QuoteYea I can certainly see how you can count winning the free-kick as an assist, it's certainly worth of one IMO.
Aguero won the free kick from which Kolorov scored. That must be the debatable one. The assist for Milner's goal was clearcut.
Yea I can certainly see how you can count winning the free-kick as an assist, it's certainly worth of one IMO.
Long's long range strike against Aston Villa won goal of the season in their end of the season awards: https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC/st...32071713525761
Kind of surprised Pelle's against QPR didn't win it, as it was on the Sky Sports shortlist with no sign of Long's. Not that I'm complaining.
I presume some already know it anyway but I read while ago that if Arsenal win the FA Cup, Liverpool go straight into the Europa League group stage next season and a qualifying round spot becomes available for Southampton. If Aston Villa win, they themselves go directly into the Europa League group stage and Liverpool have to play the qualifying round, with Southampton missing out completely.
CL & EL Qualifiers Update
I wonder should Hull have kept Shane. Its one of those questions you can't answer but my opinion is that they should.
Easy when I know how it turned out.
Direct comparison of the stats with those of Abel Hernandez suggest that Long had the better season. Similar amount of starts and 5 goals and 5 assists compared to 4 and 1 for Hernandez.Originally Posted by seanfhear
And that doesn't take into account the fact that Long wasn't playing as centrally and probably stretched defences more.
Although I don't think that Bruce had much choice in relation to Long. The board saw £12m and availed (Bruce probably saw that as exceeding fair value too). But the £2m they netted when selling Long and buying Hernandez doesn't look too great now. Hernandez will probably sod off on loan for the season before being sold for a loss next season.
http://www.the42.ie/shane-long-opini...16675-Jun2015/
"Shane Long deserves more of a chance at international level".
Very fair article, a summary of all the points made on here really.
IF the recent history of the Republic of Ireland team is anything to go by, managers of a conservative nature have an aversion to placing their trust in creative players.
Starting with Jack Charlton, who had his differences with David O'Leary and Liam Brady, this trend was continued by Giovanni Trapattoni, who spurned the talents of midfield playmakers Andy Reid and Wes Hoolahan. Apparently, both managers preferred a more functional type of football, in which they, rather than their players, pulled the strings.
The present manager, Martin O'Neill, appears to have the same difficulty in recognising the talent of Shane Long. The Tipp man might have expected a vote of confidence and a run in the team as No 9 with the declining powers of Robbie Keane, but this hasn't happened. Instead he has been pushed back to the fringes, at a time when, with Hoolahan restored, his pace could be utilised to the team's advantage, as Didi Hamann pointed out on RTE2 last week.
Ten-minute cameo roles are hardly fair to our highest-rated Premier League player.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/mi...-31317355.html
I think Long has been hard done by, definitely, but I don't think you could call Long a creative player. He's an athlete and a menace to play against, but "creative" is a bit generous, no?
Anyway, with a new Spanish forward arriving at Southampton I hope it doesn't mean fewer games for Long. I know nothing about the new guy it has to be said.
That struck me too but he is certainly more creative than Walters & Murphy. Hendrick & Coleman linked up a good few times on a few attacking forays but ran into brick walls and blind alleys virtually every time. The game was crying out for Long's pace, energy, mobility and technique in the first half.
I don't want to be too hard on Walters & Murphy. They done okay. Granted Walters was blatantly offside for the goal. But there was no need whatsoever for both of them to be on the pitch at the same time.
Daft managerial decision and every game has been marked by at least one.
Interesting you took issue with Long being called a creative player and let Dave O'Leary go.
I'm not one to nitpick on every word in a comment and I thought DOL was a distraction to the main point.
But I think we'd both agree that as centre backs go DOL was an artist rather than an effective bruiser. A Lawrenson or Hansen, not a Ruddock or Vinny Jones., or even Bruce or Pallister. DOL was a thoroughbred centre-back. I'd classify Mick and Kevin Moran as somewhere in between. Can any centre-back be called creative? And yes, his omission did typify a general mistrust of more elegant players in favour of (perceived) effective players.
However, while I am sympathetic to calls for Long being a certain starter for us, it's not on the grounds that I think he is elegant or creative. It's on the grounds that I think he is effective. Therein the difference!
Last edited by Stuttgart88; 21/06/2015 at 10:40 PM.
You took that point was too seriously
Long scores on his European bow. 3-0 Saints.
Alan Cawley @alancaw 36m36 minutes ago
Long has Juanmi to thank there. Never ever fancy him in a 1 v 1!!!
Delightful little chip from Juanmi to Long for the 3rd, after Long had done his trademark charge through the defence to create panic that he does so well.
http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthrea...3#.VbqWJvlViko
Read the pass well well and great pace, I thought his second touch was a little heavy though,
was a shame he could not have finished it himself first time, but that pace is deadly.
action starts at 6.58.
Last edited by tricky_colour; 31/07/2015 at 2:15 AM.
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