http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/08/0...bring-back-jose-fonte-in-light-of-virgil-van/ Completely mad suggestion of bringing back Fonte. Why would we bring back a player who left in a cloud and who is now getting on in years....especially as West Ham would want to get some of their money back. I would never say never if a coaching role was being considered (if he has the right skill set), but playing...no.
Maya is the senior pro, but Jack is where the hope lies. Saints haven't offered Maya a new contract (I assume) and that must indicate something.
Amazing considering didn't he start the season having come back from not playing for boro in the championship and sent to Swindon I think. Also aren't there stats showing our goals conceded and results were not significantly different than when Virgil and fonte played at the start? Also blaming the central defense let's Forster off a bit lightly ...
Stats showed, across almost an identical amount of games, that Yoshida and Stephens only conceded slightly more then VVD and Fonte. Obviously we want VVD starting but it shouldn't be too bad having Yoshida and Stephens starting the next 3 PL games or so together.
Can't blame Forster. He's the greatest English keeper out there and one of the best in the league. We're lucky to have him you know.
An optimist would say it means : - VVD is staying and will choose to play rather than sit on the sidelines giving us a strong defense with Bednarek stepping into Stephens roles from the beginning of last season and Jones behind him from the conveyor belt - Key full backs have been retained - We have spent a club record fee on a position we all said needed reinforcing - We have gabbiadini from the start and a dilemma about which striker to play - Boufal is fit from the start and has a full pre season under his belt These are things an optimist would say
I am not convinced he would sit and not play for 6-12 months if he was made to stay. Especially if it was made clear his price would not be dropped in future windows. Teams will struggle to justify meeting it if he doesn't play I suppose it depends on if he can be fined for being picked and refusing to play Again this is just what an optimistic view would be. I am not saying it is realistic (not the point I was trying to make)
I was going to put in a point about that but I don't know how to put a positive slant on the fact that there are three left backs and no sign of one being loaned out Unless McQueen is having his position changed / versatility exploited
Can he only play on the one side? Right back seems like a worry on paper but that is because I know nothing about Pied
Don't recall him ever playing on the right, but Beefy would know better than me. PS.. I'm certainly less nervous about RB than I was when we had Cuco as back up!
I think Pied will be pushing Cedric for his place, we've got two good right backs and left backs. If we can either get VD playing, or bring in another CB, I'll be pretty happy with this window
So for wide positions there is Tadic, Boufal, Redmond. Ward Prowse played on the right last season towards to end. Sims always seems better through the middle. So is it on the right you would like to see us bring someone in ? I assume that is why Roberts is linked. Isn't he one of the few who plays on the right and cuts in (most players who do that cut in from the left)
I don't see Tadic as a winger more a player just behind the striker. Also I wouldn't say Prowse's best position is out wide. We are kind of light on what I would call real wingers.
