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20 Sep 2014 20:52:08
another win! Even though we weren't at our best today it's still the 3 points that count! 2nd in the table, what a start! Bring on QPR at home, we could finish September in 2nd!!! And to think we still have Mane and J Rod to come into our attack, early days but we really could push for Europe this season, COYR!
20 Sep 2014 14:41:00
Anyone know why Toby isn't playing today?
20 Sep 2014 19:24:36
He's injured.
He tweeked his hamstring, and there was no need to risk him since we have such strength and depth in the squad.
What a difference a year makes!
21 Sep 2014 19:10:49
Really happy about the result but we were very poor in the first half. Why isn't Wanyama playing ? Different team with him in it, so much more strength in midfield. Can somebody tell me why we paid 12m for Long ? I thought he was very, very average. Forster needs to learn how to come for crosses without just flapping his arms around in hope. Gardos looked very composed when he came on even though he didn't have much to do. Make my week if we can beat or preferably thrash Harry the Hood at the weekend. Not getting carried away as we are far from the finished article.
21 Sep 2014 20:33:13
Bit harsh chrisdownj!
Yes, the 3 up top looked a little below par but the defence and midfield looked good. We have a lot of strength apart from in the forward line where we have been without Mane, Jay Rod and Gallagher.
We are certainly not a finished article but we are progressing and we have a manager who has a plan B and is having an instant impact (see Spurs site re. their problems!) RoKo says each midfield player should be getting 5-10 goals per season and suddenly we see Jack and Victor break their ducks-I don't believe this is chance, there is a lot of work being done and I think we will start to see the attack click into gear shortly.
Gardos was quietly impressive. I'd seen bits and bobs before he signed and worried that he'd be Mertersaker-slow, but he looked really mobile and covered the ground in good time.
Didn't have any defending to do as Swansea were playing for 0-0 after Bony went off, but Gardos had a touch of quality about him, I felt.
Hopefully he'll get a start against Arsenal and we'll learn a bit more - can't imagine Alderweireld will be risked before the QPR game, and Yoshida picked up a knock on Saturday, so the defence may well pick themselves.
22 Sep 2014 09:21:07
Well I may have been a little harsh Saint Martin but I was trying to be realistic about our inconsistencies. It showed against Newcastle, one minute superb and the next allowing them to have possession. Dyer is a lightweight but he did prove that wingers destroy the game plan sometimes when they get past the full backs and pull out the defence. Hope if Mane is as good as we believe we will then see Pelle score more goals because he won't have two or three on him. Sort of agree with point about JWP, he seems to be at a standstill development wise recently, his corners and crossing have been poor. To me it should have been Davis, Wanyama and Spider on Saturday they are best at containing the diamond formation. Just hope we put a full side out at the Emirates tomorrow, if we get past that one I honestly think we will win it. Europa Cup then and the winners of that go straight into the Champions League, seems an easier route by a million miles than trying to get in to the top four.
Interesting points raised guys. Saint Martin is correct when he says we aren't the finished article. It seems that when Pelle is marked out of the game with 2-3 central defenders it stops our attack. With Pelle being the foil that our attack builds up on, we need to find alternative solutions.
Regarding the Newcastle game chrisdownj I thought the key was Pardews change in tactics to stop Davis playing. For the first 20 minutes or so, Davis was allowed far too much space, and it showed with Davis running the show. Pardew shuffled his pack, and Davis was marked out of the game after that, but of course it didn't matter too much since they were 2-0 down by then.
It's been a hugely impressive start by Saints, especially considering the summer exodus. defensively we look great. Midfield has options aplenty, but from time to time our attack looks blunt. Really looking to see what Mane brings to the squad, and with JRod back in the not too different future, I back us to end up with more points than last season. Europe may be a stretch too far, but it will be a bloody good ride!
23 Sep 2014 12:09:53
Totally agree St Christopher about Davis being taken out of the game against Newcastle and it wasn't his best performance anyway. I really rate him though and feel if we tweak the midfield on a regular basis with our fine selection of players in that position it may confuse the opposition manager doing his homework. Too many times in the middle to later stages of last season the opposing manager had worked out our system and with no Plan B we had a very average finish to the season. Wanyama to me has looked the 12m player so far this season and needs to be played as the likes of ( not very good so far ) Long may improve with his Wanyama's ability to force forward in a similar way to Yaya Toure at City. Just feel that we need to get out wide more and I sure that Mane is good for that and then maybe Pelle will score a lot of goals, for a big man he has a quality touch and holds the ball up brilliantly a little bit like Peter Crouch who I always thought was underrated. Just hope we go for it tonight and if we win that one I think the atmosphere will be brilliant on Saturday especially with Harry the Hood and his henchmen coming to the town.