Morgan Schneiderlin

[ItsBoris]

Earlier a post mentioned we don't have a player bar Dembele that can put his shoulder down and beat a player. Schneiderlin is fairly good at that, and Capoue showed in the beginning of last season that he is very good at that. He's also better defensively than Dembele.

I love Dembele, but I can see him being moved on. I can also see Sandro being moved on. Capoue and Schneiderlin will not be a very defensive midfield - it will be a midfield consisting of two players with different traits used for transitioning from defense to offense. Schneiderlin can win the ball very effectively and, within a split second, send out a pass to one of our WFs. Capoue can win the ball and then run with it at a quick pace, beating most players in midfield with ease before pushing a pass out to one of our WFs. Both have a spot in the first team together. With both playing in a pressing game that will allow our front 4 much more freedom in attack. They won't have to worry about getting back, because Schneiderlin and Capoue will do so for them.

If we have both Schneiderlin and Capoue in the squad I can see us playing a pretty positive 4-2-3-1:

Walker---Chiriches---Jan---Davies
-----Capoue-----Schneiderlin-----
--Lamela-----Eriksen-----Chadli--
-----------Soldado-------------

I think that's a fantastic team. There is not one player on that team that isn't comfortable going forward. All of those players also have good positional awareness, and are smart & quick enough to not get caught out. With Dawson and Rose last year we had two players in our defense that would either commit too far up field or be caught totally out of position. We also had two players that were entirely too one-dimensional. We're a much more balanced squad with the above, and have a lot of talent going forward. We also have a very strong pressing ability and a lot of energy. Schneiderlin can be swapped out for Holtby if we need some more intense pressing, and Capoue for Dembele for a like-for-like.

I think that may be the plan and wouldn't cost too much, though I wouldn't want to see Sandro sold. I think Sandro/Capoue for the DM spot, and Schneiderlin/Bentaleb for the other spot (sort of deep lying playmaker I guess) would be good. And like you said, Holtby could play in midfield as well. I'd be happy to sell at least one of Dembele or Paulinho.

The left wing spot still concerns me, though I don't see us addressing it in this window. We have Chadli, Ceballos, and Townsend who could all play there, so hopefully one of them steps up next season. We could also put Holtby on the right, Lamela in the middle, and Eriksen left. If we could buy a quality left wing player though like Griezmann or Depay or someone like that, then I would be a lot more comfortable with our team for next season, assuming we also buy Schneiderlin, Davies, and a CB.

 

[Ledleys Knee]

I think that may be the plan and wouldn't cost too much, though I wouldn't want to see Sandro sold. I think Sandro/Capoue for the DM spot, and Schneiderlin/Bentaleb for the other spot (sort of deep lying playmaker I guess) would be good. And like you said, Holtby could play in midfield as well. I'd be happy to sell at least one of Dembele or Paulinho.

The left wing spot still concerns me, though I don't see us addressing it in this window. We have Chadli, Ceballos, and Townsend who could all play there, so hopefully one of them steps up next season. We could also put Holtby on the right, Lamela in the middle, and Eriksen left. If we could buy a quality left wing player though like Griezmann or Depay or someone like that, then I would be a lot more comfortable with our team for next season, assuming we also buy Schneiderlin, Davies, and a CB.

Eriksen will play left IMO, with one of Paulinho or Holtby central

 

[DaSpurs]

Eriksen will play left IMO, with one of Paulinho or Holtby central

I would be very, very surprised if Poch plays Eriksen wide for the sake of Paulinho centrally. No way a player who has two assists on a 30 appearance season, low forward passing count, and poor dribbling ability in tight spaces holds that position. His best trait is finding space in the box on the cross, and he's better doing this from deep since a CAM will always have a marker from the origin. Paulinho's cleverness comes from not having a marker since running from deep and exploiting it to find that space.

As for Eriksen playing wide, I don't think it's any surprise we've been linked with several left wingers/wide forwards, and we've had several reports of ITK suggesting LW was a position Poch highlighted as needing to be addressed.

 

[Ledleys Knee]

I would be very, very surprised if Poch plays Eriksen wide for the sake of Paulinho centrally. No way a player who has two assists on a 30 appearance season, low forward passing count, and poor dribbling ability in tight spaces holds that position. His best trait is finding space in the box on the cross, and he's better doing this from deep since a CAM will always have a marker from the origin. Paulinho's cleverness comes from not having a marker since running from deep and exploiting it to find that space.

As for Eriksen playing wide, I don't think it's any surprise we've been linked with several left wingers/wide forwards, and we've had several reports of ITK suggesting LW was a position Poch highlighted as needing to be addressed.

Poch likes pressing high up the pitch though. That would be Paulinho's role, rather than being a traditional #10.

It's what he did at Southampton - Steven Davies was the high central presser, whilst Lallana was the creative Eriksen player drifting in from wide

 

[St José Dominguez]

Did people watch Southampton last season? All this talk of someone out wide, when were Lallana and Rodriguez ever out wide? Is Eriksen going to be Steven Davis in our team then? Because he doesn't fit that role at all.

 

[DaSpurs]

Poch likes pressing high up the pitch though. That would be Paulinho's role, rather than being a traditional #10.

It's what he did at Southampton - Steven Davies was the high central presser, whilst Lallana was the creative Eriksen player drifting in from wide

Considering the compact defenses we face as a top six club, I'd rather a creative instigator centrally than a player there for defensive reasons, especially when his defensive stats are not spectacular anyway.

 

[Gbspurs]

Poch likes pressing high up the pitch though. That would be Paulinho's role, rather than being a traditional #10.

It's what he did at Southampton - Steven Davies was the high central presser, whilst Lallana was the creative Eriksen player drifting in from wide

Yup. People seem to be having a very hard time grasping that just because you play in an advance and central position, it doesn't mean you are a number 10!

 

[DaSpurs]

Did people watch Southampton last season? All this talk of someone out wide, when were Lallana and Rodriguez ever out wide? Is Eriksen going to be Steven Davis in our team then? Because he doesn't fit that role at all.

I've responded to your posts multiple times about this explaining why I don't think we'll exactly model Southampton, and you've never responded once, yet continue to claim people opposed to your position never even watched Southampton.

If you don't want to interact, that's fine, but it's very rude to ignore my responses yet persist with such condescending accusations.

 

[DaSpurs]

Yup. People seem to be having a very hard time grasping that just because you play in an advance and central position, it doesn't mean you are a number 10!

I don't think I'm struggling with that concept whatsoever. My point is simply that having Paulinho in that position, and Eriksen wide, limits the benefits both players offer.

 

[Gbspurs]

I don't think I'm struggling with that concept whatsoever. My point is simply that having Paulinho in that position, and Eriksen wide, limits the benefits both players offer.

You are struggling a little because you are still talking about positions when this formation doesn't really work that way. The way Southampton played with lallana last year he had no position and could do what he pleased across the front line. This would be Eriksens role not stuck "wide".

Edit: this post sounds more patronising than was intended!!

 

[St José Dominguez]

I've responded to your posts multiple times about this explaining why I don't think we'll exactly model Southampton, and you've never responded once, yet continue to claim people opposed to your position never even watched Southampton.

If you don't want to interact, that's fine, but it's very rude to ignore my responses yet persist with such condescending accusations.

Sorry I was at work lol.

We have no evidence that we won't model ourselves on the Soton philosophy and personally think it would be madness not to. It worked extremely well, is the reason Poch got this job. He'll surely continue in his thinking that has been successful so far.

 

[haydsmith]

I cannot for the life of me understand why so many people are talking about Sandro, Capoue or Holtby being in the starting 11 next year. Have you all not been watching for two years? Sandro's a busted flush and the other two are bang average. All three ought to be sold.

 

[CJMurray]

I cannot for the life of me understand why so many people are talking about Sandro, Capoue or Holtby being in the starting 11 next year. Have you all not been watching for two years? Sandro's a busted flush and the other two are bang average. All three ought to be sold.

Neither Holtby or Capoue have been at the club for two years, so that's a strange comment.

 

[Hoddtastic72]

I cannot for the life of me understand why so many people are talking about Sandro, Capoue or Holtby being in the starting 11 next year. Have you all not been watching for two years? Sandro's a busted flush and the other two are bang average. All three ought to be sold.

Didn't Holtby only sign for us around 18 months ago and much of that has been spent out on loan. Also Capoue only signed last summer. Not sure about your maths but neither of those two have been at the club for 2 years

 

[Mr Pink]

So Paulinho is going to have to up his effort levels massively if he's going to perform the Davis role as the central presser....Holtby at the moment would be more suited despite not being as big a goal threat.

 

[ItsBoris]

Did people watch Southampton last season? All this talk of someone out wide, when were Lallana and Rodriguez ever out wide? Is Eriksen going to be Steven Davis in our team then? Because he doesn't fit that role at all.

One thing I don't understand though is why everyone thinks we're going to completely resemble Southampton's team last season. We have different players and I think it is plausible that Poch was working with what he had at Southampton.

 

[Syn_13]

So Paulinho is going to have to up his effort levels massively if he's going to perform the Davis role as the central presser....Holtby at the moment would be more suited despite not being as big a goal threat.

Actually, I think Holtby is just as much a goal threat if played in that role. I'm not basing it on his late run in the Seattle friendly, although it could be used as an example to show that he can do the late runs that Paulinho likes (or liked to at Corinthians anyway) to do when given license to roam. He's got a pretty decent shot on him, a lot better technique than Paulinho has anyway, who tends to scuff or mis-hit his shots. He's scored a few crackers from outside the box and is a busy little fucker.

 

[Mr Pink]

One thing I don't understand though is why everyone thinks we're going to completely resemble Southampton's team last season. We have different players and I think it is plausible that Poch was working with what he had at Southampton.

That's a very fair point - and one I was trying to make initially.

Unless Paulinho ups his effort levels massively I don't see how he can be the 'Davis' and central presser....Holtby maybe.

We'll see. And that's not even touching on the other dynamics...Eriksen etc.

 

[St José Dominguez]

One thing I don't understand though is why everyone thinks we're going to completely resemble Southampton's team last season. We have different players and I think it is plausible that Poch was working with what he had at Southampton.

Because that's the only thing we can go by. It's his philosophy. He had a summer transfer window when Soton spent decent money. For example if for some reason Lamela had been at Soton last season I'd have been very surprised if both he and Rodriguez started weekly.

 

[Mr Pink]

Actually, I think Holtby is just as much a goal threat if played in that role. I'm not basing it on his late run in the Seattle friendly, although it could be used as an example to show that he can do the late runs that Paulinho likes (or liked to at Corinthians anyway) to do when given license to roam. He's got a pretty decent shot on him, a lot better technique than Paulinho has anyway, who tends to scuff or mis-hit his shots. He's scored a few crackers from outside the box and is a busy little fucker.

True. As it stands I'd say Holtby would be more suitable given that he works harder as well.