http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/saints-submit-squad-list-354115.aspx (God, I forgot that Aaron Martin existed)
Alright you win I was going by Wiki where he doesn't have a squad number. So I'm guessing he isn't anywhere close to being thought of.
Not really. The bashers were so busy concentrating on his defensive frailties to notice that he didn't get forward much either. In fact last season, he got about 12 assists and almost all of them were set plays. I barely remember him getting beyond the half way line from open play. Frazer Richardson and Dan Harding were up and down a lot, but Fox tended to stay put.
Dwight York today said something along these lines today when he was talking about Sturridge: "I started on the wing. I didn't like it, but it's important to get yourself on the pitch, make yourself important to the team. Then, you can start to force your way into the middle. You know who else started on the wing? Henry, look where he ended up." Maybe the same can be applied to Rodriguez.
I don't think we necessarily need a winger against Fulham as they have Hughes and Hangerland in the centre both of whom are good in the air but so mobile, so we just need a player who can make forward runs and go on behind Lambert or link up with him. Mayuka is quick but might be a good sub, I would keep Puncheon on the left after watching Downing v Riise, therefore we have to play either Rodriguez or Guly, the latter more likely centrally. Fox is an interesting one, I can see him starting at left back in one of our next two matches as Shaw surely cannot manage all the games over the Christmas period. Interesting noone has mentioned Richardson, who also did well with Clyne.
It's a fair comment, I just don't think he's really got the attributes required to play effectively on the wing.
One of the issues on that side is Luke Shaw's reluctance/instruction to not get forward beyond the midfield. I took a friend to Sunderrland game who is a professional coach. The first thing he mentioned at the game was that Shaw doesn't get high enough up the pitch. Everything Ramirez comes inside it leaves a huge space wide, yet Shaw doesn't go beyond him. This is not a dig at Shaw. He looks to be a very bright star for the future. If you look at how successful Clyne and Puncheon have been recently (Sunderland apart) and how many times Clyne goes beyond Puncheon when he cuts in, it makes me wonder why Shaw doesn't. His first venture high up the pitch wasn't until the first minute of the second half and we won a corner.
No one inspires, Fox could be given a half there with Shaw behind, if that fails (no doubt) Puncheon.
Must admit hadn't thought about Fox and it could be interesting. He is a real dead ball menace but not sure he could get round the back. I'd certainly be happier to see him left mid rather than left back.
It's certainly true that Shaw doesn't get forward as much as Clyne (few full-backs do to be fair!) but I think it's probably because he's so young and doesn't have enough matches under his belt to be as fit as the other players. I'm sure he'd like to get forward, but if he is too knackered to get back again, it is probably best he doesn't at the moment.
Yep, I've no issues in the slightest with Shaw not bombing forward yet. Of course it's a limitation to our overall game, as who wouldn't want an Ashley Cole/Leighton Baines type LB, but the most important thing for us was to stop shipping all these goals and bringing Shaw in has seemingly aided that. Throw in Shaw's age and inexperience too, and I'm really not fussed that he offers little offensively. Obviously if he was 23, not 17, I wouldn't be feeling like this though. Going back to the question of our LM though, I guess we also have to take into consideration the opposition, and in particular their RB. I thought Riether got forward quite a lot in the second half at St Marys (albeit Fulham were 1-0 down at HT), and so if he's willing to do that away from home, then I see no reason why he wouldn't do it at least just as much at home. So on the one hand, a more defensive option like Fox or Reeves (or Guly, for those of us who realise the defensive shift he often puts in) could be useful to help combat that. And remember that, whilst we do now have a new LB, I am pretty sure that both of Fulham's goals that day came from down their right hand side. On the other hand, having an opposition RB who likes to push forward offers us that counter attacking opportunity, in which case Jay or Mayuka come more to mind, for me. Maybe, maybe even De Ridder or Lee?
Clyne bombing on round the outside is a big reason why the combination with Puncheon works so well. It's like when we played Lallana in front of Harding - we sometimes got done down the left, but goodness me was it potent. You need meaningful possession to get fullbacks in the game and we didn't get it against Sunderland, so not the best game to judge. Lallana is a handful and it leaves a big gap and a big opportunity for Shaw as he grows in confidence. He's only 17 and this is likely so I'm excited about what the new year can bring for him.
Well, recovery between games is a different kind of fitness to stamina within them, but yes I agree, it is unlikely he will start all the festive games. Contrary to what some people have said on here, we had a healthy 58% possession against Sunderland. Obviously though that doesn't tell you what percentage of it was meaningful!
Most of that possession came from us pinging the ball between defenders. It's meaningless if we can't play a forward pass without giving the ball away.
Actually with Fox and Shaw it means Fox doesnt have to be responsible for defending (Phew) and will give shaw more confidence to overlap, knowing that fox could probably handle defending for a few mins if need be! I like it.
That's more defending than Fox does in a game when he's playing at left back! I think it's worth thinking about though.
