04 Jan 2015 16:57:13
1-1 with Ipswich
what do the rest of you think of this result
The result gave a lot of food for thought concerning our need for another striker, someone who will quickly be prolific and clinical. Without this you would expect it will require something special for us to progress far in the FA cup or keep up our lofty league position until the end of the season. However I also think if Pelle or Long for that matter manages to get a brace or a few goals in consecutive games then it's more about sustaining a successful and sharp creative output from midfield.
Probably the worst possible result in terms of the schedule.
I'd wait and see what the draw brings on Monday. If Saints/Ipswich get an away tie at, say, Chelsea in the next round, rest the first team and play the kids in the Ipswich replay. It's not worth it. Would rather be relatively fresh and competitive at United and Newcastle in the league, and I wouldn't even put it past the fringe players to beat Ipswich.
Three away games in seven days is just too much to ask for from the thin first team squad, IMHO.
Goalscoring remains a problem now Pelle's contributions have dried up. Long has predictably delivered sweet FA in front of goal, in keeping with the rest of his career, and Mane's out for 4-6 weeks. Who knows when or if Rodriguez will be back this season.
I think a striker in this transfer window is an absolute must if Saints are going to maintain their form.
05 Jan 2015 09:26:37
Totally agree with Quertyell word for word on this one, however I don't think he will play the kids in the replay. The reason is he will feel that he has a point to prove and that our main squad should be able to handle successive games. If we were in Europe we would have a similar schedule which is the objective. Koeman is not a throw in the towel kind of person. I still believe the allocation of the whole of the Northam End to Ipswich was badly thought out and gave them the home game atmosphere feeling that spurred them on. I don 't think Ipswich will give us the whole of their main support stand, they wouldn't be that na�ve.
In terms of the striker who would you go for?
There's going to be a lot of competition for strikers amongst the likes of Man City, Tottenham and Liverpool also which will no doubt hike the price up, tied into the fact it's January so values are always at a premium. That means unless we're going to be unorthodox and shell out for the likes of Bony or Benteke, we need to look to Europe, Carlos Vela perhaps?
In an ideal world I'd like to see us sign Danny Ings. We're his boyhood club so you'd guess he would love to play for us, he's proven with the right service he can score as well as when there's no service. However the big issue is he's committed to staying with Burnley until the end of the season, so it would take a special bid to make them listen.
05 Jan 2015 12:08:23
SaintsFan29 I have just got a feeling we are not going to spend mega millions on a striker in January for exactly the reasons you state as their prices are over exaggerated. Still think it will be a loan or maybe Dirk Kuyt, I know he is knocking on but could be the answer on a short term basis. I personally would have Rickie back on loan for the rest of the season at least we would have somebody that could take penalties and free kicks and with his great footballing brain he would work well with Clyne/Bertrand/Mane/Tadic and let's face it could you imagine the reception he would get ? Vela is a good shout but can't see it happening.