Transfer Rumours Saints January Transfer Window Rumour Thread

Prior to this season I'd agree with you. He did actually score a few last season but was really good as well as his goals contribution. This season it's not as if he played really well but just not found the net. He has been anonymous pretty much every game. Can't recall once thinking "Long played well today, unlucky not to score". He just hasn't been very good.

(Obviously a bad first half of the season doesn't mean he will be crap for the rest of his career, just stating he has been crap this season.)

 

Long's pace provides an outlet, puts defenders under pressure, and creates space for others to run into. We'd be nuts to even think of selling a striker given our recent paucity of attacking options. That doesn't mean we don't need more attacking options, of course we do, but that's as well as, not instead of.

 

On the contrary, there have been occasions this season when Long has played well without scoring. And he hasn't had many starts.

 

To clarify my earlier post, I'd happily sell and replace Long but we would still need another striker if we did that. Probably a central attacking midfielder too.

 

I completely disagree with your first statement. He has been ineffective pretty much all season. He has never caused many problems for opposition defenders with clever runs and has registered just one assist, which came in the EL.

I accept he hasn't started every game which does make it harder to get form together. But he has had 13 starts and 12 sub appearances this year. Not sure lack of game time is that valid an excuse.

 

There's no question Long's pace is useful. By itself that's not a reason we must keep him though. It just means that when you replace him you need to make sure his replacement also has pace.

He may create space but right now we have nobody running into that space. Similarly, he's quite good in the air but he often isn't in the box when we cross the ball in. I think he's quite shot shy too. It's not just that his finishing is poor; he also rarely gets into a position to shoot.

That's not to say he HAS to go. If we played two up front or had an attacking midfielder or wide player to do what the likes of Nolan and Lampard (or Mane/Rodriguez) used to do then he might be of more use.

 

Hold the hell on, why are even discussing selling strikers ffs, has Southampton fc completely lost the ****ing plot or what , we couldn't score in a brother as it is

 

You've been watching different games than me then. When he came on against Everton at St Mary's, the immediate result was that they dropped deeper and provided less threat. He was a constant threat against Palace in the EFL Cup, though his miss after rounding the keeper was a howler. Away to Palace in the league he went close and was probably our buggest threat when he came on.

 

Clearly just have very differing opinions. He hasn't seemed the same player to me this year, his runs into channels used to always drag defenders out of position but haven't seen that happen as much.
Had a look around and I know it's only statistical analysis and judgement but WhoScored have him rated as our third worse player this season. Doesn't prove anything but it shows I'm clearly not alone in thinking it's not just goals and assists he has been lacking in this season.

https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/18

 

Long can only give defenders a hard time if we actually look like we're trying to cut through a defence.

 

He caused Arsenal no end of problems in the League at Emirates, gave us something different against Boro few weeks back. Once he came on the Boro defence became a lot more stretched. But hell, sell him - he's ****

 

Short of strikers suggests you buy a striker, not sell one. Even if we buy a striker...we could need Long if said striker got injured or didn't work out.

 

I'm sure with any pending transfers out,the club will release their default statement " I'm happy with my squad of players" translated as we ain't going to buy anyone in January so don't hold your breathe lol

 

Completely understand people defending Long as a player. He has done well for us in the past and he may well in the future. But to suggest he has had anything other than a poor season is genuinely laughable. Perhaps it's just saints bias coming out but he really hasn't been good and it's quite obvious to see.

N.B. People saying we shouldn't sell as we are short as it is have a valid point too. I'd only sell if a good replacement could be lined up, but given as we already need another striker bringing 2 in may indeed be a bit much.

 

I think we are all aware of his limitations. They were pretty obvious even when he was in glowing form last season. So were Pelle's by the way, and boy, did he get some stick on here. I doubt anyone sees Shane as the answer to all our problems; but he's not to blame for them either. He still has a part to play, but right now the whole team is fragile and lacking confidence. I wouldn't be singling out individuals, but if I was, Shane wouldn't be someone I'd be pointing any fingers at. Plus he's a tough little sod, a battler, and that is a quality we can do with right now.

 

I'd take Pelle back....strapping great centre forward who knows where the net is...you bet.

 

Oh absolutely, so would I. But the point I was making was that this time last year, a good few of our fans would have shipped him out for sixpence.

 

I'd bloody take Rickie back at this point

 

That's a given. Love Rickie.

 

Is anyone genuinely surprised by Long this season? He had a purple patch between January-March last season and everyone seemed to think he was suddenly good enough for a team competing in/for Europe. There was even one idiot on here who tried arguing that there was no reason Long couldn't be a 15/20 goal a season striker. He's a 1 goal every 5 game striker if he gets a consistent run in the team, and his career record has proven that. To think he'll ever be anything else is absolute nonsense.

Also, his ability to "give defenders a tough time" is really over rated, occasionally he is an absolute menace. But most of the time he's just a moderately high-energy striker.