Shane Long

[Sarah Star]

I don't see what the problem is then. Thanks.

[Compo]

As my chant went "who ate all the pies?" I couldnt decide from my position if it was muscel or fat long now has.
He did need bulking up but i think maybe a beer belly is coming along.

[Compo's Hat]

Was it me or did Shane Long play up front on his own today?

To play up front on your own, you have to have an excellent all round game or be as good at running with it and as quick as a vintage Nicky Forster. Long is neither.

i dont think theres been any better outside the top league than Forster at playing the lone striker, the 1st half in the Wolves playoffs was probably the best ive seen live.

His demolition at Wigan in our 2-0 is on a par with that i feel.

Playing up front on your own is an art and an art that Long hasn't got!

[Archie's penalty]

I think Noel could probably do a job in that position or maybe even Church.

I do agree we need a striker to replace Doyle. Mills (probably) coming in gives me hope that we will find someone.

26 days and counting.

[rg6royal]

I think it's obvious we need a new striker to replace doyle. Someone big and strong who can bring our wingers and midfielders into play. Nugent would be a good call but whether Pompey would be willing to let him go remains to be seen.

[Vision]

To play up front on your own, you have to have an excellent all round game or be as good at running with it and as quick as a vintage Nicky Forster. Long is neither.

i dont think theres been any better outside the top league than Forster at playing the lone striker, the 1st half in the Wolves playoffs was probably the best ive seen live.

His demolition at Wigan in our 2-0 is on a par with that i feel.

Playing up front on your own is an art and an art that Long hasn't got!

To be fair though, Forster was in his mid to late 20's when he/we discovered he could play the lone striker. When he was Long's age he was at Brentford forming a formidable partnership with Bob Taylor in a pretty basic 4-4-2.

A lot of the current squad are still learning a different way of playing and it's a bit unfair to expect any of them to take to it immediately without some difficulties. It's a season of if's and but's for me and some things will work while others probably won't but I wouldn't write anyone off at this stage.

[Big Foot]

It's a season of if's and but's for me and some things will work while others probably won't but I wouldn't write anyone off at this stage.

I agree.

IF we buy a new striker we might do well

BUT if we don't, we'll wallow in mid table mediocre land

[Wycombe Royal]

It's a season of if's and but's for me and some things will work while others probably won't but I wouldn't write anyone off at this stage.

I agree.

IF we buy a new striker we might do well

BUT if we don't, we'll wallow in mid table mediocre land

What if we buy a new striker and then on the 1st of September he does his cruciate?

[Hoop Blah]

It's a season of if's and but's for me and some things will work while others probably won't but I wouldn't write anyone off at this stage.

I agree.

IF we buy a new striker we might do well

BUT if we don't, we'll wallow in mid table mediocre land

What if we buy a new striker and then on the 1st of September he does his cruciate?

That's your weakest arguement ever WR!

[ZacNaloen]

What if indeed...

[Vision]

It's a season of if's and but's for me and some things will work while others probably won't but I wouldn't write anyone off at this stage.

I agree.

IF we buy a new striker we might do well

BUT if we don't, we'll wallow in mid table mediocre land

IF you see getting promotion as the be-all and end-all then you might be right.

BUT if you see the progression of our own young talent as just as important (for the long term) then mid table mediocrity would indicate they can hold their own at this level and a natural progression from there would see them challenging the following season.

[brendywendy]

Much, much, much fatter than Lampard.

lamps was actually looking beanpoleesque

[TBM]

Much, much, much fatter than Lampard.

lamps was actually looking beanpoleesque

Dark colours do that to you!

[Scarface]

At this early stage, the weak points to me seem to be an inconsistent goalkeeper, a right-back who doesn't fit the passing game we are now playing, a bit more depth required in central defence and an experienced spearhead to the attack who can hold on to the ball, play people in and notch a few goals. Not many of those about, I guess.

You're not the only one who's really concerned about the goal keeper!! He's a shot stopped, but he lacks the general consistancy of Marcus and we might realy suffer

[Snowball]

Is this the world's most pessimistic list?

Long, under pressure for a top-class international defender, receives a volley about waist-height, manages to turn
and then run straight at no less than Terry and Mikel (about 50 million quids' worth in today's market)

He has the courage to go straight between them, almost gets through, is chopped down, almost gets a penalty
but does win the free-kick which gives us a goal.

I know he's not Ronaldo or Eduardo but to not rate what he did there is a bit mean.

The manager publicly rated it, and even though a manager is always going to puff up players
he does seem pretty much pleased with Long, who will probably blossom under his tutelage.

We are talking about playing against a full first eleven, against a side likely to win or be second in this year's
Premiership, get to the semis of the Champions League. I had expected us to lose 2-0 or 3-0 and we were winning
2-0 with five minutes to go. What exactly do people like Kebe and Long have to do to get even grudging praise?

[CMRoyal]

snowball, you must be selectively reading to have missed some of the praise for Long and Kebe.

Having said that, I confess to having underplayed Long's part in the second goal. He did control, turn and run with the ball like a Premier League forward. I still think he should have laid the ball off, but his second burst of pace into the box was impressive and got just reward.

Now - bookmark that and read it every time you're tempted to write off the opinions of the whole "list".

[Ian Royal]

Is this the world's most pessimistic list?

Long, under pressure for a top-class international defender, receives a volley about waist-height, manages to turn
and then run straight at no less than Terry and Mikel (about 50 million quids' worth in today's market)

He has the courage to go straight between them, almost gets through, is chopped down, almost gets a penalty
but does win the free-kick which gives us a goal.

I know he's not Ronaldo or Eduardo but to not rate what he did there is a bit mean.

The manager publicly rated it, and even though a manager is always going to puff up players
he does seem pretty much pleased with Long, who will probably blossom under his tutelage.

We are talking about playing against a full first eleven, against a side likely to win or be second in this year's
Premiership, get to the semis of the Champions League. I had expected us to lose 2-0 or 3-0 and we were winning
2-0 with five minutes to go. What exactly do people like Kebe and Long have to do to get even grudging praise?

Your point might be slightly more worthwhile if you hadn't just shown you can't tell the difference between Carvahlio (sp?), an aging (for a footballer) white balding man and Mikel, a young black man.

I really wish I hadn't been reading without logging in. Then I wouldn't have been able to read all that. Nevermind.

[Big Foot]

Play well or with a bit of effort.

Both did either.

[Snowball]

snowball, you must be selectively reading to have missed some of the praise for Long and Kebe.

Having said that, I confess to having underplayed Long's part in the second goal. He did control, turn and run with the ball like a Premier League forward. I still think he should have laid the ball off, but his second burst of pace into the box was impressive and got just reward. Now - bookmark that and read it every time you're tempted to write off the opinions of the whole "list".

CM, I'm only talking about this thread. it is titled "Shane Long" and I see only condemnation of him (up to your post)

I have been away teaching, missed the game. I read this thread and then saw the goal.

Personally I think if Doyle or Church or HRK had done what Shane did to win that
free-kick there would have been dozens publicly creaming themselves over it.

[Hoop Blah]

Long, under pressure for a top-class international defender, receives a volley about waist-height, manages to turn
and then run straight at no less than Terry and Mikel (about 50 million quids' worth in today's market)

Mikel's tan seems to have worn off a bit over the close season...

Long did ok considering the opposition, but apart from that one burst he didn't really offer any worthwhile threat up there on his own. That remains a worry irrespective of who the opposition is.