Southampton Banter Archive January 22 2013

22 Jan 2013 21:11:36
I feel we need a new defensive midfielder to play along side schierlin hopfully lucus biglia and a new goal keeper even though boric played well against Everton. This could still happen as it was Adkins that said that we weren't going to sign a goalkeeper. Hopefully butland or ter stagen

GregSaint

Please stop with the Butland nonsense. He is not a great keeper. Gazzaniga would be a better first choice than Butland!

Can, t see any English players being signed in near future ie butland

Although I am excited about the rumours and goings on at southampton recently, I do hope that MP and NC remember at heart we are an English club. We should have a core of English players especially in the youth ranks, it's great bringing in foreign talent but that isn't going to help English football develop.

See the 'Homegrown Players' rule. I'm sure we'll have plenty of English talent at the club, don't worry.

Gregsaint " your trying to say we need to replace cork which in my opinion has been one of our best players this season along with morgan they are solid in the middle! And we have davis for cover and little james ward prowse !

Saint91

22 Jan 2013 11:01:13
Well after watching Saints destroy a lack lustre Everton in the first half last night and then run out of steam, and hang on for a point, its evident where we need to bring players in. Ramirez lacked full match fitness and with Lallana still side lined we definitely require an attacking midfielder/winger of similar quality, especially if we're goons pay at the tempo that MP likes to do things. De Prado again looked tactically short of a premier league player and Rodriguez never really got going when he replaced him. I feel we also need a quality striker, Jay Rod might be better placed out on loan in championship or helping the u21s out until he had developed further.
For me Morgan Schneiderlin did well but, was cautioned and so easily could've picked up another, energetic but fiercely competitive, we need another CDM to cover him and Cork. Lucas Biglia being mentioned for this role, been on Liverpool and Arsenals radar, apparently on strike unhappy in native Argentina, will MP tempt him and can Cortese orchestrate a move from Anderlecht? Around 8m seems the fee.
Boruc did well last night, and the back four looked steady, Jos Hoiveldt looked again like a championship player at best, often selecting to punt long up field or into touch when possession could've been retained, need Fonte back for sure. Unclear whether we need another centre half as Vegard Forren hasn't been seen yet.
Would be keen to see us try and poach Nathan Redmond from troubled Birmingham, he'd certainly be one for the future.
I hope we can find these players, and the way we went about last nights game should certainly attract potential signings into buying into the dream.
I think there is a real possibility that Cortese is about to make a formal link between Barcelona and Southampton. Initiating feeder status and sharing of loan players. Sounds far fetched but .
My tips are Villa on loan and Roberto on loan, I think Shaw well be a Barcelona player next season.

Guly did well last night, there is no way we will get Villa and Cortese's plan of developing a home grown team of players from our acadamy won't happen if we flog our best youngsters!

Feeder for no one

I now have no doubt after this game that we will stay up! our form has improved to a level that we beat the lower teams and match the bigger teams and can look forward to getting stronger with a few quality signings. We outplayed Everton, Stoke and Arsenel, and matched Chelsea. Big, established clubs, we should have no fear against the remaining big clubs, the man united and Man see have already seen what we can do and that was early in the season when we were still finding our form, maybe this time we will have the resolve to not capitulate and give the game away in the dieing minutes. If J Rod or another striker can add to our goal threat we will have the ability to really threaten the top 6. I like that almost everyone is really comfortable on the ball, with puncheon being the best at it, always thought the English style lack that composure to face up a man and move the ball with it at their feet, but we have a good group of players that don't panic in tight quarters with several opponents surrounding them. They have the ability and confidence to take a man on if needed. This with our movement and short passing is pretty to watch, and Southampton's philosophy of putting a team together to play the "Beautiful game" the right way has made me a very proud supporter. Pardew, Adkins, and now MP have all been brought in to develop a team that can play this way. Some call it the Bacelona way, I would like to think that in the near future it may be know as the "SOUTHAMPTON WAY".

Bermuda Saint

Whoever wrote above post is seriously talking out of their backside. We were up against a team challenging for a champions league place, and in the first half completely dominated them, being very unfortunate not to have scored two, three or even four goals.
Do Prado in my opinion, had one of his best ever games and was regularly cheered by the fans for his good play and work rate. In the second half we came under some pressure, but thought team, especially the centre half pairing, were very calm and composed dealing with situations.
My only disappoint was the lack of real quality we had on the bench, perhaps something Cortese is trying to put right, in an attacking sense.
SaintJimmer COYR

Agree with your last point St Jimmer, but Lallana, Fonte and Forren should help the squad strength. But, yes, there are still a few gaps to fill with 2 or 3 players to allow for injuries/suspensions.

Saint Martin

22 Jan 2013 00:45:37
Dont mean to say bad things. but 23 points from 23 games won't be enough. that's an average of 1 point per game. 38 points won't save us . we need to up the average to 2 points per game for 2nd half of season. looked good tonight though. well deserved point against everton. coys

So we need to finish on 53 points to stay up? I think we just need slightly over a point per game to get us to the 40+ point mark really.

That's one of the problems with looking at a long-term average before the period is completed as it doesn't account for later improvement.

I would turn that round and say if we win just 5 more matches (with a couple of more draws thrown in) we're probably safe. And that is all we need be concerned with this year.

We have improved so much since the start of the season that our earlier results don't compare to what we could be looking to achieve now - just take our last games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton.

Listen to what Moyes says in his interview "...lucky coming to Southampton and getting a point" - that says a lot and makes me proud of the lads (yes, and give thanks to NA for how he brought us on)

With our better goal difference giving us a virtual game in hand over our 'rivals' in the relegation race, we stand a very good chance of being in the EPL next year (fingers crossed, stroking rabbits foot, spit 3 times and turn on heels etc etc).

But, by God, it was bitter last night :0(

Block34

38 points might well be enough - it was last year. Let's look at the current position (and assume a target of 38 points):

QPR p:23 pts:15 to get 38 they need 23 points from 15 games - that is more than 1.5 pts per game. This means that they must play as well as the 6th place team (Arsenal) for the rest of the season just to get 38 pts.

Wigan and Reading: p:23 pts:19. Both need 19 pts from 15 games. This is entirely possible but still needs them to play as well as the 10th place team (Stoke) for the rest of the season. What makes you think that they can suddenly play like a top half team for the rest of the season? Reading have had a good run but Wigan are 17th in the form table with just 4 pts from their last 6 games.

Villa p:23 pts:20. Need 18 from 15. They are currently 19th in the form table with 2 pts from last 6 games. They could turn it around but what is there to suggest that they could?

Newcastle p: 23 pts 20. They need 18pts from 15. Again this is above their current pts per game rate. They are 18th in the form table with 4 pts from the last 6.

Saints p:23 pts 23 - we are slap on target to get 38 pts and are unbeaten in 6 and 11th in the form table 1-5-0.

My sights are on Fulham, Norwich and West Ham.

Fulham are reachable with one win.

Norwich are in freefall 0-1-5.

West Ham have a very particular problem. They have played very few of the top half teams away from home. Of the 16 games they have left 6 are away against top half teams. Only Chelsea, Man U, Man C, Everton and Arsenal average over 1pt per game away against the top half teams. The average haul is 0.7pts - this suggest that WH will do well to get 3 or 4 points from these 6 games Add to that their next 3 home games are Swansea, Spurs and Man Utd.

So, whilst Saints don't have to improve on their season-long form to get 38 points, all the teams below us do and only Reading are showing any sort of form at the moment.

All-in-all there is lots to be positive about BUT all still to play for!

I feel Saints will finish around the 10/11th position. Just my opinion, but certainly feel we have a better squad than those teams below us, and also a number of the teams above us. Additionally, the squad is very strong now and only requires some minor, but quality additions, which I suspect we will bring in before the end of this window. Many of the other teams in the bottom half may be looking at signings as well but a number of those will be panic buys in an attempt to stop the rot, whereas I see any additions we might get as adding polish to an almost complete squad, and the latter normaly gets a much better response.

Saint Martin

The mathematician posted above, well my head nearly burst just reading that! Know what you mean but stats never tell the real truth. Simple answer to your head banger post is WIN YOUR HOME GAMES. Can't wait for a fully fit Ramirez and the return of Adam Lallana to grace the park. I think if we play with the pace we did in the first half and with our tremendous support and a little more luck somebody is due a spanking soon. Must say I thought Boruc looked the part last night. I think we just need another couple of pieces in the jigsaw and really do believe we will never be thinking about relegation not only this season but far in to the future again.

Think of it as 4 from the first 10, (4/30) then 19 from 13, (19/39) as we continue to improve and continue our form think you should look more at the fact that we have lost twice since the 10th of November in the league, and are unbeaten this year in the league.

We've got to win our home games and make St Marys a fortress

Really we should be aiming for 6 more wins at very least! I know this may sound optimistic but think it through. The 5 teams below us; Newcastle, Villa, Reading, Wigan and QPR are still all yet to face us (with the exception of Villa). Therefore we should aim for 4 wins there. Then above us we still have to face Norwich away (tough one but should be aiming to take 3 points) and West Ham at home which is really a game we need to take a win. This could add up to a further 18 points. If we knock off one of those wins and ignore the possibility of us getting more draws elsewhere we still get an extra 15 points and a total of 38. However really we should hit 40 and will be very disappointed not to on current form.

What is there to disagree with in relation to "the mathematician's" post. It is largely fact with any opinions kept to a minimum.

By the way - the league is all about stats. That is what a league is. If you feel that we can win 5 out of 15 when we have only won 5 out of 23 then you really ought to back this up with form stats or some such objectibbve measure. If you can't it is just pie in the sky wishful thinking.

PS very happy to dream when it comes to Saints.

The 'stats' suggest that with 19 points from the last 13 games if that were to repeat for the next 13 games, we would have 42 points in all.

Or is it the suggestion that Saints are not up to achieving that 19 points out of the next 39?