Davide Santon (now retired)

[Unbelievable]

I wouldn't say he frustrates me, but I sometimes do get the feeling I'm missing a trick when I see people on here praising him to the high skies. I often think he's decent enough, especially going forward, but nowhere near Enrique's level yet. Considering his age he's doing well mind you, but he's got some way to go still.

[Dave]

Enrique was a better defender. Santon is more confident going forward, just needs to find some end product.

[Unbelievable]

Enrique was a better defender. Santon is more confident going forward, just needs to find some end product.

 

I'd class them at a similar level going forward, with Enrique shading it due to his telepathic relationship with Jonas. What a left wing combination they were! It's a shame Santon hasn't formed such a partnership of being able to take each other's positions depending on the situation with anybody (or that we've been able to get anything like it going on the other flank), as it gave us a real edge on other teams at the time I felt.

[Yorkie]

Santon doesn't compare to Enrique in any way yet imo. Definitely not beyond him though, he's going to be quality in a couple years.

[Ash]

Santon doesn't compare to Enrique in any way yet imo. Definitely not beyond him though, he's going to be quality in a couple years.

 

He's quality now.

[Yorkie]

Does he have an assist for us? Not being arsey, i just can't remember any.

[Ronaldo]

Cisse, Chelsea.

[Ronaldo]

Oh, and Santon's going to be far better than Enrique on his best day.

[Ash]

Oh, and Santon's going to be far better than Enrique on his best day.

 

I absolutely loved José too and couldn't have rated him much higher than I did but I reckon Santon will become much better than he was for us.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Both Enrique and Santon struggled in the same area.... end product.

 

Both had great link up although Santon is a superior dribbler and strong defensively ( santon is now IMO) maybe i'm being unfair but i wonder if Enrique looked so solid defensively because of Jonas covering his arse at everything as he has not looked half the player since going to Liverpool.

 

 

[Chris_R]

Santon could be great if Pardew has an ounce of sense and switches him to his proper position on the right.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Santon could be great if Pardew has an ounce of sense and switches him to his proper position on the right.

 

You say that but he looked uncomfortable at best on the right the other night and actually looked better when he switched back.

 

I don't think Santon's potential has anything to do with playing on the right or left he will be great for us whether he plays left or right but i think he feels more comfortable on the left.

[Chris_R]

He looked uncomfortable because he's not played there for fucking ages.

 

Read everyone's posts above, based almost exclusively on him playing on the left. The consensus seems to be "good defender, likes to get forward, but is shit at it and has no end product".

 

Really? Could that possibly be linked to having to cut inside every single time because he's unable to cross with his left? After being given fuckloads of unproductive games on the left should we really write off his ability to play on the right after what, 60 minutes?

 

This cutting inside from the left thing, how's that working for him exactly? Scored many has he? Got many assists? Sure, we've already been reminded that he set up a goal V Chelsea but after the number of games he's played on the left then I'd suggest that if we can only summon up one or two assists for him we're rapidly descending into infinite monkeys / infinte typewriter territory.

[Ronaldo]

Santon could be great if Pardew has an ounce of sense and switches him to his proper position on the right.

 

Sick of reading this rubbish. Using a player who's improving constantly to have a go at Pardew, man.

[Taylor Swift]

Agreed. It's insane to criticise Pardew if you're talking about Santon because he's been one of our most consistent players. Look, we should have signed Debuchy. That would have solved a lot of problems for us. We didn't but that isn't Pardew's fault.

[Ketsbaia]

Out of the many things to criticise Pardew for, Santon's position shouldn't be one of them. He seems to be more comfortable on the left, with the added bonus of cutting inside - he just needs to start shooting.

[Yorkie]

Out of the many things to criticise Pardew for, Santon's position shouldn't be one of them. He seems to be more comfortable on the left, with the added bonus of cutting inside - he just needs to start shooting.

 

Let's start with passing first. Maybe a cross now and again. He doesn't look like a goalscorer by any means.

[Nobody]

Santon could be great if Pardew has an ounce of sense and switches him to his proper position on the right.

Oh shut up, he's playing in his proper position.

[Unbelievable]

Oh, and Santon's going to be far better than Enrique on his best day.

 

I absolutely loved José too and couldn't have rated him much higher than I did but I reckon Santon will become much better than he was for us.

 

Boy I certainly hope so, but at the moment I just can't see it I'm afraid. To me he looks fairly solid defensively, although not the man mountain that Enrique could be, and he has a penchant for going forward, which unfortunately more often than not does not result in a shot or creating a chance for his team mates. As I've said before, he's solid and has age on his side, but he certainly doesn't look to me like some world class full back in the making, and currently is not at the level that Enrique was at when he played for us at his best. What am I missing that everybody else is seeing?

[Sifu]

Santon could be great if Pardew has an ounce of sense and switches him to his proper position on the right.

Oh shut up, he's playing in his proper position.

 

Exactly, Santon himself has said that he feels more comfortable at LB.

[Ronaldo]

Oh, and Santon's going to be far better than Enrique on his best day.

 

I absolutely loved José too and couldn't have rated him much higher than I did but I reckon Santon will become much better than he was for us.

 

Boy I certainly hope so, but at the moment I just can't see it I'm afraid. To me he looks fairly solid defensively, although not the man mountain that Enrique could be, and he has a penchant for going forward, which unfortunately more often than not does not result in a shot or creating a chance for his team mates. As I've said before, he's solid and has age on his side, but he certainly doesn't look to me like some world class full back in the making, and currently is not at the level that Enrique was at when he played for us at his best. What am I missing that everybody else is seeing?

 

He's 21 and far better than Jose was at that age.

[madras]

Oh, and Santon's going to be far better than Enrique on his best day.

 

I absolutely loved José too and couldn't have rated him much higher than I did but I reckon Santon will become much better than he was for us.

 

Boy I certainly hope so, but at the moment I just can't see it I'm afraid. To me he looks fairly solid defensively, although not the man mountain that Enrique could be, and he has a penchant for going forward, which unfortunately more often than not does not result in a shot or creating a chance for his team mates. As I've said before, he's solid and has age on his side, but he certainly doesn't look to me like some world class full back in the making, and currently is not at the level that Enrique was at when he played for us at his best. What am I missing that everybody else is seeing?

 

He's 21 and far better than Jose was at that age.

he is....and he isn't. enrique was the far better defender but those days when people would say "i just want defenders to defend" are gone and now full backs have to be decent on the ball, jose was but he never had the eye to get forward or the touch inside (the red zone) that santon has. it's too early to say hes better....but he could well be.

[Mole_Toonfan]

It should also be mentioned our expectations are higher now than when Enrique was at the club be it the promotion season or the first season in the prem the expectations were a lot lower.

 

If we brought this Enrique into this team now i bet we would find more things to nitpick about his game because we expect more now after that wonderful season.

 

We may not mean it but it's only human i don't think Enrique would seem as good now as we expected nothing back then and anything was a bonus.

 

For example all this talk about end product i don't remember it come up about Enrique despite sore lacking in it, we was just happy to have a left back who was solid defensively.

 

Now we want more, we want a fullback who is solid defensively but also good going forward and a threat to opposition defences.

 

After that fantastic season it's not enough that any player is simply solid anymore, with Simpson being a prime example.

[Ronaldo]

Oh, and Santon's going to be far better than Enrique on his best day.

 

I absolutely loved José too and couldn't have rated him much higher than I did but I reckon Santon will become much better than he was for us.

 

Boy I certainly hope so, but at the moment I just can't see it I'm afraid. To me he looks fairly solid defensively, although not the man mountain that Enrique could be, and he has a penchant for going forward, which unfortunately more often than not does not result in a shot or creating a chance for his team mates. As I've said before, he's solid and has age on his side, but he certainly doesn't look to me like some world class full back in the making, and currently is not at the level that Enrique was at when he played for us at his best. What am I missing that everybody else is seeing?

 

He's 21 and far better than Jose was at that age.

he is....and he isn't. enrique was the far better defender but those days when people would say "i just want defenders to defend" are gone and now full backs have to be decent on the ball, jose was but he never had the eye to get forward or the touch inside (the red zone) that santon has. it's too early to say hes better....but he could well be.

 

I liked Jose from the day I first saw him play, but I have genuine confidence in Santon to perform well in every game. That wasn't the case with Jose till he was 23+.

[madras]

Oh, and Santon's going to be far better than Enrique on his best day.

 

I absolutely loved José too and couldn't have rated him much higher than I did but I reckon Santon will become much better than he was for us.

 

Boy I certainly hope so, but at the moment I just can't see it I'm afraid. To me he looks fairly solid defensively, although not the man mountain that Enrique could be, and he has a penchant for going forward, which unfortunately more often than not does not result in a shot or creating a chance for his team mates. As I've said before, he's solid and has age on his side, but he certainly doesn't look to me like some world class full back in the making, and currently is not at the level that Enrique was at when he played for us at his best. What am I missing that everybody else is seeing?

 

He's 21 and far better than Jose was at that age.

he is....and he isn't. enrique was the far better defender but those days when people would say "i just want defenders to defend" are gone and now full backs have to be decent on the ball, jose was but he never had the eye to get forward or the touch inside (the red zone) that santon has. it's too early to say hes better....but he could well be.

 

I liked Jose from the day I first saw him play, but I have genuine confidence in Santon to perform well in every game. That wasn't the case with Jose till he was 23+.

I get that, would you say jose was an old fashioned full back, santon is a much more up to date version ?

 

have to say though, from his first game i liked him, all power which is great for a full back and he challenges beresford and pearce for the back up in my all time NUFC XI (behind alan kennedy). I remember him getting slaggedc off from a few whie I thought "has anyone got past him" ? (enrique that was)