05 Jan 2018 11:19:54
I will probably be shot down here but I look at our squad and all I see are clones! our players are just so similar.

I worry we don't have diversity in our squad. Where are the characters in the side, the type of player that will stand up and fight?

1.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 11:38:06
Talk of Carillo from Monaco and Carroll from Wet Sham
Now that could be a plan B.
What about Martin O Neill as next manager if he could be prised away?

2.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 12:00:55
One guy I think it's a bit of a shame to miss out on as our manager is Chris Coleman; what he did so well at Wales is build a true team of players working and fighting for each other.

Not too sure about ONeill personally.

3.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 12:03:44
I would say that Carillo could be an interesting addition - On paper he looks like the Target man we need (and never replaced when we sold Pelle) - But he is an unknown in the Premier League, and you could argue that in our lowly position we require proven performers. Andy Carroll would be just that, but we could never afford his wages.

4.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 12:07:21
Saint Ben character is instilled in players by guidance and motivation and giving them self belief. All those years ago Brian Clough had an ordinary side which he turned into a European Cup winning club. He was an abrasive, self opinionated, arrogant man but he did it. Not saying we want anybody like him but we need someone who can put a rocket up the arse of some of these talented players we have would help. Somebody like Bally or Strachan would do me.

5.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 12:56:27
I don't really agree with you Ben, I think all 3 of our current strikers have different qualities. I think the same about Tadic, Redmond and Boufal. I also feel the same about the likes of Ward-Prowse, Romeu and Lemina.
However, I think on paper certain players will play better with others going forward. For example, Tadic always plays better with a target man in the team. He seems to put in better performances with Austin.
But I think that is one of our problems, it's hard to know what players are actually invested in the club. We've seen a couple of good performances by an individual and suddenly they're praised by everyone and every team in the big 6 want their signatures.
I think it's hard for players to be invested in the club when this is the issue.

6.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 12:57:46
Strachan is available, and a bit left-field; but so is Roy Keane if you want rockets up bottoms! ;-)

I would have loved Chris Coleman as our manager - As I've said before, as a club we're more set-up to suit an International Manager (ie. The club signs the players, not the manager) - Coleman is terrific at molding a team with the players at his disposal.

7.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 13:07:47
Saint Chris - as much as I agree about the manager I don't think you understood what I meant about the players. Roy Keane springs to mind, he was never shown how to be aggressive and stand up for the team, it was part of his DNA.

In my humble opion we have to many players that are clones of each other. We could do with some players that will stand up and fight and be accounted for, players with a bit of bite! like in times gone by. Jimmy Case, Francis Benali, Neil Ruddock.

8.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 14:08:09
Think SaintBen was talking from a personality perspective rather than on-field styles, in which case I can see what he means but think it's just a feature of the modern game. Modern football, and Southampton more so than many, is all about professionalism, and I think many of our players are of this mindset. Southampton is a step in a career, and I don't get the impression (this bit is actually based on talking to someone who worked at the club last year) there's too much of a personal bond within the squad.

This is a good and a bad thing. Saints lead the way in terms of performance metrics and use of technology throughout our youth and senior teams, and create a very professional environment. On the flip side, there does seem to be a lack of emotion and fight.

9.) 05 Jan 2018
05 Jan 2018 15:00:12
Saint Ben the players you mention were what football was all about, I could name many more like Billy Bremner, Bryan Robson etc. but unfortunately the way football has changed regarding physical contact they would spend most of the season suspended 😄.