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Long saves Ireland


Koolman
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Another important goal from Shane. He certainly seems to know when to score, saved Ireland's campaign yesterday to add to the number of important goals he's scored for saints this season. When he score we win. A real talisman.

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I really had a bad feeling when we signed him but is becoming one of my favourite new era Saints players.

 

Too much focus on the price, and the assumption he was being signed as an out-and-out striker. Koeman is playing him differently. I think he's being quite effective, making space, pulling defenders out of position, harassing from the front to win the ball back. I like his energy and commitment when he plays. More goals would be lovely, but I can see that he brings something to the team.

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Too much focus on the price, and the assumption he was being signed as an out-and-out striker. Koeman is playing him differently. I think he's being quite effective, making space, pulling defenders out of position, harassing from the front to win the ball back. I like his energy and commitment when he plays. More goals would be lovely, but I can see that he brings something to the team.

 

Exactly that. Some of the soccerball snobs on here don't like him because he's not a champagne footballer, but he's proving himself to be an excellent addition to the squad. Not only does he hold the record saints winning everytime he scores he also brings a different dimension to our play. Take the everton game for example. We were on a bad run, the game was even all balanced and he hassled and harried the everton defender, it should have been a penalty but the ref bottled it and gave a corner instead, we scored from the corner and won 3-0. That moment changed the game and possibly the season as our por form ended and we then went on excellent run. i would describe Shane long as not a great player but an important one.

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You wouldn't think Shane saved Ireland from the remarks attributed to Martin O'Neill in the BBC Report. According to those remarks, Wes Hoolahan's contribution through the 90 minutes was crucial and bringing on James McClean in the 68th minute helped their efforts. All Shane did was to come on 7 minutes from the end and score the gaol but O'Neill was 'delighted' with the team! Could this be a manager who didn't want to admit that Long should have been on from the start?

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Too much focus on the price, and the assumption he was being signed as an out-and-out striker. Koeman is playing him differently. I think he's being quite effective, making space, pulling defenders out of position, harassing from the front to win the ball back. I like his energy and commitment when he plays. More goals would be lovely, but I can see that he brings something to the team.

 

Another one from the money-grows-on-trees school.

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I saw this, the finish was just scrambled in via a deflection off the defender, but his first touch to bring it under control was pretty impressive.

 

You can kind of see why they seem to have lost patience with him though, they said it was only his second goal for them in competitive matches. I know he's about more than just goals, but he could certainly do with scoring more 'ugly' goals like this.

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Very much the Brett Ormerod of this Saints team. Might not score lots and lots of goals but his commitment and contribution to the team is unquestionable. Pleased he is in our squad and believe he is worth every penny we paid.

 

Erm... with all due disrespect, Shane has more talent in his left testicle than Brett (god love him!).

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Erm... with all due disrespect, Shane has more talent in his left testicle than Brett (god love him!).

 

I think they're pretty similar players tbh. Both supporting hard workers who do the closing down for other people to score the goals (at least in theory, if Pelle was scoring).

 

Neither of them have been prolific goalscorers in the Premier League. The main differences are Long has a couple of flashy tricks in his arsenal which Brett didn't, and Ormerod was never asked to play wide because 2 up top was much more widespread when he played. Long also doesn't have an excellent lower league goalscoring record for people to point at when there's an argument about his finishing ability.

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Another one from the money-grows-on-trees school.

 

How's that? Because I choose to comment on the man and not the money, it means I'm fiscally irresponsible? You've got me all wrong, mate. I would have preferred that we paid half what we did, but we didn't, and that's not Shane Long's fault. I prefer now to focus on what he brings to our side, and not how much he cost us six months ago. I believe he is contributing, and working hard to prove himself worthy of the fee. Dani Osvaldo on the other hand ...

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How's that? Because I choose to comment on the man and not the money, it means I'm fiscally irresponsible? You've got me all wrong, mate.

I would have preferred that we paid half what we did, but we didn't, and that's not Shane Long's fault. I prefer now to focus on what he brings to our side, and not how much he cost us six months ago. I believe he is contributing, and working hard to prove himself worthy of the fee. Dani Osvaldo on the other hand ...

 

It probably true to say Shane Long's fee was too much, but that's not his fault. Hull paid £6 million for him, but couldn't afford to refuse our offer, and we needed cover.

 

It's not his fault either, that he hasn't had more game time, especially when Pellé was scoring regularly, (although some criticise Koeman for perservering with Pellé) after which Long was out injured for 5 weeks. Hopefully, we will see the benefit of the investment in the remaining games and into next season.

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Surely we should be talking about people in absolute terms not in terms of what their skills level is in relation to their fee. It's seems that a lot of people would be happy with his performances if he cost £5m, but aren't happy because he cost £10m. His performances should be judge on their own not relation to his price tag.

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