Assuming the JR deal goes through we will have 4 good strikers. IMO the position we need real help is right midfield. This was a committee position last year with Puncheon, Chaplow, Guly, DeRidder, etc. all playing there. Each had their chance to make it their position and none could. I don't see any of them owning that spot this season. NA surely sees the same thing. I have seen a couple of people have been mentioned here (Phillips and Dos Santos). I saw Phillips play for Scotland and based on the one game did not see much there. Dos Santos looked quite useful against Wales. Of the two I think he'd be the best. Seems like Swansea were in for him as a loan but now that they have no manager maybe we can do a deal with Spurs. Any others people think might be in our price range and can take this spot?
I think it'll be much the same, though I don't think Puncheon will still be with us [just my opinion]. Players will be used on their effectiveness against certain opposition, At least it keeps them guessing, as Nigel never announces his team until the very last possible moment allowed. Which makes it more difficult to set up against.
Dos Santos isn't really a natural right-winger. I'd like to see someone come in from abroad to fill this position as I can't see anyone in this country who perfectly fits the bill. Burke and Jarvis probably come closest.
Burke looked good for Brum last season. Jarvis I thought was a left-sided player. For me, Tom Ince would be a great inclusion, right age, right attitude.
Agree with Tom Ince - good young prospect with pace. Saw the Daily Mirror rumour over us offering £2M plus Puncheon for him; would be nice if it were true but suspect not. Although we need a right sided midfielder; I am more concerned with the central defender position. We should have four potential starters for that position and we currently have two plus Martin (still under development maybe?).
Share your concern but I am equally concerned about the position in question here. Guly stands out for me, but not on the right. We need pace down there, and someone who can ping crosses in all day for King Rickie and his pals. Get that right and we'll score dozens as our strike force is excellent, especially if JR joins us.
I can't see tom ince beimg £2m after we bid £7m for jay rod I think blackpool will want more cash now and aslong as were spending cash get jesus navas :-D
I don't know what it is but I get the impression from this and other threads that you don't like De Ridder I think he has some plus points. The main one being that if he doesn't know what he is doing then the opposition won't either. Unfortunately, the one thing you can't coach is playing with your head up, i.e. awareness. And he doesn't. That said, he is one of the few players we currently have who can come off the bench and change things around. He is also useful if we ned to keep possession to see a game out.
I agree central defence needs to be strengthened along with the 'keeper now that Bart is gone but at least we have PL quality players starting in those positions. I just don't see us with a right midfield player as a consistent starter. For me Guly is best in the hole and Chaplow was good the first half but never really looked after the injury. Even if Chaplow returns to last season's first half form is he going to be able to be a PL quality RM? I don't see Puncheon staying so even our depth at this position starts to look suspect.
I'm not suggesting that RM is not a position that will be strengthened this summer, but I really think that Guly's performances on the right at the start of last season are a little bit underrated by the fans. To my mind we played our best football of last season with the front four of Guly, Lallana, Connolly and Lambert and looked extremely fluid and flexible with both widemen interchanging with the strikers. It looks as though we are in the market for another striker, so where exactly does that leave Guly?, I would suggest that he will be used more on the right next season, simply because there isn't room for him elsewhere. I certainly think that he is good enough to make an impact in the Premier League even if it is mainly from the bench.
Well there's no way that bloke can come to Saints..! I can just imagine the chant... How do you solve a problem di Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down How do you find a word like di Maria A flippity jibbet A whillio-the-wisp A clown Yep, I can see that taking off, big time. Plenty of verses too.
Maybe not but, Jesus is in our side Jesus is in our side You might as well quit Cos Jesus is in our side
