Punchy sounded OK on the post match chat on the Player extended highlights, he hasn't been fit recently hence the enforced absence.
He'll be swanning about now saying how he was part of the team that got Saints promoted. He played in total maybe 90mins... He should never have returned, and I hope we see the back of him in the summer!
Jason is a good footballer, but he has not applied himself here, that has been noticed by a man who misses nothing. Good bye Jason, I wish you well. Steve, I had/have high hopes, but I shall say little else....
I would keep De Ridder simply because he is something completely different. I've never seen anyone quite like him. He can keep the ball and beat players on the floor and we haven't got many who can do that. His end product is generally poor and needs working on but I see him as a useful sub to bring on when a game needs changing or we need to keep hold of the ball. As for Puncheon, I'm not sure. He really annoyed me on Saturday when he didn't do a single creative thing. I know we were 4-0 up and just playing out the game but Lambert was desperate to score. He was probably playing to orders as well so basically, scrub that last comment! He has played in the Premier League but even at Blackpool he ended up as sub more often than not. I think we need someone better. One thing I would say about him is that despite all the bad press he gets, he has been very professional this year. He trained with the youngsters and did what was asked of him. There were rumours of a fight with a coach but I know for a fact that did not happen.
If you really want rid of him you could always send him to us on loan - as long as saints continue to pay his wages
Puncheon is popular with the team who apparently welcomed him back...disproving a lot of the rumours. Think on Saturday he was playing to order...keep the ball, keep it simple. Not sure whether he'll be kept on as Nigel didn't use him a lot.
This is true, when I went to see the U21s at Totton last summer, Puncheon was playing and was often encouraging them, giving them advice etc I was impressed with his attitude that night
Nothing against him personally, but he just isn`t that good. For an attacking midfield player, no goals in around 17 games in League 1 last year, before he went in the huff when Oxo came in. And why didn`t Blackpool or QPR want to keep him afetr his loan spells ?
.....so what did Blackpool offer ? That`s his real market value then (assuming there were no higher offers I am not aware of). I hope he proves me wrong and pulls up trees for Saints next season. It hasn`t happened anywhere else, so unlikely I`m afraid.
We wanted £1m, Blackpool wouldn't offer that and the talks broke down - Leeds were also in the same situation last summer
Unfortunately some players will have to be released and Puncheon is one of them. To compete in the Premier league we will have to be better than this season and add some better quality and I think right of midfield is one position that we will add to.
It's a big summer for him. I would love him to knuckle down, get fit and show an eagerness to improve. Because he does have talent. In league one we were good enough to carry a player like Puncheon, in the championship we were not and we definitely won't be able to do that in the premier league. Guly, Chaplow and De Ridder were all ahead of him in the pecking order because they worked hard and that's despite indifferent form. If we sign a right midfielder like we all expect this summer then it's likely to be Puncheon 1st out the door.
The problem with Puncheon is that he doesn´t seem to play well in a Saints shirt. He did very well when he went out on loan to Millwall and Blackpool but for some reason he can´t produce that sort of form for us. I was glad when he sorted out issues with Cortese and came back into the squad as I thought he could be a important player for us. However, Adkins gave him chances to prove himself but he never showed any real form, and after the first half performance against Leeds away, where he was beyond awful, I wouldn´t mind seeing the back of him.
