Bialkowski - 8, Outstanding in the Saints goal today, superb saves Butterfiel - 6, His usual dependable self, didnt do nothing wrong nor spectacular Fonte - 7, Well it's Fonte? Seaborne - 6, Didnt get into the game too much Harding - 6, Seen better from him, although had a few good moments Chamberlain - 8, Outstanding down the wing, WE MUST KEEP HIM AT ALL COSTS Hammond - 7, Looked good going forward surpsingly Cork - 7, Linking up with Connolly for Goal 1 was superb Lallana - 8, Again outstanding, not much more I can say about Lallana Connolly - 8, Man this guy MUST stay fit, was absolute quality today Guly - 7, Looked good, scored good goal Davis - 7, Some superb saves but few dodgy kicks Richardson - 6, Good going forward but was caught out a bit Martin - 8 THAT TACKLE!! Superb tackle, was good in the air as well Jaidi - 5, Poor, totally out of it today Dickson - 5, Sloppy that nearly led to a chance, but was good going forward Forte - 5, Poor, always runs it out of play or into a player Schneiderlin - 6, Good passing, but let down a few times Chaplow - 6, Again same as Scheniderlin Holmes - 6, Good crosses but didnt' really get into the game Doble - 7, Looked nippy, few good runs and touches but got bullied a bit Barnard - 6, well chased down but struggled in the air a bit
Team in the first game were class, especially Cork, think he turn out to be a brilliant signing! Forte is dreadful, what was Adkins thinking? At least he will only be 5th choice on the wing. Thought Doble looked promising!
Agree in the most part: Bialkowski - 8 - Quality - Would be more than happy if he had to become first choice from now on Butterfiel - 7 - Always solid but did notice him doing alot more communicating with the back 5 - looked a leader out there Fonte - 8 - Class act Seaborne - 7 - Won his headers and his tackles - can't ask much more Harding - 7 - Actually thought he had a pretty solid game offensively and defensively Chamberlain - 9 - Had there international left back tied in knots Hammond - 7 - DITO Cork - 7 - DITO Lallana - 9 - Beating players for fun - and we need to remember these are full internationals he was making look ordinary - really is some player Connolly - 8 - DITO impressed me today Guly - 7 - DITO Davis - 6 - Same old - Great saves but aweful distribution Richardson - 7 - Top bloke who I would again be more than happy to be first choice right back Martin - 8 - Looked quality - won every header and every tackle - great foil for Jaidi Jaidi - 6 - Started well - struggled as pressure was on to distribute the ball from the back - wont have that problem when partnered with Fonte Dickson - 4 - Actually thought he was really poor today - Bad going forward but even worse defensively Forte - 4 - His pace really is incredible but with zero ability to deliver anything of any sort of quality Schneiderlin - 8 - Looked our best player in the second XI - began to run the game at times - has the ability to dictate games Chaplow - 7 - Battles hard - probably 4th choice CM now but will always give 110% Holmes - 4 - Aweful - seemed to be involved alot but never in a good way - simular to forte but without the pace - please dont let him take set pieces! Doble - 7 - DITO Barnard - 7 - Worked hard but needed a different partner up top to play off e.g. Rickie All in all was really impressed today. First game was out of this world and the second was the rest of the squad up against far superiour opposition and thought they did well. After today I feel much more optomisitic about our chances this season! Strenght in depth is becoming a real plus point. Today was for you Markus. RIP.
I disagree with you I'm afraid. Holmes was really poor. I agree that he put in some good crosses but most of the time he spent trying to cut inside and ended up loosing the ball or loosing the impetus for the attack. Compare how he performed to how both Chamberlain and Lallana performed against better full backs than the one on for Bilbao. His set pieces (of which we had a huge number) were also really really poor
Actually yeah I noticed that also, not sure what Adkins was after by doing that because doesn't Forte normally play right wing? Could be wrong. Either way expected more in terms of quality from Holmes but hey season hasn't even started yet. Wasn't trying to be super critical just give my opinion basd on a 1-10 rating. Sure once he gets more game time under his belt (and plays his prefered position) his performance will improve.
I couldn't get their today but personally from the times I've seen Holmes LM or RM he is a lot less comfortable cutting in like Lallana does he is much more of a Classic winger who I would compare to Stewart Downing.
I was really impressed with Saints today.. mix the two teams together and you have a top class championship team, IMO opinion i would do something like this ----------------Bart------------------ Butterfield----Martin---Fonte---Harding Chambo----Cork----Spiderman--Lallana --------Lambert------Barnard------- They were the pick of the players today, and adding Lambert in because i feel we missed his height and strength badly in the Bilbao game.
My starting XI against Leeds would be: Bart Richardson Fonte Seaborne (impressive today) Harding Chambo Cork Schneiderlin Lallana Lambert Guly
I wasn't there so I cannot boast an opinion, but I will choose my starting 11 purely based on who I like: Bart Richardson - Fonte - Martin - Dickson Cork - Spiderman Oxo - Guly (de Ridder) - Lallana Lambo *I know it's frowned upon to have 11 outfield players but I like this de Ridder chap already, seems a very genuine guy in the interview and on twitter.
Looking at you guys posting starting 11's I cant help but think we need to improve in two areas. I still feel we need a quality right back, I feel butterfield is too slow and other teams will target him with pace. On the other hand I think Richardson is stronger but doesnt really link with the team as well as Butterfield does, and Butterfield is better going forward. Also I think we need another striker I dont really think we can rely on Lambert, Barnard and Guly getting goals, and I am expecting Connolly to get injured, Im just worried we're too inexperienced. I'm expecting either a striker or centre back coming into the club as the number 5 has been vacated from Dickson, so not sure. Anyways heres my starting line up: Davis Butterfield-Fonte-Martin-Harding Chamberlain-Spiderman-Cork-Lallana Lambert-Connolly Subs: Bart, Seaborne, Hammond, Barnard, Guly
I think I would agree with your team, although with some rotation here and there - maybe throw Doble on every now and again? impressive today
Martin was great in the second game saved jaidi and dickson at every mistake they made. I thought Seabourne did fine, nothing impressive but he didn't have too. Jaidi on the other hand looked like a pub player so many mistakes and awful in posession. Hope he dosen't start too many games!
Jaidi started off last season slowly but was great later in the season. I think he is good when we are playing teams away from home and sitting deep as he then cannot get caught out for pace, but don't write him off yet.
Team v Leeds: Davis Richardson Fonte Jaidi Dickson Chamberlain Cork Schneiderlin Lallana Lambert Connolly
This would be my line up except Connolly up front with lambo. I couldn't go yesterday but my mate did and he was impressed with: Connolly and Cork link ups Fonte & Seaborne Solid at the back. Partnership worked well together. Lallana as usual. Class Thought the first X1 looked good on the ball solid at back, attacking forward. Good ball pass & move. Seaborne passing out from back started goal assists. Midfield got the ball & made use of it. Link up plays good. Bart did well. Sounds good . Wish I was there.
