I'm pleased to have on Long onboard. I think he's been way overpriced, but we've paid it now. So no point dwelling on that. He's on board, and I'm pleased.
Good signing, despite the inflated price, i imagine he will be orbiting pelle when he tries to bring down the long balls. Still think we need another PROLIFIC striker though :/
OK so he is here, now how to play him. Guessing without JRod he will play left side if we play 433, when JRod comes back then how will he fit in the team? 352 has been mentioned before and would probably suit us better and Long has showed that he could form a good partnership with Pelle
The fee's clubs are paying plus wages is ridiculous and thats one of the big reasons we are all having to pay massive admission prices
Great video, he isn't half bad. The backing band isn't so great though. I have a little folk band, he could play for us. We might actually get people watching us then
Apparently your first offer was last Friday for £7 mill, then you upped it to £9mill. Obviously we turned both down and that's why you've paid £12.5 mill. These fees are straight from Brucie when he commented on the transfer today.
Whilst I never thought of Shane Long as a potential Saints player, I have often been impressed by his clever hard work. Well, we'll get to see him work in detail from now on. Perhaps he's worth the money Saints apid for him. I don't know, but his chance has come. I think he might be up to the task. I was also impressed with his statement today. There was an absence of platitudes that most players come out with. It was honest, forthright and positive. And importantly, he was impressed with the Club. "I’m delighted. This came out of the blue for me but, once I’d come and had a look at the training facilities and met the manager, it seemed like the right decision for me and my family.It was a hard decision for me to make, but when you come down to Southampton you see how big a club it is and how well set up it is. You look at how well they did last season and they are developing a new squad for this year to try and achieve those accomplishments again, and hopefully I can be a big part of that. Southampton play a brand of football that’s enjoyable to watch, and I’m sure it’ll be enjoyable to play in as well. I think the formation they play will suit me, and the manager has a lot of knowledge about football and I’m looking to learn off him. In theory it’s a very good move for me, but all the hard work starts tomorrow when I get on the training pitch because I have to prove my worth.”
I think calling us a big club got many on his side. lol. I do think he could do a good job for us though. We need someone who drives at goal rather than driving across the field as we did so many times last season. I can see Long, Tadic, JRod, Davis all being much more positive this year and all going forward in possession whereas there were too many turn around and playing it back sideways last season.
Just a note lads, I think you'll be surprised by his aerial ability. I wasn't expecting him to have such a leap.
That was one thing I was aware of. I thought it was quite well known that Long can bully defenders if he gets the right service, certainly from the aerial perspective. A few pundits know it because I've heard them say it. He reminds me a little in style of James Beattie. If he's as good as Beatts could be he'll do for me.
That's about where I am. Hated the price and what it might signal about the club's ambitions. But don't dislike the player. Let's face it, we could use some guys who are happy to be here and willing to work hard right now. And it's not like Long is awful by any stretch. Just kind of boringly average. And I'm willing to believe that perhaps given a better system and (hopefully) better players around him, he could be effective. Maybe as good or better than Rodriguez-- at least in a wide role. I think when Rodriguez gets back he can play anywhere upfront. We could lump long balls up to Pelle and have two fast guys in Rodriguez and Long for him to knock the ball to. Or he could take over Long's spot as they are similar. Or maybe use Tadic as a false nine to draw the CB's up and give Rodriguez and Long space to run behind. Maybe Ramirez could take that role as well. I'm a little skeptical still about the actual talent level, but I'm okay with the tactical set up.
