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Official Latest on Antonio


Mouldy Coat
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Hi,

Unfrotuantely I didn't manage to make it to Orient as I had arrangements to be in Reading yesterday. I was fortunate enough to spend some time chatting to soemone very senior at Reading F.C who knows Pards very well. As I am more than likely to get some useful future information from him I won't mention who he is. We had a very good chat for around 20 minutes just discussing football.

 

Clearly high topics of conversation were Pards (with his time working with him), Antonio, Rasiak and Olie Lancashire (who he has known for some time).

 

He said Pards was very happy at Saints and the support he has had from the new board. When he met up with Alan last week he said that A.P was raving about Lloyd James and how he is developing into a good footballer.

 

On Antonio he said that he is definitely surplus to requirements at Reading and it is likely that Saints will extend the loan and/or the deal will become a permenant one depending on his development. Indications were that the ball was in A.P court on that one, but Reading would allow him to leave. He said that league one 'was about his level'. I raved about his performance against MK Dons and didn't want to ruin my credibility by likening him to Gerge Best but I said he ahs done well so far.

 

Discussed Rasiak. I said he would do well at Reading and score goals. He seems genuinely suprised at just how lazy Rasiak was ...this included training!! You would have thought they would have done their research because every Saints fan could tell you that, but there you go.

 

Also discussed Olie Lancashire and he said that he always felt OL would benefit from playing at right back as he has never looked like being a dominant and commanding centre half. Thinks OL will move on.

 

Anyway in summary this is what I recall, nothing vastly breaking news. I was trying not to make a tit of myself after 6 pints of cider, but I will be catching up with him again soon for much longer.

 

Regards

Mouldy

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Really hope we can make the Antonio deal permanent, shows how some players just stagnate and need a move to kick start their career if he can't get a look in at a poor Reading side.

 

He's looked great every time i've seen him and I'd give him a start in the JPT against Charlton see if he can make the same impression from the start of the game. Should be interesting once McLaggon is fully fit and we have a choice of Waigo, McLaggon and Antonio, those three would really scare defenders coming off the bench in the last 20.

 

Not suprised that Pardew is a fan of Lloyd he's been one of our most improved players this season, in the last year he's gone from being a real weak link to a solid attacking full back.

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I have to disagree aboiut lloyd james. Think he is the weak link in our team. He is too slow to be our right back imo. Yesterday he went missing second half again. Would rather thomas was playing tbh, and murty if fit. His corners are awfuk too. There is always a player the manager likes that a lot of people dont rate like telfer.

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Is this bloke you know out on a limb in his appreciation of AP, or does this represent a warming in the attitude to him at Reading ?

 

At one time of course he was hated there for the manner of his leaving for West Ham but it would be a concern that his friendships and remaining connections there might be able to persuade him he has "unfinished business" with Reading.

 

Personally I still think Saints are a bigger club with far greater potential,and that the Liebherr/Cortese team will provide him with better backing and support to achieve the dream than Madjeski can.But it's surprising how players/managers find lame excuses to go to a "spititual home".

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Is this bloke you know out on a limb in his appreciation of AP, or does this represent a warming in the attitude to him at Reading ?

 

At one time of course he was hated there for the manner of his leaving for West Ham but it would be a concern that his friendships and remaining connections there might be able to persuade him he has "unfinished business" with Reading.

 

Personally I still think Saints are a bigger club with far greater potential,and that the Liebherr/Cortese team will provide him with better backing and support to achieve the dream than Madjeski can.But it's surprising how players/managers find lame excuses to go to a "spititual home".

 

 

i've PM'd you

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Antonio was truly awful (like worse than Ali Dia awful!) against Torquay - that's the only time I've seen him live though. Hope he's not another mediocre player just playing for a contract...although we rarely get caught out by those....right?

 

;)

 

Well I have seen him twice home to MK Dons and yesterday. Both matches he turned the games around. Appreciate he is a fresh pair of legs which is an advantage but give me him over Waigo any time. He is raw but unlike Waigo he seems to know what he is doing with the ball. Well worth a gamble I would say.

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I have to disagree aboiut lloyd james. Think he is the weak link in our team. He is too slow to be our right back imo. Yesterday he went missing second half again. Would rather thomas was playing tbh, and murty if fit. His corners are awfuk too. There is always a player the manager likes that a lot of people dont rate like telfer.

 

Thomas just isn't suited to right back, he not a good enough footballer, we've looked shocking every time he play right back.

 

James' corners are a bit hit and miss, more miss yesterday but we've scored a few goal from his corners this season so we're getting a return. They're a lot more dangerous than when Lallana was taking them.

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Antonio was truly awful (like worse than Ali Dia awful!) against Torquay - that's the only time I've seen him live though. Hope he's not another mediocre player just playing for a contract...although we rarely get caught out by those....right?

 

;)

 

I've only seen him against MK and he looked a world beater. I would suggest somewhere between the two, nearer your description than mine, is closer to the truth. I agree with your playing for a contract line and said something similar on the other Antonio thread. Extend the loan till the end of the season and then make a decision. If what the Reading representative has said about League 1 being his level, is correct, then he may not be any good for us going forward. If however, he continues to improve and impresses AP over a longer period, then maybe he will be able to make the step up and earn a contract.

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I have to disagree aboiut lloyd james. Think he is the weak link in our team. He is too slow to be our right back imo. Yesterday he went missing second half again. Would rather thomas was playing tbh, and murty if fit. His corners are awfuk too. There is always a player the manager likes that a lot of people dont rate like telfer.

So Pardew is wrong then??

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I have to disagree aboiut lloyd james. Think he is the weak link in our team. He is too slow to be our right back imo. Yesterday he went missing second half again. Would rather thomas was playing tbh, and murty if fit. His corners are awfuk too. There is always a player the manager likes that a lot of people dont rate like telfer.

 

Mick Mills, Jason Dodd & Paul Telfer, all good solid Right Backs and all lacking in pace.

 

Doddsy came in young and also looked "shakey" in his early days (competition with Jeff Kenna I recall at the time)

 

James is still young and stll learning. The IMPORTANT point is that he is actually improving. What is critical is that he keeps learning and getting better. At least that way we know we have good cover. Remember he is only really in the team as Murty is unluckily a medium term injury.

 

He ain't perfect, he's getting better and is better than a lot of numpty RB's in this league

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Mick Mills, Jason Dodd & Paul Telfer, all good solid Right Backs and all lacking in pace.

 

Doddsy came in young and also looked "shakey" in his early days (competition with Jeff Kenna I recall at the time)

 

James is still young and stll learning. The IMPORTANT point is that he is actually improving. What is critical is that he keeps learning and getting better. At least that way we know we have good cover. Remember he is only really in the team as Murty is unluckily a medium term injury.

 

He ain't perfect, he's getting better and is better than a lot of numpty RB's in this league

 

I disagree with Doddsy looking shaky. He looked a natural from the time he came in and I could never get why Kenna was picked ahead of him.

 

James would be an okay player if he had a bit of pace but I can't say I have ever seen a slower player in a Saints' shirt in all the 40 years I've been following them. Doddsy could probably beat him in a sprint even now.

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considering right back isnt Lloyds natural position and he's playing there because of injury shows how much of a good pro he's going to become, he gets on and learns the position and doesnt complain despite of abuse from the stands.

 

Going forward he's given us a fair few assists this season already and (when the ball is moving) some excellent crossing (nuff said about the deadball stuff tho) when Thomas is playing right back nothing gets passed him defensivly however when he gets the ball he usually launches it 40yards into nothing.

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Completely different players, which makes the substitution such a powerful switch. I'd keep it as it is with Papa starting and Antonio replacing him with 20/30 minutes to go.

 

Agree with that completely.

 

Antonio is the perfect impact sub, im not sure if he would have the same effect starting the game.

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Going forward he's given us a fair few assists this season already and (when the ball is moving) some excellent crossing (nuff said about the deadball stuff tho) when Thomas is playing right back nothing gets passed him defensivly however when he gets the ball he usually launches it 40yards into nothing.

 

Don`t get carried away we haven`t seen him play for long enough, looks promising but playing the full 90 minutes is a different prospect.

 

:smt038

Good points made regarding James and Antonio.

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Antonio is the perfect impact sub, im not sure if he would have the same effect starting the game.

 

Like all wingers he will be a hit some games and a miss in others, its the nature of the beast.

 

I agree that playing the full 90 mins is a lot different than going for the last half hour, which, so far he looks brilliant at. But will he be one of these wingers that if they get pole axed in the first few minutes they go missing ?

 

Very young, very raw, very unpredictable, but an awful lot to work with and the way AP is playing him is just about right i would say.

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Like all wingers he will be a hit some games and a miss in others, its the nature of the beast.

 

I agree that playing the full 90 mins is a lot different than going for the last half hour, which, so far he looks brilliant at. But will he be one of these wingers that if they get pole axed in the first few minutes they go missing ?

 

Very young, very raw, very unpredictable, but an awful lot to work with and the way AP is playing him is just about right i would say.

 

Well he is what David "Bumble" Lloyd would describe as a "big unit", nearly as big as Jaidi, so I can't see him easily getting poleaxed by a left back, more likely the other way round.

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have not seen antonio play....but every keeps saying he is superb..?

 

anotnio or papa..?

Antonio is one dimentional IMO from the 1 game I have seen him.My impression is he knocks the ball past the player and then chases it.When that is seen by the opponents they will counter that and he may then become less effective. Papa is one of those players who will do 1 bit of brilliance to get a goal the rest is frustrating.Both are important. My concern is if RL gets injured or tired from too many games
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Antonio is one dimentional IMO from the 1 game I have seen him.My impression is he knocks the ball past the player and then chases it.When that is seen by the opponents they will counter that and he may then become less effective. Papa is one of those players who will do 1 bit of brilliance to get a goal the rest is frustrating.Both are important. My concern is if RL gets injured or tired from too many games

Isn`t that what most good exciting wingers do??:confused:

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Antonio is one dimentional IMO from the 1 game I have seen him. My impression is he knocks the ball past the player and then chases it. When that is seen by the opponents they will counter that and he may then become less effective. Papa is one of those players who will do 1 bit of brilliance to get a goal the rest is frustrating.Both are important. My concern is if RL gets injured or tired from too many games

 

Isn`t that what most good exciting wingers do??:confused:

 

I'd say the best wingers beat defenders with skill, then leave them for dead with pace (or even a change of pace - anyone remember John Robertson?). I'd agree with Nick that Antonio very often looks to put the ball past the player then chase it. A top-notch full back like Mick Mills would take the ball off him every time - then again, he's not going to encounter any full backs of that quality in League One. But the better ones even at this level may well learn to counter him. I think he's a terrific impact sub, as he can run at a tiring defence after they've been softened up by Papa.

 

One other point is that Pardew may well be waiting to see what happens with McLaggon; if he regains the pace he had pre-injury he'll be a pretty hot prospect as well.

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Completely different players, which makes the substitution such a powerful switch. I'd keep it as it is with Papa starting and Antonio replacing him with 20/30 minutes to go.

 

Agree entirely - I think one of the reasons left backs have looked so poor against Antonio (making him look good) is that they're knackered after trying to keep up with Papa for the previous hour.

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I have to disagree aboiut lloyd james. Think he is the weak link in our team. He is too slow to be our right back imo. Yesterday he went missing second half again. Would rather thomas was playing tbh, and murty if fit. His corners are awfuk too. There is always a player the manager likes that a lot of people dont rate like telfer.

 

At CM James is quality.

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Hi,

 

Anyway in summary this is what I recall, nothing vastly breaking news. I was trying not to make a tit of myself after 6 pints of cider, but I will be catching up with him again soon for much longer.

 

Regards

Mouldy

 

Thanks Mouldy.

 

If you catch up with him again soon for much longer there is a strong possibility you will have more than 6 pints and make a tit of yourself..

 

HTH

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Love the use of the word "official" in the title.

Nothing very official about any of it really,just a discussion between 2 blokes cidered up at lunchtime.Still good info all the same.

 

 

The offical bit is the fact that Reading will allow him to leave. My contact was not cidered up. Happy to share my source in a PM if you care to message me rather than a cheap shot publicly. Sorry for sharing what I thought was some interesting and useful information.

The ball is in A.P court. Simple as that

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The offical bit is the fact that Reading will allow him to leave. My contact was not cidered up. Happy to share my source in a PM if you care to message me rather than a cheap shot publicly. Sorry for sharing what I thought was some interesting and useful information.

The ball is in A.P court. Simple as that

 

is that official?

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