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The lad has promise and is very young, in a foreign country etc and am certainly not looking to create another Rangers scapegoat…..but…..I can’t recall us ever winning a game with him playing. That sample may well include difficult games, where we’ve rested other players, against decent teams, which may mean it’s not a fair reflection etc etc…..but is his inexperience targeted. They got a lot of joy down that wing throughout the first half and crosses come on very easily….am I misremembering the good times, and the poor lad has stepped off the pitch in a win or is his only experience of matches, being withdrawn early or is loosing.
A decent loan to league one would do him the world of good.
Did we really pay that much for Saito. If so, surely Nourry's tenure as DoF has to be called into question and terminated.
Millwall paid circa £1m for Femi Azeez, who is everything that you would want in a wide player and improving year on year, which is in stark contrast to Saito. They both started their championship journeys at the same time. This can't be true.
WLS reported a figure of £2.8m for Saito. I've never seen £5m quoted elsewhere for him.
Did we really pay that much for Saito. If so, surely Nourry's tenure as DoF has to be called into question and terminated.
Millwall paid circa £1m for Femi Azeez, who is everything that you would want in a wide player and improving year on year, which is in stark contrast to Saito. They both started their championship journeys at the same time. This can't be true.
Ahh yeah but is Azeez a nice fella ? Done any lovable. Social media posts?
I think he is cack but even if he turns out to be decent anyone with half a brain could see we clearly needed a LB and a CM in August (and even more day by day) but spent a good wedge on him. Whoever makes these decisions of how we allocate resources need the bullet. We will never , ever progress otherwise.
Agree with poster who said it feels like Heverrton v2 and I do think it's a bit "fool me twice, shame on me" to make that mistake twice.
Genuinely fascinated to know how he ended up here. Seems unlikely we have scouts in S America, so have we been suckered in by some agent? He's barely played a competitive minute in Brazil, so can't imagine there's any data for him to be an analytics signing.
Really something to behold to see Clarke-Salter having to explain to him how to position his body after their first goal.
Utterly out of his depth, I feel for him. I think there's multiple layers of blame one could dish out, to whoever sanctioned the signing, to whoever thought he'd be passable backup LB this season, to the loaning out of Field at a point where we were a couple of points from the playoffs.
The new Niko H, He's ok but is playing due to what the DOF wants rather than what is best for the team.
If that is true Dave, and I just can't bring myself to believe it despite my low opinion of Nourry and all the evidence that seems to make it true, it would perhaps have been a more interesting question in the Q&A rather than spinning the pitch 180 degrees or if he had heard of Norway. "Is it true that you impose specific player selections, or selection parameters of any kind on the manager?"
If that is true Dave, and I just can't bring myself to believe it despite my low opinion of Nourry and all the evidence that seems to make it true, it would perhaps have been a more interesting question in the Q&A rather than spinning the pitch 180 degrees or if he had heard of Norway. "Is it true that you impose specific player selections, or selection parameters of any kind on the manager?"
Can you just imagine the jargon he’d have employed to get out of answering that one?
If that is true Dave, and I just can't bring myself to believe it despite my low opinion of Nourry and all the evidence that seems to make it true, it would perhaps have been a more interesting question in the Q&A rather than spinning the pitch 180 degrees or if he had heard of Norway. "Is it true that you impose specific player selections, or selection parameters of any kind on the manager?"
There's nothing sinister in it but he wants these development players fast tracked to the first team, thats no secret but they are not good enough. It's the same with Bennie, Walsh and to a certain extent Morgan.
Was the same a first under Ferdinand, players were pushed forward when either not ready or not good enough just so they could say look how many development players have made the first team.
If that was true he’d be playing every week instead of RND do you not think?
I think he's been promoted up the pecking order far sooner than he should have been. Another one who would have benefitted more from regular football out on loan rather than thrown in every few weeks and taken off at half time.
It's not really controversial, Nourry has been quite clear thats what he wants to see happen with development players given a chance. Ferdinand was the same for the first few years.
I think he's been promoted up the pecking order far sooner than he should have been. Another one who would have benefitted more from regular football out on loan rather than thrown in every few weeks and taken off at half time.
It's not really controversial, Nourry has been quite clear thats what he wants to see happen with development players given a chance. Ferdinand was the same for the first few years.
Up the pecking order is one thing….as in he’s the first team squad. But the coach picks the eleven and squad for match day. Your first post above implied Nourry was forcing his selection. I thought we’d moved on from that.
I think he's been promoted up the pecking order far sooner than he should have been. Another one who would have benefitted more from regular football out on loan rather than thrown in every few weeks and taken off at half time.
It's not really controversial, Nourry has been quite clear thats what he wants to see happen with development players given a chance. Ferdinand was the same for the first few years.
He’s only been promoted quickly due to Larkeche’s season long injury though. Totally agree he would benefit from a decent loan next season.
Up the pecking order is one thing….as in he’s the first team squad. But the coach picks the eleven and squad for match day. Your first post above implied Nourry was forcing his selection. I thought we’d moved on from that.
Thats not what I meant but can see how it came across like that. I'm not suggesting Nourry picks the team or anything like that. The club policy though it to push development players into the first team which is not a bad thing but same as under Ferdinand it doesn't work if those players are not ready or good enough.
I cannot for the life of me understand why our coaching staff keep playing him when RND is unavailable. I think every time he has started he has been hooked early doors because he’s been at fault for a goal. He is not ready for the intensity of the Championship. I don’t actually think he’s very good like many of our development players. The likes of Chair and Eze have succeeded with us because they did a year or two in League 1 and 2. Esquerdinha just can’t defend which has to be his primary job. It’s not as if he bombs forward to create overlaps. Makes the loaning of Field even more ridiculous as he could have done a job there today. Unfortunately when you have the likes of Nourry and a cycling coach running the show we will see such little progress on the pitch. They don’t have the skill set to identify quality players.
I agree he's not ready but he does create overlaps. The problem is his runs are largely ignored by inverted wingers.
Thats not what I meant but can see how it came across like that. I'm not suggesting Nourry picks the team or anything like that. The club policy though it to push development players into the first team which is not a bad thing but same as under Ferdinand it doesn't work if those players are not ready or good enough.
A strategy a support then and now…if they’re good enough. But, for first team selection is has to be the manager. It’s not as if we didn’t have other options. Edwards at left back as an example, with Mbengue, Dunne and JCS.
I've seen Esquire play for the Development Squad and he was head and shoulders above most players on the pitch. However, he isn't ready for the Championship. He was thrown in at the deep end due to a combination of poor recruitment and Lakerche's injury. The lad's only 19 so send him on loan and see how he develops.
He’s only been promoted quickly due to Larkeche’s season long injury though. Totally agree he would benefit from a decent loan next season.
That's not true though. He was always going to be the back up LB this season and therefore playing this number of games. The only change to those plans was that Zarkeche got injured so we brought in RND. The planned usage of Esquerdinha hasn't changed in the slightest.
I'm old enough to remember the summer months when the club - and its social media mouthpieces - was very keen to promote the idea that Esquerdinha and others from the DS would be playing a full part this season. Some of us pointed he wasn't ready, but the DS Cup victory went to their heads.
A strategy a support then and now…if they’re good enough. But, for first team selection is has to be the manager. It’s not as if we didn’t have other options. Edwards at left back as an example, with Mbengue, Dunne and JCS.
I agree thats how it should work but plenty of examples from the last 10 years when that hasn't been the case.
I don't doubt the manager is picking the team and with the injuries he has very few options at the moment
A strategy a support then and now…if they’re good enough. But, for first team selection is has to be the manager. It’s not as if we didn’t have other options. Edwards at left back as an example, with Mbengue, Dunne and JCS.
Ronnie Edwards is a right-footed centre-back, who's decent with his left. He can get away as an RB (though I don't think he's great there going forward) but I think it's a stretch to think it would've been better with him distributing the ball down the left or trying to show Chong - a player who loves coming inside - down the line with his wrong foot. They targeted our left and that wouldn't have changed with Edwards there.
There's no magic formation/line-up wand with the players we have out and the back-ups.
Esquerdinha has been presented to the coach as the back-up left back, so Stephan understandably plays him. The point has been made now (again). That's politics.
There's nothing wrong with having Dev squad grads as bit-part backups, finances dictate it. Ossie Kakay was a bit of a figure of fun, but he played dozens of games as a decent RB backup. Morgan is also good enough too for a backup, maybe more soon.
We have others who not ready, though, and far too many at once.
WLS reported a figure of £2.8m for Saito. I've never seen £5m quoted elsewhere for him.
I obviously can’t say how I know, and don’t want to talk badly about Dave Mc who has to act as Comical Ali for Nourry now to gain any access to the club, but I can assure you that CFG didn’t walk away from the £5m agreed with Derby to sell him to us for £2.8m.
Ronnie Edwards is a right-footed centre-back, who's decent with his left. He can get away as an RB (though I don't think he's great there going forward) but I think it's a stretch to think it would've been better with him distributing the ball down the left or trying to show Chong - a player who loves coming inside - down the line with his wrong foot. They targeted our left and that wouldn't have changed with Edwards there.
There's no magic formation/line-up wand with the players we have out and the back-ups.
Esquerdinha has been presented to the coach as the back-up left back, so Stephan understandably plays him. The point has been made now (again). That's politics.
There's nothing wrong with having Dev squad grads as bit-part backups, finances dictate it. Ossie Kakay was a bit of a figure of fun, but he played dozens of games as a decent RB backup. Morgan is also good enough too for a backup, maybe more soon.
We have others who not ready, though, and far too many at once.
After a 5-0 thumping and losing 3-1 to Blackburn at home, I couldn’t care less about my full backs getting forward. I’d like my back 4 to be solid or maybe just maybe we could consider a back 3 with wing backs….try something different. I’d be fine with Esquerdinha at wing back as it is much less pressure defensively for him. To start him again at left back against one of the stronger sides, I think is ridiculous from JS. He did vs Ipswich and cost us. Esquerdinha was perfectly fine against Oxford….but that was Oxford.
We seem to pick a team with paying no attention to who we’re playing.
Technically, I think he's good. Apart from once when his close control saw him pass straight into the path of the Sheff U player, I thought he was quite tidy. The problem is that he's not ready mentally, knowing when to grind it out and when to play expansive football. That's why he should be out on loan. In due course he will be good if he sticks with the EFL.
After a 5-0 thumping and losing 3-1 to Blackburn at home, I couldn’t care less about my full backs getting forward. I’d like my back 4 to be solid or maybe just maybe we could consider a back 3 with wing backs….try something different. I’d be fine with Esquerdinha at wing back as it is much less pressure defensively for him. To start him again at left back against one of the stronger sides, I think is ridiculous from JS. He did vs Ipswich and cost us. Esquerdinha was perfectly fine against Oxford….but that was Oxford.
We seem to pick a team with paying no attention to who we’re playing.
[Post edited 1 Mar 18:24]
The 'head coach' is working within the boundaries of the squad he has been provided with, and the fitness of it, both of which are overseen by other people.
I don't feel particularly strongly towards Stephan one way or the other to be honest. I found him quite interesting and different to speak to in the summer. I was impressed with how he seized back some control post Coventry and turned that around. But if we're going to hang another decent enough bloke out to dry while the people who recruit the players and get them fit get away with this and stay on I'm going to be fcking fuming.
After a 5-0 thumping and losing 3-1 to Blackburn at home, I couldn’t care less about my full backs getting forward. I’d like my back 4 to be solid or maybe just maybe we could consider a back 3 with wing backs….try something different. I’d be fine with Esquerdinha at wing back as it is much less pressure defensively for him. To start him again at left back against one of the stronger sides, I think is ridiculous from JS. He did vs Ipswich and cost us. Esquerdinha was perfectly fine against Oxford….but that was Oxford.
We seem to pick a team with paying no attention to who we’re playing.
[Post edited 1 Mar 18:24]
What do you think Chong, Hoever and Peck would've done to Esquerdinha the wing-back - a position he has never played in the Championship, in a formation we've never played with this team, currently filled with rookies who had two days training since losing on Tuesday?
They had enough fun enough with him as a LB. Imagine him swimming somewhere between full-back and winger, and all that lovely space off his shoulder for those three to run through Varane and JCS.
You say you want us to just be solid. Agree, it's a start. We were very solid against Sheffield United in November. Got a 0-0 (which everyone moaned about too). Took our best, most experienced players to earn it:
Hamer Mbengue Cook Dunne Field Madsen Varane Dembele Kone Chair (!) Burrell
Chair and Madsen linked up quite well, Dembele had one of his better games and Burrell was a good out ball. Field played solidly at LB. All might have got us closer to Sheff U at home too.
Stephan is a good coach. Give him a mostly fit squad and I think he could do well in year two. But he said it in post-match: it's not about formations, it's about players, those he's missing and those he has at this moment.
The 'head coach' is working within the boundaries of the squad he has been provided with, and the fitness of it, both of which are overseen by other people.
I don't feel particularly strongly towards Stephan one way or the other to be honest. I found him quite interesting and different to speak to in the summer. I was impressed with how he seized back some control post Coventry and turned that around. But if we're going to hang another decent enough bloke out to dry while the people who recruit the players and get them fit get away with this and stay on I'm going to be fcking fuming.
This post has been edited by an administrator
Eh? I’ve never said the injuries and fitness of the squad was acceptable. It’s ridiculous and something needs to be done about it. I thought recruitment was generally ok….I thought you thought the same. However I really can’t see what is wrong with asking why JS does or doesn’t do certain things. Why on earth are we playing only 2 central midfielders at Southampton? Why is he hanging Esquerdinha out to dry yesterday? As he did against Ipswich. Why on earth don’t we adapt depending on who we are playing?
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