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Injury Watch


Roger

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Got to be a boost for him to have seen Austin signing; those two on song would be terrific!

 

Just imagine, with our 5-2-3 formation, we could have the following competing for those front three places:

 

Mane, Long, Austin, Rodriguez, Pelle, Davis, JWP, Tadic.

 

Exciting stuff and provides longer term options if/when Pelle and Mane leave this summer

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Ron needs to have a look at himself , with the stop /start season Austins had , should he have played sat & today .

 

who else would you have played?. Charlie has looked a lot more positive (than Pelle) since he's arrived, and Mané seems to get worse rather than better.

 

Now on Saturday, we'll probably start with both Pelle and Mane....because Shane Long didn't look so bright either when he came off.

Edited by david in sweden
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Anyone disappointed at the form of the first team this season ought not to look too critically at the two Saints Youth sides either.

All 3 squads have all had their own injury problems that might look disasterous when seen out of context - on paper.

The sight of striker U18 captain Olufela Olumola on the bench for the Sunderland game shows how big a toll injuries have made this season.

 

First team.

As if the prolonged absences of Forster, Rodrigues and Gardos weren't bad enough, it was 11 Cup / League games before we saw Ryan Bertrand back in the defence.

 

Shane Long was out for 5 games early season, and then Pelle's 5 game absence seemed longer as RK admitted his knee injury wasn't 100% even when he was back.

Long has taken a real battering from opposition defenders this season, and his latest injury was probably predictable - all things considered.

The euphoria of Charie Austin's signing has subsided and we'll have to wait another month till he's back in training..if indeed he plays a full 90 minutes again this season.

Mane seems only a shadow of his former self since returning from his suspension, and enough had been written about Wanyama's season already.

 

U21 side had some of the best talent is out on loan; Turnbull at Swindon and Isgrove at Sheff.Wednesday, whilst Stephens and Gallagher had fruitless loan spells although the promising Jason McCarthy is having a better time at Wycombe. Last season's 20+ goal hero Ryan Seager missed the first few games but made up for lost time with 7 goals in 8 games upon his return. His well-deserved loan to Crewe ended in tragedy with an knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the year.

The promising Sam McQueen is fareing better at Southend, but doesn't get regular starts, and Gallagher's unhappy season continues with no goals in the last 7 games.

 

The U21's came under pressure with serious injuries to defenders and Bevis Mugabi and Will Wood early season and to make the situation worse, striker Marcus Barnes is also out for the season. So far ..the U21's have been forced to give game time to 10 U18 scholars, with some fairly predicatable defeats following.

This meant an immediate "promotion" for U18 newcomers like, CB Alfie Jones, who has adapted well in his new role - even at the higher level.

Another bright spot has been the emergence of 15 year old LB Jake Vokins. In an emergency, he played an unblemished 6 games for the U18's in December and was rewarded with a place on the bench to watch the game v. Tottenhams U21's at St.Marys' 4 weeks ago - only to find himself thrust into the action when regular LB Josh Debayo was injured after only 5 minutes play. Jake was not overawed - even against players 5 years older, and has held his place well in the following 3 games.

 

U18. Needless to say, these occurances have brought pressure on the youngest group, who regularly play 16 year olds - some of whom are not even official Academy scholars, but still get game time. This squad has had its own share of injuries and absences (due to U21 casualties mentioned above) but still has prospects like; midfielders Callum Slattery, Harley Willard and Thomas O'Connor and defenders Richard Bakary and Ben Rowthorn improving all the time.

New keeper Harry Lewis signed last Autumn has also played for U21's - as have CB Cook and Olomola (above).

 

The lack of consistancy and regular line-ups has proven a real challenge to the two youth squads who have both used around 30 players - so far this season.

 

There's a danger of this season's recent revival petering out to a mid-table flop, although many of us can recall former times when a top-half finish would have been considered a real success. Perhaps NEXT season will see these players fit for the fight, and getting some better results. Meanwhile it's just to grin and bear it.

Edited by david in sweden
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Stephens and Turnbull go out on loan because they're now over the age for the U21s per se and aren't good enough for the first team. Don't really know why people keep harping on about them.

They are both officially Under 21s for this season (Born after 1 January 1994 is the qualifying date).

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Just imagine, with our 5-2-3 formation, we could have the following competing for those front three places:

 

Mane, Long, Austin, Rodriguez, Pelle, Davis, JWP, Tadic.

 

Exciting stuff and provides longer term options if/when Pelle and Mane leave this summer

 

Don't forget Juanmi

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@bigadamsport: #saintsfc striker Jay Rodriguez will play for U21's at Middlesboro next week - Koeman says 'he's close'

 

:D

 

 

Probably to late to have much impact this season though. Hopefully a few games this season followed by a proper pre season and then a front three of Austin, Long and Jrod all on fire next season.

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Stephens and Turnbull go out on loan because they're now over the age for the U21s per se and aren't good enough for the first team. Don't really know why people keep harping on about them.

Maybe its something to do with Stephens being highly rated but the England set up and Jordan being named Swindons player of the season last year. Centre backs tend to mature a little later so I would not write t hem off just yet.

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Maybe its something to do with Stephens being highly rated but the England set up and Jordan being named Swindons player of the season last year.

 

Centre backs tend to mature a little later so I would not write them off just yet.

 

well said Mowgli...absolutely right ....and goalkeepers - even longer.

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