Yeah I don't think Poch is really a fan of direct wingers so I don't think we were ever going to go for a Redmond type. Any direct winger would have to be seriously good for us to want them and I don't know there's much around at that level.
I understand the ire, however I think it's a little misplaced. What I was trying to say was I wouldn't be worried if we had to play one of the others instead of Mayuka in an emergency as (or De Ridder as PTF mentioned him) because they were hardly used and at this point not that good. This means that the quality in depth hasn't changed (remembering I did say I'd like to see Punch replaced), so therefore the depth hasn't changed as Mayuka was hardly a consideration. Why worry about selling a wide player that hadn't played? If he wasn't playing last season, it is not a miss. Whoever filled in last year, can do so again. Basically, some people have thrown some toys out at the point that Mayuka has gone. I'm not upset. Yes, I'd like good depth all over the team and a in that wide spot, but the reaction here has been a little OTT for me. Right now Mayuka isn't the required quality, so it's not an issue.
Sorry, but no. I've been banging this drum for weeks. He was frequently on the bench though, and used when the situation required. Now we don't have that option. As others have mentioned, our other bench players don't bring the speed and directness that he would have. So although I agree he would likely not have been a regular player for us, that doesn't mean he had no role to play. You wouldn't have considered gambling on him for £2m though? That's after all less than Mayuka cost.
We've all said that a good wide player would be positive and wanted one, however you have gone on one a little and kept referring to Mayuka as cover, as though he was key. Having just got in and read back, it seemed that some were just trying to point out that he wasn't "really" cover as he hardly was considered by the manager. I went to Leeds away last year and he played in that game and hardly had a look in in the league under Nigel after that. I'd have liked us to replace Puncheon, yet I am still excited at the prospect of Lambert/Lallana/Ramirez/Jayrod/Osvaldo battling for three forward positions to get us some goals.
But we need players who are able to create chances for them to turn into goals. Against Norwich, where we went with a 4-4-2 diamond to fit the personnel, almost everything was through the middle, and with a couple exceptions they shut it down rather easily...our only two chances of note came from a lovely bit of skill from Osvaldo, and a volley from Lallana that probably makes it through the crowd and into the net once every ten times.
Not about Norwich result, there is a deficiency in the team which I believe will hamper our home form. Norwich got three home points against a resolute team by having a player who went past two of ours. We haven't got that in our armoury, Redmond won't play every game and will have off days but they have that weapon when needed, we haven't. ps. sky sports going to Southampton, hopefully something happening
I realize this, but even with Punch, we didn't really attack teams from wide...it seems we don't do that. I don't recall Punch going on the outside of a full back. I wish he would have but he doesn't, nor does Adam. I believe that we must get our full backs beyond their full backs, but they don't seem to do it. I'm just thinking that MP doesn't want out and out wide players and wants a combination of three from those players to create the chances and take up some of the width.
I just object to people happily waving away players who can do a job for us, while defending the inclusion of Fox and Fonte who are frankly in the team because we have no-one better. I've never referred to Mayuka as "key", but I don't buy this idea that we are disposing of someone who is utterly without use. If I could be bothered I could drag up a few of these same people saying how it was nice that Mayuka was getting some game time in pre-season and they hoped he would be more involved. I'm all for supporting the team but this smacks of blind faith.
He didn't go outside fullbacks, but Punch created chances by running at people from wide positions...even if his initial move didn't result in anything, it often moved the defense around enough to allow others a chance. Lallana's really the only other person likely to try such a thing, and he isn't decisive enough much of the time.
I think to a greater extent we have to trust that MP and the club know what they want and what they're doing. Not blindly, but let's just see how it all pans out. MP certainly had an edict to blood and play youngsters too.
I may have "blind faith", however I don't see the point in worrying about someone leaving who hasn't played or performed well enough to be a part of the team PTF. It was nice he got pre-season time, but I think just maybe that MP didn't think he did enough. Fox - not good enough, I'd rather switch Clyne when Shaw out. Fonte - from the start I said I wanted another CB, however playing Fonte (who has done an ok to good job) is no comparison to playing Fox or Mayuka in my books. You never referred to Mayuka as "key" PTF, but you have made one hell of a fuss about him going and you did say he was our cover for wide right, and refused to budge even when people pointed out he hadn't played much, so was hardly real cover.
Happy to see that happening, not so happy to have to rely on them. Too much exposure and pressure can break promising players just as easily as not enough. I'm very rarely negative about anything the club does but this just doesn't make any sense to me and even if you don't rate Mayuka I fail to see how losing him and drawing level with the most threadbare first-team squad in premier league history is a positive thing. Puncheon's departure means he would have been more important. But this really isn't all about Mayuka. I've acknowledged already that he is not going to be starting many games, but he and Puncheon were both squad players who brought something different and we have lost them, and not replaced them.
I thought JayRod's direct running caused a lot of problems for some teams. Gaston (although much criticized) still has the ability to run directly at people and he did this a lot earlier last season and for a few minutes when he came on against Sunderland, in fact several people moan that he runs at people rather than pass the ball, but that's another debate. I did say I'd like us to have replaced Punch, but it's not the end of the world.
Now PTF, I know you are a man that likes things 'correct' (you told me yourself ), but nobody is saying it is positive (apart from him getting lots of game time), but we are saying it is not as negative as you are suggesting. Subtle difference
I don't know if I would have done. What I was saying is I don't think Poch would want to take a punt on that kind of player. In any case, Redmond had signed for Norwich long before Puncheon left.
Why wait until they leave before upgrading? And someone please tell me why it is desirable that we have no wide players. If this is Pochettino's intention, how can it be justified?
Jay can, but things often go awry if he has to make more than 2-3 touches. Gaston can, but through the middle. It's not the end of the world, but I do think that our attack is going to be a lot more frustrating than many think. We saw it through the second half of last season, and we have seen it in the first three games of this year. When teams defend deep, we do not utilize the wide bits well, and we're lacking creativity...it's my fear that we're going to have quite a few games where we have 60%+ possession but our only chances are from difficult headers and stabs at the ball on the edge of the area.
Firstly, Redmond wouldn't have been a clear upgrade on Puncheon. You said yourself signing him would have been a gamble. Personally I'd like us to have the option but I don't expect Pochettino to take a punt on a winger because he doesn't really use wingers. Whether that's desirable or not is a separate discussion about our tactics and the way our team is set up.
Well let's have that discussion then (lord knows this one has gone on long enough!) How does it benefit us to not have the option of a (preferably speedy) winger in the squad? What am I missing? I'm not just talking about Mayuka, if he really isn't up to it, why haven't we signed one? Is Isgrove really that good? Because I've not seen anything to suggest that to be honest, and he hasn't been in any of the matchday squads this season so far (Mayuka has).
