Who do we have who is really comfortable...

[Legod Third Coming]

...on the ball?

 

Watching Barca highlights and looking at the posession stats made me wonder who in our side is genuinely comfortable on the ball. I can only think Lallana, Chambo and to a lesser degree Morgan and Fonte.

 

So should we be looking for more players who are happy to caress a football?

[Barry the Badger]

Half the players in the premiership are not genuinely comfortable on the ball. I'm not sure they're that easy to find!

[St Lej]

...on the ball?

 

Watching Barca highlights and looking at the posession stats made me wonder who in our side is genuinely comfortable on the ball. I can only think Lallana, Chambo and to a lesser degree Morgan and Fonte.

 

So should we be looking for more players who are happy to caress a football?

 

Thats 3/4 players more than most sides in league 1 then. To be fair, by and large you don't get out of league 1 "caressing a football". Let's just get out of this league first and if it means a fair bit of grit before style, then so be it.

[Saint Charlie]

Lambert's range of passing is good, and I think Butterfield is "good on the ball" at least at this level.

 

Schneiderlin is very much a good on the ball player.

[Alain Perrin]

Morgan Schneiderlin is that player. Several games where we've been panicky and he's been brought on and calms things down. He always seems like he has a lot of time on the ball

 

I'd personally prefer him to Chaplow in many circumstances. Chaplow frustrates me - he'll do the hard things well (like a ballsy intercept, or winning a ball he's no right to), then he mucks up the 10 yard pass that follows it. Last night for example, suicidal pass straight to one of their players - better opposition would have punished us - Richard Cr@plow more like.

[Smirking_Saint]

Morgan, Guly and Lallana

[gogo_saint]

I'll always remember a move in which morgan switched the play perfectly and got adam in behind the full back, the pass was so good he didn't even have to break his stride or check his run. He took it on his chest at full speed in one touch and was off and running without the slightest pause. That moment really showed the two of them really are a class above most of this league and most of our own team. Though i think that was against wycombe so kinda spoils the magic!

[thesaint sfc]

Morgan was my first thought.

[Matthew Le God]

Schneiderlin, Lallana and Chamberlain.

[COMEONYOUREDS]

aaron martin

[Legod Third Coming]

Thats 3/4 players more than most sides in league 1 then. To be fair, by and large you don't get out of league 1 "caressing a football". Let's just get out of this league first and if it means a fair bit of grit before style, then so be it.

 

I'm not convinced we have to hoof it in this league do we?

At SMS on the bowling green, possession is nine tenths of the law surely?

I like keeping the ball. It guarantees the opposition don't score... And I wish people would stop moaning and whistling when our players hold onto it while they look for a good out.

[Alanh]

I'm not convinced we have to hoof it in this league do we?

At SMS on the bowling green, possession is nine tenths of the law surely?

I like keeping the ball. It guarantees the opposition don't score... And I wish people would stop moaning and whistling when our players hold onto it while they look for a good out.

 

Agreed that possession is the aim, especially when you have the lead. I think the crowd got frustrated last night towards the end of the first half when we tried to play it out from the back but when Harding and Martin had the ball no-one in front of them was making any effort to make themselves available so their only option was back to Davis for a hoof. the same thing happened at a few throw ins during the first half where Harding had no-one to throw to at all.