Southampton Banter Archive August 07 2015

07 Aug 2015 21:41:58
I know its easier said than done, but I feel that this year, we could be one of the teams to break the previous trend of the negative effect of the Europa League on Prem teams. I think if we can secure 2, ideally three more players, with the inclusion of our youth players, we can cater for both goals. A versatile defender CB/RB, a CM for cover for Wanyama/Clasie and if possible an Attacker (winger or striker). I feel that if we really push for 3 signings, we could have a great prem season as well as european one! would be a shame to get knocked out of europa and end up mid season due to tiredness due to lack of depth because I believe the talent is definitely there!

08 Aug 2015 10:47:32
As long as we don't get a mass of injuries, yes, I agree with you

07 Aug 2015 10:09:33
An ok performance last night but to be honest at this stage Caulker looks a liability, caught out of position quite a few times . He looks pretty slow and ponderous which he'll have to sort out pretty quickly . He looked back at Stekelenburg a couple of times trying to pass the buck when it was Caulkers mistake . I think our keeper looks the real business and has much more control in his box than Fraser, if he keeps on like this I can see FF struggling to get his place back.

07 Aug 2015 13:16:38
Come off it Chris, how can you possibly be judging Caulker after two games in a Saints shirt? We aren't even playing at full strength yet, nor had a highly competitive fixture. You wrote off Forster early on last season and he proved what an important player he was given how much we missed him in the last ten or so games of the season.

07 Aug 2015 14:49:15
Last night I was just about to praise him after he made a great block, which led to their first corner, where he lost his man and left him with a free shot at the back post. Pretty much summed up his night, done something good and then made a pretty poor mistake that would have been punished by a better side. Hopefully those will be ironed out but I'd start Yoshida on Sunday, thought he was one of the best players on the pitch last night

07 Aug 2015 19:25:18
29 do you really think Caulker is up to it? I think we are very lightweight at the back and against a good side we are going to struggle , too slow and pedestrian and ball watching too much . The Stek looks a top keeper to me and has the complete all round game and looks relaxed as opposed to Fraser who always looks nervous at crosses and set pieces , he will be hard pushed to replace our new keeper in my opinion . I am absolutely amazed that we haven't brought in another quality centre back because we certainly need one and all this talk of VVD is just going to drag on now they are in the play offs for the CL and anyway I'm not sure he is the best we can get , there are better options out there. I know Caulker has only played a couple of games in a Saints shirt but Soares hit the ground running and looks the part , I just don't think Caulker is the answer . Anyway we will see on Sunday but I'm not feeling confident looking at our options in the back four .

07 Aug 2015 20:01:45
Caulker in to gain experience of playing with the rest of the squad. He will possibly need a couple of more games before we can start to judge him. Seem to remember similar doubts about Pelle and Victor based upon next to nothing.

07 Aug 2015 20:32:38
Agreed Saint Martin but the centre of our defence looks a bit powder puff at the moment whereas with Pelle he might have started off pretty poorly ( only 2 games ) but he didn't let goals in being a forward . Can I just ask , do you really think that our defence will cope in the first couple of games until we get a proper centre half especially considering our main midfield tidy up man Morgan has gone.

07 Aug 2015 20:48:13
Well stek is only on loan, so.i think forsters place is safe as long as he recovers. and Martin is right. how many people were on vic and pelles backs when they first joined! And now they're our most important players! Caulker is a replacement for the injured gardos! Vvd will be the replacement for Toby. Caulker will obviously take a few weeks to get to full sharpness and gain the understanding needed between him and the other defenders!

I might be wrong and I apologise if I am, but was Chris slating the signing of stek a few weeks ago?? Probably.

07 Aug 2015 21:36:49
I thought he looked a real top prospect prior to his move to Cardiff, so personally I'm hoping he gradually reaches that form again, but I see absolutely no point being critical of his performances already when he's barely even been tested yet.

He had one and a half bad seasons at Cardiff and QPR, where he seemed to pick up a few bad habits but I believe under the tutelage of Koeman and Fonte he could still reach his potential.

Likewise I see no reason to be worried about our centre back options given we are still yet to sign Alderweireld's replacement. The club have made it clear they have every intention of doing so, but sometimes you need to wait for the stars to align to get a deal in motion.

Whether that ends up being Virgil Van Dijk is still difficult to say at this stage. But similarly to Caulker being signed I will not be doubting the club's selection of player at the end of the day, and I'll have every faith the player will look to do a job for us.

07 Aug 2015 22:21:35
I still don't get it we are starting the PL on Sunday with no quality CB , I hate to think what would happen if Jose got injured or sent off in the first game . I know this is unlikely but we are very short at the back of that there is no doubt . We were short last year even with Toby which was obvious when he got his injury. I can't see why nobody else sees this. I must be wrong though because nobody else agrees with me , not to worry though that's just the way I see it and of course I hope I am completely wrong.

07 Aug 2015 22:27:07
The answer to MilkySaint is NO I never knocked signing Stekelenburg I was more than happy . An experienced keeper that had played in a World Cup Final was easily good enough for me . I don't know where you saw that I was not happy about signing him because that is simply not true .

08 Aug 2015 04:08:06
You musn't forget Chris that Toby joined last season on deadline day, before that we had Hooiveld as 4th CB at the start of the season and we started with Yosh and Fonte in our first match against lpool, so its pretty much the same there. We had 4 CBs the entire last season. Which is standard to me( 2 players for every position at minimum) What made it look thin is because sometimes Toby or Gardos play in midfield whenever Spider or Bic Vic is unavailable so it reduces the options in defence. Of course that won't happen this season providing we sign an adequate cover in midfield.

08 Aug 2015 06:30:41
Hard to keep track of it all Chris, no offence. But vick is right, Toby was signed on deadline day, we can't rush through a deal if the selling clubs want to wait. So patience is needed. Yosh, caulker and fonte can hold the fort on their own for a few weeks until another one is signed. Pants should be kept on and untwisted mate ;) UP THE SAINTS!

08 Aug 2015 10:39:54
Just a quick one Vick but although Toby hadn't come in this time last year we hadn't played 2 Europa cup games and also 2 more to play before the window closes . We also had Morgan who was a top quality defensive mid who was able to clear things up before the back four were put under pressure . Clyne was at his absolute best at that time so we are much more vulnerable at the back because we have no pace . It will improve when Ryan gets back and we get a quality , quick CB . Until then I think we will struggle . We'll see and as I have said before I hope I am wrong.

08 Aug 2015 12:35:52
That's your opinion, Chris. I may not agree, but it is understandable. However Yoshida wasn't the player he is today at the time. He's much more improved and Fonte had a tremendous season to build on. Morgan was not the only one getting the ball from midfield, we have Wanyama who's still here. We replaced all players you mentioned who you believed were essential in holding our defence when Toby had not arrived. So, again, I'm restating that we're pretty much starting from square one, not with a thinner defence than the start of last season.

08 Aug 2015 21:33:22
Can't see that Fonte+Yosh is a bad line-up at CB, with another CB targeted and then with Caulker in the wings. Possibility of 4 CB internationals for us to chose from-what's not to like?

Midfield is pretty decent as it is and maybe another one to come in here before the close of the window.

Already two forwards added for the coming season-both full internationals.

I suggest we will have a considerably stronger squad this season. Will they do better than last season? Should do, but injuries etc. could play a part, but then they did last season (eg. Tadic)so only time will tell.

06 Aug 2015 23:41:21
Looks like we will be seeded for the Play-off round of the Europa League.

07 Aug 2015 16:13:28
Completely agree milky couldn't have put it better myself