Southampton Banter Archive November 26 2013

 

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26 Nov 2013 18:19:46
Rumours is we're interested in Diego, AM who plays for Wolfsburg, he's an absolute class player, we can get him for free in the summer, would love him too sign, he really would add a lot to the squad!

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Makes a change from the usual "why would I want to join a relegation battle" view of the world ;)

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26 Nov 2013 13:58:51
"Wanyama, as revealed in the Daily Echo last Saturday, has committed more fouls than anyone else in the Premier League this season. "

Tidy player or clumsy?

Debate.

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Against Arsenal, Wanyama committed 3 fouls, but won 9 tackles.
Seems like a fair return to me.

Let's be honest - he's there to break up the opponents play - something he seems to have a talent for.

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Saints as a team have committed more fouls than any other team in the BPL but have not committed the most cardable offences.
It is to do with the high pressing game we play, if it looks like we are going to get caught out high up the field then we are quite prepared to foul the opposition both to stop them and to give us a chance to get back into a deeper positon to defend.
This is one big reason that we have conceded less shots on target than any other BPL team and conceded less goals than any other BPL team.
We are stopping other teams playing flowing football and this is one of the ways we are doing it.
Example, If Luke Shaw loses the ball on one of his LWB runs up the pitch and there is no one back covering his position then he will just pull the other guys shirt if he can reach him, rather than the team getting hit on the break.

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Not quite Barcelona then? Makes me a little sad really.

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If you think about it, that just shows players are committed to the challenge and want the ball at their feet.

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No it doesn't, it's a cynical approach if you think about it to win at all costs. More like diving in the penalty area.

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Thought this view may be of interest to some.
Barcelona’s foul play is hidden away in their exorbitantly high percentage of possession.

When one squares Barcelona’s low number of fouls with their high percentage of possession they are exposed as one of the most foul intensive teams around. Looking at the statistics from the previous Champions League season, they are in fact in the top four out of a total of 32 teams. And what’s more, in each of the three knockout ties they played, from the round of 16 to the semi-final, they were more foul-intensive than their opponent. Yes, they did commit a lower number of fouls than the opposition in each of the ties, but because of their exceptionally high percentage of possession they effectively did so in a much shorter period of time, averaging a higher number of fouls per minute spent defending.

So we are not so unlike Bacelona as you might think and with a higher average quality of player and more possession things would become closer still, BUT we are not exactly there yet.

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Nah, I'm not having that. You can use stats to prove almost anything if you work them to your advantage, a bit like market research. Ask the right questions and you get the answers you want.
Barca have about 70% possession and are brilliant at passing.
We are quite a bit off that, quite a bit.

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Fouls are subjective. A ref. awards a foul, it is a matter of his judgement. How many penalties would be given every week if every ref. gave a foul for shirt pulling in the penalty area?

Saints play a high pressure pressing game and some refs. will constantly award fouls for hard tackles which show up in this type of play. Saints play to win the ball back quickly, that means tackling and some refs. will penalise this. Compare this to the type of "tackle" during the Everton/Liverpool match and the stats. DO NOT show which is a dirty side.

Saint Martin

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Hey Wanyama's agent, we've missed your impartial opinion.
Yeh refs just make it up as the go along. The rule book doesn't matter really it's just how they see it. That Mike Reilly he must get paid to do nothing?

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You said Wanyama was, and I quote"clean in the tackle".
I know you're his biggest fan, brother, mother or agent, whatever but come on you need to be consistent. He's either clumsy, a spoiler or clean in the tackle.
Which is it Saint Martin?

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Quite clearly Wanyama is a beast!
You haters just keep on hating whatever, but he still gets picked by that guy MoPo who hasn't a clue what he is doing.

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Its not difficul to workout - you divide the amount of time the team spends without the ball (defending) by the amount of fouls comitted. On that basis Barca commit a lot of fouls per minute when compared to other teams.
So what Saints need to do is increase their possession which will result in fewer fouls.
You can choose to dismiss such statistics if you want but I have no idea why anyone wth understanding would.

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Going back to the discussion regarding the amount of fouls Saints commit, there isn't any surprise that Saints commit so many fouls. Our whole game is about pressing the other team, and a desire to win the ball back extremely quickly. This style of football means we will be making far more tackles than other teams.
I can see why the above poster mentioned Barca in his post, regarding the amount of fouls they commit. This isn't about a desire to foul the other team - this is about the pressing team making more tackles to win the ball back as soon as they loose the ball.

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Think some nameless "person" is a little confused. Where have I mentioned Victor in this post? Thought this was a discussion about Saints?
You do seem to have your own agenda for some reason. Perhaps you will suddenly see what team balance is about on December 28th.

Saint Martin

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Think if you actually looked you would see that this post is a debate about Wanyama. Dohhh!

Nameless Person

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Why December 28th?
You're just angry because not everyone loves Vic like you do. Be honest are you his agent and is he "clean in the tackle" as you said previously or the biggest fouler in the premier league this season, as the stats prove!
Dan dan derrrrrrrrr!

Saint Martin's Moriarty

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Thats like saying the stats prove that JWP is the worst crosser of the ball in the BPL because he has failed with 60 attempts, more than anyone else in the League! (true stat)
The stats are true but your conclusions are utter tosh!

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Sorry I have been away and not been able to digest the wisdom from the Trolls and Cyrils, but you see, like last week when I had to get around all the sports media and pundits to bribe them to suggest Victor was the top player within a VERY good side playing against the league LEADERS, I have been busy this week doing the same ahead of the Chelsea game. Takes a lot of time because we all know he is really rubbish (LOL) and it does take some convincing! And then of course I had to deal with the bribes to get the Saints programme voted the best in the Premiership (remember the nonsense about that subject?)
Back to Football Manager chaps and try and work out what stats. to use-is it fouls, yellow cards, sending off or penalties awarded against? Or, heaven forbid, you actually rely upon your own eyes!

Whilst you are at it take a look at the pictures of Osvaldo on the WS and explain how this looks like an unhappy, unsettled player-as there seems to be a wish to sneer about him as well.

Why December 28th? Do you want me to explain about Father Christmas at the same time? Sorry, not interested. Your lack of knowledge about Saints suggests to me you are an imposter (Saints supporters are pretty clued up on such matters and your lack of knowledge suggests you are so outside that category you are trying to have a laugh. ) Maybe I am wrong, but the other explanation would not get past the Eds.

Just hope the Premiership does show some improvement in quality because I am starting to get bored with my side being able to get to 3rd and yet contain a squad with so many rubbish players. The computer games show we could be so much better. Just think where we will be if our "rubbish" players could actually raise their game. LOL.

Saint Martin

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Just read your post, all of it, and I'm still no wiser. What's happening on the 28th?
And why avoid the subject of "clean in the tackle" or just a spoiler?
You can't have it both ways.

A real Saints fan not just VW's agent

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Didn't know about the JWP stat re crosses, but whilst accepting stats certainly don't paint the full picture I bet someone on the coaching staff is aware of it and is pushing him dam hard to improve theses stats with training drills.
Always looking to improve, that's progress. Re Wanyama debate, yes you can coach any big strong muscley fit guy to stick a foot in and press high up the pitch, he must improve his all round game if he wants to be part of Saints future, not just a stop gap.

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You must have missed Wanyamas game for Celtic against Barca where he bossed them home and away and scored. Prety sure Frank Bruno would have struggled do that.

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Leave off Frank, in his prime he had one or two good games in him a season and not a lot would have got past him. His concentration and passing could be a bit off but he had a great shot (when it was on target, which was only about 1 in 10).
Re 28th the Everton game is the 29th and Cardiff 26th so they must be having a party or going to the New Years Sale?

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26 Nov 2013 12:01:13
Saints 11 of youth players brought through club still doing it, thoughts?

GK - Scott Bevan (who some might say we havn't brought many through but he has had most success as a goal keeper.
LB - Wayne Bridge
CB - Matt Mills
CB - Gary Monk
RB - Chris Baird
LM - Bale
CM - Surman
CM - Ox Chamb
RM - Dyer
ST - Best
ST - Walcott

Not to mention, Blackstock, Mcgoldrick, Craine and all current players, all these players doing it in sides within the Championship and premier league, it annoys me sometimes that only the main few (ox, theo, bale) get mentioned name any other club close to consistently bringing through this amount of players and this was just a quick thought of the top of my head, I am sure I have prob missed quite a few here.

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And the point of this is what?
Self appreciation?
I bet lots clubs could do produce a similar list of "youth" players who went onto become professionals. A variety of whom are playing premiership, championship and lower league football.

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JWP, Shaw, Lallana? 3 players also currently part of the England setup?

Still - Ox, Bale and Lallana playing behind Walcott - sounds good to me!

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26 Nov 2013 09:08:25
My Best Saints 11 of my generation what do you thi

GK - Niemi
LB - Bridge
CB - Svensson
CB - Lovren
RB - Dodd
CDM - Schneiderlin
LM - Bale
RM - Walcott
CAM - Le Tissier
CAM - Lallana
CF - Pahars

Bench

GK - Jones
DF - Lundekvam
DF - Clyne
MF - Oakley
MF - Ox Chamberlain
MF - Fernandes
ST - Lambert

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No Shearer?

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Personally I'd swap Lambert/Lundekvam/Clyne with Pahars/Svensson/Bridge.

Solid squad though.

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Shearer was just before my time thinking again I would swap Lundekvam for Richards apart from that that's my team there

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Clyne for Bridge? Bridge was amazing for us people forget how good he was, if Ashley Cole had not been around he would most def have at least 70 england caps, I love Lundekvam but he was at his best when playing next to Killer, Killer made him look that good Svensson was pure class, I agree that Lambert would suit the team better but I love Pahars I couldn't leave him out.

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No Channon 185 goals in league competition, Keegan, Ball, or Shilton?
Terry Paine - 160 goals and over 800 appearances for the club?

It's fair to say we've had a few good players in our time. I would have to question whether Bale or Wallcott should be in the team since while they are great players now, they have peaked since they were sold. Same goes for Ox-Chaimberlin.

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Wheres le saux?

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I thought Bridge was a left back, Clyne right back?
Obviously there isn't a lot of news at the moment to discuss.

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Lundekvam for svensson IMO

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Best Manager? Laurie Mac, he won a trophy

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Chris Marsden everytime.

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Paul thingy, not Potts but the bloke who came from Plymouth?

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26 Nov 2013 07:32:09
According to reports, Diego (from Wolfsburg) has issued a come and get me plea to arsenal and southampton. Apparently both clubs are interested and what makes this even better is we could get him on free as his contract expires very soon. I don't believe that arsenal would want to get him as they have an abundance of attacking midfielders (ozil, cazorla, Ramsey etc. ). I believe that he would be a great signing (especially on a free!) but what do you guys think?

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If we could get him at the right price then he would be a geat asset, I don't think a move to Arsenal would do him any good at 28 years old.

Certainly rather have him than Gaston in the quad and i'm sure he could teach our young payers a thing or two as he is very experinced.

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Diego

"Southampton have great organisation and discipline and big talents like Adam Lallana. But again there is nothing concrete.

"Playing in England is a very attractive option at the peak of my career but I'm focusing on helping Wolfsburg get to the Champions League. "

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I don't expect we'll get him on a free.

We're being linked now with the January window in mind, Wolfsburg are looking to sell to get £5m for him.

He won't go unnoticed in January.

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I read a bit about him and it looks like Wolfsburg are the ones that don't want to renew hs contact and that he has as a habit of falling out with managers and of having a bad attitude.
Not sure but I think he may just be lookng for his last big pay day by moving to the BPL?
Plus if Saints had talked to him then he should be keeping his mouth shut about it.
But I do think that it is a sign of the times

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For the right price would be a fantastic edition to expand the squad. If we could get him under £5 million I'd take him with both hands.

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