Will Ron be ruthless?

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SaintinNZ said:
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.
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This.

But I think Costa would do much better. The thing that a player like Costa provides is that he can get in behind defence as well as play with his back to goal. Backs who play against us are confident they will never get done for pace with Pelle so they can Jam up really high and play as stoppers rather than centre-backs. A different formation, dare I say 442, is needed to get the best of out of Pelle (and Long). Ugly, but can't be worse than Saturday.
 
Need to be realistic here. We're not going to get an Eden Hazard or Diego Costa. Sort of stupid to try and compare.

Pelle is not a top flight striker. But what he is, is sort of average. He does some things well, some not so well. And it is up to the manager to try and rig up his tactics to get the most out of him.

If we had Diego Costa we would be in CL, easily. Possibly even making a run at the title. Just look at Liverpool did with him. And then how he left. And then how they did without him.

Costa transferred this summer. I can't help but notice Saints did not appear to be on his short list. Despite the fact we were looking for strikers.

We ended up with Pelle and Long. And we had to pay a **** ton for Long. These are the kind of guys we can get.
 
I Sorry I Ruined The Party said:
Need to be realistic here. We're not going to get an Eden Hazard or Diego Costa. Sort of stupid to try and compare.

Pelle is not a top flight striker. But what he is, is sort of average. He does some things well, some not so well. And it is up to the manager to try and rig up his tactics to get the most out of him.

If we had Diego Costa we would be in CL, easily. Possibly even making a run at the title. Just look at Liverpool did with him. And then how he left. And then how they did without him.

Costa transferred this summer. I can't help but notice Saints did not appear to be on his short list. Despite the fact we were looking for strikers.

We ended up with Pelle and Long. And we had to pay a **** ton for Long. These are the kind of guys we can get.
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I agree, although I thought Liverpool were better with Suarez :p
 
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Saint Muppet said:
This.

But I think Costa would do much better. The thing that a player like Costa provides is that he can get in behind defence as well as play with his back to goal. Backs who play against us are confident they will never get done for pace with Pelle so they can Jam up really high and play as stoppers rather than centre-backs. A different formation, dare I say 442, is needed to get the best of out of Pelle (and Long). Ugly, but can't be worse than Saturday.
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I disagree that 4-4-2 is NEEDED to get the best out of Pelle. We got the best from him early in the season. This period coincided with our midfielders scoring for fun. They've stopped getting into those positions and this is for two reasons:

1. Other teams became wary of us and sat back more.

2. Koeman found Pochettino's book of tactics in his office cupboard.
 
I think it should be remembered too....we have at least two high profile players brought in to booster our attacking options playing for other teams. (Ramirez and scrapper) Those two need to be got rid of and then replaced. I think the close season is going to be another topsy-turvy time for Saints yet again by the sound of it. We certainly need some better scoring options that is for sure. It does strike me at the moment the team seems to be suffering from too many tactical changes we seem to have lost some flare or something. They seem to be running on three cylinders at the moment and the timing seems to be off as well!!
 
fatletiss said:
I disagree that 4-4-2 is NEEDED to get the best out of Pelle. We got the best from him early in the season. This period coincided with our midfielders scoring for fun. They've stopped getting into those positions and this is for two reasons:

1. Other teams became wary of us and sat back more.

2. Koeman found Pochettino's book of tactics in his office cupboard.
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Yep. This. Pelle is more than an average striker but he's no 1 man attack either. JWP is the closest thing we have to a goal scoring midfielder at the moment.
 
JWP's Goal Celebration said:
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/12942251.Southampton_to_stick_with_Gazzaniga_in_goal/

Article from the Echo saying Davis will get his 300th appearance against City n we're gonna stick with Gazza. Don't know about anyone else but I would quite like SKD to reach that milestone at home and infront of the tv cameras.
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Has Davis really been that bad, that we have to play Gazza? Unless the club want to give Gazza a chance to prove that we don't need to sign another keeper to fill the gap until Forster is back? Jolly well hope not.
 
fran-MLs little camera said:
Has Davis really been that bad, that we have to play Gazza? Unless the club want to give Gazza a chance to prove that we don't need to sign another keeper to fill the gap until Forster is back? Jolly well hope not.
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It is a difficult one. I would love SKD to get a great send off and his 300th game. I also understand that Gazza needs a chance. I thought he did ok on Saturday. He sliced a clearance that was about the worst of it. What little handling he had to do, he did well and made a good save from a one v one.

Whatever they do, we need a new GK this summer.
 
The commentator on the Sportsnet stream I was watching on Saturday said that Koeman wanted to see both his backup keepers in action before making a decision about buying a new one in the summer. I assume by "backup keepers' he means SKD and Gazza, and that we won't be seeing Cody Cropper coming in against Villa or City. Anyway, you would hope that the decision has by now been made, and plans are afoot. Tom Heaton must be a good shout, and Rob Green, who hasn't done badly behind a non-existent defence this season, wouldn't be terrible until Fraser comes back.
 
Agreed re Pelle - it seems the tactics are for him to hold up and then release Mane\Long style speedsters to run in behind the defences, but it's just not happening. Plan B required for next season at the very least (or preferably a more capable number one striker). I like Pelle, but I like him more as a plan B.....
 
Pelle has done well, in his first season, but he needs some serious competition, preferably from someone who is more mobile and willing to move away from the centre of the 18 yard line, in an attempt to pull defenders out of position.
The biggest improvement needs to be in midfield. We desperately need players that are comfortable running with the ball and whose first thought is to pass the ball forward, rather than backwards or sideways. Get players in, that can beat a player, in midfield, then you can start unpicking the two banks of four we struggle to breakdown, as CBs start getting pulled out of position.
I also think our system needs tweaking. It's ok playing two defensive midfielders, but surely, when we have the ball, one of them can push further forward, giving more options. At the start of the season, we seemed to be doing this, resulting in goals for Morgan, Vic and Cork, but then it seemed to stop.
 
We have not been scoring enough goals...remember our great GD includes 12 goals scored in only 2 games. Okay when our defence was sound, but useless when we are trying to recover from 1 or 2 goals down. Shopping list must include lethal striker.
 
fran-MLs little camera said:
We have not been scoring enough goals...remember our great GD includes 12 goals scored in only 2 games. Okay when our defence was sound, but useless when we are trying to recover from 1 or 2 goals down. Shopping list must include lethal striker.
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I know we will probably never be able to afford a striker of the calibre of Aguero, but it would be nice if we had a player who exhibited at least some of his attributes. Watching that game yesterday, admittedly against one of the worst defences in world football, I kept thinking "where is he going to pop up next?" He was literally everywhere, laying the ball off, providing killer passes, getting on the end of through balls, dribbling, tackling, and taking a brilliant penalty. The key is in his mobility and strength. Our attackers seem to have one or other of these but never both, with the exception of Shane Long, who lacks the finishing technique. Chicharito Hernandez, while not in the same league as Aguero, would be an improvement on anyone we currently employ. I really hope we can make him part of any deal involving Clyne going to Man U, as long as Real don't keep him.
 
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If I was Ron, I'd make Charlie Austin the priority. Hope Reed can step up to replace Morgon, Clyne will be no great loss if he does go. Someone who can score goals though, that's what we need.
 
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