Joe Aribo

[disconnect]

3 minutes ago, JRM said:

Yeah he was awful last season and had given up hope on him coming good, he's an important player for us now and offers a lot. 

Rangers fans really liked him , maybe just took him time to adjust. 

He was pretty good in his first few performances, and that seemed to get coached out of him. I think even Adam Armstrong scored a great goal on his debut, and then became fairly hopeless.

[pimpin4rizeal]

I’d like to see Aribo get a chance up front. He played there before at rangers and scored in European final playing there .. he’s got enough strength to hold his own against defenders and hold the ball up .. could he be any worse then che ?  

Adans constant inclusion in the starting line up just results in our best chances falling to him, he can only score close range anyway and him starting just stops someone who could finish properly doing the job 

Edited March 30 by pimpin4rizeal

[S-Clarke]

24 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

I’d like to see Aribo get a chance up front. He played there before at rangers and scored in European final playing there .. he’s got enough strength to hold his own against defenders and hold the ball up .. could he be any worse then che ?  

Adans constant inclusion in the starting line up just results in our best chances falling to him, he can only score close range anyway and him starting just stops someone who could finish properly doing the job 

As fans we complain about the shoe-horning players, square pegs etc yet suggest stuff like this. Aribo is not a striker, he is a number 10 at most in an attacking sense. 

We tried to play him as a striker during pre-season when he first signed for us, epic fail there. Being 'tall and strong' should not be the single prerequisite for playing up front.

[Whitey Grandad]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

As fans we complain about the shoe-horning players, square pegs etc yet suggest stuff like this. Aribo is not a striker, he is a number 10 at most in an attacking sense. 

We tried to play him as a striker during pre-season when he first signed for us, epic fail there. Being 'tall and strong' should not be the single prerequisite for playing up front.

Just being better than Adams is enough.

[SNSUN]

8 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

As fans we complain about the shoe-horning players, square pegs etc yet suggest stuff like this. Aribo is not a striker, he is a number 10 at most in an attacking sense. 

We tried to play him as a striker during pre-season when he first signed for us, epic fail there. Being 'tall and strong' should not be the single prerequisite for playing up front.

Whilst I agree with not playing players out of position, we're not exactly getting much from the players that naturally play in that position in Adams and Mara. If it wasn't such a key point in the season I'd say giving Aribo a shot up top would be worth a try, but we are at a crucial point and Adams is as good as we've got...

...although while I prefer AA out wide, perhaps having him centrally with Brooks on the right is the way to go forwards. At least AA can finish.

[pimpin4rizeal]

On 30/03/2024 at 14:49, S-Clarke said:

As fans we complain about the shoe-horning players, square pegs etc yet suggest stuff like this. Aribo is not a striker, he is a number 10 at most in an attacking sense. 

We tried to play him as a striker during pre-season when he first signed for us, epic fail there. Being 'tall and strong' should not be the single prerequisite for playing up front.

But he has played successfully as a striker/false nine for rangers successfully even scoring in a European final playing there ..

as said he has a very versatile skill set and has strength and vision to hold up the ball and link play . Surely we would rather chances falling to him then che ?

 

[Saint_clark]

On 30/03/2024 at 15:00, SNSUN said:

Whilst I agree with not playing players out of position, we're not exactly getting much from the players that naturally play in that position in Adams and Mara. If it wasn't such a key point in the season I'd say giving Aribo a shot up top would be worth a try, but we are at a crucial point and Adams is as good as we've got...

...although while I prefer AA out wide, perhaps having him centrally with Brooks on the right is the way to go forwards. At least AA can finish.

Would like to see Mara given 4-5 games in a row starting up top before we write off his contribution. 

[Turkish]

27 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Would like to see Mara given 4-5 games in a row starting up top before we write off his contribution. 

when?

[Saint_clark]

8 minutes ago, Turkish said:

when?

Maybe 2-3 games from the end of the season. 

[ErwinK1961]

2 hours ago, Turkish said:

when?

On the basis we’re definitely finishing 4th, plus we’re definitely going to lose to a team in better form in the playoffs, what’s the harm in sticking him in now?

[Wade Garrett]

He was probably our best player yesterday, then got subbed by the idiot.

[thesaint sfc]

17 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

He was probably our best player yesterday, then got subbed by the idiot.

Totally 100% agree. 

Fraser looked knackered from the start yesterday. Brooks should have come on at half time.

Stu Armstrong looked absolutely knackered and should have come off earlier for Rothwell (who I thought played well) but Aribo looked absolutely fine and every time he had the ball we looked threatening. We were only progressing up the pitch through Aribo and Stu and he takes them both off. Absolutely diabolical. RM pisses me off as a manager and as a person.

[Wade Garrett]

4 minutes ago, thesaint sfc said:

Totally 100% agree. 

Fraser looked knackered from the start yesterday. Brooks should have come on at half time.

Stu Armstrong looked absolutely knackered and should have come off earlier for Rothwell (who I thought played well) but Aribo looked absolutely fine and every time he had the ball we looked threatening. We were only progressing up the pitch through Aribo and Stu and he takes them both off. Absolutely diabolical. RM pisses me off as a manager and as a person.

You’re preaching to the converted my friend.  Absolute fraud of a manager.

[Osvaldorama]

32 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

He was probably our best player yesterday, then got subbed by the idiot.

I thought the same.. made absolutely no sense to take him off. He still looked fresh 

[badgerx16]

8 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

You’re preaching to the converted my friend.  Absolute fraud of a manager.

His track record was clear to see, his greatest achievement as manager was to have the third highest possession percentage in Europe whilst finishing 13th in League 1.

[VectisSaint]

23 hours ago, ErwinK1961 said:

On the basis we’re definitely finishing 4th, plus we’re definitely going to lose to a team in better form in the playoffs, what’s the harm in sticking him in now?

Its not nailed on that we will finish 4th, though likely, the only thing nailed on is that we will finish in the top 6. But, given autos are no longer realistically achievable now, the target must be to win as many as possible until the end of the season, so as to be the in-form team going into the play-offs. Taking our foot off of the pedal now and coasting toward the play-offs is a sure-fire way of failing at that hurdle. Hopefully Leicester will finish 3rd, and with WBA and Norwich in there we could still go up (if you see going up as a positive of course). But winning mentality in the last few games has to be the priority, including Leicester and Leeds, get out of the habit and we will be sunk.

[Harry_SFC]

For me Aribo should be in the side every week. Overall he is a much better player than Smallbone. 

[Whitey Grandad]

13 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

For me Aribo should be in the side every week. Overall he is a much better player than Smallbone. 

Who isn’t?

[S-Clarke]

Yeah Aribo was really good last night, he didn't seem to be struggling physically - but then we don't have the full info on that.

We certainly went to the piss once he wasn't in midfield though. Even at 2-2 we were still in the ascendancy, but for me those 2 subs on 80ish mins effectively lost us the game. (Rothwell and Smallbone)

Edited April 2 by S-Clarke

[gammon cheeks]

46 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

For me Aribo should be in the side every week. Overall he is a much better player than Smallbone. 

100%

[coalman]

3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Yeah Aribo was really good last night, he didn't seem to be struggling physically - but then we don't have the full info on that.

We certainly went to the piss once he wasn't in midfield though. Even at 2-2 we were still in the ascendancy, but for me those 2 subs on 80ish mins effectively lost us the game. (Rothwell and Smallbone)

Aribo has added pace and phsyciality to his weirdly hypnotic skills this season. He looks like a proper central midfielder. Able to win the ball, break with it or hit a pass these days.

[rooney]

14 hours ago, coalman said:

Aribo has added pace and phsyciality to his weirdly hypnotic skills this season. He looks like a proper central midfielder. Able to win the ball, break with it or hit a pass these days.

Our most improved player by a mile this season.

[pimpin4rizeal]

He has a bit of everything .. really superb versatile skill set .. I’d still like to see him in the false 9 think he will thrive there and be a huge upgrade on che . But this position is also fine .. he can play anywhere 

[austsaint]

46 minutes ago, rooney said:

Our most improved player by a mile this season.

I made the claim before the Ipswich game that he's a better attacking mid option than WS, and I think he proved the point.   Just has a greater set of skills and attributes, and speeds our attacking game up a gear.   He has improved, but most of all he is like a number of our players - very good at Championship level; not quite up to it at Prem level.

[chownie20]

My team, most of whom are Ipswich fans, reckoned he was head and shoulders our best player. He is looking good isn't he.

[Suhari]

Bumping this.

Simply because he's done well. Very solid and reliable. 

Not the creativity I expected, but a good player for us.

Well done big boy.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

4 minutes ago, Suhari said:

Bumping this.

Simply because he's done well. Very solid and reliable. 

Not the creativity I expected, but a good player for us.

Well done big boy.

Agreed. Solid game yesterday

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Another player who has had to pick up other duties this season, and done well. He was versatile at Rangers, but not from the deeper positions we've asked him to pick up a lot. His all round game has improved this season.

Edited May 27 by Holmes_and_Watson

[SNSUN]

He has an almost unique, leggy way of holding on to the ball but what has surprised me most recently if his engine and, at one point for someone that looks like he's just jogging around, a huge burst of speed. He has good acceleration. He has done well and, to his credit, we've not particularly missed Stu because of him.

Is he Prem quality? I was excited when he signed but was more disappointed with him in our relegation season than anyone else but he's done enough this season to warrant being an option in the Prem next season. If not first choice then definitely as a regular squad player. His versatility will help too, as well as the fact he's left footed. And at 27, he's just entering his peak.

[Chez]

played well yesterday and has played well over the last month or two in the CM position. It has suited him better than the more forward roles. He has the strength and touch to hold the ball up when under pressure. I really liked his effort and willingness to tackle, which is not something I thought he had in his locker. Big step up. Boy would it be great if he could make it. We look thin in the middle so we might need him to.

Edited May 28 by Chez

[S-Clarke]

He came in around Christmas time didn't he? He was a bit part in the first part of the season, but made the place his own since Dec.

He's not playing what I'd say he was signed for either, he seems really effective for us in that 8/dynamic 6 type role. Very strong and his use of the ball in tight spaces opens up so much for us.

[BERMUDASAINT]

I hope he can perform like he did in the last few month in the chamoionship. 

 

The statistics that prove Joe Aribo can step up in the Premier League

Southampton’s midfield trio of Downes, Smallbone and Aribo was so successful because it had a blend of tenacity, creativity and skill.

Downes often sat in front of the defence while his teammates were given license to maraud forward, a part of the game that Aribo excels at.

When comparing him against other midfielders in the Championship, the powerful midfielder is levels ahead of his peers, especially for his explosive ball-carrying, passing range and ability to receive the ball in tight spaces.

As highlighted by FBref, Aribo ranks in the top 9% for progressive passes per 90 (7.40), the top 8% for touches (Att Pen) and the top 4% for progressive carries and progressive passes received.