Will Ron be ruthless?

Ron has claimed recently that he is worried that some players have had their heads turned by transfer talk. Will Ron be ruthless and move those players on? I dont want players playing for Saints unless they give 100 per cent every week.

Also we have absolutely no goal threat what so ever at the moment

Elia, Djuricic, JWP, Davis, all play in attacking roles and none of them get goals.

 

Yeah it has been a worry alright...We are still seventh though looking on the brightside with still a reasonable chance of sixth....At least we know where we need to work on for next season and I trust Ron to get it right. Would only sign Elia as a very last resort. Can show flashes of brilliance occasionally but not enough. Haven't seen much of Djuricic but I still son't think he gives us an awful lot. Would be disappointed if Davis is any more than a bit part player next season. JWP is definitely worth persevering with. Delivery alone is enough to have him in the team and I believe now that he has broken his duck he will be a regular on the score sheet next season

 

To be honest its been a hugely disappointing last few weeks having done so much hard work this season. We are not matching the desire of other teams and i know its possible that we have less to play for but i dont have to accept it - the team have shown a major weak spot that needs to be addressed.

We know the team has the physical ability but the mental side has been found wanting

 

If he wants to be ruthless, he needs to send Elia back over the summer, and drop Pelle in favour of a new ST.

Can't see it though.

 

Our play just isn't clicking and hasn't been since January to be honest. We persevere with the same system up front which revolves around Pelle receiving the ball and it simply isn't working. I have seen too many games where we simply cannot score goals and we do not ever look like scoring goals. Pelle spends so much time jostling/fighting with three big defenders and/or quickly flicking the ball on that it becomes his whole game. There's never any space for him and when he does get some the last thing he thinks about is shooting. And he never gets subbed off which I cannot understand. When you know it isnt working as has happened so many times this season we should be looking at a different option, at the very least it will force the opposition defence to think and cause a couple of problems rather then three of them wrapping Pelle up as yet another long ball comes up.

 

I would rather lose 3-0 and see some new players trying a new approach than see us battle to a 0-0 because our defence finally clicked again.

 

BIB - the reason being, we have no alternative there. We should have signed a ST in january.

 

I see it differently regarding Pelle. We have so very little creativity in midfield that he simply isn't given a chance. Tadic was a shining light early in the season and Pelle was freed up to score some goals. Now Tadic is out of sorts and much like when Lallana was injured, the team lacks ideas. Mane running on to things and trying to get fouled just isn't enough.

We need a top class midfielder who can combine well with Bertrand (and Clyne) imho and things will suddenly change for the better. Much as I love to see Saints youngsters playing, JWP and Reed are not up to the necesary standard right now.

 

I dont understand why Gallagher wasn't brought on today. Bit pointless taking him, you wonder under what possible circumstance would he of been used.

 

Partly depends on whether we get into the EL, I would suggest. I'd be wanting to expand the squad if we get in - ideally expand it by some distance - and in that case sticking with the current players and signing Elia and/or Djuricic would mean fewer new players needing to come in.

 

Its a reasonable point but Pelles conversion rate is dreadful. When he does get a shot, unless its a sitter, he always seems to cock it up.

 

I wasnt just knocking Pelle, I think Costa would do better but not many would. What gets me over the last few months is how we have persisted. To say we have no options isnt entirely accurate, we have options up front that would be different to the standard lump it up to Pelle and let the big man hold onto it. The team is devoid of ideas currently and no-one is having trouble with Pelle. Give the guy some half decent chances and he can knock them in as evidenced 2 games ago. Our style of play isn't giving him those chances and he isn't creating anything for anyone else.

 

Gotta agree. Pelle was never going to score today. It would have done no harm at all to put Gallagher into the fray. It would have been tough on him but at least the Leicester defence would have had to think for a minute.

 

You are correct to an extend Itchen. The lack of creativity hasn't helped Pelle. However that is the bit that gets the goals and so Pelle has to be helped for that.

What I believe, which will be hugely unpopular, is that Pelle is not good enough as as an all round top Premier League striker. His hold up play and decision making is not good enough. He either needs someone else with him or to adapt his game more.

This is not all his fault as we continually played high balls into him. It is partly his ability though. Someone will throw a stay at me to prove me wrong, but I watch him week in and week out. Too many times the ball is played towards him and he either doesn't get to the ball (this won't show in a stat) of he doesn't hold it easily and bring people back in. His touch isn't smooth enough when he does hold it up and by this I mean that he is chasing his touch coming backwards. I think a player of his size and strength (maybe he isn't that strong) should be able to play more like Mark Highes or Alan Shearer did. Pelle struggles to do that.

It won't be a popular view, but I've thought it for a while.

Now before I get lambasted, I am. Not saying he is a waste of time or a bad player. I think he is good and has done well for us, but I think he needs to do better in that area. He lacks a little "football intelligence" which is knowing when to do certain things and when not to. I know he is not Rickie, but for an example, Lambert had a supreme touch and playing in the same position as Pelle, would bring people into play better. Rickie had the same problem if just lumped on to his head though.

Having said all this, Ron needs to stop the team lumping it, and in addition, Pelle needs to move earlier to a position showing for feet.

Not the only problem, but something I've seen for a while.

Next biggest issue is that we always play "in front" of teams. The times when we don't make the run beyond the full back is very frustrating but that was the same under MP. Bertrand tries it, but Clyne G's stopped.

We are however 7th in the league and having a mightily impressive season considering where we were in August.

 

Away to Chelsea, we scared the **** out of John Terry.

 

On the other hand, 0-0 would have got us above Spurs.

 

I agree that we have missed Tadic....it looked like he was a busted flush, but we now learn that he has been carrying an injury most of the season. Ron called time on that and wants him treated and back fit for next season....be great to have Tadic back in the form he showed when he arrived.

 

Should have been Long/mane up top against the three defensive lumps of Leicester.

When Djuricic came on he added a little spark. He drove at players and had his head up looking for runs & movement but Pelle was too static most of the time and we wasted Long and Mane out wide

 

Agree with all of that. Additionally, Pelle's an odd duck for a big and somewhat slow striker, in that he's better separating on quick counters (so long as he can keep up with the move) than he is about creating space in the box. He's often reactive rather than proactive; he'll slowly edge toward the near post, wait for crosses to come in and then try to beat his man to the ball, rather than trying to get away from his marker beforehand. Makes him a bit too easy to mark at times, methinks, in an attack that overall is often too predictable. Long is himself more of a secondary asset, but he has made his living by popping up in a variety of places, moving between and around and away from defenders to gain enough clear air to meet a cross or get away a shot.

 

That is an absolutely superb and correct assessment FLT. I've watched Pelle many times, and in person again yesterday at Leicester, and I have to agree. At times he looks like a bit of a donkey - not up to standard with poor decision making, lack of movement, and dreadful finishing. It is not all his fault, as you say, but he needs to do much, much more.

Your point about playing in front of teams is bang on too. Pelle spends the entire game with his back to goal, and we just played in front of the defence rather than penetrating them.