Hi all, After yet another disappointing result, albeit after a good performance, I believe we need replacements in the following positions: RB and LB - whilst butterfield has got quality delivery and has popped up with some important crosses, on another night he could have had 5 assists!! I don't think he will be able to perform as effectively at Premiership level and he will have a similar role as he has had this year. Richardson has been quality but I'm not sure that he would have significant defensive capabilities next year, we seem to have wing backs that are great going forward but defensively are not as strong. We need a balance of both offensive and defensive, which should have a preference for the latter rather than the former. The same can be said for Fox, who is second to none on delivery but his defensive play he is always out of position, I know it was not his job to man mark Kebe but on both occasions he should have been a lot tighter and Kebe should have struggled to get a ball in. We will get found out next year in the prem against the big boys and tactically astute managers. CB - Fonte had a mare last night and was at fault for giving Roberts a free header and being completely flat footed for the second and the terrible back header leading to the third. A night to remember, Reading have the best attack (outside our team) and he will get ruined next year if we are in the prem. Don't get moe wrong I think he is quality but everytime he was tested last night he was found wanting. RW / LW - I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that De Ridder is not the player we were hoping he would be, Adkins included, he has no end product, does he need a year to adapt? If we are in the Prem next year he will need another year to adapt to another league? Chaplow and Guly are not wingers and are played out of position when selected there. We need a quality winger that has an end product - this may help out our attack minded right and left backs... What do you guys think? Happy to Hear counter arguments, this is a forum after all! ;D
Seriously, what's the problem with De Ridder? Last night he passed it well, took people on, got to the byline and put some decent crosses in. Centre-back definitely needed though.
I do like De Ridder, last night he worked his socks off, but I can't remember one cross or pass that he did into the box, which is his job! He just seemed to waste time and then pass back to butterfield! He did track back and make that fantastic tackle on Roberts though.
Can't believe the opening line Leon86.... "after yet another disappointing result..." blimey. We're 2nd after 43 games!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it's just depth that's needed really. As you say, Butterfield is old and slow so we'll need someone to challenge Richardson (who I think is fantastic by the way) for his place. I'm not sure how Jack Stephens is getting along, but he's probably not there yet. Fonte definitely needs someone to come in and show him that he still needs to fight for his place. Maybe then he'll bulk up a bit and try to improve. I like our options at LB this year, but I don't think I'd be content with either of them in the Premier League, so yeah I think an addition would be good there. And although I've said that I like what De Ridder brings to the table, it's still evident that we don't have enough competition for that place so we could use another natural right winger. A fourth striker would be good as well. (Barnard not good enough, Guly more of a midfielder/trequartista) Ending on a positive, I think the key to our success is that we have a very strong spine to the team with Fonte, Hooveld, Cork, Schneiderlin, Lambert and Sharp. The only real weakness there, I believe, is Fonte.
To be fair, we have been spoilt this season, but Blackpool, Pompey and Reading out of the last four. 4 out of 12 points ain't great is it. But I would take 2nd now if it was offered!
But with man marking Kebe the bloke has so much skill and pace it is better that he doesn't get too tight as he will get skinned. I think that De Ridder s good as an impact sub and will be a good player for our bench next year. The long he is at the club the better he will get. He put in a few crosses last night and ran into the box and made the defenders worry. We have a player who can play RM and has done pretty much all his career. His name. Puncheon. I really don't understand why he isn't being picked, we could really be doing with him even if he is on the bench. Last night we had 3 defenders on the bench.
I would like to see a 1 new right back, 1 centre back, a right winger and a defensive midfielder. I like De Ridder but he's our only RW.
Would like a new CB, and a hard as nails midfielder who can play a little. I think saints are a little too pink and fluffy at times. Would like someone who's prepared to take the game by the scruff of the neck when the chips are down, and rally the lads. We have a lot of flair with not much steel.
Can't agree with your comment about Fox, he is never out of position. He would be out of position if he was out wide closer to his man. As for new players, we'd need a goalkeeper, a RB, a RM, a CM, and a striker. Our rightbacks aren't strong enough to make the step up, Hammond isn't good enough and we don't have a true RM. De Ridder really isn't good enough, continuously running down blind allies and I can't remember a cross last night that beat the first man. Not good enough. Also his movement is terrible, he's far to static, making a run and then standing, waiting for the ball, no fluid runs like Lallana, Guly etc. We also need to have a commanding presence in the middle that can pick out the forward passes to go with schneiderlin and cork, Hammond is not that man. Finally we need a clinical finisher to play alongside Lambert, Sharp would be good back up.
New back up keeper, new RB, a LB that will challenge Fox. At least one CB maybe two, I don't think Martin and Danny will be up to it. RM and a LM and maybe a new striker
I think a few of the youngsters will do pre-season with the first team and we will be in a position to call on them. We need to be realistic with our aspirations if we go up. Playing the market too hard can easily backfire.
De Ridder is exactly what we need, someone who will run at players and take them on. yesterday he had their left back (can't remember his name) backpeddling into his own box every time, and that's when it's dangerous. In my opinion De Ridder should be starting against peterborough. As for additions CB,RB,LB,RW,LW,ST
