Shane Long

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Originally Posted by Olé Olé

I'd argue it's a move upwards rather than sideways. Southampton have lost some real quality players but they can still field a front 6 of Tadic, Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Long, Rodriquez and Pelle. Not shabby.

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Will Schneiderlin and Rodriguez even be there come September though? Might be no harm if Rodriguez isn't in one sense but hopefully they remain competitive at least.

I don't know what to make of this to be honest! Hull probably had to sell at that price so at least it's not that they didn't want him, a such, but I was really hoping he'd found his comfort zone, where he could focus on improving his game with a regular run of games without looking over his shoulder. Hopefully he still gets to do that, I suppose £12m says he will.

TOWK - Please do everybody a favour and stop typing out of your hole about Shane Long. A blind man could see that everybody is on his side but find his finishing frustrating. You're really starting to sound like you're on a complete wind up, even more so than usual.

Plus, Steve Clarke may have 'got it' for a while but it didn't last very long. Rodgers barely gave him a game at Reading and Long didn't score a single goal in his brief spell under him, something Long himself took full responsibility for.

On the money DeLorean! He is turning into Robbie, playing for many clubs and making nice money out of his moves. But Southampton? Good manager, but they must be unsettled by the sheer turnover in players. Would like to see him stay at Hull who have a better chance of staying up. Fee agreed, so it looks like it's a goer.


http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-...ail/story.html

Going straight from Hernandez to Long as a target seems crazy to me. Sounds like a very overly-ambitious transfer policy got knocked on the head.

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

Will Schneiderlin and Rodriguez even be there come September though? Might be no harm if Rodriguez isn't in one sense but hopefully they remain competitive at least.

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Ah yeah, would alleviate some competition if he moved on but I guess much depends on the formation Koeman goes with i.e. 2 or 3 forward players. Actually, it'd be interesting to see Long at the right hand-side of a front three. Given that his conversion rate isn't great in a front two, maybe he could do his job better on the right and would be under less pressure to donate a big goal tally (which could, in turn, result in a bigger tally).

Speaking of goals, I just had a look at Koeman's career stats. Did he really score all those goals for Barcelona from centre-half? Mind-boggling stuff.

Had look at Graziano Pelle's career stats there. He's spent most of his career between the Dutch and Italian leagues. He's 2 years older than Shane Long and in the past two seasons he's managed 27 and 23 leagues goals under Koeman. In all his years as a professional football prior to those two seasons, his highest goal count was 10 in Serie B for Cesena. Maybe Koeman has a magic touch.

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Originally Posted by gastric

On the money DeLorean! He is turning into Robbie, playing for many clubs and making nice money out of his moves. But Southampton? Good manager, but they must be unsettled by the sheer turnover in players. Would like to see him stay at Hull who have a better chance of staying up. Fee agreed, so it looks like it's a goer.


http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-...ail/story.html

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I don't think either club are in any danger of relegation. Hull will probably finish ahead of Southampton though.

The news of this transfer has surprised me, but I hope it works out for him and he can live up to the generous amount Southampton have offered Hull. I'd never have rated him a £12 million player - and I don't mean that in a denigrating way - but if Southampton are prepared to flash the cash...

Here's the opinion of a Hull fan: http://metro.co.uk/2014/08/13/why-hu...llion-4830708/

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Originally Posted by Rick Skelton

Long would bring the one thing Hull City lacked under Steve Bruce – pace. I knew his goalscoring record was average but he had other key attributes. That speed, the ability to hold the ball up and the knack of winning free-kicks and penalties (through fair means or foul).

That’s proven pretty much to be the case although his finishing is worse than expected. He works hard, makes lots of intelligent runs and turns hopeful passes into good passes but when that pace takes him into good goalscoring positions – he’s just not top class.

The transfer doesn’t delight me – I’d be happy enough if he stayed. But I think the chance to almost double our investment on a player who hasn’t delivered quite what we’d hoped is too good a chance to turn away.

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Does it really matter who he plays for, the nearer they are the bottom, he will play more games...

Or perhaps we don't want that. Clearly, he's no Robbie Keane, regardless. So unsure why the 'excitement'.

Yeah, let's just pack it in lads, it doesn't matter.

For years I've been saying Long would be perfect for Saints. Whilst I think £12m is a bit overpriced, when you consider what others are going for, perhaps that perception is outdated based on what the market is currently doing (we just sold a teenage fullback to Arsenal for £12m after 25 appearances and Borini is also around £12m having scored the same number of goals as SL). It's just a shame SFC didn't follow up their interest in January and saved themselves £6m in the process.

Rodriguez is injured until November so unlikely to go anywhere let alone play for a few months, Pelle seems to be a direct replacement for Lambert (and is an unknown quantity in the PL) and beyond that we only have an 18-year-old striker, so Long will get plenty of chances to play which is good for the national side (FWIW, I can't see Schneiderlin going, not least as it's Spurs who are after him - they're some £17m short of the asking price and SFC board isn't exactly enamoured with Pochettino following the method of his departure to White Hart Lane).

All-in-all, I'd say it's a good deal all round. Add in him with the likes of Forster, Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Cork, Clyne and Ramirez a lot of the doom and gloom following the departures of key players doesn't seem quite as warranted.

Pros:
Shows regard Long is held in.
12m transfer fee is a nice novelty.
Greater spread of Irish players across teams in the PL.

Cons:
Transfer fee puts burden of pressure on Long to justify it.
More money for Hull could hasten Quinn's departure to the Championship.
Liked rooting for Hull as an Irish football fan.
Long won't get to play in the Europa League.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Yeah, let's just pack it in lads, it doesn't matter.

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Except what was the point of this 'debate'...

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Except what was the point of this 'debate'...

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It's nice to be appreciated and £12m is a lot of appreciation. In just half a season, where we thought he did well but not exactly doubled his value, probably most here are pleasantly surprised that a club has gone to that extreme to secure Shane on a contract. I speculate that Hull/Bruce didn't wan't want to sell him until Southampton just raised their offer to an irresistible level.
The reaction to that transfer would presumably be the point of the debate.
From a football point of view we don't know, it's an almost new team with a new manager we just have to wait and see, but now they have our attention.

Heh, fair enough. Though Fly doesn't like me praising people...

Good point about a ridiculous or irresistable level. No way is he worth that, but then if some people are worth £30 million or whatever, Shane has his relative value. The irony is can't see him changing his style or approach for Ireland.

He's not worth £12m but Southampton have the twin handicap of being cash-rich and low status, so clubs can hold them to ransom.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

He's not worth £12m but Southampton have the twin handicap of being cash-rich and low status, so clubs can hold them to ransom.

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I don't know about that, he has a fair few Premiership goals and he is not just about goals as
you might say of Robbie Keane, he is a great outlet with his pace and hard work.

I don't see how Southampton are low status really or how that affect things, yet they are cash rich
I will give you that, but clubs can only hold them to ransom if they have few other options.

I am sure £12m would have allowed them to choose from quite a few players and they decided
Long was the best option for them, hence he is worth it.

Because...

https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/2880232704/hCCDF0DAE/

OK it remains to be seen how he will do at Southampton, but he is a proven goal scorer
and he is at a better club now, Southampton didn't get where they are by signing crap players!!
However they seem to have got their best players as youngsters so they may not be so good in the
transfer market, but we shall see.

Long just missed a great chance late on to equalise for Southampton against Liverpool. Schneiderlin hit the cross-bar's under-side with keeper committed, the ball bounced down, came back out and, after looping over a hapless Glen Johnson attempting to head it clear, arrived at the head of Long, who put it just wide with the goal gaping. Maybe looked easier than it was, as it was pretty hectic with Johnson jumping in front of him.

Just missed a sitter to level for Southampton with 2 mins to go at anfield

http://fat.gfycat.com/InstructiveRichHartebeest.mp4

"Save of the weekend from Mignolet! Another high ball is well controlled by Pelle and Schneiderlin unleashes a shot from 12 yards that is rising into the net, but Mignolet manages to get the slightest of fingers onto it and the ball crashes against the underside of the bar, before coming down just inches in front of the goalline. The ball bounces in the air, with Long under it. All he’s got to do is head it into an empty net, but under pressure, he nods it wide! What a sitter. Mignolet celebrates like he’s just scored, and no surprise, that was a magnificent initial save!"

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...eague-live-mbm

Niall Quinn sympathising with Long on Sky Sports, saying he's smaller than Johnson and would most likely have been unsighted as to the ball's exact position for a split second. I agree.

Well, OK, he's less than an inch smaller - I think Quinn's fallen victim to the common misconception of Long's lack of height - but when Johnson's in the air mid-leap, that's sure to add a few inches. :p

Thought he should have had that one. Saints are pretty fun to watch.

£12m down the drain :p

Football crime of the decade.

[IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/f108r9.jpg[/IMG]

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Originally Posted by back of the net

Just missed a sitter to level for Southampton with 2 mins to go at anfield

http://fat.gfycat.com/InstructiveRichHartebeest.mp4

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I read the last few posts before opening that link. I was expecting a careless miss, a bit of a shocker really, but even though I tend to be very critical of Long's finishing I think this time I wouldn't be too hard on him. He had to move a few steps sideways and when he did get to the pitch of the ball Johnson had just done enough to make it harder for him. Even if Long's header was on target Johnson's pressure, coupled with Long's sideways arrival at the ball, meant Long couldn't put much power into it. I think the defender or Mignolet might have got to it even if it was on target. The defender looked like he might have been able to get in the way. A chance, yes, a sitter, probably not.

I dunno Stutts, I think for a striker of the quality we want Long to be that is a sitter. I love watching him play but he misses far too many easy chances

Yea I would not be too harsh on him, I think the no 2 get in the way of where he would have like to got his feet.
Still would have been nice to score on his debut, but scoring there was not easy, it was always a bit of a long shot.


But heading is one of this strengths, he is supposed to be pretty good in the air, which is more than
you can say for Malaysian airlines!

He does, Razor, and it's definitely another entry in the chances missed column.

What worries me a bit more is that it was important he gets among the goals early at Southampton. Confidence is everything in a striker. It would have been brilliant to score but if his mentality is anything like mine was (probably not!) that'll be eating at him for days. But I still think that he had to go sideways to meet the ball rather than run directly on to it, which is what put him at a disadvantage!

I was talking to a mate about this the other day about he is a "confidence Striker".

Im not even so sure about that. If it was the true you would have thought that he would have gone on and got a load of goals after he got the couple of brilliant goals for WBA against Villa. His confidence couldnt have been higher after that surely but he never really kicked on.

He frustrates the hell out of me because he could be so good but I dont think his finishing will ever be up to scratch to be honest

As you well know Razor, the last chapter is the hardest to write.

Confidence can come and go, I think it is like in snooker or golf, you can make one bad shot and your game
goes to pieces., food for thought for Southampton who have just splashed out £12. ;)

Perhaps a bit early to start panicking, he has only played 16 minutes, with until he gets to his 16th game without a
goal!!! Anyhow I don't see it as an easy chance, he had the defender jumping in front of him, and defender misjudged
the flight of the ball completely so Shane did somewhat better than that.

Long is a good attacking player, strong and fast. But he's not a natural finisher. Keane, Aldridge, Ian Wright, Ian Rush...hell, even Andy Cole are/were all players who always knew where the goal was and had potential to be deadly in front of it.

Long doesnt have that.
It's an instinct thing and I don't think it can be taught.
But go easy on him, he's a hurler

There may be a psychological element to goal scoring such as a black ball complex in snooker.

I could never pot the black, too much pressure, mind you I couldn't pot anything else either :)

But that's the thing. A good striker will never really think about it, they'll just do it on instinct.
A player who thinks about where he's going to put it has already lost his edge in a one-on-one for example

It wasn't a sitter...an easyish chance maybe, but wasn't an open goal...

Anyway, it's rather more important he saves his goals for Ireland.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I read the last few posts before opening that link. I was expecting a careless miss, a bit of a shocker really, but even though I tend to be very critical of Long's finishing I think this time I wouldn't be too hard on him. He had to move a few steps sideways and when he did get to the pitch of the ball Johnson had just done enough to make it harder for him. Even if Long's header was on target Johnson's pressure, coupled with Long's sideways arrival at the ball, meant Long couldn't put much power into it. I think the defender or Mignolet might have got to it even if it was on target. The defender looked like he might have been able to get in the way. A chance, yes, a sitter, probably not.

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Ah tbh Stutts - i thinks its a very poor miss

Whatever about scoring to not even get it on target from that range is poor - i dont think johnson put him off that much that he would miss the target

Thing Long is a very good player but equally i think y'days attempt was just another poor miss by a striker that should be doing alot better when these type of chances come along

I think he made it difficult for himself by waiting for it to drop onto his head. He should have attacked it with that great leap of his just as he did at Stamford Bridge last season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmslw2whRMU

Our own Barry Glendenning dedicates a spot in 10 Things to Look Out for This Weekend to the criticism Shane Long has faced the past week: http://www.theguardian.com/football/...o-look-out-for

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Long should be set for success at Southampton

Having passed up a wonderful opportunity to open his Southampton account at Liverpool last weekend, Shane Long will be anxious to break his seasonal duck in front of home fans against his former club West Brom on Saturday, although there’s no real reason for him to be. Averaging just one goal every four games throughout his career, the Irish striker has never been prolific and is renowned more as a tenacious grafter. His £12m price tag was the source of much incredulity when he moved south from Hull City, but in a world where top end Championship strikers now change hands for £10m, it doesn’t seem quite so remarkable.

Responding to suggestions that the purchase of the Irish international smacked of desperation in a press conference last Friday, the Saints manager Ronald Koeman conceded that “in general you pay too much money for players, especially in England, so it’s not unique to Long”. Koeman also said he saw Long as a contrasting player to fellow striker Graziano Pellè, who scored frequently for the Dutchman at Feyenoord. “Long is a different type of attacker and you need both qualities in the squad,” he said, suggesting he did not bring in the man from Gortnahoe in County Tipperary for his goal-scoring prowess. Long has been successful in his three previous spells of employment in England and assuming he maintains his prodigious work ethic, there’s no reason why he should fail now.

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I'm a big Shane Long fan- met him over the summer on a night out and told him as much and he seemed really grounded, a sound chap. He's an absolutely torrid price at 13/8 to score any time against his old side, WBA. 11/2 for first goal for an interest bet perhaps!

I see Jordan Rhodes is rumoured to be wanted by Hull, and with a similar price tag.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

I see Jordan Rhodes is rumoured to be wanted by Hull, and with a similar price tag.

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Together they'd be the perfect striker. One who doesn't do much but scores a lot and another who doesn't score much but does a lot.

Trading Long for Rhodes is a bad deal for Hull if true.

I suspect Long wouldn't have been sold if Snoddy hadn't got crocked.