Lallana was a great servant to our club and to a certain extent I'm over him leaving, more fool him as the irony is if he was in our current squad, we would probably have more chance of a champions league spot than with his current team! Lallana became selfish the moment he got tapped up while playing for England. I remember being highly impressed with him on his debut, but in his second or 3rd game, he wasn't playing for the team, he was a typical England player trying too hard when a pass to a team mate was the better option! Tadic on the other hand seems to genuinely take more pleasure out of setting up goals for others, not selfish in any way. Add to that he is younger, already an established international so won't be tapped up and hopefully we can keep him for long enough for us to get the champs league spot we all crave, then he can sign a new contract for life with his beloved Saints!
See the interview video I've posted on match thread. Pelle says that Tadic told him that when he looks at him he will pass him the ball. He also said this after his overhead kick at QPR match...he said I looked up, saw Dusan look at me and knew where he was going to put the ball. Could be one of those magical combinations that only rarely happen in football.
In terms of skill I think Twatbeard possibly has the edge, but as to effectiveness there is absolutely no contest. Tadic is a bloody revelation. When he is on his game he's worth two extra players on thr pitch. There were times against Sunderland where he was simply unplayable.
Really - think this one may be a waste of cyber ink (and used to really rate AL) - but Tadic is certainly an upgrade so far!
Much as he's seemingly hated by most these days, Lallana has been one of my all time favourite Saints players. Would have loved to see both of them on the same team.
Lallana was horrendously overrated and overhyped by Saints fans. He only got 5 assists last season, which is quite frankly pathetic for a player classed by fans as a playmaker. Tadic has 7 assists already in 8 games, and that says it all really. The problem with Lallana is, and was always, that he over-elaborates everything. Tadic gets the ball in early and only delays the pass if nothing is on. Lallana was pretty average last season but overhyped by the Lallana lovers. Also by neutrals as he's a fancy (over-elaborate) dribbler and was our captain. That type of dribbling looks good to people that don't know much about the game, but it doesn't really get you anywhere. It's good on the eye, but it's the reason he hardly ever gets assists. He dribbles, and is fancy, at the wrong times (when he should be getting the ball into the box and/or feeding a player). It allows the other team to organise their defence and get their midfield back. We would end up with no space when Lallana delayed the pass. Schneiderlin had a storming season again and oddly went under the radar. Our central midfielders (Schneiderlin, Davis, Wanyama, Cork) were/are very good. As are Clyne (when he played) and Fonte. Lallana played as a wing forward for most of the season so I can compare him directly with Rodriguez. Rodriguez had a better season for me and it wasn't even close. Another problem with Lallana is he doesn't have much discipline when his team loses the ball, he's a bit of a headless chicken. The reason Lambert was basically our main feeder of goals last season was because the player that was supposed to be the playmaker and provider (Lallana) wasn't ever up to scratch in that department. There is a much better balance to the team without Lallana (and Rodriguez) in it.
I wouldn't say Lallana [OK, no more twatbeard, I think it's had its day] was overrated by Saints fans because he was lauded by both fellow professionals and pundits alike. He also got into the England team and has pretty much become a fixture. Clyne, on the other hand, for example, IS lauded by Saints fans and can't play for England even when he gets into the squad. Which pretty much blows away any idea that Saints fans might have any influence on a player's career.
To try and keep feelings out of this, I see it like this: 1. Judging each player on their first ever 8 Premier League games: Dusan - brilliant Lallana - struggled to adapt to the speed and closing down 2. Team contribution in above games: Tadic - 2 goals and a bucketful of assists Lallana - some step overs that didn't work, some excellent forst touches and 60 minutes of huff and puff. So, this makes Tadic the better for me at the moment. The other one wasn't a t**t after 8 games though, so still time.
Tadic is a better passer and creative field general by some distance. Lallana despite the occasional wayward shot, might be a slightly better scorer and is better at keeping possession. They are different players. In Pochettino's system, I think I might rather have Lallana. In Koeman's, I'd rather have Tadic. Although which came first, the chicken or egg? Maybe Tadic could play more like Lallana if asked and vice versa. Lallana is not my type of player so I never rated him as highly as others did. But he convinced me of his genuine quality during the second half of last season. I still maybe don't like him as much as Tadic but there is no denying his dribbling skills are special and he is overall a very very good, if not quite elite, player (which Tadic just might be although too early to tell). And he's doing a pretty good job at Liverpool, their fans seem to feel he adds something and they have some good attacking mids for him to compete with.
I though Lallana might struggle away from the lovely cuddly hug that is Southampton, but I now think he will be fine. The only worrying thing is that if he'd stay I would have been confident he would have stayed for ever...have no such confidence in Dusan of course. Even top clubs (as opposed to nouveau-top like Saints ) can't always keep players. I now have separation issues with any promising players....must learn to live more in the present.
I like the concept of nouveau-top Fran. I agree about not being able to hang on to players but one thing we have surely learnt this summer is that there is a plan. Les Reed's video left no doubt that we have a succession plan in place for every position at the club, from CEO up to tea lady and including all the team positions. If we lose Tadić, Jay Rod, JWP and Morgan next summer I'm sure we'll all have another meltdown but they will all be replaced with equal or better players, and no doubt at a profit.
I think we are worrying too much about losing JRod because 1) we are managing without him 2) he has yet to prove himself and become desirable again 3) we now appear an attractive club to be at. I don't blame him for not rushing to sign a new contract, but he may have to reconsider soon before the ship sails.
Pretty one sided poll given Adam's injury and Dusan's blistering start. That aside I still think we have the better player. As someone else said, Lallana has the ball control but not the vision (yet). Watching the Matchday Uncovered video yesterday and how Feyernord fans still respect Pelle got me thinking we ought to move on from the Adam Lallana issue now. Stopping short of visiting him at his new spiritual home of course...
But we have been happy for many of our departed players in the past...most get a good reception here. Adam has made himself a special case....the best he can expect from us is tolerance.
Lallana. I'm joking. Tadic. He can even play the full 90 min if needed. Ofcourse It's too early for me to judge who is the better player is though.
So do I. I think there is a genuine attempt being made to become a sustainable top club. During one of his post-match interviews, even Koeman threw away a line about Saints not being a top club yet but aiming to become one in two or three years. It was so quick I'm not surprised people didn't make a noise about it, but it's those little things that say just as much about the club and personnel mindset as big statements about ambition and direction. We're all as excited as kids with the position and play of Saints at the moment, but I bet the club are not overly surprised because this is where they have been aiming to be. Getting there ahead of schedule unexpectedly is just Saints doing their usual thing of the past five years. Staying there will be another thing altogether, but the plan appears to be working so far. When that is achieved it will be another piece in the jigsaw. I wonder how quick and long the queue would form to get out through the exit door then..? I suspect already that the incoming queue is starting to line up.
To maintain success it must be built on solid foundations...this is what Saints are attempting to do. Blackburn got themselves a title, but where are they now? It is harder to challenge for the title now (and I am not suggesting we are in the position to do that....yet ), but people are too ready to accept the idea that nothing changes. No new teams can appear at the top. There are clubs in the lower leagues that were massive once. The thing I have noticed recently is that people aren't laughing so quickly when Saints talk of Europe...don't think anyone would be shocked to see us finish 6th now.
Confirmed. It was indeed you. After all, I referred to you when I mentioned it. Credit where it's due.
