Missing link for Saints up front....

[Saintalona]

Before I start I'm happy with how Saints are playing and hopefully our forward players will sort them selves our tomorrow against Palace! Bored and wanted to start a discussion to pass the game before our match tomorrow.

My question is did we miss out on not signing Éver Maximiliano David Banega?

Once we knew he wasn't interested in joining us why didn't we switch to an alternative?

I know we are strong in midfield area but we are definitely lacking an attacking creative midfielder to unlock defences.

 

[- Doing The Lambert Walk]

Before I start I'm happy with how Saints are playing and hopefully our forward players will sort them selves our tomorrow against Palace! Bored and wanted to start a discussion to pass the game before our match tomorrow.

My question is did we miss out on not signing Éver Maximiliano David Banega?

Once we knew he wasn't interested in joining us why didn't we switch to an alternative?

I know we are strong in midfield area but we are definitely lacking an attacking creative midfielder to unlock defences.

Because...

A) The alternative was not as good
B) The alternative didn't represent value for money
C) We decided to trust in the current squad


I'd rather not go chasing leftovers, if they're not near ideal for the system long-term.

Our problem at the minute is that Rickie and Dani both play up the top, when what both work well with is someone in the hole...

...be it Gaston, Adam, JWP or Steven Davis.

 

[Saintalona]

Because...

A) The alternative was not as good
B) The alternative didn't represent value for money
C) We decided to trust in the current squad


I'd rather not go chasing leftovers, if they're not near ideal for the system long-term.

Our problem at the minute is that Rickie and Dani both play up the top, when what both work well with is someone in the hole...

...be it Gaston, Adam, JWP or Steven Davis.

The only player who I believe potentially can fill that role is Gaston and with him not good enough to make the first team we are struggling. Adam has been playing really well but I just don't think he that type of player and would be best suited out wide. JWP and Steven Davis are all round midfielders and are best suited to filling in for Spider or Wayama.

Do you think there is a chance Banega changing his mind in January or are any potential future transfer dead in the water?

 

[TheSecondStain]

Before I start I'm happy with how Saints are playing and hopefully our forward players will sort them selves our tomorrow against Palace! Bored and wanted to start a discussion to pass the game before our match tomorrow.

My question is did we miss out on not signing Éver Maximiliano David Banega?

Once we knew he wasn't interested in joining us why didn't we switch to an alternative?

I know we are strong in midfield area but we are definitely lacking an attacking creative midfielder to unlock defences.

I'd rather not go chasing leftovers either. But more to the point, Saints famously do their business quietly and so they might have chased various alternatives unsuccessfully. Just because they didn't appear on the rumour radar doesn't mean to say players weren't being assessed or enquiries weren't made.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Well I watched Banega give the ball away, which led to Valencia getting a player sent off, and then lose 0 - 3 at home to Swansea. Sure this guy is the answer to our prayers!

I don't believe we're missing the link here, things just need click. Lambert suits the role perfectly.

 

[Puck]

Perhaps my memory is playing tricks but I always felt in the lower leagues that Lambert dropped off the front quite often and quite well, with the likes of Barnard and Connolly looking to get in behind the defence. I see no reason he can't do the same now.

 

[Lovelocum]

Well I watched Banega give the ball away, which led to Valencia getting a player sent off, and then lose 0 - 3 at home to Swansea. Sure this guy is the answer to our prayers!

I don't believe we're missing the link here, things just need click. Lambert suits the role perfectly.

Well that's it, he must be s**t then. The voice of reason has spoken. He gave the ball away, enough said.

 

[Archers Road]

Well I watched Banega give the ball away, which led to Valencia getting a player sent off, and then lose 0 - 3 at home to Swansea. Sure this guy is the answer to our prayers!

I don't believe we're missing the link here, things just need click. Lambert suits the role perfectly.

Agreed.

 

[Schad]

Well I watched Banega give the ball away, which led to Valencia getting a player sent off, and then lose 0 - 3 at home to Swansea. Sure this guy is the answer to our prayers!

I don't believe we're missing the link here, things just need click. Lambert suits the role perfectly.

He can fulfill portions of the role, but he's far from being a perfect fit as a creative attacking mid. He can drop off and receive the ball with his back to goal, sure, but that's not the whole of the job.

 

[Jose Fonte baby]

I think Lambert's best in a 4-4-2 but that isn't a good formation in the PL, unless it's flexible. Lambert had a good partnership with Barnard, Connolly and Sharp who were all poachers. Lambert was the target man, the person most relied upon for goals (he isn't if he plays behind the striker or plays with Osvaldo, who's more of an out-and-out striker.) and also could create chances for players around him.

 

[Joe!]

Having seen the way Ward-Prowse has started the season, I'm kind of glad we haven't signed someone else and moved him down the pecking order. Might as well just put the faith in our current squad and they'll get better and better with time. Sometimes the best solution isn't a new signing.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Well I watched Banega give the ball away, which led to Valencia getting a player sent off, and then lose 0 - 3 at home to Swansea. Sure this guy is the answer to our prayers!

I don't believe we're missing the link here, things just need click. Lambert suits the role perfectly.

Well that's it, he must be s**t then. The voice of reason has spoken. He gave the ball away, enough said.

You pedantic prick I was simply pointing out that the grass isn't always greener, that these big foreign names may be no better or even worse than what we already have.

 

[Lovelocum]

You pedantic prick I was simply pointing out that the grass isn't always greener, that these big foreign names may be no better or even worse than what we already have.

Good comeback. But the fact is you discounted a player based on his teams performance and because he gave the ball away. It's not pedantry, go back and read your post. Would you write Rickie off after watching one of his below par performances? Oh saints lost to Norwich and Rickie didn't score, he's just not up to this level drop him now.

 

[rabbitspectrum]

Of late we have bypassed the need for a creative attacking midfielder by playing the ball quickly forwards and not letting the defence get in position. If we continue to play at this higher tempo we won't need gaston or banega.

The slow style of play that was implemented against Sunderland, West Brom, Norwich and west Ham first half was ****ing useless and hopefully we won't play like that ever again.

I think pochettino has got his tactics and personnel worked out and we will unlock defensive teams with a lot less difficulty in future.

 

[I Sorry I Ruined The Party]

The players we have are good enough for now. To take the next step up will probably require another attacker, if not two. Don't know that there's a missing link so much as a slight shortage in at least three positions. Osvaldo right now is the only one I think might be able to play for a top five club. Saints have several players who might take a step up, and we'll need them if only as reserves. Let them play, see who steps up and bring in a wing in January if necessary. Then do some further sorting out in the offseason.

I am not particularly worried right now that we can't finish tenth or higher which is good progression in my mind. We're playing with the big boys now and will have many more chances to bring in the necessary talent. There will be other Banegas, or better.

 

[rabbitspectrum]

It will depend on injuries and where we stand in the table cups to some extent but I would be perfectly happy if we didn't bring anyone in until july. Speaking about sharp Pochettino said that the squad was closed and there was no coming back for sharp, and I would be surprised if we are active in January. Also I think Pochettino has made it pretty clear that he isn't interested in playing with wingers or having wingers in the squad.

We haven't played with much width but the more the team plays together the more width we will get out of the fullbacks and the front 4 who all drift wide at times. Its certainly an area for improvement but I'm confident the current personnel are more than capable of carrying out pochettino's tactics minus 1 backup leftback.

 

[fran-MLs little camera]

In a recent interview, Mourinho laid out his plans to alter the way that Chelsea play. It could have been Mauricio talking (except in English and without the hand gestures!). A remark was made then by a pundit that Chelsea don't have wide men either. Be interesting to see if Chelsea can play as well as us

 

[I Sorry I Ruined The Party]

We haven't played with much width but the more the team plays together the more width we will get out of the fullbacks and the front 4 who all drift wide at times. Its certainly an area for improvement but I'm confident the current personnel are more than capable of carrying out pochettino's tactics minus 1 backup leftback.

We don't necessarily need a traditional winger, but I think we will need someone who is comfortable playing in a non-central role. We have plenty of attacking midfielders and two good strikers. It's quite possible one of our present players will prove capable, but as of now I would say the two outside slots are the weakest positions on the pitch. I agree we could also use a leftback but that is more for depth.

 

[rabbitspectrum]

We don't necessarily need a traditional winger, but I think we will need someone who is comfortable playing in a non-central role. We have plenty of attacking midfielders and two good strikers. It's quite possible one of our present players will prove capable, but as of now I would say the two outside slots are the weakest positions on the pitch. I agree we could also use a leftback but that is more for depth.

Yeah i do agree with that. When I saw ramirez play with uruguay he looked great on the left, jwp is also an option although I don't rate him wide. So we do have a couple of other options but that's definitely an area that we could strengthen although I think we would be better served having a good season and getting our first choice(s) in the summer.

Although Rodriguez hasn't been great, him and lallana have done more than enough to suggest that they are good enough at this level and they should both have a few purple patches, unfortunately for lallana he's been playing well but just hasn't had the luck/finishing. rodriguez hasn't been playing that well and also hasn't had much luck/finishing but will come good.