And with that hopefully MM can figure out the best way to utilise our half decent squad. Defensively we are pretty solid. The best we've been in quite a while. But now we need MM and TC to figure out our best formation. Our best midfield and a productive strike force. I'd like to see Taylor given a good run,he showed from his Peterborough days he's more than capable. On another thread I liked spanish's idea of 3 at back and cressy pushing up to midfield. Tunni or wordy tabb and Skuse in midfield and Taylor up front with.......... Who. No one is consistent enough. My early optimism is waning although we should have enough to be in top ten. We all need to be positive about OUR team. We lose and this forum is heaving with negativity we win and its noticeably quieter. By all accounts we weren't that bad today and their keeper being motm says something. We just don't seem to be able to hold a lead or consolidate on a lead.
Well, we don't have widemen and Cressy is a danger (goal from his ball in today) so it's obvious to me we should be playing a midfield diamond, someone in a freeish role just off McGoldrick who can wander wide and McGoldrick as the main man up the centre.
Agree still think we've been defensively fairly solid this season and have actually been fairly unlucky with some of the goals we've conceded, not one of the goals we've conceded this season I've thought, 'that was poor defending', although perhaps we are a little more open to concede this year because I think we don't have Stearman (a CB playing at RB) and Mick has given our fullbacks a little more license to attack. But the concern for me is our supply line and having a striker who has a real urge to got on to balls in the penalty box. Decent performance yesterday and we would've got more out of games had we not conceded some unlucky goals but I don't think we've been lucky with the lack of goals we've scored. Fair enough yesterday the GK was on good form but not many of those chances were still very clear cut, alot of those chances came either from Cresswells good work (he's been our most effective attacking player this season and that is as a left back!!!!) or McGoldrick working space for himself and having a pot shot. We need more players (other than just Cresswell) creating chances and we need to create more clearcut openings rather than players (generally McGoldrick) creating a bit of space for himself and having a pot shot. I do like the idea of playing 3 at the back with wing backs (Cresswell and Hewitt) and 3 in midfield but it is something that will need to be worked on and I remember Mick playing it pretty unsuccessfully against Hull last season because there was such a distance between the CB's and wing backs. Upfront I'd say McGoldrick is consistent but he's going to be potent enough throughout the season as he's more of a second striker and what I see more as a bit of a passive striker, so I don't really think he's capable of being the main striker upfront, I'd say McGoldrick himself suits the freeish role more, as does Taylor.
Points dropped already for us this season is 8 (We were leading against Reading and Leeds and lost, leading against Birmingham and drew). You can say a lot of the goals were unlucky but I wonder how long we can keep blaming bad luck? But, im choosing to remain positive, we are already 3 points off where we were at the start of november last year.
That situation does seem to have a striking resemblance to the ITFC of 12 months ago under Jewell... The losing from winning positions. The sooner we rekindle the Mick McCarthy style performances of the latter stages of last season then the better as we could be in danger of falling into the same rut we fell into exactly 1 year ago
Good time for the break, hopefully an under 21 game or 2 to get Berra/ Wordsworth/ Anderson/ and Taylor all properly fit. I think Berra will now be a key player at CB, with Chambers likely to be given the RB birth. Our next two fixtures comprise Boro and Yeovil, both at home. Should we get 6 points from them 2 games, 10 points from 7 games would be a rather useful start.
I think Berra, Wordsworth, Anderson and Taylor are all fit but they're not match fit and the only way to do that is play matches. I have to say whilst Chambers is an option at RB, I'd rather see us use Hewitt out there or if not go 532, as although he's solid I'd rather see a RB who can get forward and defend.
None whatsoever There is the twice annual Billy Sharp rumours circulating... even with odds dropping to 2/1 at Bet Victor as we are odds on favourites to sign him by the end of the day but personally, I think us landing Sharp will mean Cresswell leaving (apparent swap deal with another Saints player involved is doing the rounds today..) I think we're in more danger of outgoings that anyone coming in and the loan window will be more telling for us as we need to add quality to what we have and don't seem to have the money (or willing to risk) doing that.
ah yes, billy sharp. happens every year we have that with shola ameobi! can't see saints needing cresswell to be honest. luke shaw is a bloody phenomenon, was so relieved he wasn't playing at the weekend! cresswell has been your best player so far by a considerable distance though, hasn't he? probably too late to replace him and get other reinforcements. i'd heard everton were looking at him to replace baines - not sure if you'd heard that - he's a scouser too. as you say, you'll no doubt be busy once the loan window opens though.
The Cresswell link to Everton has been mentioned before but he's publicy played that down (and quite sincerely too) I'm not worried by that though as I highly doubt Baines will leave.. He seems a level headed bloke and doesn't look like he'll force the deal through (unlike Fellaini) I did see a couple of United fans on Twitter saying they should buy Cressy off us as he'll be better than Baines in a couple of years As much as I'd love to see that I'm not going to condone that level of crazy... But as you say he's been fantastic for us (for some time) and another years service improving as he has been he will have more than earnt a big move to the Prem Personally I think if Sharp is still a Saints player by tomorrow morning then we'll consider a loan move but I imagine there will be plenty of Championship clubs we'll have to compete with for him.
