What are the reasons for Southampton's improvement?: Southampton did show some positive signs towards the end of last season that they could continue their magnificent progress in 2013-14. However, the start that they have made to this season has surpassed the expectations of many, so what have they done to achieve such a terrific start? Wins over Liverpool and Chelsea in the closing stages of last season proved that Southampton are capable of beating anyone in the Premier League, but equally defeats to the likes of Queens Park Rangers suggested that there was still work to be done. After their start this time around, it seems clear that Mauricio Pochettino has spent a lot of time working on the team’s defending, and while the signing of Pablo Osvaldo made most of the headlines, it was the acquisition of Dejan Lovren which was the Saints’ best piece of transfer business, as the centre-back arrived from Lyon. The Croat has already become a major calming influence in central defence, the main reason for Southampton only conceding one goal from open play in their opening seven Premier League games. Lovren’s presence is also making Jose Fonte become a better player, with his solid displays keeping Maya Yoshida out of the starting XI. It has to be said that they are not looking so potent in attack this season, but they look a side very capable of achieving a healthy finish in the top half. Pochettino has added some real quality to his side, while maintaining the club’s philosophy of giving young players an opportunity. Calum Chambers is the latest of the promising academy youngsters to make it into the first-team. While their consistency and their excellent form has come as a surprise to most observers, Southampton themselves will not be, having publicly declared their intention to fight for a Champions League place within two years. That may be a bit too ambitious, but they are clearly a club that is going places, just two years after being promoted from League One. Fair assessment?
Certainly not ground-breaking stuff but fairly well-rounded and accurate and covers most/all the bases in a short piece.
Lovren probably gets a little too much credit for the defensive performance. The Saints play a team-oriented defense with one person extra to overload the zone, rather than every player picking up their man. Everyone has to be on the same page or they'll be easily beat that press by passing out of the overloaded area and have numbers. Wanyama has added a needed physical presence. Shaw continues to improve. Nathaniel Clyne doesn't get much notice, but you could actually make a strong argument he's been the best Saints player this season. Both Clyne and Schneiderlin are in the top ten in average tackles per game. And Boruc is in amazing form right now. That said, Lovren has been fantastic. I've got no complaints about him at all. But you don't get a defensive performance like what the Saints have done so far just because you have one good CB.
Lovren made that very point...said the defence was 11 players. Seems a proper team player...also said that he has a smile on his face every day at Saints...glad to hear it.
Probably should have mentioned wanyama and Schneiderlin (who I believe is a very good player, I remember his great goal at Rovers, his first for the club). But yeah I really like Lovren, although I was surprised that Fonte rather than Yoshida was getting the nod but he's proved me wrong.
Fonte is the man in possession. Yoshida was unavailable, Fonte played...why change a winning partnership?
I don't think much of the thread title. Certainly not as good as "Games of Throne", which got less replies. idfk
Like others on here I think you're missing a trick by omitting Victor Wanyama from your analysis of the strength of our defence. From the first minute of the first game at WBA he has been in the middle of the pitch letting no-one pass. There may be doubts about his abilities in forward distribution of the ball but as a defensive shield he's been unbeatable. Vin
Not bad at all. The title needs a little looking at. If anyone forgets, or never heard the words of Gary Neville and Jamie Gallagher from Monday Night Football, here are a couple of short videos of them doing just that. Apologies if -DTLW has already posted this stuff. [video=youtube;XVYOWB56Hpk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVYOWB56Hpk[/video] [video=youtube;lrb--Ye1gqQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrb--Ye1gqQ[/video]
I've always personally preferred Fonte to Yoshida, and I'm glad he's proved me right this season. He looks so much more comfortable on the ball, and his range of passing is great. Wanyama was an absolutely amazing signing as well, nobody will convince me otherwise. He is exactly what we needed. He absolutely bossed United's midfield. People that slate him really don't see what the brings, which is that added bite. He literally won everything at the weekend, and anything he misses Schneiderlin was there to mop up. (Or one of the centre backs.) It surprises me how little press Clyne gets. Shaw is being linked with top four clubs, when really I think Clyne is our real gem. Obviously we are lucky to have both, but I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say Clyne would get straight into any side in the league, barring maybe City.
Agree with you and would love to see Clyne given the chance with England this season. I think he is a better defender than both Walker & Johnson, but perhaps lacks that cutting edge when compared to Johnson. Sadly for Clyne it's likely that Hodgson will only take one right back to Rio and cover with the utility option of Jones or Smalling.
Same here. Yoshida always worries me on the ball. I'm not really sure what his strength is supposed to be.
Can any of the wanyama apologists explain what he is doing at 1:10 in this video? He was very good on Saturday, aerially dominant, he broke up the play effectively, and Fellaini had a woeful game as a result, but it needs to be made clear that not only is his passing terrible, he is dispossessed far too often in his own half and his defensive understanding in the oppositions 3rd is amateurish or at least not that of a proper defensive midfielder. Sometimes he picks up a man and marks him well but too often he holds back from the box and has no impact on the attacking side. Schneiderlin on the other hand is a brilliant defensive midfielder and I feel would be even better playing in that holding role with a natural ball playing midfielder accompanying him. If pochettino wants his defensive midfielder to only have an impact in the middle of the pitch wanyama is not a bad bet but he needs to do far more in at least one of the other 3rds to warrant a place alongside schneiderlin.
Last year yoshi was our best CB. He is a good all rounder imo, not overtly strong in any one area. Can't argue with fonte keeping him out tho.
Miscommunication. He wanted to switch off so that Clyne to pick up Evra and he would take on the ball carrier. Clyne didn't hear him. Definitely Wanyama's bad. Exactly. Mission accomplished. That's what I think most of us wanted to see from Wanyama, so I don't understand why that makes us "apologists" if he's done exactly what we hoped he would do. As for the rest, it makes no sense. Wanyama is not easily dispossessed because he is extremely difficult to muscle off the ball. He usually outmuscles his defender and then the rest of the opposition drops back and he gets a leisurely jog 15-20 yards up the pitch and then he dumps it off. Exactly like he's supposed to. Sure, every now and then he gets up a little too far or meets up with an actual defender who is good at nicking the ball. But that's not really such a big deal. And I don't see how he could be said to have "no impact" on the attacking side, when you just admitted he took Fellaini out of the game.
He got dispossessed twice in his own half saturday which is quite a big deal fellaini was playing in midfield and didn't feature much in united's attacking 3rd. Last season we struggled with him as he was in the attacking third a lot. I have framed my argument in vague terms and to elaborate I don't rate wanyama's ability to break up genuine attacks. He wins central headers that are the initial phase of an attack, similarly his tackles and intercepts are in non-dangerous areas with few exceptions. For balance, prevention is always preferable and he plays his part in preventing many attacks in the same way our high possession prevents many attacks however the game is won and lost in the final 3rd. An area where I feel his lack of defensive understanding and football intelligence are shown up.
