Now have injuries s our lack of depth starting to show?

[S-Clarke]

So having Olomolo on the bench is acceptable? He has barely played a game for the U21s. Not knocking the lad but its very much bare bones and you see nothing wrong?

 

But you've been calling for Gallagher to be recalled, so what's the difference? Both young lads, but part of the squad. We have Long, Jay, Austin as three first team forwards - add Redmond who has played in that role and also Olomolo - that's plenty of numbers. We need to quicken the play up to open more oppertunities, I'm still of the belief that the players we have the players to score goals.

[CB Fry]

They are lucky again this season too.

 

Or maybe not. http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36189778

Saints definitely don't do any of that new fangled claptrap.

 

I believe we are still using the same sponge and bucket used to avail Perry Groves of his many ailments.

[Minsk]

- We play a system with 3 attacking players.

- We have 6 first team attacking players... Austin, Boufal, Long, Rodriguez, Tadic & Redmond.

 

That is 2 players per position (a ratio most managers ask for), if we had any more it would be bloating the squad and leave a number not even in the matchday 18, plus block the pathway for Olomola, Hesketh, Gallagher etc etc.

 

How many senior attacking players do you think Saints should have?

 

We should have one more striker than we currently have. Name me one match so far where we have had all of those 6 players available. The club knew that Boufal wouldn't be up to playing until mid-October. Additionally, given the past 2 seasons, everyone knew the risk about JRod's fitness. Add to that the fact that Austin can't regularly play twice in a week, and that Redmond had never been played as a striker prior to this season, with all the matches we have to play this season was obvious we would need one more option.

 

Oh, and if we had one more they would hardly be stopping Gallagher's progress would they? Plus, IMHO, Olomola is far from ready for the first team.

 

Has the squad size limit been removed? Did we fail to name our full 25-man squad?

 

You are quite right, the squad limit is 25 senior players - we named 23, including: Pied (out for the season); Isgrove (not a PL player); and Jack Stephens (still a fair bit off being a PL player, but closer than Isgrove)

 

But you've been calling for Gallagher to be recalled, so what's the difference? Both young lads, but part of the squad. We have Long, Jay, Austin as three first team forwards - add Redmond who has played in that role and also Olomolo - that's plenty of numbers. We need to quicken the play up to open more oppertunities, I'm still of the belief that the players we have the players to score goals.

 

I'm pretty sure that Gallagher is on a season long loan and therefore cannot be recalled. He is, however, far more experienced and much better than Olomola, who should be nowhere near our first team squad yet.

 

As has been mentioned above, thus far this season we have never had the so-called first pick 6 forwards available for selection. We knew that one of them was going to be unavailable for the first few months of the season, thus putting more strain on the others.

 

Virtually every match at least one, sometimes two, of the forwards is substituted. This means we need at least four available, but preferably five, for every match - every 3 days or so. We started the season with only five, knowing that we wouldn't get to six for some while and with fitness doubts over two of the others. This is why many of us feel we should have signed another forward/striker.

 

I am not saying this because we lost to Chelsea and to Inter; I have been saying it since the window closed. However, it was highlighted by the fact that when we were a goal down, and Inter had a player sent off, we didn't have a forward with any first team experience to bring on; and again on Sunday with only Boufal (just back from a very long absence) and Olomola (nowhere near ready for the first team) as our only attacking options from the bench.

 

We played very well in the first of those matches, not so well (and were simply beaten by a very good team) in the second. But we would have stood a better chance of getting something from both had we had better attacking options available.

[Fan The Flames]

I wonder if we play six forwards is it the midfield or the defence that sits out or a bit of both.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

But you've been calling for Gallagher to be recalled, so what's the difference? Both young lads, but part of the squad. We have Long, Jay, Austin as three first team forwards - add Redmond who has played in that role and also Olomolo - that's plenty of numbers. We need to quicken the play up to open more oppertunities, I'm still of the belief that the players we have the players to score goals.

 

I haven't been calling for Sam's recall at all, far from it, he is better off where he is, certainly on a personal level. What I am saying though is we could have used the likes of someone like Sam right now because Olomola is so raw and unready. Barnes and Seagar's injuries have exposed us and that is why I question why you expressed your contentment that all was well in our forward dept. Having seen our forwards struggle in Israel and misfire in Italy I think my worries are understandable.

Edited 2 November, 2016 by Fitzhugh Fella

[Fitzhugh Fella]

We should have one more striker than we currently have. Name me one match so far where we have had all of those 6 players available. The club knew that Boufal wouldn't be up to playing until mid-October. Additionally, given the past 2 seasons, everyone knew the risk about JRod's fitness. Add to that the fact that Austin can't regularly play twice in a week, and that Redmond had never been played as a striker prior to this season, with all the matches we have to play this season was obvious we would need one more option.

 

Oh, and if we had one more they would hardly be stopping Gallagher's progress would they? Plus, IMHO, Olomola is far from ready for the first team.

 

 

 

You are quite right, the squad limit is 25 senior players - we named 23, including: Pied (out for the season); Isgrove (not a PL player); and Jack Stephens (still a fair bit off being a PL player, but closer than Isgrove)

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure that Gallagher is on a season long loan and therefore cannot be recalled. He is, however, far more experienced and much better than Olomola, who should be nowhere near our first team squad yet.

 

As has been mentioned above, thus far this season we have never had the so-called first pick 6 forwards available for selection. We knew that one of them was going to be unavailable for the first few months of the season, thus putting more strain on the others.

 

Virtually every match at least one, sometimes two, of the forwards is substituted. This means we need at least four available, but preferably five, for every match - every 3 days or so. We started the season with only five, knowing that we wouldn't get to six for some while and with fitness doubts over two of the others. This is why many of us feel we should have signed another forward/striker.

 

I am not saying this because we lost to Chelsea and to Inter; I have been saying it since the window closed. However, it was highlighted by the fact that when we were a goal down, and Inter had a player sent off, we didn't have a forward with any first team experience to bring on; and again on Sunday with only Boufal (just back from a very long absence) and Olomola (nowhere near ready for the first team) as our only attacking options from the bench.

 

We played very well in the first of those matches, not so well (and were simply beaten by a very good team) in the second. But we would have stood a better chance of getting something from both had we had better attacking options available.

 

Spot on.

[benjii]

It's not just numbers either. We should have signed another forward because Long and Austin aren't that good and Redmond isn't a reliable goalscorer.

[Chris27687]

I reckon a CB is more likely than a Striker in Jan. They'll be planning for Jose Fonte's demise.

 

Berahinio would make sense as a good value striking option - they don't want to get into the situation that West Ham have with Zaza where they might have to cough up £25m for a pony player.

[View From The Top]

It's not just numbers either. We should have signed another forward because Long and Austin aren't that good and Redmond isn't a reliable goalscorer.

 

I don't disagree with this, nor the general premise or needing a "natural goalscorer" but, IMHO, it's now about getting one who suits our new style of fluid play. I'm sure the club know what they're doing in that respect.

[benjii]

I don't disagree with this, nor the general premise or needing a "natural goalscorer" but, IMHO, it's now about getting one who suits our new style of fluid play. I'm sure the club know what they're doing in that respect.

 

I think Jay Rod would suit this system wonderfully but sadly he still seems way off being able to compete regularly.

 

Austin is working really hard and is a decent option but, being honest, he lacks the agility to play the way Puel seems to want and better defenders will crowd him out quite easily like they did with Lambert. Likewise, Long lacks the close control to be really effective in a passing team over a long-period.

 

I don't think we would have signed Austin in Jan last year if we knew Koeman was going to be off.