have Austin as the main striker, surely eventually Tadic and Boufal either side would be ideal. Then Davis or JWP can play with Hojbjerg and Romeu or Clasie.

Van Dyke and Hojbjerg have been great in my opinion. VvD seems more powerful than last season and seems to shrug players of with ease.

Koeman preferred Martina over Cedric for a large part of last season and nothing this season has shown that this should change.

 

The other way round is probably more accurate since Cedric played far more games than Martina. However Martina should start over Cedric at this point, since Cedric has been poor recently. But I would be surprised if Martina at the end of the season has featured more than Cedric.

Remember how he was meant to kick on and seamlessly carry his euro performances into the new season (obviously not the howler against Poland)?

 

Cedric has shown potential while he has been at the club; but on the whole his performances have not matched the hype. The start of the this season has been a similar story. When all else fails we're told he has a brighter future.

 

Martina played last season because he was in good form - not because he was a Koeman favourite, part of some Dutch clique dreamed up by the hipsters on here.

People forget Cedric was supposed to be a ready made replacement for clyne but so far he doesn't look like being able to reach anywhere that level! the only skill ive seen from him is he can be quite pacy but most of his crosses are pants and his passing is sloppy his defending is no better or worse than martinas. Martina although older is more effective for us in my opinion.

Cedric out, Martina in. Been saying it for ages but I made up my mind 100% having gone up to Leicester last season to watch Cedric put in woeful cross after woeful cross. He's potentially a bit more erratic but Martina offers so much more going forward.

Martina has to be first choice.

 

Really don't see anything to be excited about with Cedric. Lightweight, reluctant to get forward and when he does, his crosses either end up out for a throw (or in the stand) or hitting the first man.

 

Maybe this will be the year he comes good, but nothing so far this season suggests anything different to last year. Still not really sure why he was given a new contract either, done nothing as of yet to deserve it.

Martina has to be first choice.

 

Really don't see anything to be excited about with Cedric. Lightweight, reluctant to get forward and when he does, his crosses either end up out for a throw (or in the stand) or hitting the first man.

 

Maybe this will be the year he comes good, but nothing so far this season suggests anything different to last year. Still not really sure why he was given a new contract either, done nothing as of yet to deserve it.

 

I think the club know if they sold him now it would be at a loss so they are gambling on him getting better in the next couple of years & continuing their policy of sell on at a profit, we certainly need someone to fill clynes role, martina is certainly no long term replacement for clyne but he is much better in attack than cedric.

Given the option, you'd swap VvD for Alderweireld?

 

No.... but i had to add this on to give my answer.