It wasn't as simple as 1 player playing better than the one he replaced. Clyne and Puncheon do the same thing and get in each others way on the right. Clyne on the left didn't have the same problem because Adam is much more free and spontaneous than Puncheon which meant Clyne then could join in the fun making the usual Lallana/Lambert double act into a threesome The pundit's favourite triangles. Richardson doesn't cut in like Clyne so he wasn't tripping over Puncheon. So the change made several players games improve because it improved the system as a whole.
This. Richardson also stayed back as cover whenever Clyne committed forward, something Fox wouldn't do. Which gave our CB's and midfield less running to do and more support as we had more cover to deal with any counters.
Fox wasn't that bad, it's better to hoof it up the pitch than to pass it to the opponent. He didn't get caught out of position too much either.
Indeed. Hoofing the ball up the pitch often results in the opposition regaining possession, no matter how accurate the passer, even when the intended recipient is Lambert. Fox isn't an exceptional passer, of any length, so his percentage completion are going to be down as a result. Personally, I always think lofting the ball up the lines is unimaginative and frankly, old fashioned play. It rarely works nowadays, unless the opposition are slack.
It's better to give it away in their half than ours. He still should do better though and I think we'll know which full backs will player Saturday. His positioning seemed worse against Man Utd, he wasn't as bad as he was then.
As much as I like Foxy, he was struggling yesterday and I am wondering if that groin injury that kept him out of the Scottish match is worse than we thought, he was supposed to have had an injection last Monday, perhaps it hasn't had the desired effect. You lot are quick to criticise but don't really know the true facts, maybe he shouldn't have started, but I bet he was determined to play and was giving his best for the Team, something some of you don't seem to be capable of appreciating.
It's a damn good job Nathaniel Clyne has fitted in straight away, because both full back positions have been a serious weakness for us for some time. We could just about get away with it in the Championship, but we'll continue to be vulnerable to attacks down both wings until this gets sorted. It's weaknesses at full back that has sometimes left the two centre backs looking bad. Call me old fashioned, but I like to think a full back should be a defender first, and a threat going forward second, not the other war round.
Fox was rubbish, and seems to have been pretty bad in the other games. Out of position, couldn't pass and didn't bother to follow Bent (twice!) in the lead up to their goal. Also, the fact that Fox was 'giving his best' and 'determined to play' shouldn't matter - all the players should be. If I played left-back yesterday I'd have done my best, doesn't mean I should be playing!
He was struggling yesterday, and perhaps that was down to the groin strain he has. However, I think that a Daniel Fox who is only at his very, very best is possibly good enough at LB, for the standard Saints want to set at the moment.
Yesterday was the worst I think i'd ever seen him play. I watched the replay when I got home on Sky and almost every time he got the ball his passing was wayward or he would go and support Lallana, lose it, and then we were being attacked. Recently i though he was getting some harsh treatment from some people but after yesterday I can't really defend him. Clyne is a far better option out there and what's more he will cut in and join the attack, and after yesterdays goal, that can't be too bad!
I think we will acquire a new left back in January which will complete the jigsaw and see us finish in the top 10.
can't blame it on an injection or an injury gained in the last few weeks. He has been carrying this form ever since the pressure was on when we approached our dream in February / March. The guy was doing OK until then but obviously when the pressure is on he can't handle it. This season he has been on a downward spiral. Maybe he's a confidence player? That's not good for a footballer especially at Premier Level. OK for individual sport like Snooker where you only let yourself down but for a team game you have to be able to hold it together or you drag others down
For me I thought yesterday was fantastic...I think it's needless to say we deserved the win but I think that was largely to one of the greatest Adkins substitutions I have ever seen! Swapping clyne left and bringing on Richardson changed the game. We looked solid and great going forward! Adkins has identified the 3 problem areas which maybe were not completely obvious before the season started... They were - Goalkeeper Centre Back Left back Obviously the market is closed but I think NA has worked a few little miracles in obviously dropping Davis for Gazza who done what he had to do excellently, and has now signed a very top GK in Boruc. We now have yoshida who played fantastic and seem to make Jose twice the player he has been so far this season...I know early days! We may have to makeshift our way through to January with the left back but clyne seemed to be equally as good on the left and was actually able to cut inside very effectively! We all have a lot to be positive about!
Indeed. It was clear during pre-season that Saints were trying to sign a goalkeeper or two, to cover and provide real competition for SKD. Gazziniga could prove to be the long term solution there. He was solid against Villa and he pinged a few long balls out which met their target nicely. I'm still very impressed with him in that department. He's a goalkeeper who is obviously a footballer too. Boruc has now come in to provide more real competition. Adkins made an observation immediately after the Man City game [I think it was then] that Premier League quality CB's are very expensive. Proof that the club had been trying to get one sooner, rather than later. Yoshida was the result of looking in every corner. And we all know now about the ability of Mr Buttner, so the LB position was being tried for too. As it turned out, Saints were unsuccessful, but Adkins has mentioned that Saints are always looking, even for next season, and the season after. So it hasn't been as if Saints have been inactive, merely that they were unsuccessful in getting exactly the people they wanted. Like you say, I think Nigel and Nicola may have got the situation covered for the short term. We'll see how they all go, anyway.
On a similar train of thought, has anyone noticed a change in Clyne's boots or studs since the Man U game? He seems to have stayed on his feet since. Or was that down to an over-watered pitch too?
Your right a couple of people slipped that day including Evra but I do think it was a problem with over watering the pitch.
Shame we didn't sign Buttner. He might have sorted out the problem at LB. I'm sure Nigel will identify this in January, but until then we can't really do anything else. Though, we looked much better with Richardson on and Clyne at the left
