Because it's real. I remember the same thing with James Beattie during his last season with Saints. He played for half the season with a bad knee, and it slowed him. Most people knew that yet didn't give him any benefit of any possible doubt. He was supposedly lazy. Playing to make sure he was sold. Not interested. People believe what they want to believe, I'm afraid. Evidence just seems to get in the way.
PL clubs have top level physios and doctors working with the players, if the knee was that bad then Pelle wouldn't have played.
One observation from the friendlier so far; I really hope we play to Charlie Austin's strengths. He was wasted yesterday chasing down defenders...
Well obviously they have knocks as the season is physically demanding, but there is quite a big difference between a knock on the knee that can be managed with proper warm ups, support, deep heat and possibly injections and an actual knee injury that effects your performance levels to that extent.
http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/arti...-claude-puel-methods-southampton-3210207.aspx Tadic happy to work with Puel. Anyone got a pen?
Lads went on a bike ride...so no crazy stuff this preseason. Shame I was looking forward to them bungee jumping or cliff diving.
No TSS. He isn't good at hold up play.he wasn't great at it before he had the knee injury. He had strengths but hold up play was not one of them. Good at other things but this conversation started on hold up play. Not his strength. Don't go throwing the "people belief what they want" to suit your view. The player offered lots but hold up play he didn't. If you think he did, you just don't understand that. You like Pelle, as I do, but I can see when a player is not good at part of the game. I think your last sentence applies more to you than me.
Actually, I think he was quite good at hold up play. He played with his back to goal rather well. He was also excellent at laying off the ball. We have instances of it throughout last season. I don't quite know why you choose to ignore them. He also did it quite well for Italy. One thing's for sure, neither Austin, nor JayRod, will be able to do the same things. We'll be playing differently.
I agree we will play differently and I agree there were "instances" during the season Pelle held it up. (I'm not ignoring them - you must be ignoring me when I mention the games he did it in - I don't know why your ignoring me on that ) This is where we differ as "instances" of holding it up is not good enough for a 6'3" striker who is built like he is, playing for a top 6 club. I only went to a handful of away games, but every home game and I didn't see a CF where the ball stuck regularly. To use your words, I saw "instances." This in my opinion makes him a player who doesn't hold up the ball well. I did see him play for Italy, holding it up well and again it seems you suffer from this ignoring phenomena that I have, as I have mentioned it virtually every time I posted on this about him. Is like to understand why he held it up and played simple lay offs for Italy but for Saints he wouldn't do that simple ball on the majority of occasions. I have taken two very good football coaches to see odd Saints games (one the United home game) and they both independently picked out this same issue with Pelle. Doesn't make it right of course, but makes me at least feel like I'm not trapped in some blind spot which people tell me I am in. Let's view this differently. Do you think Rickie Lambert held the ball up and brought others into play regularly for Saints, or were there just "instances" of this happening?
There is no doubt that Pelle gave us another option. Unless we get in a similar player, we have reduced our options. Ignoring whether he is the best at hold up play or the worst, he gave us variety and was a good striker for us. I really hope that both Jay and Charlie can step up this season and stay injury free, but if not......
Back to preseason. Leaving work in Bergen op Zoom, south west Netherlands in an hour or so, picking up Mrs Jab in The Hague and heading up to Groningen for the game. Staying in Hotel de Doelen as we did last year we'll be having a beer or two on the terrace this evening and pre match tomorrow. I don't suppose as many as last year will attend given the 50 ticket allocation but hope to see a few Saints supporters there.
