Paul Onuachu

[Saint_clark]

3 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

There's zero point in playing him. None of our players can put a decent cross in. Lost count of how many times Bree could have tossed it in the box yesterday only to tap it backwards.

It's why I would have stuck with Sugawara and just tried to work covering his defensive issues. 

[RedArmy]

Just now, Saint_clark said:

You're right. Three games in a row is time enough for any player to bang in a hattrick or two. Cut our losses. 

Said before I wanted to see him get a run of games and I stand by that - meaning 5 or 6 in a row at least, not 3 and out. The alternative is getting Armstrong back up front.

Give it up he’s fucking useless. 

[Lighthouse]

2 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

It's why I would have stuck with Sugawara and just tried to work covering his defensive issues. 

We’re already playing three CBs and still leaking goals because of Suga’s howlers. How many more defenders do you want?

Face it, you’ve basically been given everything you asked for with TP. He’s starting games, consistently, up front in his favoured position, with other strikers ‘running off him’, we’ve got rid of the tippy-tippy possession manager, replaced him with someone who gets forward early and goes direct, we’ve got Suga there to stick in crosses. You got what you wished for and it’s garbage.

He’ll keep getting starts and by the law of averages maybe he will get two or three goals at some point, if he starts every game for the rest of the season. Honestly though, who gives a flying f**k, we can stick Archer or Armstrong up front every game and get the same pitiful results.

[Saint_clark]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

We’re already playing three CBs and still leaking goals because of Suga’s howlers. How many more defenders do you want?

Face it, you’ve basically been given everything you asked for with TP. He’s starting games, consistently, up front in his favoured position, with other strikers ‘running off him’, we’ve got rid of the tippy-tippy possession manager, replaced him with someone who gets forward early and goes direct, we’ve got Suga there to stick in crosses. You got what you wished for and it’s garbage.

He’ll keep getting starts and by the law of averages maybe he will get two or three goals at some point, if he starts every game for the rest of the season. Honestly though, who gives a flying f**k, we can stick Archer or Armstrong up front every game and get the same pitiful results.

He's started 3 games in a row, over the busy new year period, with a new manager trying out different things chief among them to make us more solid defensively. If we're going to play a striker that isn't going to score goals i'd rather play the one that has shown he can hold it up, link up and cause a headache for defenders. 

[washsaint]

1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

He's started 3 games in a row, over the busy new year period, with a new manager trying out different things chief among them to make us more solid defensively. If we're going to play a striker that isn't going to score goals i'd rather play the one that has shown he can hold it up, link up and cause a headache for defenders. 

Sorry mate, but have to agree with Lighthouse.  He's utter shite......I can't recall him winning a header or holding the ball up the last couple of games.

His finishing is atrocious and, for his height, wins nothing in the air which is bizarre.

[Saint_clark]

2 hours ago, washsaint said:

Sorry mate, but have to agree with Lighthouse.  He's utter shite......I can't recall him winning a header or holding the ball up the last couple of games.

His finishing is atrocious and, for his height, wins nothing in the air which is bizarre.

Well you're clearly just blanking out the elements that don't suit your opinion then as it was only a couple of games ago he was getting slated for not scoring from 3 headers he won in the air. He was also criticised for flicking headers on with nobody running beyond him. He can't be coming in for that kind of criticism if he isn't winning the headers in the first place. 

[Give it to Ron]

9 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

We’re already playing three CBs and still leaking goals because of Suga’s howlers. How many more defenders do you want?

Face it, you’ve basically been given everything you asked for with TP. He’s starting games, consistently, up front in his favoured position, with other strikers ‘running off him’, we’ve got rid of the tippy-tippy possession manager, replaced him with someone who gets forward early and goes direct, we’ve got Suga there to stick in crosses. You got what you wished for and it’s garbage.

He’ll keep getting starts and by the law of averages maybe he will get two or three goals at some point, if he starts every game for the rest of the season. Honestly though, who gives a flying f**k, we can stick Archer or Armstrong up front every game and get the same pitiful results.

Where are the strikers running off him?  When on Saturday did Sully do that? At Palace Armstrong was hiding out wide , Sulemana was hugging the touch line when he came on?

Palace had Mateta with Eze and Sarr we had no-one.

I get your still in mourning for Russball and 70% possession with no shots but don’t make shit up 

[Fabrice29]

9 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

The alternative is getting Armstrong back up front.

The alternative is to sign someone better in this transfer window. 

[Sheaf Saint]

3 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

The alternative is to sign someone better in this transfer window. 

And which PL quality strikers are going to sign for us in this window, given our current predicament?

[Give it to Ron]

4 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

The alternative is to sign someone better in this transfer window. 

Isn’t that why we are where we are now because we are incapable of doing that?

[Weston Super Saint]

10 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

The alternative is to sign someone better in this transfer window. 

8th time lucky, eh?

[Fabrice29]

34 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

And which PL quality strikers are going to sign for us in this window, given our current predicament?

 

33 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

Isn’t that why we are where we are now because we are incapable of doing that?

 

28 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

8th time lucky, eh?

So, do we just not then? 

[Give it to Ron]

9 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

 

So, do we just not then? 

Could we if we tried? Not sure we have anyone that could recognise one

Edited yesterday at 07:57 by Give it to Ron

[danjosaint]

We could always scout Fleming park, green Lane, Mayfield,  I'm sure there would be someone willing to give it a go

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

The alternative is to sign someone better in this transfer window. 

 

58 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

 

So, do we just not then? 

Throwing more money at the problem would be financial madness. There’s no way that we can survive from here so the sensible approach would be to remove the deadwood.

[Fabrice29]

3 hours ago, Give it to Ron said:

Could we if we tried? Not sure we have anyone that could recognise one

Not trying to would guarantee that we don’t though. 

2 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said:

 

Throwing more money at the problem would be financial madness. There’s no way that we can survive from here so the sensible approach would be to remove the deadwood.

Hope you don’t moan at any of the bad results from here on in then pal, seeing as it would not very sensible to try and improve them.

[Lighthouse]

5 hours ago, Give it to Ron said:

Where are the strikers running off him?  When on Saturday did Sully do that? At Palace Armstrong was hiding out wide , Sulemana was hugging the touch line when he came on?

Palace had Mateta with Eze and Sarr we had no-one.

I get your still in mourning for Russball and 70% possession with no shots but don’t make shit up 

That’s odd because other people have been insisting that he’s playing well, holds the ball up and brings others into play. Armstrong may well be too wide buts it’s not as if he’s never close enough to TP to play off him. Players like Dibling and Fernandes are always getting up the pitch around him, so he’s hardly isolated.

Sorry, no amount of ‘yeah but you love Martin’ is going to deflect from the elephant in the room. Paul Onuachu is crap.

[Saint_T]

13 hours ago, washsaint said:

Sorry mate, but have to agree with Lighthouse.  He's utter shite......I can't recall him winning a header or holding the ball up the last couple of games.

His finishing is atrocious and, for his height, wins nothing in the air which is bizarre.

Bizarre claim, he's averaging winning 3.2 aerial duels a game out of 4.9, by far the most on our team and the 6th best in the league or 2nd for a striker! 

[ErwinK1961]

28 minutes ago, Saint_T said:

Bizarre claim, he's averaging winning 3.2 aerial duels a game out of 4.9, by far the most on our team and the 6th best in the league or 2nd for a striker! 

Probably because he’s about 11ft tall.

All well and good winning duels, but what happens after he’s won it? ‘Duels won but ball ends up with opposition’ would be a good stat to know. 

[ant]

33 minutes ago, Saint_T said:

Bizarre claim, he's averaging winning 3.2 aerial duels a game out of 4.9, by far the most on our team and the 6th best in the league or 2nd for a striker! 

In the same way that 100 passes across the face of our own goal don't create goalscoring chances (but will add to a 'successful pass %' stat), I'd like to understand how many of those are in the opposition box.

Somebody like Shane Long (all 5ft 11 of him) had an incredible leap - and the positional sense to use it. Onuachu does not.

He still feels a blunt instrument to me. The physical attributes aren't translating into ability.

[Sarnia Cherie]

Peter Crouch once said that he and other tall footballers looked like a horse falling downstairs when they played. Paul is reverting to type then.

[Give it to Ron]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

That’s odd because other people have been insisting that he’s playing well, holds the ball up and brings others into play. Armstrong may well be too wide buts it’s not as if he’s never close enough to TP to play off him. Players like Dibling and Fernandes are always getting up the pitch around him, so he’s hardly isolated.

Sorry, no amount of ‘yeah but you love Martin’ is going to deflect from the elephant in the room. Paul Onuachu is crap.

I disagree no-one gets anywhere near him on the odd occasion he does win it or links it- certainly not Armstrong who is hiding at the moment. So what other focal point or target man would you play?

[OldNick]

I haven't given up on him. I dont think apart from the WHU game we have played any decent crosses in the box for him. 

[Harry_SFC]

He isn't great but what's annoyed me is we looked dangerous from crosses against West Ham but then in the two games since we've stopped putting the ball in the box when we've had the opportunity. It still doesn't help playing KWP on the wrong side and Bree who couldn't cross a bloody road. That's on Juric for me. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

He is borderline pony, but the problem is he’s the only striker we’ve got with any physical presence at all. At least the keeper and defenders can knock it long with him up top. Adam Armstrong & Archer, fuck me, I think Warwick Davis would win as much as they do in the air, at least Warwick may fucking jump which both of them seem incapable of doing. We never replaced Che Adams physicality and I don’t believe the previous manager had no input in that decision. He doesn’t strike me as a manager interested in playing that way. 
 

The other problem Tall Paul has is, sides can play a really high line without worrying about him running in behind them. Defences aren’t stretched which is why his hold up play is too deep and the opposing midfield are also right on top of him. Somebody like Shane long (although shite in front of goal): had the physical strength and also the pace. TP doesn’t. If we could start to get Archer or another “quick” right up with him, we could push the opposition defenders deeper, which will mean TP operating further up the pitch. Of course, the issue will then become our piss weak midfield being out numbered if (or more likely when) we lose the ball.

 

Id have liked somebody to have given BBD a go down the middle, but that seems like a forlorn hope now. 
 

[Chez]

11 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

So, do we just not then? 

Got a striker in mind that is going to help us win enough games to keep us up? 

[Weston Super Saint]

11 hours ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

 

So, do we just not then? 

Why would we?

We've been told, unequivocally, that the strategy for recruitment in the summer was to buy Championship players for next season.

Why would we want to abandon that plan and buy a PL striker when we have BBD, Archer and Arma good to go for next year?

[Fabrice29]

17 minutes ago, Chez said:

Got a striker in mind that is going to help us win enough games to keep us up? 

No, you seem to have mistaken me for a recruitment department. And nobody said a striker who is going to keep us up, but just losing however many games without even trying to change it isn’t going to be fun for anyone.

14 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Why would we?

We've been told, unequivocally, that the strategy for recruitment in the summer was to buy Championship players for next season.

Why would we want to abandon that plan and buy a PL striker when we have BBD, Archer and Arma good to go for next year?

Who told you that unequivocally? 😂

I know this place seems unable to grasp the concept that we can’t focus on next season now because there’s still half a season to go but sadly it’s true. The idea that the manager, players and fans will all just sit on our hands for the next few months taking defeats all under the guise of ‘wait for next season’ was utterly absurd when people were talking about who we should get as a manager, is utterly absurd now when talking about the transfer window and will continue to be utterly absurd every time we get beat from now on.

[Chez]

33 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

No, you seem to have mistaken me for a recruitment department.

And nobody said a striker who is going to keep us up, but just losing however many games without even trying to change it isn’t going to be fun for anyone.

Oh, if we are playing that game, I suggest we sign a whole new squad in this window. How are we paying for that you ask? And my response would be...I think you have mistaken me for the financial director.

Seriously, I'd like to see us win some games this season too, but if it was your company and your money, would you throw good money after bad on a loan, or save it for the summer putting a promotion winning side together?

[Lee On Solent Saint]

6 minutes ago, Chez said:

Oh, if we are playing that game, I suggest we sign a whole new squad in this window. How are we paying for that you ask? And my response would be...I think you have mistaken me for the financial director.

Seriously, I'd like to see us win some games this season too, but if it was your company and your money, would you throw good money after bad on a loan, or save it for the summer putting a promotion winning side together?

Isn't that what SR are doing though? Throwing good money away season afte season with the terrible recruitment?

[Fabrice29]

40 minutes ago, Chez said:

Oh, if we are playing that game, I suggest we sign a whole new squad in this window. How are we paying for that you ask? And my response would be...I think you have mistaken me for the financial director.

Seriously, I'd like to see us win some games this season too, but if it was your company and your money, would you throw good money after bad on a loan, or save it for the summer putting a promotion winning side together?

I’d be 100% spending money now if I found someone available to improve our side. If it was my company I’d see every defeat currently increasing the anger within the fan base right now and probably would want to minimise that.

We’re here in the PL now, so the idea of building a side to get here again is all rather lovely but if you want to see us being competitive in some PL games then it seems to me the 18 PL games we have left now are a better chance to do that than some fantasy season in a year and a half. 

All well and good having a ‘build for next season’ mantra but that means fuck all next week when Onuachu is missing sitters, Bednarek is giving the ball away and people in the crowd are getting more and more annoyed by it all. If we can improve the side now with loan players then we should, not least because me and presumably you have to sit through it. 

Edited 17 hours ago by Fabrice29

[SambaMaverick]

1 minute ago, Fabrice29 said:

I’d be 100% spending money now if I found someone available to improve our side. If it was my company I’d see every defeat currently increasing the anger within the fan base right now and probably would want to minimise that.

We’re here in the PL now, so the idea of building a side to get here again is all rather lovely but if you want to see us being competitive in some PL games then it seems to me the 18 PL games we have left now are a better chance to do that than some fantasy season in a year and a half. 

All well and good having a ‘build for next season’ mantra but that means fuck all next week when Onuachu is missing sitters, Bednarek is giving the ball away and people in the crowd are getting more and more annoyed by it all. 

It's simply a business decision. Signing a load of new players would be stupid beyond even what SR are capable of.

[Weston Super Saint]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

 

Who told you that unequivocally? 😂

 

Farmer Saint.

His mate is a player agent don't you know. There's not much he doesn't know.

He has been quite forceful with his 'plan' explanations.  Mere mortals like me should not question that kind of judgement.

[Fabrice29]

5 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

It's simply a business decision. Signing a load of new players would be stupid beyond even what SR are capable of.

Improving the side is good business. I can’t actually believe people are encouraging the club not to invest but also presumably blaming the same people for our decline 😂

Edited 17 hours ago by Fabrice29

[SambaMaverick]

Just now, Fabrice29 said:

Improving the side is good business. 

I disagree. No business we're able to do now will move the needle, we'll be paying Premier League fees/wages and it will limit our spending massively next season.

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, SambaMaverick said:

I disagree. No business we're able to do now will move the needle, we'll be paying Premier League fees/wages and it will limit our spending massively next season.

Okay well you enjoy watching the same attackers continue to struggle in this league then and don’t you dare at any stage wish for someone better over the next 18 games.

[Fabrice29]

10 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Farmer Saint.

His mate is a player agent don't you know. There's not much he doesn't know.

He has been quite forceful with his 'plan' explanations.  Mere mortals like me should not question that kind of judgement.

I think you’ve mis understood mate and not only that but I think that’s been explained to you before.

[SambaMaverick]

2 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Okay well you enjoy watching the same attackers continue to struggle in this league then and don’t you dare at any stage wish for someone better over the next 18 games.

Ok mate. Glad you're not in charge or we'd be even more fucked. You can wish all you like, we are down with less than 15 points whatever happens in this window.

[Chez]

9 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

I’d be 100% spending money now if I found someone available to improve our side. If it was my company I’d see every defeat currently increasing the anger within the fan base right now and probably would want to minimise that.

We’re here in the PL now, so the idea of building a side to get here again is all rather lovely but if you want to see us being competitive in some PL games then it seems to me the 18 PL games we have left now are a better chance to do that than some fantasy season in a year and a half. 

All well and good having a ‘build for next season’ mantra but that means fuck all next week when Onuachu is missing sitters, Bednarek is giving the ball away and people in the crowd are getting more and more annoyed by it all. If we can improve the side now with loan players then we should, not least because me and presumably you have to sit through it. 

You can burn money to make you feel warmer if you want, but I choose to save to buy a heater.

The point you seem to missing here is no one is coming here in January that will be make a god damn difference to our survival. 

[SambaMaverick]

1 minute ago, Chez said:

You can burn money to make you feel warmer if you want, but I choose to save to buy a heater.

The point you seem to missing here is no one is coming here in January that will be make a god damn difference to our survival. 

Exactly. The only players queuing up to come here will be yet more young, unproven 'talent' identified by the geniuses at SR and picked off from the big sides - or mercenaries looking for a big contract on big money they can milk for years to come.

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, SambaMaverick said:

Ok mate. Glad you're not in charge or we'd be even more fucked. You can wish all you like, we are down with less than 15 points whatever happens in this window.

I’m not even denying that 😂 I’m just pointing out that you’ve presumably got to go out of your house and go to St Mary’s quite a few more times this season before any fruitful future seasons arrive and endure the same shit every week, why wouldn’t you want to watch someone else have a crack ffs? Even if it’s just the hope that it might be different and it turns out it’s not. But nah, fuck it, let’s all watch us lump the ball up to Onuachu some more. 

[Fabrice29]

3 minutes ago, Chez said:

You can burn money to make you feel warmer if you want, but I choose to save to buy a heater.

The point you seem to missing here is no one is coming here in January that will be make a god damn difference to our survival. 

I’m not even talking about survival I’m talking about watching someone that might hopefully be better than the current shite we’ve got.

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, SambaMaverick said:

Exactly. The only players queuing up to come here will be yet more young, unproven 'talent' identified by the geniuses at SR and picked off from the big sides - or mercenaries looking for a big contract on big money they can milk for years to come.

To do this they will have to put in some performances for us which is a step up from the players that have been here two years now and are barely doing so. 

[Galway saint]

Nobody would surely disagree that signing players now that are materially better than what we have is a good thing.

The real question is whether SR will sign those players and whether they will be hear next season given our inevitable relegation and the appalling recruitment track record.

 

[SambaMaverick]

Just now, Fabrice29 said:

To do this they will have to put in some performances for us which is a step up from the players that have been here two years now and are barely doing so. 

I meant it would be us signing the 'talent' from big sides - Larios, Edozie, Bazunu, etc. Basically punts.

 

3 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

I’m not even denying that 😂 I’m just pointing out that you’ve presumably got to go out of your house and go to St Mary’s quite a few more times this season before any fruitful future seasons arrive and endure the same shit every week, why wouldn’t you want to watch someone else have a crack ffs? Even if it’s just the hope that it might be different and it turns out it’s not. But nah, fuck it, let’s all watch us lump the ball up to Onuachu some more. 

If the side don't start taking some personal and professional pride in their performances my season ticket will remain unused. 

[Colinjb]

Just now, Galway saint said:

Nobody would surely disagree that signing players now that are materially better than what we have is a good thing.

The real question is whether SR will sign those players and whether they will be hear next season given our inevitable relegation and the appalling recruitment track record.

 

Last time they tried that we basically incinerated over £100m. So, damned if you do...... 

[Weston Super Saint]

5 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

I’m not even talking about survival I’m talking about watching someone that might hopefully be better than the current shite we’ve got.

Someone desperate to take a pay cut next season?

[Give it to Ron]

Just now, Galway saint said:

Nobody would surely disagree that signing players now that are materially better than what we have is a good thing.

The real question is whether SR will sign those players and whether they will be hear next season given our inevitable relegation and the appalling recruitment track record.

 

Or whether they would know one if they were stood in front of them !

[trousers]

19 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

why wouldn’t you want to watch someone else have a crack ffs? Even if it’s just the hope that it might be different and it turns out it’s not

A bit like when we rolled the dice recently and got in a new manager you mean...? 

Edited 16 hours ago by trousers

[Fabrice29]

3 minutes ago, SambaMaverick said:

I meant it would be us signing the 'talent' from big sides - Larios, Edozie, Bazunu, etc. Basically punts.

 

If the side don't start taking some personal and professional pride in their performances my season ticket will remain unused. 

Which would be bad business, as would sacking a 2nd manager like the last time we were here.