Lallana or Surman

[Long Shot]

I like both players but if we had to lose one which one would you chose?

After tonight I think I would rather Lallana go. Great skill, quick feet but no end product whereas Surman might not have pace he does have nous and the ability to read the game. Tough call but Surman is as MLT said on Sky A FOOTBALLER

[alpine_saint]

Academic - I reckon we will lose both.

[benjii]

Lallana definitely.

 

However I would sell both if it meant we could get Stern John back (and play 4-4-2 not the current nonsense).

[saint_stevo]

Lose Lallana, too lightweight and struggles to put any power on shots or passes. Keep drew, he is the only bloke who tackles.......

[Weston Saint]

We need to keep both. I am still hopeful we can.

 

Surman is the sort of player we need in the team but I would say that wouldn't I

 

As for Lallana, lets not forget he has only played 20 odd games for Saints first team so far. He is still learning, has the potential and I would rather we develop that potential than sell him in January on the cheap.

[Long Shot]

We need to keep both. I am still hopeful we can.

 

Surman is the sort of player we need in the team but I would say that wouldn't I

 

As for Lallana, lets not forget he has only played 20 odd games for Saints first team so far. He is still learning, has the potential and I would rather we develop that potential than sell him in January on the cheap.

 

I do like Lallana (his performance v Wolves when we were down to 10 men was awesome) but tonight talk about flattering to decieve. Mind you he was 5 times better than BWP.

[saint_stevo]

I do like Lallana (his performance v Wolves when we were down to 10 men was awesome) but tonight talk about flattering to decieve. Mind you he was 5 times better than BWP.

 

BWP was our best attacking player tonight, looked sharp, good touch and crisp passing.

[Saint_clark]

Lallana is worth more yet has shown less promise than Drew. Plus Surman is a Saints lad so he is guaranteed to put in 100%

[benjii]

BWP was our best attacking player tonight, looked sharp, good touch and crisp passing.

 

Agree generally, however he did unfortunately choose to miss-control the one good ball he was played by Wotton.

 

He was much more dangerous than any of the other attacking players though.

[ottery st mary]

I like both players and obviously both are improving.....Keep both...But if one has to go Let Lallana go for a good price and loan him back...possible?

 

Surman is more the all round player and probably more vital for the side..more experience for the fight...Lallana is never going to be used correctly with the right striker up front..

[saint_stevo]

Agree generally, however he did unfortunately choose to miss-control the one good ball he was played by Wotton.

 

He was much more dangerous than any of the other attacking players though.

 

Yes he did, just as i was saying how his control looked to have improved......oh

[sotonjoe]

As others have said ... I'd sooner lose Lallana.

 

I think Surman is more use to us right now whereas Lallana is still more of an unfinished product.

 

Don't get me wrong though. They are both key players for us and I'd be deeply disappointed if we lost either of them.

[Mr X]

vital we keep both if we want to stay in this division

[ALWAYS_SFC]

vital we keep both if we want to stay in this division

 

More vital is the need for a real goalscorer.

[saint_stevo]

More vital is the need for a real goalscorer.

 

and someone to put there foot in in the middle of the park.

 

dare i say Savage on loan would be ideal?

[benjii]

and someone to put there foot in in the middle of the park.

 

dare i say Savage on loan would be ideal?

 

He's on about £20k a week!

 

Can't see it personally.

[saint_stevo]

He's on about £20k a week!

 

Can't see it personally.

 

if Brighton would afford him for a while....

 

we just are a bit too nice imo

[benjii]

if Brighton would afford him for a while....

 

we just are a bit too nice imo

 

I forgot about that actually.... well if Derby would let us have him for 20% of his wages... why not?!

 

I'd rather have Stern back though TBH (and a new manager).

[saint_stevo]

I forgot about that actually.... well if Derby would let us have him for 20% of his wages... why not?!

 

I'd rather have Stern back though TBH (and a new manager).

 

Priority IMO

[VectisSaint]

For the short term it has to be Lallana, would be a shame because he will be top class one day, but Drew is far more important to us right now. Perhaps we could do a deal, buy Lallana get McGoldrick free.

[Master Bates]

Surman, 22, told BBC Radio Solent: "I feel I'm ready to step up to Premier League level. "Any player wants to play as high as they can. I'd love to play in the Premier League for the benefit of my personal career."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7777584.stm

[Andy_Porter]

Would love to keep them both but Surman would be the priority for me. More experienced, more goals and more versatile.

[South City Si]

Keep Drew as he works hard and doesn't give up.which is what we need at the moment.

[Paul Chuckle]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7777584.stm

 

Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman has said he is ready to play in the Premier League.

Reports have suggested that cash-strapped Saints may try and sell Surman during the January transfer window.

And Surman, 22, told BBC Radio Solent: "I feel I'm ready to step up to Premier League level.

"Any player wants to play as high as they can. I'd love to play in the Premier League for the benefit of my personal career."

He added: "I'm a Southampton player at the moment, and it will remain that way until I hear otherwise."

Surman has come through the ranks at Southampton and is a product of their successful Academy. He signed a new deal with the club last year, which runs until 2011.

Earlier in his career he enjoyed loan spells at Walsall and Bournemouth.

He added: "Some players step up to the Premier too early and end up in the reserves, but I've played over 100 games now, so I feel I'm ready for the next level."

[Thedelldays]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7777584.stm

 

Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman has said he is ready to play in the Premier League.

Reports have suggested that cash-strapped Saints may try and sell Surman during the January transfer window.

And Surman, 22, told BBC Radio Solent: "I feel I'm ready to step up to Premier League level.

"Any player wants to play as high as they can. I'd love to play in the Premier League for the benefit of my personal career."

He added: "I'm a Southampton player at the moment, and it will remain that way until I hear otherwise."

Surman has come through the ranks at Southampton and is a product of their successful Academy. He signed a new deal with the club last year, which runs until 2011.

Earlier in his career he enjoyed loan spells at Walsall and Bournemouth.

He added: "Some players step up to the Premier too early and end up in the reserves, but I've played over 100 games now, so I feel I'm ready for the next level."

 

 

there we go...bye drew

[KK the 2nd]

A real shame but it looks like we will lose both. In answer to the hypothetical question then, of the two, I would prefer Surman to stay.

[Yate Saint]

So the question is, which prem club will buy Surman or will he go to a team top of the CCC and get in that way?

 

Would be a shame to see him go but he knows he aint gonna play for Saints in the prem in the near future so he is only looking after himself.

[Weston Saint]

Drew has served Saints well and if he is now looking to further his career in the Premier then good luck to him. He is 22 now and the likelyhood of him ever doing so with Saints in the next few years is almost non existant.

 

I have not heard he wants out but like any player he harbours ambition. He is an honest lad who loves Saints but appears to have now set down a marker.

 

Anyone who points to Le Tessier must remember he played for us when we were in the Premier. He often said if we went down he would have to give serious consideration to moving on. Fortunately for us and him that never arose in his career.

[Andy_Porter]

I can't see many Premiership clubs taking him he's but i'm just not sure many clubs would been a Surman type player in their side. Maybe somewhere like Middlesboro, they try to play football and like there English players. Other than that it would maybe be someone like WBA or one of the top 5/6 CCC clubs.

 

Hope he doesn't leave though.

[scott_saints]

lol@ Surman thinking he's ready for the prem.

[Weston Saint]

I now know the article on the BBC about Drew was taken out of context

 

It's just part of his recent interview on Solent where he said he was happy to stay at Saints and would love to play for them in the Premiership as he felt he was ready to play at that level. He was asked about the transfer rumours and he said he was aware of them but that it was all speculation and anyway it would depend on whether Saints wanted to sell him.

 

So there you go. Long Shot, my fiver is still safe

[eelpie]

NEITHER.

 

If either are curently under-performing it is down to tactics (which is undermining their confidence) not their abilities. We will rue the day they go, especially when we see how they progress at other clubs.

 

Selling them will prove that the Academy does not successfully feed our first team. It is not the future as we thought. As Rupert tells us.

 

The Academy will have failed. A dead idea.

 

Over to you, Mr Lowe.

What is it to be?

[Window Cleaner]

Surman, 22, told BBC Radio Solent: "I feel I'm ready to step up to Premier League level. "Any player wants to play as high as they can. I'd love to play in the Premier League for the benefit of my personal career."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7777584.stm

 

Meaning his agent is desperately trying to get him a move, although Surman will say he wants to stay and knows nothing;

Exit Surman and Schneiderlin.

[Thedelldays]

Meaning his agent is desperately trying to get him a move, although Surman will say he wants to stay and knows nothing;

Exit Surman and Schneiderlin.

 

surely he cant be quoted if never actually said it..???

[Weston Saint]

surely he cant be quoted if never actually said it..???

 

see post 32 above which followed enquiries I had made.

[Long Shot]

Drew has served Saints well and if he is now looking to further his career in the Premier then good luck to him. He is 22 now and the likelyhood of him ever doing so with Saints in the next few years is almost non existant.

 

I have not heard he wants out but like any player he harbours ambition. He is an honest lad who loves Saints but appears to have now set down a marker.

 

Anyone who points to Le Tessier must remember he played for us when we were in the Premier. He often said if we went down he would have to give serious consideration to moving on. Fortunately for us and him that never arose in his career.

 

Ron, that last sentence I would contest. Nothing fortunate about it I reckon - more down to Le Tiss's immaculate skills.

[St Marco]

Don't think we can afford to lose either, if Lallana was used right like he was under the previous manager then he would do much better. However based on current importance/display i think Surman would be a huge blow for us where as Lallana would just be a blow to add to the long list of blows.

[West End Saint]

We need to keep both and build our team around them but if 1 has to go I would rather keep Surman I think he has been our best player this year Lallana is a great prospect but lacking end product at the moment.

 

It will be a kick in the nuts if they both go but you can see that happening just keep your fingers crossed we manage to bail out on Raza Stern John saga and Skachel then maybe we can keep them also like to see us get rid of Robertson and Peckhart and get a decent goal scorer in on loan

[Fowllyd]

Don't think we can afford to lose either, if Lallana was used right like he was under the previous manager then he would do much better. However based on current importance/display i think Surman would be a huge blow for us where as Lallana would just be a blow to add to the long list of blows.

 

I agree with the first bit - I wouldn't want to see either of them leave. But how often did Lallana play under Pearson? Yes, there was the West Brom game, but were there any others? It seems to me that Lallana is a player who's still looking for his best position and role, and needs a bit of direction to help him find them. That'll be what a manager's for then.

[derry]

Surman even when not playing well, has always disciplined himself and played in his assigned position, whether LB, CM, WL, WR, support striker. He plays for the team and doesn't showboat. For his versatility alone, it would be sad if he leaves, however he is not irreplaceable.

 

Lallana on the other hand is miles away from the finished article. He lacks a disciplined approach and never plays for more than a few minutes in his assigned role. McGoldrick is the same. They play like kids in the playground, obsessed with the ball. They between them have made us pretty impotent and lob sided by playing narrow down our right side. One or the other is never on the right far post.

[Sundance Beast]

To be honest I would not be fussed to see either of them leave for pretty mcuh the same reasons for levaing already quoted. I'm surprised by those who think Surman is a good tackler, he isn't and mostly tracks/shepherds opponents and was IMO a disaster at LB, worse even than Skacel who based on his contribution/wages ratio is quite simply the poorest value player in the side.

 

The trouble is who is going to come in for decent offers for any of them although I guess Skacel could go out on loan just to get him off the wage book. Both Surman and Lallana are a long way off Premiership level so which wealthy championship club is going to come in for them.

 

I hope they stay but for the good of the club if we get some mug to stump up a £1m+ for either of them then that is great as long as we don't sell Schneiderlin and Holmes returns from injury and not forgetting the one player who has actually shown some real bite, and i don't believe I'm going to say this, Euell. Oh btw, if we do sell L&S then we must either sign Cork or extend his loan period and sign a striker on loan who doesn't walk around with his hands on his hips for half the game.

[TopGun]

To be honest I would not be fussed to see either of them leave for pretty mcuh the same reasons for levaing already quoted. I'm surprised by those who think Surman is a good tackler, he isn't and mostly tracks/shepherds opponents and was IMO a disaster at LB, worse even than Skacel who based on his contribution/wages ratio is quite simply the poorest value player in the side.

 

The trouble is who is going to come in for decent offers for any of them although I guess Skacel could go out on loan just to get him off the wage book. Both Surman and Lallana are a long way off Premiership level so which wealthy championship club is going to come in for them.

 

I hope they stay but for the good of the club if we get some mug to stump up a £1m+ for either of them then that is great as long as we don't sell Schneiderlin and Holmes returns from injury and not forgetting the one player who has actually shown some real bite, and i don't believe I'm going to say this, Euell. Oh btw, if we do sell L&S then we must either sign Cork or extend his loan period and sign a striker on loan who doesn't walk around with his hands on his hips for half the game.

 

SB speaks sense when he sticks to footie!

 

I think Surman has maybe let things go to his head which is unfortunate. He has played 100 games plus but how many of those have we won? Maybe 25? And what has his direct input been with those victories? Where should he have helped out better with all the losses?

 

If he wants to go and we get some silly offer then so be it. But I can't see it as he has not shown himself to have enough Premiership bite in his game to yield an offer we would accept. His contract expires in 2011. He is ok for us and may get better. But I can't see too many Prem sides viewing him as fantastic potential worth shelling out big cash for at the moment. It's down to him really to show what he can do between January and the end of the season if he wants Saints to take a worthwhile bid.

Edited 11 December, 2008 by TopGun

[Gordon Mockles]

I like both players but if we had to lose one which one would you chose?

After tonight I think I would rather Lallana go. Great skill, quick feet but no end product whereas Surman might not have pace he does have nous and the ability to read the game. Tough call but Surman is as MLT said on Sky A FOOTBALLER

 

I don’t know who will go, probably both, but the club aren’t exactly incognito about the whole affair. I’d rather neither but we all know that won’t be the case, especially with the ‘fire-sale’ leader we currently have guiding our collision course club.

 

In fact, they’re doing a good job at attracting attention to the last of our decent players (in the run up to January) by continually talking up Adam and Drew to the media. Surely only coincidental, with our club’s good record for sincerity and transparency! *splutters*

 

A more cynical man may think they’re on a desperate media campaign to sell the pair and wave them under the noses of the Premiership clubs!

[forever a red and white]

surman. has the potential to turn into a real match winner when he matures. When on form i can see him getting a few goals and personally i think he has great passing range as well.

[Sundance Beast]

surman. has the potential to turn into a real match winner when he matures. When on form i can see him getting a few goals and personally i think he has great passing range as well.

 

Broadly, I agree with you but he remains inconsistent and I don't think he has truly found the form he showed in his first season and he certainly didn't flourish under Pearson's guidance. Based on his current form he would not be that bigger miss to the team and in terms of his passing range I can recall in the second half of one home game this season (sorry I can't remember the opponents) when he had 3 opportunities to knock the ball in from almost identical positions, on the left about 25 yards out, either from a free kick or in play and each time the ball sailed over our attack and ended up in the keepers arm. By his 3rd cross you would have thought he had got his eye in so to speak. Those incidents were all in the space of about 15mins and I can remember the frustration of the fans very clearly if not our opponents.

 

In fact his crossing in general has at best been very ineffective and I'll be surprised if a Premiership club take him unless they can afford to give him time to mature as you put it. Having said that he has scored 4 goals from midlfield in the league and Lallana has disappointingly scored only 1 so on that basis alone Lallana should go but I feel he actually does add some attacking impetus to the team even if it doesn't materialise in goals whereas Surman contributes to the quality passing but without the cutting edge or runs.

 

Bottom line they should both go if we can get players in on loan who can match their contribution but also add a stronger and more attacking/goalscoring element to the team whilst we must keep the services of Cork, nurse Holmes back asap and keep Schneiderlin. Also I think its about time we played BWP through the middle, he has scored some good goals from an alien poistion to him and is undoubtedly a far more accomplished player than McGoldrick, although that is not saying much.

 

We talk about forgiving Lowe but lets not forget McGoldrick's underhit and casual back pass that masqueraded as a missed penalty shot. That was surely one of the most heinous crimes in a Saints shirt this season and his nonchalant response before and since is typical of the type of player and attitude this club doesn't need and never has. Reminds me of a young Stan Collymore with about 1% of the ability. If Lowe/Wilde have made one mistake this year its giving or authorising McGoldrick's 3 year contract. If we could sell him then that would be a bonus, not quite winning the lottery but perhaps scooping the thunderball nonetheless.

[Sundance Beast]

I don’t know who will go, probably both, but the club aren’t exactly incognito about the whole affair. I’d rather neither but we all know that won’t be the case, especially with the ‘fire-sale’ leader we currently have guiding our collision course club.

 

In fact, they’re doing a good job at attracting attention to the last of our decent players (in the run up to January) by continually talking up Adam and Drew to the media. Surely only coincidental, with our club’s good record for sincerity and transparency! *splutters*

 

A more cynical man may think they’re on a desperate media campaign to sell the pair and wave them under the noses of the Premiership clubs!

 

Fire sale Gordon? Or prudent restructuring of your assets? Surely, if we have to sell them then we want the board to maximise the returns on any player and if that means putting them up in the proverbial shop window and dressed attractively to attract buyers then surely that to is sound commercial sense.

 

I suspect many of us have sold our old cars privately but not before we have spent a day cleaning them up in the vain hope no one spots the fact it hasn't been serviced for a wee while, or the MOT has 36 hours left on the ticket. Then placing a nice big picture advert in the trader that probably costs more than the car is worth or at least the cost of the work needed to put it straight. The trick is duping the buyer into paying 'top dollar' whilst making them think they have just purchased the bargain of the century. Football is no different and I would suggest IMO that McGoldrick's agent is expert in polishing turds and we were duped.

 

If our board are touting Lallana and Surman to the media to maximise the price and dupe clubs who fail to do their homework in buying a high price then that frankly pleases me and it should you or any fan of this club.

[CityRanger]

Fire sale Gordon? Or prudent restructuring of your assets? Surely, if we have to sell them then we want the board to maximise the returns on any player and if that means putting them up in the proverbial shop window and dressed attractively to attract buyers then surely that to is sound commercial sense.

 

I suspect many of us have sold our old cars privately but not before we have spent a day cleaning them up in the vain hope no one spots the fact it hasn't been serviced for a wee while, or the MOT has 36 hours left on the ticket. Then placing a nice big picture advert in the trader that probably costs more than the car is worth or at least the cost of the work needed to put it straight. The trick is duping the buyer into paying 'top dollar' whilst making them think they have just purchased the bargain of the century. Football is no different and I would suggest IMO that McGoldrick's agent is expert in polishing turds and we were duped.

 

If our board are touting Lallana and Surman to the media to maximise the price and dupe clubs who fail to do their homework in buying a high price then that frankly pleases me and it should you or any fan of this club.

Call me old fashioned if you like, but what pleases me as a fan is seeing a good team of good players. I don't think many fans get their kicks from player sales.

[londonsaint1604]

I think Surman is more useful right now, but it wouldn't be a disaster if we lost him. Similarly we could cope without Lallana but I would rather keep hold of him because he seems to has such great potential.