Another notable quote from the pre-match conference... Pochettino said: “We have been unlucky. If you think our team is playing well imagine what it will be like when our strikers start scoring goals. We will be a lot better." I like that.
That's my only criticism of him, yet he can score superbly placed goals too. There was the one last season where he did a one-two with Steven Davis, before tucking it into the corner. There was the one, earlier this season, where he broke the defensive line and collected a short through ball, before tucking it right in the corner. It was incorrectly disallowed. Then there was the one against Barnsley, where he tucked it into the corner, around defenders and the keeper. He CAN do it. It just that many of his chances are hit tamely at the keeper. He needs a little striker's arrogance.
My favourite quote is the "oof" (sp?) when asked about the rumours concerning Rickie. We know that players have been erased in the Pocchettino mind (Barnard, Sharp) so what he says about Rickie is good, but it's his whole body language and that exasperated exclamation (beautifully translated!) that says it all. Rickie is staying.
Weird,,,never heard it used in this way and then, within a few hours, it was used on Trollied. Mind you it was said by a comedy character who is a weirdo who only uses 'management speak.'
I do like to see JRod play because he offers us an option out wide...need someone to feed Osvaldo and Rickie other than our LB and RB.
Surely that's what Gaston is for? I like him for his pace although generally I have been disappointed by his finishing. Early days though, I still feel he's a striker for the future.
JRod is one of our only players who has one direction in his head - towards goal. Sometimes good but sometimes too hasty I feel too many of our players like to play sideways and retain possession when other teams counter attack which i believe we have the ability to do more. Looks good on paper and builds a momentum but sometimes i feel we lack the counter attack which many other teams do to us. JRod is a great player with excellent stamina for 90 minutes and Gaston has to earn his spot like all others and currently what ive seen of his limited appearences he has yet to do this. Gaston is better off in a holding role just behing the strikers and given the freedom to roam because he is also sometimes a little reluctant to rush back and support the wing backs which we need. Nice to have the options though
Probably true. His pace is something different for us in the attacking third as well. I was really making the point that there are obviously things we CAN judge and that clearly aren't just down to instructions. I could see Poch trying to change Lambert's role now Osvaldo is here but I can't see why he'd have done that last season when Lambert was so obviously our main goal threat. On Rodriguez I agree that he can finish but he often doesn't and those tame dinks into the keeper's arms last year were so frustrating. Much worse than a shot fizzing just wide of the post. I suspect it's a mental issue rather than technical. He sometimes seems better in front of goal when he doesn't have time to think.
Sorry if this has been posted already , but if you have saints player , go to MPO Palace pre-match interview at 11 minutes 35 seconds or so and give it a while
Yes we did, and on this very thread too. Doesn't hurt to remind people to have a look though. It was quite entertaining.
Why would he go? What would joining Westspam do for him? Once Carroll's fit they'll play hoof ball and he'll be on the bench, he isn't likely to be benched for us as he offers so much more than a standard target man. Nonsence article & shocked people even agreeing.
Pretty sure every single one of Rodriguez's well-placed shots (and some of them have indeed been sublime) has been low. And they've also either been off the dribble or running onto a pass that is rolling while he was running toward goal. That's like his favorite move. I don't think his mental approach is bad so much as he needs a better first touch. If he can't knock it down and forward, he has trouble scoring. I thought our problem scoring late last year and early this year had to do with people not taking enough shots. We still lack some decisiveness in the final third but it's been nowhere near as bad recently. If people keep taking shots, everyone's finishing will get better. They're certainly getting a lot of practice the last couple games! Some of the things Saints do still mystify me. Like, stop crossing it to Lallana. He's not that good in the air. Just shoot it and dump it into some general area in the box on the ground. Lallana has a much better chance of picking up a junk goal via ricochet or knicking it off a defender than he does off a back post header. I worry more about Rodriguez's passing and general awareness than his finishing. I thought Lallana got a little gunshy last year but he's been better.
Interesting to hear mauricio say to the prematch press that he wants Rickie to be more mobile and exploit the available space more, which suggests to me he wants Lambert to function in a more creative role. Last season I didn't like him dropping wide and deep so much but we have a better attack now and he will have better targets and will be more effective. He's very good at this but he also allows for route 1, freekicks/penalties, and his interplay around goal is usually excellent however it has been a bit off probably because of playing with different players in a different role.
