Yeah, he'll be an albatross around our neck for the duration of his contract.
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He was linked with Preston a month or so ago, so if that goes through we’ll probably get a couple hundred K from the deal
Will Smallbone just got married in Italy and his wedding photos are stunning. He looks very happy. Would like to see him given another chance under Tonda (or X) and not shoehorned as a DM.
Only other Saint I recognised in the pics was Flynn.
Only other Saint I recognised in the pics was Flynn.
Yeah saw that on FM page. He looked really happy. Still think he is a good championship player
Hideously under appreciated by a lot of our fans. Was fantastic for us under RM.
I wouldn't say fantastic, but he was badly misused by RM, and rarely - if ever - got to play as an AM. After watching Azaz for a whole season, to be honest, I think Will might be the better of the two.
When did Smallbone ever score and assist the amount Azaz did last season?
Azaz played the full season as CAM. Smallbone was played as a DM or at best, CM.
Azaz got 11 goals, while Will, in 23/24, scored 7.
Tell me how many goals you think Azaz would score as a DM/CM.
With only 3 assists. And Smallbone did not score those goals from DM. Azaz is clearly a better player - his technical ability is much better than Smallbone's. Also Smallbone did **** all for Millwall this season just gone. We shouldn't, and won't, renew his contract.
You want him to score goals from his hospital bed? He was injured all season
Azaz is a mid-table player. Disappears far too much. He is the one player holding us back, and I dearly hope he is not first choice next season.
*Also, Smallbone got 4 assists, not 3. You're forgetting the playoff final
I think Azaz is an upper table Championship player, but maybe that is he ceiling. To be fair same for Smallbone. The difference with Will is that he is Southampton through and through and bleeds red and white. I also wouldn't say Azaz is holding us back. Like all CAMs, it is dependent who is around him. We are the sum of all parts as a team, with only 1 or maybe two standout players. That is a good thing IMOYou want him to score goals from his hospital bed? He was injured all season
Azaz is a mid-table player. Disappears far too much. He is the one player holding us back, and I dearly hope he is not first choice next season.
*Also, Smallbone got 4 assists, not 3. You're forgetting the playoff final
That is utter nonsense. He scored a worldie against Man City. Took Wrexham apart. AM's do disappear during games, that's the nature of the position. But to say he was holding us back is ridiculous. One of our better players in the last few months of the season.You want him to score goals from his hospital bed? He was injured all season
Azaz is a mid-table player. Disappears far too much. He is the one player holding us back, and I dearly hope he is not first choice next season.
*Also, Small bone got 4 assists, not 3. You're forgetting the playoff final
Azaz is better that that. Think he could he could hold his own in the PL IMO. Think Brighton were showing interest in him.
He may be. However, look how long it took for him to click with us. I think his best shot of being and staying a PL player is to come up with us. He would take too long to establish himself in a new club and I think the club/fans would be impatient
He's a confidence player. Under Still, the whole squad were suffering from a lack of confidence and it showed on the pitch. Under Tonda barring that spell around Christmas and New Year, it was a completely different story. Azaz can be frustrating, but his vision is so good. He could easily have had far more assists if team mates were on the same wavelength or were more clinical.
A worldie?
It was a nice shot, for sure, but a worldie? And how long did we have to wait for him to actually score a goal from outside the area? The whole season? Great, that's good isn't it? A CAM who's afraid to shoot from distance.
And yeah, look at Boro. With Azaz as CAM, they finished 10th. Got rid of him, and they finish 4th. Now I'm not claiming his transfer was a big factor in that (or a factor at all), but just reading their fans' views on him, a lot were quite glad to get rid.
No chance he is Prem level.
Who gives a flying **** what the Boro fans think? He doesn't shoot from distance much because he backs himself to play someone in.
I definitely don't see Azaz as a top flight player personally. Obviously there's the odd exception but comes across a bit flat track bully to me - think only one of his goals or assists for us came against a fellow top 6 side.
Good player to have in this league though.
Good player to have in this league though.
I'd like to see Smallbone back at Saints personally but he will for some reason never be fully appreciated by a lot of Saints fans and just seems to be a magnet for the hate loons on social media.
He needs to move on and make a fresh start, probably at another Championship club.
He needs to move on and make a fresh start, probably at another Championship club.
Said the other day I'd happily re-sign him if it wasn't for his injury issues.