Allan Saint-Maximin (now playing for Fenerbahce, on loan from Al-Ahli)

[xLiaaamx]

Outrageously stupid. I honestly don't think his absence would make that much of a difference, either. Nothing we do actually suits him; he's only there for the "give it to that guy so he can run forward loads" role. Atsu can do a passable job at that.

 

I mean, this isn't true it's why we looked and got worse results when Atsu was in for him. Atsu isn't quick enough

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Outrageously stupid. I honestly don't think his absence would make that much of a difference, either. Nothing we do actually suits him; he's only there for the "give it to that guy so he can run forward loads" role. Atsu can do a passable job at that.

 

The injury was simply down to him over exerting chasing a ball down in the last minute, disappointing. Saying Atsu can do a passable job is complete bollocks. Atsu is no where near the player, it’s ridiculous to suggest he can do half the job. He’ll be a big miss, he’s our out ball at the minute, we’ve nobody else like him.

 

It absolutely isn't bollocks. Atsu's perfectly fine at carrying the ball, he's just got zero end product. ASM has one goal and how many assists? Is it zero? Their contributions therefore aren't going to differ enormously.

 

I'm criticising the system here, not the player. He's clearly very talented but it's not like the team is built around him, or anyone for that matter (aside from when Carroll's on the pitch, when everything becomes about him). ASM's quick and a decent dribbler, so he's only used to be direct, without any real sense of purpose beyond that. As it happens, pace and dribbling is literally all Atsu has - so he can basically just come in and do the same thing. Much lower ceiling talent-wise, obviously.

Fair enough the system and the pattern of play will be very similar, but you discounting one of the main benefits of having Saint-Maximin in the side. Opposing players and managers are terrified of him embarrassing them or getting in behind and that affects the way they go about defending against him. He creates space for others that way. Atsu hardly worries the opposition at all, and he has a profile much more similar to Almiron (graft, link play) than ASM.

[Yorkie]

Outrageously stupid. I honestly don't think his absence would make that much of a difference, either. Nothing we do actually suits him; he's only there for the "give it to that guy so he can run forward loads" role. Atsu can do a passable job at that.

 

The injury was simply down to him over exerting chasing a ball down in the last minute, disappointing. Saying Atsu can do a passable job is complete bollocks. Atsu is no where near the player, it’s ridiculous to suggest he can do half the job. He’ll be a big miss, he’s our out ball at the minute, we’ve nobody else like him.

 

It absolutely isn't bollocks. Atsu's perfectly fine at carrying the ball, he's just got zero end product. ASM has one goal and how many assists? Is it zero? Their contributions therefore aren't going to differ enormously.

 

I'm criticising the system here, not the player. He's clearly very talented but it's not like the team is built around him, or anyone for that matter (aside from when Carroll's on the pitch, when everything becomes about him). ASM's quick and a decent dribbler, so he's only used to be direct, without any real sense of purpose beyond that. As it happens, pace and dribbling is literally all Atsu has - so he can basically just come in and do the same thing. Much lower ceiling talent-wise, obviously.

Fair enough the system and the pattern of play will be very similar, but you discounting one of the main benefits of having Saint-Maximin in the side. Opposing players and managers are terrified of him embarrassing them or getting in behind and that affects the way they go about defending against him. He creates space for others that way. Atsu hardly worries the opposition at all, and he has a profile much more similar to Almiron (graft, link play) than ASM.

 

Fair point.

[Tsunami]

Outrageously stupid. I honestly don't think his absence would make that much of a difference, either. Nothing we do actually suits him; he's only there for the "give it to that guy so he can run forward loads" role. Atsu can do a passable job at that.

 

The injury was simply down to him over exerting chasing a ball down in the last minute, disappointing. Saying Atsu can do a passable job is complete bollocks. Atsu is no where near the player, it’s ridiculous to suggest he can do half the job. He’ll be a big miss, he’s our out ball at the minute, we’ve nobody else like him.

 

It absolutely isn't bollocks. Atsu's perfectly fine at carrying the ball, he's just got zero end product. ASM has one goal and how many assists? Is it zero? Their contributions therefore aren't going to differ enormously.

 

I'm criticising the system here, not the player. He's clearly very talented but it's not like the team is built around him, or anyone for that matter (aside from when Carroll's on the pitch, when everything becomes about him). ASM's quick and a decent dribbler, so he's only used to be direct, without any real sense of purpose beyond that. As it happens, pace and dribbling is literally all Atsu has - so he can basically just come in and do the same thing. Much lower ceiling talent-wise, obviously.

 

ASM is far stronger on the ball and is our out ball. Atsu can’t do that job, try giving the ball to Atsu on the halfway line and expect him to hold it up and bring other players in and we’ll have the ball coming back at our defence time after time. Bruce will need to change how we plan to move the ball up the field and it’ll either Shelvey trying to be quarter back or more likely starting Carroll and hoofing it forward.

 

I’d suggest ASM is our most important player at the moment.

[TRon]

Outrageously stupid. I honestly don't think his absence would make that much of a difference, either. Nothing we do actually suits him; he's only there for the "give it to that guy so he can run forward loads" role. Atsu can do a passable job at that.

 

The injury was simply down to him over exerting chasing a ball down in the last minute, disappointing. Saying Atsu can do a passable job is complete bollocks. Atsu is no where near the player, it’s ridiculous to suggest he can do half the job. He’ll be a big miss, he’s our out ball at the minute, we’ve nobody else like him.

 

It absolutely isn't bollocks. Atsu's perfectly fine at carrying the ball, he's just got zero end product. ASM has one goal and how many assists? Is it zero? Their contributions therefore aren't going to differ enormously.

 

I'm criticising the system here, not the player. He's clearly very talented but it's not like the team is built around him, or anyone for that matter (aside from when Carroll's on the pitch, when everything becomes about him). ASM's quick and a decent dribbler, so he's only used to be direct, without any real sense of purpose beyond that. As it happens, pace and dribbling is literally all Atsu has - so he can basically just come in and do the same thing. Much lower ceiling talent-wise, obviously.

Fair enough the system and the pattern of play will be very similar, but you discounting one of the main benefits of having Saint-Maximin in the side. Opposing players and managers are terrified of him embarrassing them or getting in behind and that affects the way they go about defending against him. He creates space for others that way. Atsu hardly worries the opposition at all, and he has a profile much more similar to Almiron (graft, link play) than ASM.

 

 

You are right, but I suppose one plus could be that Atsu is a lot easier for team mates to work with, he won't dribble into dead ends as much. Only problem is, he usually hides from the action and won't really worry the opposition as you have pointed out.

[triggs]

Atsu doesn't hide like, he gets on the ball a lot. Saint Maximin is a bit like when we had Sissoko on the wing. His main strength is just being able to get us up the pitch through his dribbling winning throws, corners and free kicks as well as generally scaring the shit out of the opposition

[STM]

ASM is a much more exciting player than Atsu but I'm not so sure hes that much more productive. He will be fine.

[huss9]

he'd been limping off and on for ages and really should have been subbed a lot earlier.

[Kanj]

Evidence of scaring the shit out of the opposition:

 

For our winner, Jetro played him a ball on the left wing and 4 Southampton players went over to him. 2 doubled him up tight and 2 were behind them watching to see what the fuck he’d do with the ball. He held it a few seconds and drew them in. Pulled it back to Sean, who took his drive and then Fede sweeped in the spill.

 

This is a massive blow to the team if he’s out for a long time.

[TRon]

Atsu doesn't hide like, he gets on the ball a lot. Saint Maximin is a bit like when we had Sissoko on the wing. His main strength is just being able to get us up the pitch through his dribbling winning throws, corners and free kicks as well as generally scaring the shit out of the opposition

 

If he's on the ball a lot then he manages to do very little with it.

[xLiaaamx]

It's lazy to say he doesn't produce either. Almiron and Joelinton usually offer him nothing, he's made that same run forward fromhalfway on the left to 25 yards out centre a few times and both times Almiron and Joelinton have either offered no movement, or today Joelinton makes the run then has the touch of a rapist when the ball comes to him.

That piece of play for the Almiron shot that got charged down was sensational. I'd rather Joelinton is played deeper out wide if he's out like.

[Tsunami]

I’d actually play Joelinton out on the left if ASM is out; it was where he was playing before we decided he was a centre forward and I’d stick Gayle as centre forward. I’d certainly be looking at it on the training ground.

[Greg]

Outrageously stupid. I honestly don't think his absence would make that much of a difference, either. Nothing we do actually suits him; he's only there for the "give it to that guy so he can run forward loads" role. Atsu can do a passable job at that.

 

The injury was simply down to him over exerting chasing a ball down in the last minute, disappointing. Saying Atsu can do a passable job is complete bollocks. Atsu is no where near the player, it’s ridiculous to suggest he can do half the job. He’ll be a big miss, he’s our out ball at the minute, we’ve nobody else like him.

 

It absolutely isn't bollocks. Atsu's perfectly fine at carrying the ball, he's just got zero end product. ASM has one goal and how many assists? Is it zero? Their contributions therefore aren't going to differ enormously.

 

I'm criticising the system here, not the player. He's clearly very talented but it's not like the team is built around him, or anyone for that matter (aside from when Carroll's on the pitch, when everything becomes about him). ASM's quick and a decent dribbler, so he's only used to be direct, without any real sense of purpose beyond that. As it happens, pace and dribbling is literally all Atsu has - so he can basically just come in and do the same thing. Much lower ceiling talent-wise, obviously.

 

Have to disagree, Atsu doesn't have the pace and strength the be the same outlet as Saint-Maximin. He'll be a big miss when injured.

[Andy]

Saint Maximin is a much better footballer than Atsu like. He dribbled past more players today than I can remember Atsu dribbling past in his entire time here. Their end product is much of a muchness but in terms of getting us up the field and taking the pressure off a bit, Saint Maximin is hugely important for Bruce's "gameplan". The correlation between him being in the team and us picking up points is no coincidence.

[Guest]

Has to switch almiron over to that side.

 

Hopefully we do better with ASMs rehab than Gayle and Ritchie.

 

Almiron left, Joelinton right, Carroll up top?

[Marmoset]

The sensible thing would just be Atsu in but I'd be intrigued to see Joelinton out wide, just to see if there's anything we're missing there

[Klaus]

The sensible thing would just be Atsu in but I'd be intrigued to see Joelinton out wide, just to see if there's anything we're missing there

 

Highlights of him, before his time here, show him usually breaking from deep with the ball. More like an attacking midfield player, rather then a natural target man/striker.

[Marmoset]

I can see how he'd be effective at the running from deep, so far we just haven't seen him be in a position to play many passes or crosses from those areas though so it's a bit of a mystery how well he'd get on from the sides, at least for me as I never saw him play before us apart from that YouTube video. Think he has the work rate for it anyway.

[Happinesstan]

The sensible thing to do would be to play Almiron on the left.

[triggs]

Atsu doesn't hide like, he gets on the ball a lot. Saint Maximin is a bit like when we had Sissoko on the wing. His main strength is just being able to get us up the pitch through his dribbling winning throws, corners and free kicks as well as generally scaring the s*** out of the opposition

 

If he's on the ball a lot then he manages to do very little with it.

He's just a decent link player. Don't think there's a massive difference between Atsu and Almiron personally

[sbnufc]

:lol: :lol:   Love him, man

 

 

[huss9]

:lol: :lol:   Love him, man

 

 

 

 

the bloke's just immense.

even more than HBA levels of cult status.

[TRon]

Atsu doesn't hide like, he gets on the ball a lot. Saint Maximin is a bit like when we had Sissoko on the wing. His main strength is just being able to get us up the pitch through his dribbling winning throws, corners and free kicks as well as generally scaring the s*** out of the opposition

 

If he's on the ball a lot then he manages to do very little with it.

He's just a decent link player. Don't think there's a massive difference between Atsu and Almiron personally

 

 

Almiron runs with much more aggressive intent than Atsu. He might not produce much at the end of it, but he carries the ball up the pitch more effectively as a result. He's a genuine outlet, doesn't feel like Atsu has ever been that.

[Charlies]

Out for a month..

[TBG]

Bruce should be able to get that down to a week.