hypochondriac Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Well rested and hopefully raring to go. With Chaplow returning we may have a chance of a return to form! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorpie the sinner Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Any real idea when Chappers is back?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithy Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 As i have posted on other threads it started going wrong when Chaplow got injured, we have missed his drive massively. Such an important player for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Garrett Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Would have thought we should have Rickie/Lallana/Chaplow/Frazer/Fonte all fit for Cardiff. Chaplow has been in the pre match videos on the OS for weeks now and would feel so much more confident if these players are available. Tie them in with Lee/Falque and we should beat them really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Too right - still what the silly fecker did at brighton was inexcusable. Anyway blue line and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 24 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Any real idea when Chappers is back?? Think Adkins said could be Saturday. My friend says he hasn't returned to full training though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 24 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Too right - still what the silly fecker did at brighton was inexcusable. Anyway blue line and all that. Wasn't his fault IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Garrett Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 As i have posted on other threads it started going wrong when Chaplow got injured, we have missed his drive massively. Such an important player for us.You say that and although I am inclined to agree with you....Chaplow hardly played until the start of October and we didn't do too bad in the first load of matches ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lallana's Left Peg Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 He should know better though. Lambert is not just vital for our link-up play, he is also our 'out' ball from defence to keep the other team honest and not suffocate play too much in the middle of the park. If they know Lambert can win balls in the air, they won't be so keen to push high up the pitch. When we aren't passing it well or the defence is pressured and can't pick a pass, it is route one to Lambert. Doesn't always work, but it means we can get runners off him (Lallana, Chaplow, Guly, etc.) and mix it up properly. We can't replace that with our current personnel. Can see a strong team playing against Millwall, with Lambert included. Need to get back into a rhythm ahead of the Cardiff game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 You say that and although I am inclined to agree with you....Chaplow hardly played until the start of October and we didn't do too bad in the first load of matches ! Fair point, but there was an element of surprise about us in the NPC at the start of the season. Chaplow has been one of our most important players this season imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nexstar Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 I think the team, and the fans, are a bit calmer when we have the likes of Lambert and Chaplow back. Time for a good run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appy Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Lambert is our most important player, his return is a huge boost I'm still of the belief it wasn't a red, but we move on as Nigel says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammysaint Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Agreed, Also cant wait for LB to also return DC is not cutting it for me if we can have Lee LB and RL as are strikers for cardiff and also at least chappers on the bench we should be able to beat them specially after tonight cardiff will be tired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasoneuelllfanclub Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Still not confident with rickie coming back. Midfield is the main problem. No spark or variety from our one paced trio of cork, hammond and morgan. If rickie on song we will be a whole lot better but if he is slightly off colour I fear it will be much the same as the other night. We aren't a one man team but rickie is pinnacle to our style with out him midfielders are pretty clueless. Let's hope rickie is fresh and raring to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersubpuckett Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 i reckon rickie is off which is why we're focusing on strikers in the market - maybe his exit has caused drop in morale which is why performances have taken such a dip or maybe not but i have seen rumours about him going to everton on twitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 24 January, 2012 Author Share Posted 24 January, 2012 i reckon rickie is off which is why we're focusing on strikers in the market - maybe his exit has caused drop in morale which is why performances have taken such a dip or maybe not but i have seen rumours about him going to everton on twitter Rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Garrett Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 i reckon rickie is off which is why we're focusing on strikers in the market - maybe his exit has caused drop in morale which is why performances have taken such a dip or maybe not but i have seen rumours about him going to everton on twitter Christ we do have some drama queens on here ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dig Dig Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 Still not confident with rickie coming back. Midfield is the main problem. No spark or variety from our one paced trio of cork, hammond and morgan. If rickie on song we will be a whole lot better but if he is slightly off colour I fear it will be much the same as the other night. We aren't a one man team but rickie is pinnacle to our style with out him midfielders are pretty clueless. Let's hope rickie is fresh and raring to go. As poor as we were last night, if the Hammond or the Jos (think it was him at the back post) chances had fallen to Rickie we would have got a point. He's invaluable to us so in a game like last night he can be the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
for_heaven's_Saint Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 i reckon rickie is off which is why we're focusing on strikers in the market - maybe his exit has caused drop in morale which is why performances have taken such a dip or maybe not but i have seen rumours about him going to everton on twitter Do you think Everton would want him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearsy Posted 24 January, 2012 Share Posted 24 January, 2012 As i have posted on other threads it started going wrong when Chaplow got injured, we have missed his drive massively. Such an important player for us. Chaplow was in great form before he got inured no doubt, but looking at his career with us and in general such great form for Chaplow is the exception rather than the norm. Hope he can pick up where he left off, but I'm not banking on it tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Balls Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 i reckon rickie is off which is why we're focusing on strikers in the market - maybe his exit has caused drop in morale which is why performances have taken such a dip or maybe not but i have seen rumours about him going to everton on twitter lol. Everton have hardly got 2 pennies to rub together. Where would they get the £7-£10m for a 29 year old from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 Rickie won't go to Everton. For starters, he's a Liverpool fan. Next up is the fact that he'd cost at least £5m. Then there's the point that he's nearly 30. After that, he's never played above this level, and this is his first season above L1. Still want a few more reasons why that won't happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westofshannonsaint Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 hope he had a nice relaxing couple of weeks & is back fit & ready to go. Great to hear Chappers is almost back. any ideas on when Fonte, Lallana & Jos are expected back. it would be great to have a fully fit squad available again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMike Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 Lambert and chappers back, with a new signing or two and off we go again. Hopefully will silence the wrist slitters on other threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersubpuckett Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 no, that's plenty but the self belief seems to have evaporated regardless of who is on the pitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Mullet Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 Chappers is a massive player for us. Without him we lack dynamism in the middle of the park. I was dissapointed we didnt sign Danns but for me Chappers has been just as good in the same role and maybe even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
up and away Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 Ricky has been our in form striker prior to his sending off and he will have an impact, especially after a good rest. But I really doubt he would have had a significant impact against Leicester, he adds to our passing game and outlets but would have done little to wrest back control of the midfield against Leicester. Put Ricky up front against Leicester as Guly was playing and I would expect an improvement, but not enough. As we saw at Brighton when Ricky has to go head to head with the centre back on their terms, he is no great shakes, mainly because the ref's don't give him the free kicks he deserves. What he does exceptionally well is come out of that position and drop back to the midfield or wing to find the space he needs. Against Leicester that would have been some where in the Itchen stand. Fonte and especially Chaplow can make that difference to the midfield and could of turned things around against Leicester. When Saints have been playing well, it's because we pass and move exceptionally well, leaving the opposition chasing shadows. We don't have talented individuals who can take the game by the scruff of the neck and determine the outcome, with the exception of Lallana when he has been on form. If we don't have control of that midfield we find it very difficult to get the passing game effective and our performances drop off the side of a cliff, midfield control is paramount for Saints to produce their best. Nearly all the time we have failed to deliver it is because the opposition has stopped us passing through the middle and we have tried to force the issue and come unstuck or the opposition just took control of the midfield. You can look back at those performances and see that Ricky has not been the determining factor, but midfield control. Cardiff will give us a good idea how far away but I can't see them putting in that Leicester performance and I do expect us to get some result. We were good against a poor Forest side but that type of performance was not going to be good enough against that Leicester side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 Having had a good look at Grant Holt for Norwich on the weekend, I can safely say Holt's sprinting ability, basic pace and movement significantly outstrip those of Lambert, and anyone expecting him to step up to the Prem as he's stepped up to the Championship (as Holt did) is probably going to be disappointed. That being said, Steve Morison is cack and he's scored getting on for 10 in the Prem, so maybe that's a better comparison ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 25 January, 2012 Share Posted 25 January, 2012 We can only hope he gets back in the goals ASAP. surprisingly, his 15 goals have come from only 8 games...it's not as if he scores every other week. We need a consistant strike force where we can get back to having " someone " score a goal or two EVERY GAME. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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