Yeah, it was after Osvaldo signed, but it wasn't because he signed. It has been widely reported that he chose Palace as it was close to his family in a tough time for him personally.
You really believe that? The alternative was admitting we lost a useful player or revealing Puncheon's family issues, neither of which he was ever going to do.
Neither Ward-prowse or Davis are defensive players, they both had to fill I'm while Cork was injured.
Davis plays there for Northern Ireland, Ward-Prowse had been playing there prior to this season, and certainly did in the U21 European tournament.
Think we could have done with someone out wide on the right looking to take players on Saturday. JWP did great but never threatened in behind Sunderland and without Clyne, Chambers never offered that overlap. In the 2nd half we were a lot narrower with Osvaldo. Don't think Saints especially wanted rid of Puncheon, but now there is a very serious option of improving on Puncheon for a year at low cost.
Again, they play there because they have/had to. Both of them have stated previously that they are attacking players rather than defensive. Can you please stop arguing ?
Ok, I will. Ward-Prowse started the game against Man City last season at the Etihad. Where did he play? Alongside Schneiderlin. Ward-Prowse, in his first appearance for the club against Crystal Palace, played, again, alongside Schneiderlin. Ward-Prowse played the entire U21 tournament in the "holding" central midfield position. Ward-Prowse has only recently played in an attacking role for the club. Davis has frequently played in the holding midfield role for both Rangers and Northern Ireland, both of whom he was captain of an thus surely able to ask to be played in his preferred "position". I'll look for the interviews but I've only ever see Ward-Prowse say he'd play in an attacking role if he can't get a starting place ahead of Cork or Schneiderlin, rather than considering himself a natural attacking midfielder.
You're all ignoring Dean Hammond, who is still on our books. So we did have 3 defensive midfielders already before buying Wanyama, even if you don't consider JWP and Davis to cover that position (which if you consider Osvaldo, Ramirez et al to cover the wings you surely must).
Ward-prowse played there against city A) Because Cork was injured. B) He was part of Nigel's game plan. He played there against Palace because it was 4-4-2 Davis plays there for Northern Ireland because he is their best player and the only one remotely capable of picking out a couple of passes. Now please, stop arguing. It's getting ridiculous.
Just shows how far we have come. People are debating as to whether we need a player in the class of Moses!! We really are in exciting territory.
