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

[Lotus]

He could try a bit of give and go. But for that to happen, someone would have to get closer to him…

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Thought he was fine, I would probably have taken Miggy off and left ASM on until the end. 
 

Can’t really drop him this quickly unless he really is finished here. Wouldn’t be fair to him at all. 

[Dr Jinx]

He hasn’t started a match since August. Confidence, rust, no form as such to build on.

 

Think people are being massively hard on the chap. He’s always been at his best when he has a run in the team

[Tiresias]

I think he was focusing on proving he can do the defensive work, which he can but isn't particularly great at and didn't produce any moments of genius in attack. He definitely gets a load of stick a way other players don't. 

 

I suspect he will be starting behind Gordon and I am fine with that, unfortunately I just don't see ASM reacting well, he'll be gone in summer imo but we need more than 1 good winger per side.

[Thomson Mouse]

He clearly doesn’t fit into Howe’s style of play and there’s nothing wrong with that, he’s a great player when he’s told to ‘do what you want’.

 

Not sure what all of the fuss is about, we’ll have far better than him in the next year.

 

Good luck to him but we’ve outgrown him now.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by Thomson Mouse

[Kanj]

Missed opportunity for him. But also wondering if you replace miggy with Gordon does that allow for more balance with maxi as miggy is in a bit of a funk too 

[Thomson Mouse]

Just now, Kanji said:

Missed opportunity for him. But also wondering if you replace miggy with Gordon does that allow for more balance with maxi as miggy is in a bit of a funk too 

 

Both of them will not be first team starters by then end of next season if not before

[Guest reefatoon]

18 hours ago, Thomson Mouse said:

He clearly doesn’t fit into Howe’s style of play and there’s nothing wrong with that, he’s a great player when he’s told to ‘do what you want’.

 

Not sure what all of the fuss is about, we’ll have far better than him in the next year.

 

Good luck to him but we’ve outgrown him now.

 

 

 

Yeah agree with this. We are a million miles away from that utterly shit disorganised team, where he was the only shining light due to him having a trick or two or wanting to run at people.

 

We are a completely different beast now, with a real functioning team with a plan and a purpose, where unfortunately for him, he just doesn’t fit into that style.

 

Think he will leave in the summer and good luck to him. Think he will shine again for some middle of the road team where he can stand out again in a sea of mediocrity.

[Dokko]

5 minutes ago, reefatoon said:

Yeah agree with this. We are a million miles away from that utterly shit disorganised team, where he was the only shining light due to him having a trick or two or wanting to run at people.

 

We are a completely different beast now, with a real functioning team with a plan and a purpose, where unfortunately for him, he just doesn’t fit into that style.

 

Think he will leave in the summer and good luck to him. Think he will shine again for some middle of the road team where he can stand out again in a sea of mediocrity.

 

Love him to bits, but this was always going to happen with Howe's style of play. He's still our most exciting player, but one player doesn't make a team, especially one who lacks consistency and is stop/start with injuries. 

 

Tough decisions to be made in the summer. 

 

 

[The College Dropout]

Aye he's being given very little grace for a player that hasn't started in 3/4 months.

[gdm]

Would like to see him on the right and Gordon on the left or vice versa and give Almiron a much needed rest

[ExiledGeordie]

28 minutes ago, gdm said:

Would like to see him on the right and Gordon on the left or vice versa and give Almiron a much needed rest

Yes I also don’t think Miggy is very effective against that low block defensive set up. His complete lack of a right foot means teams have sussed him out so in and around the box he isn’t that effective. ASM, Gordon and Isak will be very important to breaking teams down from now on.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by ExiledGeordie

[Thumbheed]

Playing in the right would make so much difference to his game imo. 

 

 

[NWMag]

Half the problem I think is that because he’s so unpredictable the rest of our team don’t know what to do when he has the ball so he doesn’t have as many options. I think if he played regularly with Targett behind him it would be better as they had a decent relationship last season. 
 

Also he’s trying so hard to pass more than he seems scared to take anyone on, it’s like he has gone too much the other way. Not a criticism of him, I am sure he will find the balance with time.

[samptime29]

Criticism a bit OTT IMO. First start in ages. I think the Bournemouth game will suit him more.

[gdm]

3 minutes ago, samptime29 said:

Criticism a bit OTT IMO. First start in ages. I think the Bournemouth game will suit him more.

He was dreadful but I agree needs more minutes to because his explosive sharp best 

[LV]

31 minutes ago, NWMag said:

Half the problem I think is that because he’s so unpredictable the rest of our team don’t know what to do when he has the ball so he doesn’t have as many options. I think if he played regularly with Targett behind him it would be better as they had a decent relationship last season. 
 

Also he’s trying so hard to pass more than he seems scared to take anyone on, it’s like he has gone too much the other way. Not a criticism of him, I am sure he will find the balance with time.

Yep this is what I’ve seen too. He just doesn’t do what he used to do at all in terms of taking players on and going on mazy runs. Not anywhere near as much anyway. 
 

And when he does try to pass he doesn’t seem very good at it. 
 

I used to love Maxi but feel that he has dropped off a bit and is maybe carrying a bit of extra timber.

 

I dunno, maybe he needs to grow his hair back the way it was or something/. 

[Kanj]

Some good points, the unpredictability seems to be completely reworked where he’s either passing too much instead of doing what he was good at. 

[Dr Venkman]

Yeah, when you see him making an effort to pass more, you realise why he normally doesn’t bother, he’s not great at it. I also think he stands out in our team as we tend to lose possession around the opponents box, he loses it much deeper. I think that’s part of why people get on his case.

[Smal]

Quote

When Milan's interest was put to him, Saint-Maximin said: "I will be honest, I'm not going to lie, when you are in that situation a lot of teams can see it (like Milan). A lot of teams see it as an opportunity to come and buy the player.

 

"But I am very proud to be here and the most important thing for me is to play. And I will always try to be in a position where I play every game.

 

"I don't play football to be on the bench. But you know sometimes you have to understand the situation.

 

"As I said, when I was in the team they didn't lose games and I did my job. When I was available the team were doing well and not losing games.

 

"You need to understand that. For sure, if we lose two games and I stay on the bench I will never accept that situation.

 

"When the team does well though and when you love the players you can't be a nice guy when you play, then not very nice when you don't.

 

"I am not like that. I believe a lot in God and that's why when I didn't play I prayed for the team because finally we were together.

 

"And if we get to the Champions League - we are going there together. So that's the most important thing."

 

Saint-Maximin stated last month that he is no longer automatic choice in the Newcastle team but the same could be said for £63million man Alexander Isak in recent weeks. Since then Howe made it clear he had no intention of selling Saint-Maximin and he had a big part to play.

 

Saint-Maximin said: "It's simple, we have very good players. Alexander Isak wasn't even there on Saturday nor Bruno, but we still had a good team, with them of course the game could have been different.

 

"The same happens for me. The season started well for me against City and Wolverhampton, I made a difference then got an injury.

 

"After that, the team had to do it without me and they done that very well. When the team wins every single game you then just have to wait for your chance and try to do everything to win.

 

"It was a good comeback for me vs West Ham because I think I created some chances and I tried to help the defence and helped Dan Burn a lot. We did not concede any goals in terms of set-pieces and that is the most important, to do what the coach wants and give what he wants from me.

 

"I know I did well with that."

 

Saint-Maximin's season so far has been one of frustration with injuries and then non-selection restricting him to a handful of starts.

 

The French star reflected: "I didn't lose any games when I played. The coach knows that and that's why I have a very good relationship with him because he knows what I am capable to do.

 

"Most of the time when I am on the pitch I try to do everything not to lose the game. So after that, when I came back from injuries the team were winning and had credit to keep going.

 

"If I was a starting player and we win every game I wouldn't want to be left out just because an important player was coming back. I would maybe feel the manager let me down so it makes sense.

 

"Look at Isak, he is trying to push with assists and goals and this can push a player into the starting XI.

 

"We didn't lose against West Ham and that is the most important thing to me. I will now do my best to help the team next game and get the win against Bournemouth."

 

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/allan-saint-maximin-responds-ac-26163890

 

Some good quotes here.

 

Formatted out all the shit for y'all.

[80]

Very fair comments from him.

[TRC]

Selection headache for Howe to be honest. The back 5 and Joelinton and probably Longstaff should be the only guaranteed starters on Saturday.

[loki679]

I think I'd rather see Gordon come in on the right for Miggy and give ASM a run of games to get into his stride.

[Lish007]

3 hours ago, Smal said:

 

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/allan-saint-maximin-responds-ac-26163890

 

Some good quotes here.

 

Formatted out all the shit for y'all.

Thanks for that, appreciated. 

 

Looks exactly like he's doing what is asked of him. Lots of maturity going on in this man's head! And a team player. Don't think he's going anywhere anytime soon and I think he will pick it up for sure after a few starts. Excited to see him and Isak together. I think they possibly might have similar footballing brains!

[alexf]

I know his starting line up return felt like a balloon deflating. However I keep having this sneaky feeling like he's the sort of player that would have the game of his life if picked in the final.(or something like that man city performance) Plus with Trippier likely needing to sit deep due to Rashford it feels like we're going to need to attack down our left side.