Shane Long

[whelk]

I don’t get the Long bashing. He can be infuriating for sure but I am drawn more to the Long and Yoshida type players these days having seen so many of the Lovren, VVD types. Don’t seem to have ideas above their station which suits us. Obviously as less sought after and clearly there are better more skilful players around but team spirit and attitude counts for more than some realise, even in the PL wnkfest.

 

Having said that.... to be used sparingly but decent player to have around

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

Have a feeling Hughes likes this sort of hard working, unsung player. Squeezed every ounce of effort from Jon Walters at Stoke, where most would've said he was finished in the top flight, and suspect Long will be given the same support at Saints. As the lone striker, he'll never be prolific enough to guarantee a team a good season but alongside someone who does score regularly (Ings maybe), he can be the pest who occupies central defenders and creates space for others and might chip in with a few goals too. The switch to good ol' 4-4-2 could allow for a renaissance for Shane.

[Lighthouse]

We haven't won a home game Long started since we beat Palace in April 2017, under Puel.

 

Bournemouth - Came off the bench when we were already 2-1 up.

Everton - Came on when we were already 3-1 up. I guess you could argue we won 1-0 after he came on but Everton we're dogsh*t and already well beaten.

West Brom - Technically we did win when he started but he played 80 minutes in which both teams were dreadful. Boufal scored 5 minutes after Long was subbed off.

West Ham - Came on at 2-2. Was nothing to do with the winning goal.

 

I've no doubt he is a key part of how we play but how we play is terrible. Too many people want to give us credit for putting a shift in and putting pressure on defenders, when that's the bare minimum we should be demanding of our team.

 

Long running around after defenders doesn't help us defend from the front, we leak goals like a seive and as a striker he couldn't hit the side of a phonebox if he was stood inside it.

[Professor]

Excellent performance by Shane Long against Palace and without touching the ball he made a major assist to the first goal with his speed distracting the defenders.

[woodsaint]

This is just pony. Why is it bad when a centre forwards best attribute is holding the ball up. It’s a pretty damn big part of the game. It’s something a lot of modern centre forwards struggle with, including some big powerful players. Of course you’d like him to play like Hughes did in his prime, hold it up and pose a threat goal scoring wise. But if he could finish , he wouldn’t be playing for us. The one thing he gives us that none of the other strikers do is an out ball. Some sides don’t particularly need one, but we do, and that’s why we look better (particularly away from home) when he’s playing as opposed to Austin or Gabbi.

 

To say he’s not PL standard is clearly nonsense. The fact he’s spent the last few years playing in it proves that you’re wrong.

 

 

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Read the post. I said its bad when its now his best attribute, a player with an abundance of pace who doesnt utilise it well enough and a player who under Koeman chipped in with quite a few goals. Hes been dire in front of goal the last few years, cant argue with that. We're entitled to opinions and I dont think hes a good enough option. Would have Gallagher ahead of him

[Saint Without a Halo]

This is just pony. Why is it bad when a centre forwards best attribute is holding the ball up. It’s a pretty damn big part of the game. It’s something a lot of modern centre forwards struggle with, including some big powerful players. Of course you’d like him to play like Hughes did in his prime, hold it up and pose a threat goal scoring wise. But if he could finish , he wouldn’t be playing for us. The one thing he gives us that none of the other strikers do is an out ball. Some sides don’t particularly need one, but we do, and that’s why we look better (particularly away from home) when he’s playing as opposed to Austin or Gabbi.

 

To say he’s not PL standard is clearly nonsense. The fact he’s spent the last few years playing in it proves that you’re wrong.

 

 

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Agree with this Long gives us an outlet to relieve pressure particularly away when we are under the cosh

Without him the ball just comes back. He is a fighter always committed wins the ball back more than any other forward and is always a handful for defenders he makes other sides defend deeper against us.

 

There are many other reasons to play Long other than for goals especially away from home and against the big boys

I agree that against weaker teams at home Ings and Austin are better bets in a crowded goal mouth.

 

It is horses for courses.

Edited 2 September, 2018 by Saint Without a Halo

[Lord Duckhunter]

Read the post. I said its bad when its now his best attribute, a player with an abundance of pace who doesnt utilise it well enough and a player who under Koeman chipped in with quite a few goals. Hes been dire in front of goal the last few years, cant argue with that. We're entitled to opinions and I dont think hes a good enough option. Would have Gallagher ahead of him

 

You clearly haven’t been following his career. It’s not just the last few years he’s been woeful in front of goal, it’s his whole ****ing career. Those few games under Koeman were a blip, a purple patch. If he would replicate that season in season out, he wouldn’t be playing for us.

 

He’s never been a dribbler, his pace is used closing opponents down, chasing long balls and getting us up the pitch. He’s not got quick feet or sharp in the box for us to slide passes into, ala Gabbi. Again, if you added that to his game he’d be playing for a top 6 side.

 

Don’t you think Hughes is aware of his limitations and would do anything to get someone better in. The fact that he watches Gallagher day in day out, and doesn’t think it’s him tells you a lot. What makes you think you can see something that Mark Hughes can’t, bearing in mind Hughes was one of the best centre forwards of his generation and has seen Gallagher far far more than you.

 

 

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[hackedoff]

We've got some decent service out of him, but definitely dont think he really works alongside any of our current strikers? He offers something off the bench to run at tired defences after 70 minutes say, just not sure whether its worth keeping him just for that

 

Have to agree with this. Long( and Austin ) have limitations to their game. Having both on the books is surely a luxury we can ill afford.

[SW5 SAINT]

It's madness to suggest selling this guy to reinvest. He is worth far more to the team than anything like his transfer value, which I imagine is now probably quite low.....

[St Chalet]

Thread title of this three year old thread changed as we haven’t sold him the last 3 January windows and it’s just confusing.

[woodsaint]

You clearly haven’t been following his career. It’s not just the last few years he’s been woeful in front of goal, it’s his whole ****ing career. Those few games under Koeman were a blip, a purple patch. If he would replicate that season in season out, he wouldn’t be playing for us.

 

He’s never been a dribbler, his pace is used closing opponents down, chasing long balls and getting us up the pitch. He’s not got quick feet or sharp in the box for us to slide passes into, ala Gabbi. Again, if you added that to his game he’d be playing for a top 6 side.

Don’t you think Hughes is aware of his limitations and would do anything to get someone better in. The fact that he watches Gallagher day in day out, and doesn’t think it’s him tells you a lot. What makes you think you can see something that Mark Hughes can’t, bearing in mind Hughes was one of the best centre forwards of his generation and has seen Gallagher far far more than you.

 

 

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Yeah because Hughes has a long history of giving young players coming through a chance

[Batman]

Yeah because Hughes has a long history of giving young players coming through a chance

 

Who cares if he does?

[JustMike]

We haven't won a home game Long started since we beat Palace in April 2017, under Puel.

 

Bournemouth - Came off the bench when we were already 2-1 up.

Everton - Came on when we were already 3-1 up. I guess you could argue we won 1-0 after he came on but Everton we're dogsh*t and already well beaten.

West Brom - Technically we did win when he started but he played 80 minutes in which both teams were dreadful. Boufal scored 5 minutes after Long was subbed off.

West Ham - Came on at 2-2. Was nothing to do with the winning goal.

 

I've no doubt he is a key part of how we play but how we play is terrible. Too many people want to give us credit for putting a shift in and putting pressure on defenders, when that's the bare minimum we should be demanding of our team.

 

Long running around after defenders doesn't help us defend from the front, we leak goals like a seive and as a striker he couldn't hit the side of a phonebox if he was stood inside it.

 

Up until the Leicester game I'd agree with this, however he and Ings appear to be clicking and we are more a threat than we have been in a while. Not saying he is now going to score 15+ but we look good going forward again, which was nice

[OldNick]

Up until the Leicester game I'd agree with this, however he and Ings appear to be clicking and we are more a threat than we have been in a while. Not saying he is now going to score 15+ but we look good going forward again, which was nice

Nice to see you back posting Mike. I like the way Long doesn't give a defender any peace. He must be murder to play against. If MH can get him to start scoring then things will look bright

[Faz]

Nice to see you back posting Mike. I like the way Long doesn't give a defender any peace. He must be murder to play against. If MH can get him to start scoring then things will look bright

 

If Long creates the space for Ings to score, then it's job done. If Long wasn't playing on Saturday, that first goal doesn't get scored. Cedric was clearly playing it in to Long.

[OldNick]

If Long creates the space for Ings to score, then it's job done. If Long wasn't playing on Saturday, that first goal doesn't get scored. Cedric was clearly playing it in to Long.

good point

[Tom & Gerry]

If Long creates the space for Ings to score, then it's job done. If Long wasn't playing on Saturday, that first goal doesn't get scored. Cedric was clearly playing it in to Long.

 

Exactly. It's a team game, you have to find the combinations that work. Long and Hojbjurg would be 2 of the 1st names on my teamsheet and fit the show ponies around them.

[mrfahaji]

Have to agree with this. Long( and Austin ) have limitations to their game. Having both on the books is surely a luxury we can ill afford.

 

We can ill afford to have them? I thought you were going to say that because they offer different things, we can ill afford to not have them both!

[VectisSaint]

Injured, withdrawn from Ireland squad.

[eelpie]

If Long creates the space for Ings to score, then it's job done. If Long wasn't playing on Saturday, that first goal doesn't get scored. Cedric was clearly playing it in to Long.

 

You have no business posting sensible insightful posts on this forum. and I agree with you.

[Faz]

You have no business posting sensible insightful posts on this forum. and I agree with you.

 

As the resident Club plant, I wouldn't be doing my job without posts like this

[woodsaint]

If Long creates the space for Ings to score, then it's job done. If Long wasn't playing on Saturday, that first goal doesn't get scored. Cedric was clearly playing it in to Long.

 

If Cedric doesnt overhit his pass and finds Longs chest as intended, the first goal definitely doesnt get scored

[verlaine1979]

If Cedric doesnt overhit his pass and finds Longs chest as intended, the first goal definitely doesnt get scored

 

Yup - opening goal was a combination of hit and hope attacking play coupled with awful defending, capped off by a lovely opportunistic finish. If the move had gone as intended we wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the goal in all likelihood.

[SuperSAINT]

Out for approx 4 to 6 weeks.

[SuperSAINT]

https://the72.co.uk/122339/sheffield-united-trying-sign-southampton-republic-ireland-striker/

 

This link seems to crop up every now & again. I'm not entirely sure they could get anywhere near to paying even 50% of his wages.

[Saint IQ]

Melt Long into Austin and you have exactly what we need. A mobile striker who scores goals.

 

Let's request the club catapult them towards each other at the speed of light thus creating a decent premier league player.

 

Also frees up some wages and 1 space in the squad.

[qwertyell]

Let's request the club catapult them towards each other at the speed of light thus creating a decent premier league player.

 

Also frees up some wages and 1 space in the squad.

Long would miss.

 

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[SuperSAINT]

#Stat

 

@RichJolly: Shane Long's last four goals have come under four different Southampton managers (Puel, Pellegrino, Hughes, Hasenhuttl).

[Mr X]

#Stat

 

because he scores once every blue moon! lets hope this jolts him into action

[bangkoksaint]

Maybe, just maybe if supporters got behind Long instead of barracking him it’d give him and the side a massive lift. We are where we are with strikers so this continual vitriol isn’t going to help. What he did for the mascot on Saturday showed a bit of class and he’s a player that never stops working for the side.

[Shance]

Well, he said after the game that the manager likes him and he's getting chances now. Before he wasn't getting any service. A dig at the previous **** managers we've been hiring I think.

 

Really hope he kicks on a bit now and scores a few goals!

[doddisalegend]

Just watching the highlights on the O/S with the Solent commentary and when Long scores Blackmore is like "Shane Long Scores!! and I'm not Joking" bit harsh but made me lol

[Cabbage_Face]

Did well yesterday, think the frustrating thing with Long is he does all the hard work so well and then when it comes to tapping in a 2 yard open goal he somehow spoons it wide...

 

 

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[egg]

He's a good player who's been in and out of teams under poor management and his confidence has been shot to bits. When he has played he's mostly had shocking service. With a run of games, proper man management and half decent service there's every chance we good see the decent version of Long again.

[Bad Wolf]

Just watching the highlights on the O/S with the Solent commentary and when Long scores Blackmore is like "Shane Long Scores!! and I'm not Joking" bit harsh but made me lol

 

He did that on a midweek game under Koeman when we were going through one of our drab Nov-Feb's, Mane scored in the last minute and Adam went "SAINTS HAVE SCORED....DO NOT ADJUST YOUR RADIO, I REPEAT....SAINTS....HAVE....SCORED!!"

[Chez]

Maybe, just maybe if supporters got behind Long instead of barracking him it’d give him and the side a massive lift. We are where we are with strikers so this continual vitriol isn’t going to help. What he did for the mascot on Saturday showed a bit of class and he’s a player that never stops working for the side.

 

at games there has never been anything but total backing from Saints fans.

[Lighthouse]

at games there has never been anything but total backing from Saints fans.

 

No matter how utterly, utterly awful a player is, there is always someone ready to point out that it’s the fans fault.

 

A lot of people were saying how poor he had been first half, on the match thread yesterday and he was useless against Championship Derby. One shot (from the edge of the 6 yard box which was probably going wide) does not make him a good player.

[East Kent Saint]

On MOTD , which is one of the few I’ve looked forward to , it looked like Long’s chip was going wide ! Thanks to The keeper it went in ! But fantastic , can’t understand why Huddersfield pen was cancelled but if you are in the bottom 12 you are ......

[striker]

Lets not get carried away. Long is Long, and has a purpose in games that need what he does. Him an Austin are one dimension players now at the PL level (maybe they used to be more). Long did what he does, he ran around mostly aimlessly creating a nuisance. In this game he got dragged down causing a penalty (and interesting to note the Ralph didn't even trust him with the penalty kick), and put a shot into the box the was really going to be more of a cross and got lucky.

 

I like Long, but lets not turn this into him being a striker that we can depend on to actually score regularly. His value at this level, at this time, is as a nuisance who can hopefully force defenders into an occasional mistake.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Lets not get carried away. Long is Long, and has a purpose in games that need what he does. Him an Austin are one dimension players now at the PL level (maybe they used to be more). Long did what he does, he ran around mostly aimlessly creating a nuisance. In this game he got dragged down causing a penalty (and interesting to note the Ralph didn't even trust him with the penalty kick), and put a shot into the box the was really going to be more of a cross and got lucky.

 

I like Long, but lets not turn this into him being a striker that we can depend on to actually score regularly. His value at this level, at this time, is as a nuisance who can hopefully force defenders into an occasional mistake.

 

No one is doing what you describe, just appreciating what he did

[CB Fry]

Lets not get carried away. Long is Long, and has a purpose in games that need what he does. Him an Austin are one dimension players now at the PL level (maybe they used to be more). Long did what he does, he ran around mostly aimlessly creating a nuisance. In this game he got dragged down causing a penalty (and interesting to note the Ralph didn't even trust him with the penalty kick), and put a shot into the box the was really going to be more of a cross and got lucky.

 

I like Long, but lets not turn this into him being a striker that we can depend on to actually score regularly. His value at this level, at this time, is as a nuisance who can hopefully force defenders into an occasional mistake.

Genuinely the only person getting carried away is you feeling the need to tell a forum of people absolutely not getting carried away to not get carried away.

[verlaine1979]

Was incredibly lucky with the second - it was his own bad touch that gave him something to chase, and then he looked to have put his shot closer to the corner flag than the goal.

 

Grateful for the win, but would dearly love us to sign someone this month that means I never have to see Long starting for us again.

[Micky]

If you don't shoot, you don't score lad....

 

It may have started out heading for the corner flag, but the only thing that matters is where it ended up. Great goal.

 

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[verlaine1979]

If you don't shoot, you don't score lad....

 

It may have started out heading for the corner flag, but the only thing that matters is where it ended up. Great goal.

 

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If every wayward shot he took ended up deflected into the net then I wouldn't have a problem with him. Sadly, most of them make their way towards the corner flag uninterrupted.

[Manuel]

Being a nuisance to defenders is very much part of the job.

[Lighthouse]

Being a nuisance to defenders is very much part of the job.

 

He isn’t a nuisance, he just gives them slightly less time to make a pass.

[Cabbage_Face]

Being a nuisance to defenders is very much part of the job.

 

Rather that nuisance be scoring goals thou

 

 

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[hughieslastminutegoal]

Was incredibly lucky with the second - it was his own bad touch that gave him something to chase, and then he looked to have put his shot closer to the corner flag than the goal.

 

Grateful for the win, but would dearly love us to sign someone this month that means I never have to see Long starting for us again.

 

RH's post-match comments suggest he sees the potential to boost Long's confidence and there is some evidence that might be beginning to happen. RH is turning other things around so maybe he believes Long's performances can be improved markedly too with the right coaching/management.

[Saint Garrett]

TBF, Long was a decent little player under Koeman without being outstanding.

[Hatch]

If we want a player to run around a lot and be a nuisance, sign Usain Bolt or Mo Farah. As I have said before.

They would have better scoring stats too no doubt.