Exactly - well said, Fats. I bet Chelsea fans would have taken a 1-0 win today So ......... Stoke next, eh? Could be an interesting one. Maya again against their physical presence?
Sorry but what happened with Cedric? Tactical emoticon-0127-lipss) or injury ? Really nice that we seem to have moved up a level with squad options this year.
I have to admit I've groaned inwardly every time I've seen Yoshida picked at RB. And so, I reckon, has 75% of our supporters. But a truly great manager is never afraid to back his own judgement and swim against the tide; the result says Ron got it right. And I don't care how poor Sunderland supposedly are, 3 points on Wearside are always hard won - even more so against an Allardyce side.
It's all ifs and buts at this point, there's certainly no way to prove that Cerdric would have been a better choice. I can only give my reasoning why I think that, which I did, and one can then decide whether that makes sense or not.
I know everyone has heard enough. But here's a simplified version of what Ron may be thinking: Cedric is a far better option than Yoshida from the bench. If we're winning, Yoshida stays on. If we're losing, Cedric for Yoshida gives us loads of pace against a tired full back (who wasn't even fast to begin with). If Cedric starts, the only way we can change a losing game is bringing on Juanmi or Seager, both of which are a bit risky. Basically, it's ok to have good players on the bench,
Koeman selects teams from his squad...although the usual suspects always play, he is willing to make decisions about a few positions to suit the game. It's a good thing because you lose some through suspension and injuries during the season. I think he went for Yoshida in order to gain height, both for defence and attack (Maya has obviously been involved in the free kick training sessions...is certainly more attacking this season). OK it worked against Sunderland because we got a penalty and won...but Koeman's decision would still have been valid if we hadn't. He obviously feels that VvD, Fonte, Pelle etc are shoo ins, but doesn't feel that way about Cedric. Perhaps the absence of Victor changed things...it's not always a case of one out, one in....he said during the prematch stuff that he didn't have a direct replacement for Victor.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the difference in the way we played when we eventually came under attack. After we scored, Sunderland suddenly had a little fight in them. For a minute or two, we reverted to current type and the ball was being needlessly hoofed out into space and hence possession being immediately given away, as per Leicester and Bournemouth. Then, like a switch, reason took over and we started to play our normal game. We started passing it around and out developing properly from the back. Under more pressure, to be sure, but quite adequately. Even to the extent that Virgil had a moment where he thought we were 3-0 up and went on his run. If we keep doing that we'll be fine. More than fine. Vin
I saw only the 2nd half on Match Choice...we were definitely making more attacks and looked more capable of creating something, but we were making mistakes. We keep passing the ball to the opposition....shoot me, but I kept thinking of how we played under that Spurs' bloke when we would pass the ball around until the opposition gave up all hope of life. We are effective because we can recover the ball after losing it, but we give chances to the opposition. Luckily, Stek was ready for their one really good shot.
Under Pochettino, we often had 60% possession and lost. Under Koeman we often have 40% possession and win. No problem with that, but Ron himself said yesterday that, without the ball the opposition can't hurt you. Good to see us get better at regaining possession straight after losing it.
The more robust defensive shaped hole at RB, which Maya is currently filling will be addressed in January(surely). Ron, with what he's seen with Cedric, has left him thinking he sometimes needs a more specific alternative, than our other senior RB the mysterious Martina. This results in Maya is the somewhat stark inelegant solution to a small but significant issue he's identified, which gnaws at him. Something concerns Ron with Cedric (mind you it could be like Juanmi, but less so, still psychically and tactically adapting to the league, except less wholesale) that he willing to sacrifice the balance of our flanks going forward.
Like most on here, I was a bit twitchy that Mayo got the call over Cedric. My only thought at the time was that as Jose was pulled of the week before with a tight hamstring maybe RonKo thouht that he might provide cover / protection for Jose with a flatter back line?
That certainly made me laugh. I have a vision of Cedric ending up where the ball will be before the passer even knows where he's sending it. Vin
To those wondering why Ronald didn't pick Romeu, the answer lies in the formation we played yesterday. Not our usual 4-2-3-1, but a 4-1-4-1 with Clasie the deep-lying playmaker and Davis and JWP pressing high between Tadic and Mané. Obviously the thinking was that Sunderland wouldn't be playing through the middle very much, so why have 2 DM's?
Are people seriously questioning the judgement of a man who played the game at the very highest level and won it all and has delivered us our best ever finish in the Premier League? Seriously, I would hate to be a fan that is never satisfied and can't enjoy one of the best periods in the club's history....jeez, we aren't Manure or Arsenal.
Yeah, every time Yoshida starts at right back the signing of Martina looks stranger and stranger. Buying someone to be third choice RB (and fifth choice CB?) doesn't seem very Saints-like. Hey ho.
It's an interesting point and leads to something I was discussing in the pub the other week (after a foolish amount of beer, so I can't really recall the details of where we went with the conversation). However, the gist of it is that the perception is that all of our incoming players have stepped up to (and sometimes far overstepped) the quality we need. However, we still have duds; complete failures in signings. Martina either fits in that group or in the smaller group that I suspect Juanmi sits in, namely players we've signed knowing that if we work on them the Southampton way, they'll be good enough soon enough. Vin
