Shane Long

Well you seem to be taking his treatment to heart in a way I suspect you wouldn't for other players. I don't know Koeman's exact thought process, but the most likely reason for his sporadic omission is tactical. Like Robbie Brady at Hull, he's being played in a position to which he isn't entirely suited, so when things aren't going right he will always be vulnerable to a more specialised player taking his place. It's difficult for a player when the formation doesn't allow him to play in his best role.

Hesketh injured and replaced by Ward Prowse

http://www.avsforum.com/photopost/da...-Chan-WTF.jpeg
faux outrage btw

Pelle's ten times the goal threat Long is and is rightly selected as the main danger man in the attack. If he ever decides to go with an orthodox two up front then fair enough, but it would be utterly bizarre to start Long in that position at Pelle's expense, at this moment in time. I've massive time for Long but you'd have to be seriously deluded (as an obvious result of being too attached emotionally) to think that he deserves more game time in his natural position, when it's clear as day there is somebody more effective and crucially, more clinical, in that role, more often than not. He might be slightly unlucky to be dropped but I think he's a huge asset from the bench, and that's the role he should also have for us imo.

Koeman was spot on in saying that the difference between United and Southampton the other night was Van Persie's ability to take his chances when Southampton didn't take theirs. It just so happened that it was Long who missed Southampton's most clear cut chances, there was nothing personally scathing that I could make out, unless a different interview/press conference is being referred to.

And again, Long has a goalscoring record of one in just over every three starts. I don't think it's out of the realms of logic to use him up front alongside Pelle or on his own when Pelle is off form/to try something different (to use his superior aerial threat).

7 or 8 a season in 30 odd games is not too shabby. Especially when players like Jozy Altidore and Roberto Soldado get regular football.

I wonder if Dusan Tadic will be rotated now after missing a penalty today? His form has been **** poor more often than not lately. Some of their attacking problems could perhaps be attributed to his recent inability to beat his man or even put crosses in to the box.

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

Some of their attacking problems could perhaps be attributed to his recent inability to beat his man or even put crosses in to the box.

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Coincidentally, stats show Long has been the worst dribbler in the league this season: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-ze...league-4803203

Soldado and Altidore don't start ahead of him so I see no sense at all in the relentless banging of that drum. That's Tottenham and Sunderland's business/problem. Anyway, Spurs are obviously still clinging to the unlikely possibility that the Valencia Soldado might show up at some stage. Long should definitely be on the pitch by now though.

And he's on!

Well he's on the pitch now. http://www.stadium-live.biz/Channel9.html

Finished 1-0. This should have been the easiest game of a very tough run for Southampton and you can see them sliding back to mid-table now.

They probably didn't deserve to lose but didn't really create enough to win either. The penalty was a gift and you just have to punish teams when you get those kind of chances. It was crying out for Long from an early stage in the second half I thought, Koeman left it far too late. You couldn't begrudge Burnley really, a severe lack of quality being masked over by a massive work ethic and organisation.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Coincidentally, stats show Long has been the worst dribbler in the league this season: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-ze...league-4803203

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Didier Drogba is little better, he is also better the Stephen Gerrard in that respect

Long is a decent hard working player but a clinical striker he ain't. Will always miss more than he will score.

http://www.givemesport.com/530027-sh...apital-one-cup

Long to be given a chance in his preferred striking role after Pelle picked up a (tactical?) booking to miss Capital One Cup game.

Long denied a clear penalty, again, but Southampton have taken the lead moments later anyway.

Long a nightmare for Jagielka to deal with.

Clever assist by Long for Southampton's second goal.

What did you ask for for Christmas, TOWKS?
One year we had a grab bag on here. Stutts got Charlie Darwin an iPod.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

Long denied a clear penalty, again

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Even the refs have it in for our Shane!

Martin Keown on the BBC's Final Score just name-checked Long for particular praise after Southampton's win. He was in admiration of his work-rate.

Martin's resorting to stock phrases used to praise the paddy, 'digs a straight trench', 'isn't shy to carry the full load in his hod', 'keeps going until knock-off time'.

Does hod mean shorts?

Long hits back at Southampton critics: www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/30573104

They got my hopes up there for a second saying that he's only 25. He turns 28 next month.

I was thinking that didn't sound right myself

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Originally Posted by DeLorean

They got my hopes up there for a second saying that he's only 25. He turns 28 next month.

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It's no surprise they think he's three years younger than his actual age; sure isn't he only 5 feet tall? :p

Time for a loan move?

Sadio Mane off. Harrison Reed on as substitute.

Goaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!!

No time to think = no time to fork it up.

What do you know? Long is played up front for just the third or fourth time this season and it reaps rewards.

Pelle has 2 goals in his last 13 Premier League games.

Maybe Long will get a chance if that kind of form continues?

He's having an impact at both ends. Clearing two Ipswich corners and pressuring the Ipswich goalkeeper into making several mistakes by chasing lost causes - one of which led to a goalscoring opportunity.

Hunt and McGoldrick are having good games for Ipswich. Murphy has been very quiet. Just as I type this, McGoldrick could have put Hunt through with a cross but elected to selfishly take a shot from a stupid position - which he, of course, missed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tricky_colour

Goaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!!

No time to think = no time to fork it up.

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Sometimes no time to think can indeed be a good thing .....lovely finish

Having a great game so far..........been excellent all over the pitch

http://gfycat.com/AngelicIdealAlbino

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks

What do you know? Long is played up front for just the third or fourth time this season and it reaps rewards.

Pelle has 2 goals in his last 13 Premier League games.

Maybe Long will get a chance if that kind of form continues?

He's having an impact at both ends. Clearing two Ipswich corners and pressuring the Ipswich goalkeeper into making several mistakes by chasing lost causes - one of which led to a goalscoring opportunity.

Hunt and McGoldrick are having good games for Ipswich. Murphy has been very quiet. Just as I type this, McGoldrick could have put Hunt through with a cross but elected to selfishly take a shot from a stupid position - which he, of course, missed.

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Bet Pelle comes on and scores twice now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by back of the net

Sometimes no time to think can indeed be a good thing .....lovely finish

Having a great game so far..........been excellent all over the pitch

http://gfycat.com/AngelicIdealAlbino

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By the way I found how you can capture what is on the screen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcHLWkx4gIU

So if you are watching a stream you can save it to file, you don't really have to bother about all the file type
stuff he did apart from the frame rate, just select convert and put in a file name on your desktop (the default place is hard to find again).

Long well placed to be put through by Pelle but Pelle went for the glory - and ballooned it over the bar.

Hunt had a perfectly good goal ruled out earlier in the match. He went off after 55 minutes. I thought he played well. Still doesn't look out of place.

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

That was an absolutely lovely finish. He had one in the second half where he tried to bend it with the outside of his right foot but the defender got a good block in. More of that, please, Shane.

Why would you want to see him having more shots blocked? :) I didn't see the game but that was a brilliant, instinctive goal. It came at him so quickly I don't know how he kept such control of the strike. I saw a bit of the analysis on BBC afterwards. The three analysts (Shearer, Jenas & some other guy) were basically mocking Mark Lawrenson (co-commentator) for giving motm to somebody other than Long, think it may have been Fonte he selected. They said Long was so obviously the best player on the pitch. The commentator actually tried to encourage Lawrenson to pick Long as well at one point when I flicked over!

Long dropped again.

It was obvious that he only played against Ipswich so Elia could be rested for this game. Thought maybe he could get a game with Pelle up front due to the injury problems in midfield and due to how well they played last time they went with two players up front but it was always an ask.

Unfortunate given he was probably their best player the last time he started (Everton).

Pelle has 2 goals in 13 league starts. I don't think Long has even started three league games in succession yet.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-30914594.html

Long does have some admirers though.

Got an assist today two minutes after coming onto the pitch. Also booked.

Hard to argue with his exclusion, mind. Elia scored two and Pellé was excellent. He'll just have to keep performing and try to make himself undroppable.

Hull could really do with Shane Long at the moment.

I would say that they regret selling him even if the money was good.