Get behind Puncheon!

[SaintBobby]

I was gobsmacked to see Puncheon listed at MotM in News of the World.

 

I thought he was very average. His shots on target were very weak and his decision making dubious.

 

He did try hard though and his corners werent bad. But I'd give him a 6/10.

 

To give him a 9 and Barnard a 7 seems barking mad.

[NickG]

didn't see yesterday but seen every other game this season - just don't understand the sitck he has been getting. v good ball control and always looking to try to open up the defence

[S-Clarke]

Without him we're much weaker and less potent. He's an exciting player to watch and is a fantastic talent at this level.

 

Yes he'll frustrate, but he'll also counter-act that by producing moments of magic. Just enjoy him as when he plays well, i think we're lucky to have him as he could easily go up a level.

[SparkySaint]

I cant remember the last time i watched him and genuinely thought "He played well today".

 

Leeds at home end of last season. I was very impressed with how easily he got past their LB. I'm still waiting for him to properly deliver and I believe he will. When we get into out stride I think he will do the same and show us just why AP has brought him here

[Chez]

Without him we're much weaker and less potent. He's an exciting player to watch and is a fantastic talent at this level.

 

Yes he'll frustrate, but he'll also counter-act that by producing moments of magic. Just enjoy him as when he plays well, i think we're lucky to have him as he could easily go up a level.

Plymouth fans might disagree with that. Hopefully we will see next season.

[The Flying Finn]

Puncheon is a quality player for this league and, for me, offers good balance with Lallana on the left. But the problem this season has been his final delivery. Far too often he will beat his man, work the space to get in a good cross, and then not beat the first man or pick nobody out.

 

Still on his day he is unplayable, and I can't think of many wingers at this level that I would choose ahead of him.

[Saint Charlie]

Plymouth fans might disagree with that. Hopefully we will see next season.

 

Sturrock bought him and then didn't play him. Is miles better than any of their current midfielders.

 

Always wants the ball and tries to be positive. Yes sometimes keeps it too long but rarely gives it away and is always a threat to defences. I like him. Miles better than Holmes, Mills etc and probably Antonio as well.

[SuperMikey]

He never passes and always runs into dead ends. If he can work on his team game then he'll become a good player, you can see he's got the technical ability. He just needs to learn it's Southampton FC not Puncheon FC.

[Saint Fan CaM]

He never passes and always runs into dead ends. If he can work on his team game then he'll become a good player, you can see he's got the technical ability. He just needs to learn it's Southampton FC not Puncheon FC.

 

Yeah, that's my feeling also. He has all the right qualities - just needs to hone them to his (and the teams) best advantage. Getting to the byline a bit more would be nice also.

[SaintBobby]

Puncheon is a quality player for this league and, for me, offers good balance with Lallana on the left. But the problem this season has been his final delivery. Far too often he will beat his man, work the space to get in a good cross, and then not beat the first man or pick nobody out.

 

Still on his day he is unplayable, and I can't think of many wingers at this level that I would choose ahead of him.

 

I may just have a blind spot here.

 

He just frustrates me. Which is weird because I always liked Fabrice Fernandes who had similar upsides and downsides.

[SW11_Saint]

Thought he was terrific last year. Hasn't been great this year, but neither have most of the team.

 

Still, seems that the pack mentality has taken hold, and for some reason Saints fans always seem to want to single someone out as a scapegoat. Perhaps he'll go the same way as Oakley, Magilton and Kevin Davies and prove what an asset he is elsewhere. I hope not. With the crowd behind him, I think he'll be a really effective player for us.

 

Interesting to hear Paul Ince talking about him on Sky this morning "our best plyer" (at MK Dons).

[Saints foreva]

Worst player on the pitch today, missed a sitter (again). Should have gone off instead of Oxo.

[NickG]

Worst player on the pitch today, missed a sitter (again). Should have gone off instead of Oxo.

 

 

it was a tight competition - Lambert put in a real effort to play appallingly and may have sneaked it from Puncheon!

 

I have defended Puncheon but he was crap today.

[kpturner]

So inconsistent - OK in the last two matches and a complete cack today. I swear I could have scored that chance today.....

[channonball]

Puncheon was crap, but what the hell is wrong with Lambert he is absolutely rubbish this season. Reminds me of when Micky Evans signed for us and kept us up but the following season was complete garbage.

[S-Clarke]

Puncheon was crap, but what the hell is wrong with Lambert he is absolutely rubbish this season. Reminds me of when Micky Evans signed for us and kept us up but the following season was complete garbage.

 

Injured by the looks of him.

 

As soon as we get a loan striker, he needs to go and get himself sorted out.

[Liquidshokk]

Ive been hesitant to comment on Puncheon for the last few games (but wanted to) I can now however break my silence and say that although he is on the ball a lot he does not deserve to have it and its a waste him having it... or indeed a place in the team.

 

Takes FAR too many touches and Ive lost count of how many chances he hasnt taken this season already....

[SoccerMom]

Sturrock bought him and then didn't play him. Is miles better than any of their current midfielders.

 

Always wants the ball and tries to be positive. Yes sometimes keeps it too long but rarely gives it away and is always a threat to defences. I like him. Miles better than Holmes, Mills etc and probably Antonio as well.

 

Parallel universe.

 

He would be outstanding if he could just learn one-touch, even two-touch, football. But why use one touch when fifteen will....? Oh.

[Huffton]

Last season I was screaming at him to stop taking so many touches and shoot. This season I'm hoping he won't...

[ringwood]

well the wrong guy's were subbed today, Punch should of gone off and Dickson on at halftime, and also reckon Lambert should of gone.

 

not sure what game Wilkins was watching to leave Punch on reckon he has 'Saga' syndrome, got a contract tim to take it easy

[Saintandy666]

He's a weird one. Frustrating as hell when he hogs, but all out chances today came through him.

[Whitey Grandad]

Looked far too tense, lacking confidence, trying a bit too hard perhaps. But that could be said of all of them.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Last season I was screaming at him to stop taking so many touches and shoot. This season I'm hoping he won't...

 

Indeed , as St Marys is perilously close to being underneath the flightpath to Southampton Airport, having Puncheon shooting at goal does represent a grave danger to low flying aircraft.

 

I expect the Civil Aviation Authority to take this serious health and safety issue up with SFC any day now.

[Jesus Reigned]

Puncheon's performances since the first half dozen games after he joined have answered my nagging question of why he couldn't get into a cr@p Championship side last season which were comfortably relegated.

[rallyboy]

frustrating! - ghosts past one of their defenders for fun and the next minute he nearly kills a steward with a shot.

In fact the nearest he got to the goal was with a cross.

 

 

The worst effort was when Lambert gently rolled the ball back to him on a velvet cushion with a handwritten invitation to bury it.

 

He missed the target again but unlike the shot that hit the roof of the stand the other week he kept this one below row T, so I guess he's improving...

 

I don't know why he doesn't practice in the week, it would seem a good idea as football must be his main source of income, for the moment.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

If he ever gets on to Soccer am they need to take that blimp down. When he shoots they need one of those golf cameramen who are good at picking up the ball with lots of shots of sky. When he has a lot of possession in a game, we do nothing as a unit, which is telling. I wish he was injured, not Lallana.

[northam soul]

frustrating! - ghosts past one of their defenders for fun and the next minute he nearly kills a steward with a shot.

In fact the nearest he got to the goal was with a cross.

 

 

The worst effort was when Lambert gently rolled the ball back to him on a velvet cushion with a handwritten invitation to bury it.

 

He missed the target again but unlike the shot that hit the roof of the stand the other week he kept this one below row T, so I guess he's improving...

 

I don't know why he doesn't practice in the week, it would seem a good idea as football must be his main source of income, for the moment.

 

I think you will find he was the only one who made their keeper get his knees dirty with a good effort in the first half when he cut inside from the left.

Yes the rest of his shots were awful but i didnt see anyone else trying that yesterday. It is easy to criticise him when things are going bad and we have a habit of making players scapegoats ( Kelvin Davis anyone ) and i could list many more .

He will come good just give him time.

[JustMike]

Ive been hesitant to comment on Puncheon for the last few games (but wanted to) I can now however break my silence and say that although he is on the ball a lot he does not deserve to have it and its a waste him having it... or indeed a place in the team.

 

Takes FAR too many touches and Ive lost count of how many chances he hasnt taken this season already....

 

sorry but this annoyed me yesterday whilst being in the Northam too, when people around me were booing him everytime he got the ball yet sang his name when he skinned someone. The fact is, yesterday when he had the ball the movement around him was shocking, meaning he then has to do more. My only critisism of him is that he needs to cross it more 1st time, but that goes to alot of the others too.

[Chez]

whatever fans think of Puncheon there should not be several thousand off their seats moaning at him after just three minutes just because he was slightly indecisive in their box. I have no problem with players getting stick, especially if they are not trying, but not just after the game has started. He is the new wipping boy. I wonder about our fans sometimes.

[Chez]

sorry but this annoyed me yesterday whilst being in the Northam too, when people around me were booing him everytime he got the ball yet sang his name when he skinned someone. The fact is, yesterday when he had the ball the movement around him was shocking, meaning he then has to do more. My only critisism of him is that he needs to cross it more 1st time, but that goes to alot of the others too.

 

There was one exampke when he had it in nthe first half right next to the edge of the pitch, he had a player on him right in front of him, he turned back but there was no easy pass, he turned back again and then shielded the ball, he turned once more and still no pass, he shielded it agasin and then finally he found a player with a niced deft pass with the outside of his boot. Whilst all this is haplening fans are moaning at him for taling too many touches. The fact is there was no easy pass and Hammond just stood there doing absolutey **** all to help him. On this occasion his great first touch and close control meant he kept the ball. That should be applauded

 

To balance this out there was an opportunity in the first half right in front of Itchen for him to cross the ball on his left foot but rather than do so, he stopped and brought it onto his right. Ok, so if he then goes to the byeline and delivers from a better angle thats great, but he's never going to do that it and he didn't. He checks back again and the opportunity on his left foot goes. The whole ground saw that the opportunity was lost. The fact is no matter what he did he would not have created an easier and better opportunity to cross it on his favoured left - so why take the extra ****ing touches? This is a art of his game that ****s people off.

 

Fans that hate him need to identify the good parts in his game as descrived in the first incident, fans that can see no wrong need to realise its the overplaying that gets on other fans nerves. Whatever your opinion of him he will have good and bad games, flair players always have bad games when things don't come off, but getting on his back almost immediately after the game has started and to continue to moan at him no matter what he does is not going to improve his game.

[Singeon Sears]

Thought Puncheon was one of the few who played well yesterday. No idea what fans hope to achieve by giving him stick, I know why they do, I get frustrated with him too sometimes but its one of the most self defeating things a fan can do. He is a confidence player, build him up and he will deliver for us at this level, knock him down and he'll stop doing all the things that make him an asset, and then what, we hoof the ball even more once he is relegated to the bench????

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Thought Puncheon was one of the few who played well yesterday. No idea what fans hope to achieve by giving him stick, I know why they do, I get frustrated with him too sometimes but its one of the most self defeating things a fan can do. He is a confidence player, build him up and he will deliver for us at this level, knock him down and he'll stop doing all the things that make him an asset, and then what, we hoof the ball even more once he is relegated to the bench????

 

The point is he is a poor mans Nani. Plenty of promise and excitement with no end product, except the occasional screamer into the top corner. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes, but unless other squirrels do the nut hunting the baby squirrels don't get much to eat.

[RonManager]

The frustration for me lies in that when he receives the ball, it usually ends in -

 

a) lost momentum, a by-product of which is players, having made runs, are now offside.

b) lost possession as he ponders and becomes overcrowded by defenders.

c) a weak on target shot along the deck.

d) a strong off-target shot in the air.

e) an overhit cross.

 

Occasionally he comes good and yes, can be exciting, but those moments are by far and away outweighed by one of the above eventualities.

[beatlesaint]

Puncheon's performances since the first half dozen games after he joined have answered my nagging question of why he couldn't get into a cr@p Championship side last season which were comfortably relegated.

 

Yeah, me too.

[the saint in winchester]

He seems to be a 'marmite' player juding by the polarised comments on here.

I'm in the 'nay' corner. Absolutely frustrating player, doesn't seem to be able to cross accurately, goes round in circles, can't score from 4 yards, and plays on the wrong flipping side, by choice.

I'd drop him. Oxo on the right, Holmes or Dickson on the left. He's keeping his place above better players at the club.

I can't see what the attraction was in the first place.

[RonManager]

He seems to be a 'marmite' player juding by the polarised comments on here.

I'm in the 'nay' corner. Absolutely frustrating player, doesn't seem to be able to cross accurately, goes round in circles, can't score from 4 yards, and plays on the wrong flipping side, by choice.

I'd drop him. Oxo on the right, Holmes or Dickson on the left. He's keeping his place above better players at the club.

I can't see what the attraction was in the first place.

 

Don't understand why Dickson didn't come on for him yesterday. He replaced Lallana last saturday and was a real threat with his direct style of play and pace.

[SFKA South Woodford]

Been saying he's not good enough for us for a while now, because his level is to be consistantly cr*p with the very occasional good performance. He bottles tackles that he would win and is so indecisive, any advantage that he gains over a defender is lost before he can exploit it. He can't cross first time, and his head drops and frustration sets in very quickly with him.

 

I can't believe there are some on here who believe he's a better player than Antonio and Papa, at this time, both would offer us more than Puncheon does.

[Gordon Mockles]

Whilst the crowd irritated me a bit yesterday, Puncheon needs to learn playing the early, simple ball, composure & SHOOTING!! Chamberlain played superbly yet one over-hit pass & he was instantly hit with jeers. Pathetic. That's not going to spur young players on, the opposite. I sometimes wonder what goes through the head of fickle, clueless fans.

 

Whilst I'm not defending the team after a woeful performance & terrible finishing, our fans were quiet, only piping up with frustration & jeers. Singing "One Alan Pardew" was futile & offers the club/team no benefit whatsoever. Cortese does seem a bit of a tosser but people need to consider where we'll be if he has enough & leaves, with the Liebherr family's financial support.

[ottery st mary]

Personally rate Puncheon..but we lack at least 2/3 players in the side of his standard or wavelength.

 

Spiderman is not the right player for this side or this league.

 

Whoever mentioned Holmes well not only not good enough is also injured for 11 months of each year and could not outsprint

 

one of the finest from the donkey sanctuary...

 

New Manager.Coach........Our Director of Football? At least the Manager knew he was being stabbed in the back..

 

New Manager /Coach should be allowed to get on with it....

 

But I doubt if derry and his coaching team/observers will allow this..

 

WIFO

[Chez]

I'd drop him. Oxo on the right, Holmes or Dickson on the left. He's keeping his place above better players at the club.

you are not seriously suggesting Holmes is a better option? Football really is a game if differing opinions.

[rallyboy]

I've heard some funny stuff on here but 'Puncheon played well yesterday'?......

 

Yeah, everyone was saying that as they left the ground....that and the fact that Lambert looked really sharp and that Wilkins is a tactical genius.

[benjii]

Worst player on the pitch today, missed a sitter (again). Should have gone off instead of Oxo.

 

He missed a sitter but was the only player who actually looked like scoring and was very good in the first half. Without Lallana we need him so I suggest people support him, as he desperately needs a goal, rather than get on his back. He knows a hell of a lot more about what to do out there than the majority of numpties who moan and whinge if he elects not to play a pointless sideways pass to Harding.

[ottery st mary]

When I get my new position as first team manager coach next Friday....

 

Punch will be my Captain...

 

Just in case you think I am mad..to keep you football experts happy.....

 

I will extend the contract our young prospect...Anthony Pulis by a further two years and bring back Ali Dia..

 

Now that told you lot...

[Andy_Porter]

you are not seriously suggesting Holmes is a better option? Football really is a game if differing opinions.

 

Holmes hasn't played for us for a while so people like to build him up to be some sort of god, it's ridiculous.

 

Puncheon is one of our most important players, I can't understand how people don't rate him.

[S-Clarke]

Holmes hasn't played for us for a while so people like to build him up to be some sort of god, it's ridiculous.

 

Puncheon is one of our most important players, I can't understand how people don't rate him.

 

+1

 

he's just going through a bit of a lean spell at the moment. But i guess it's better to have it now than at the business end of the season...

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

 

...... I can't understand how people don't rate him.

 

And I can't understand for the life of me how anyone who was actually at St Marys yesterday could possibly hold this opinion. He had a proper 'shocker' against Rochdale in my view - and that I can assure you was not just my opinion but that of all the fans around me in Block 19, and (I strongly suspect) the vast majority of those who were paying attention. Look closer and you could tell it was not just Saints fans who were rapidly losing patience with him - poor Dan Harding was ready to throttle him at one point.

 

The ability to run with the ball at feet is quite useful in a pro footballer, unfortunately, that's about all this player has in his game at the moment.

[musesaint]

Puncheon is a great Player - Fact

 

He is also a bloody frustrating one at times - Fact

 

He doesn't not respond well to the crowd on his back - it makes him nervous and, frankly, he tries toooo hard and fc*uks up - Fact

 

The last of those three facts is the one fans at SMS ought to think about most of all ?

[Evil Monkey]

And I can't understand for the life of me how anyone who was actually at St Marys yesterday could possibly hold this opinion. He had a proper 'shocker' against Rochdale in my view - and that I can assure you was not just my opinion but that of all the fans around me in Block 19, and (I strongly suspect) the vast majority of those who were paying attention. Look closer and you could tell it was not just Saints fans who were rapidly losing patience with him - poor Dan Harding was ready to throttle him at one point.

 

The ability to run with the ball at feet is quite useful in a pro footballer, unfortunately, that's about all this player has in his game at the moment.

 

Andy wasnt at the game. He's not a very good fan.

[bug187]

I'd get behing him, and shove a bloody stick up his **** the useless ****