Midfield - Mellis or Spiderman or who?

[shurlock]

See Mellis has been in the goals for England U-19s.

 

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1825790,00.html

 

Seen enough of him to believe that having started slowly, he's got better and better and will have a big few months for us. Raises interesting selection questions with Schneiderlin also enjoying a bit of form (Schneiderlin was much further forward against Southend, effectively playing Mellis role). What is our current best midfield? I guess with Waigo, Lallana on the upfront/on the wings, its 3 from Wotton, Mellis, Hammond and Schneiderlin. I would go for Mellis and two from the others. I also think Perry could do Wotton's job but that's another discussion.

[benjii]

I wonder if we will stick to the current formation if Connolly returns to full fitness though?

 

Pards certainly has options now in any case.

[david in sweden]

See Mellis has been in the goals for England U-19s.

 

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1825790,00.html

 

Seen enough of him to believe that having started slowly, he's got better and better and will have a big few months for us. Raises interesting selection questions with Schneiderlin also enjoying a bit of form (Schneiderlin was much further forward against Southend, effectively playing Mellis role). What is our current best midfield? I guess with Waigo, Lallana on the upfront/on the wings, its 3 from Wotton, Mellis, Hammond and Schneiderlin. I would go for Mellis and two from the others. I also think Perry could do Wotton's job but that's another discussion.

 

 

I would follow the Plan B used by many managers and play teams according to the quality of opposition, and home or away. Skilful ball-players, (as yr. example ) at home on a good pitch playing open football...and Jahdi, Wotton and Co. for tougher away matches played on some of L1's ploughed fields.

[shurlock]

I wonder if we will stick to the current formation if Connolly returns to full fitness though?

 

Pards certainly has options now in any case.

 

True- Connolly changes things, meaning even more competition in midfield.

[Psycrow]

If it was a direct choice between 2 young players both in form, I'd choose the player we actually own, rather than the one we're helping another club develop.

 

If it was that simple

[Charlie Wayman]

What do you think lads, Schneiderlin already belongs to us so triple his wages and make it too good here for him to want to leave and how about shelling up £3m for Jacob Mellis before Chelski realise how good he is. Their scintillating performances must be down to Pardew who has that sort of reputation with kids...

 

So, let's tie them to Saints & pardew all the way to the Premiership Title

 

Davies, Murty, Trotman, Jaidi, Harding, Hammond, Mellis, Schneiderlin, Waigo, lambert, Lallana

 

... am I dreaming or just possibly will this become the best side outside the Prem soon.

 

Oh! Get in that Number

[Hopkins]

You are dreaming very much. Mellis is highly rated at Chelsea. He's considered by many as there best midfield prospect. I always lol'd at the people slating him on here in the early days.

[Brussels Saint]

I think personally AP will revert to moving Morgan back to Wotton's position once Mellis returns, at least for those games at home.

 

As someone mentioned however, there are options now and they all look pretty good.

[S-Clarke]

I think personally AP will revert to moving Morgan back to Wotton's position once Mellis returns, at least for those games at home.

 

As someone mentioned however, there are options now and they all look pretty good.

 

By all accounts morgan had an absoloute stormer in a more advaned role on friday (he even scored, via lallana)

 

Mellis will be benched for Saturday IMO, pard's will almost certainly name an unchanged team if he can (he' said last week that he's wanted to do that since he's got here) -

 

But you can now look at our bench and see options which can change the game - wasn't the case 6 weeks ago! huge improvement.

[brightspark]

True- Connolly changes things, meaning even more competition in midfield.

 

My Connolly theory is that Pardew brought him in to give us a 'Plan B'.

 

Currently, our Plan A involves a Chelsea-esque front line where we have 3 in the middle, 2 wingers and Lambert up front. But soon, teams may be able to defend this better and nullify this tactic. When this happens, Pardew knows he has a Plan B.

 

He then brings Connolly of the bench in place of Waigo, changing the formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2. Lallana drops back to the midfield. We then play Plan B - finding another possible route to goal with different tactics.

[Andy_Porter]

No point changing a winning team so keep Morgan in the side he played very well against Southend.

[JibMcdo]

What do you think lads, Schneiderlin already belongs to us so triple his wages and make it too good here for him to want to leave and how about shelling up £3m for Jacob Mellis before Chelski realise how good he is. Their scintillating performances must be down to Pardew who has that sort of reputation with kids...

 

So, let's tie them to Saints & pardew all the way to the Premiership Title

 

Davies, Murty, Trotman, Jaidi, Harding, Hammond, Mellis, Schneiderlin, Waigo, lambert, Lallana

 

... am I dreaming or just possibly will this become the best side outside the Prem soon.

 

Oh! Get in that Number

 

In Trotman, Schneiderlin, Lallana and Mellis we do have four of the brightest prospects outside the Premier League. Then in Davis, Jaidi, Lambert, Hammond and Waigo we have five players who most certainly should be playing above this level (The first three could do a job in the PL?). Murty, Connolly and Harding are experienced campaigners in the CCC. On paper, we should walk this league and the next

[a1ex2001]

.Then in Davis, Jaidi, Lambert, Hammond and Waigo we have five players who most certainly should be playing above this level (The first three could do a job in the PL?).

 

Lambert Premier League? Now I realise he's a good player for this level but lets be honest he is nowhere near premiership class. Jaidi was but his legs are not up to the prem and the jusry is out on KD at that level his only season being an absolute shocker, and dare I say it his standards are once again below the very high levels he set last year?

 

We have a good possibly great team for this level but lets not get excited and make them into something they are not and certainly let there be no talk of walking anything!

[krissyboy31]

Lambert Premier League? Now I realise he's a good player for this level but lets be honest he is nowhere near premiership class. Jaidi was but his legs are not up to the prem and the jusry is out on KD at that level his only season being an absolute shocker, and dare I say it his standards are once again below the very high levels he set last year?

 

We have a good possibly great team for this level but lets not get excited and make them into something they are not and certainly let there be no talk of walking anything!

 

Completely agree! Only a couple, if any at all, of our current first team squad would be good enough for the Premier League. Quite a few could do a job at Championship level but once we go up (for arguments sake, the season after next) further rebuilding will be needed to firstly get promoted to the PL and then have a team capable of competing in it.

[Chez]

What do you think lads, Schneiderlin already belongs to us so triple his wages and make it too good here for him to want to leave and how about shelling up £3m for Jacob Mellis before Chelski realise how good he is. Their scintillating performances must be down to Pardew who has that sort of reputation with kids...

 

I'm not sure of your valuation of Mellis but I agree that we should be tying our youngsters down to long contracts if we think they are the real deal. I said it last year that we need to offer Lallana a five year deal on mega money. Peterborough did the same ting with McClean and Boyd and despiet offers they don't seem to have had a problem keeping them. Promotion obviously helps and we must seriously aim for that to keep Lallana.

[Chez]

My Connolly theory is that Pardew brought him in to give us a 'Plan B'.

 

Currently, our Plan A involves a Chelsea-esque front line where we have 3 in the middle, 2 wingers and Lambert up front. But soon, teams may be able to defend this better and nullify this tactic. When this happens, Pardew knows he has a Plan B.

 

He then brings Connolly of the bench in place of Waigo, changing the formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2. Lallana drops back to the midfield. We then play Plan B - finding another possible route to goal with different tactics.

 

I'd agree with that. He also has a choice of four for the in the midfield three.

Wotton Hammond Schneiderlin Mellis. The first three have the shirt right now but Mellis' energy when closing down oponents and pace when making runs into the box are decent attributes to have at home and away.

[Andy_Porter]

IMO our best midfield five would be Waigo, Hammond, James, Schneiderlin and Lallana. Wotton and Mellis unlucky to miss out, I don't think Schneiderlin is that much better than Mellis but he's our player and should be our priority also think Mellis would be more of a threat coming off the bench with his pace and goal threat.

[krissyboy31]

IMO our best midfield five would be Waigo, Hammond, James, Schneiderlin and Lallana. Wotton and Mellis unlucky to miss out, I don't think Schneiderlin is that much better than Mellis but he's our player and should be our priority also think Mellis would be more of a threat coming off the bench with his pace and goal threat.

 

I'd have Mellis ahead of James any day.

[Andy_Porter]

Mellis is the better player but I think you need someone like James or Wotton infront of the defence letting the rest of the team play.

[NickG]

first choice, imho

 

mellis hammond schneiderlin

 

papa lambert lallana

 

 

mellis/lallana/schneiderlin/papa is so mobile and clever players they interchange

[krissyboy31]

Mellis scored in all 3 England U19 qualifiers in Slovenia. Hopefully can add some goals to his game here.

[L1Minus10]

We've won 3 games once Wotton returned to the side... so lets leave him out. mellis and Schneiderlin is too lightweight so hammond, Wotton and Schneiderlin in front for me...