Saints' tackling machine (From Daily Echo)
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Saints' tackling machine
9:50am Friday 14th December 2012 in Saints News
By Adam Leitch, Chief Sports Writer
MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN
Morgan Schneiderlin has transformed himself into one of the most successful defensive midfielders in the country.
The young Frenchman was once known as something of a lightweight – but has become a genuine tackling machine on Saints’ return to the top flight.
Statistics from every Premier League game played so far this season show that Schneiderlin has averaged more tackles per match than any other player – even those in defence.
Schneiderlin is one of only three top flight stars to have notched up an average of more than four tackles a game.
His 4.5 average puts him at the very top of the table – ahead of West Ham pair Mohamed Diame and Mark Noble of West Ham, who both have a 4.1 average He is also sixth in the Premier League table for the most interceptions made with an average of three per game.
The statistics confirm a remarkable transformation in the game of the 23-year-old who joined Saints in the summer of 2008.
In his first few seasons at St Mary’s, Schneiderlin was highly thought of because of his range of passing.
But he struggled to hold down a place in the side due to his lack of physicality.
That became an even bigger issue as Saints slipped to League One and faced even stronger sides who relied more than ever on brute force to try and make up for the talent deficit they had in comparison to Schneiderlin.
Alan Pardew indicated he would work on fixing that aspect of Schneiderlin’s game, and Nigel Adkins has continued the good work.
The culmination has come this season with Schneiderlin arguably Saints’ best player so far.
He has started all but one of Saints’ game in the Premier League this season in the new-look defensive midfield pair that sit in front of the back four, allowing four attacking players to get forward.
He was initially paired with Steven Davis and James Ward-Prowse, but is now settling into life alongside Jack Cork after his return from injury.
All Schneiderlin’s tackling, though, has come at a price – he is just one booking away from picking up a one-match suspension.
Comments(37)
alan.of.eastleigh
says...
10:14am Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:You don't know much about football do you.
A player of very limited ability but tries hard...
Puddletown Saint
says...
10:28am Fri 14 Dec 12
Can see Wenger sniffing around and the French national team. Well done Morgan.
Ted Rogers
says...
10:28am Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:Says you as someone with very, very limited intelligence trying even harder...
A player of very limited ability but tries hard...
SO50 Saint
says...
10:31am Fri 14 Dec 12
kenis
says...
10:56am Fri 14 Dec 12
RedArmy1
says...
10:57am Fri 14 Dec 12
WINNING IS EVERYTHING.
LET'S GET BEHIND THE TEAM AND WIN.
RED ARRRRRRRRRRRRMY.
THE SAINTS GO MARCHING ON-ON-ON.
Rising_Son
says...
11:09am Fri 14 Dec 12
Sainty saint saint
says...
11:13am Fri 14 Dec 12
Rising_Son
says...
11:20am Fri 14 Dec 12
Sainty saint saint wrote:I thought that too but that's the beauty of statistics. It shows us that much of what we think we know is just a figment of our imaginations.
Am I the only person who thinks that defenders making less than 4 tackles a game (on average) is a bit weird?!
Folkestone Saint
says...
11:21am Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:You should put this effort into gettig a job, but then you would bore the siht out of them too
A player of very limited ability but tries hard...
OSPREYSAINT
says...
11:29am Fri 14 Dec 12
alan.of.eastleigh wrote:Which of the Portsmouth Monthly side are you referring to this time?
scooter75 wrote:You don't know much about football do you.
A player of very limited ability but tries hard...
OSPREYSAINT
says...
11:31am Fri 14 Dec 12
OSPREYSAINT wrote:Not you Alan, Scooter, picked up the wrong quote for some reason!
alan.of.eastleigh wrote:Which of the Portsmouth Monthly side are you referring to this time?
scooter75 wrote:You don't know much about football do you.
A player of very limited ability but tries hard...
sotonman2012
says...
12:12pm Fri 14 Dec 12
Taoboy
says...
12:22pm Fri 14 Dec 12
it is hard to recognize the most improved player at this stage of the season yet there are a few contenders .
COYS
hedge end bob
says...
12:24pm Fri 14 Dec 12
Cant someone let old Scooter's tyres down, i dont suppose the law courts will.
COYR.
scooter75
says...
12:25pm Fri 14 Dec 12
Rising_Son wrote:comedy comment of the day......lol
The guy is class and will probably a regular in the French national team within the next 12 months.
scooter75
says...
12:28pm Fri 14 Dec 12
hedge end bob wrote:Cork in his backside more like paranoid bob.
He is playing much better with CORK back in the side. Cork allows Morgan to get forward more than at the begining of the season. long may it continue on our upward journey.
Cant someone let old Scooter's tyres down, i dont suppose the law courts will.
COYR.
SO50 Saint
says...
12:28pm Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75
says...
12:37pm Fri 14 Dec 12
SO50 Saint wrote:you have the wrong scooter unfortunatly....
Go back to the music Scooter you haven't released anything for years its a far better use of your time than being on here
OSPREYSAINT
says...
1:18pm Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:You are on the wrong site, unfortunately.
SO50 Saint wrote:you have the wrong scooter unfortunatly....
Go back to the music Scooter you haven't released anything for years its a far better use of your time than being on here
OSPREYSAINT
says...
1:19pm Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:Leave the abusive stuff out of it please, no need for that.
hedge end bob wrote:Cork in his backside more like paranoid bob.
He is playing much better with CORK back in the side. Cork allows Morgan to get forward more than at the begining of the season. long may it continue on our upward journey.
Cant someone let old Scooter's tyres down, i dont suppose the law courts will.
COYR.
right back in the bar
says...
1:20pm Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:crikes, he means it - Spider is the best midfielder we have had at Southampton football club in a very long time - since Jimmy Case or Steve Williams (I don't count Le Tiss as pure midfielder). He has added another dimension to his game this season as this piece rightly points out and is on his way to becoming the complete player in that position. I don't think it would be a surprise to see him as part of plans for the French senior team at all.
Rising_Son wrote:comedy comment of the day......lol
The guy is class and will probably a regular in the French national team within the next 12 months.
damoose
says...
1:30pm Fri 14 Dec 12
11:13am Fri 14 Dec 12
Am I the only person who thinks that defenders making less than 4 tackles a game (on average) is a bit weird?!
--
Defenders making less tackles means the opposition is not breaking through so much now for them to have to make the tackle,because the midfield is stopping them .Spider is much better obviously with Cork along-side him as they complement each other well
Sainty saint saint
says...
1:50pm Fri 14 Dec 12
damoose wrote:But isn't this a Premier League-wide survey of players?
Sainty saint saint says...
11:13am Fri 14 Dec 12
Am I the only person who thinks that defenders making less than 4 tackles a game (on average) is a bit weird?!
--
Defenders making less tackles means the opposition is not breaking through so much now for them to have to make the tackle,because the midfield is stopping them .Spider is much better obviously with Cork along-side him as they complement each other well
That means there is no defender in the Premier League that makes more than an average of four tackles a game. Seems pretty weird to me, unless I'm misunderstanding what 'tackle' means nowadays.
CB FRY LIVES
says...
1:55pm Fri 14 Dec 12
Also i have heard that when he first came to england Arsenal wanted him as well as Saints.His career though has developed much better at Saints coming through the different divisions with the club than it would have done at Arsenal where. like so many others. he would have been in and out of their team.
What worries me though is the rumours that Arsene Wenger will be given a 50 million quid war chest in january and that possibly Morgan will be on his wants list.We need him at STMARYS to fight the good fight for us.
COYR.
right back in the bar
says...
1:58pm Fri 14 Dec 12
Sainty saint saint wrote:Its because most tackles nowadays are deemed fouls by refs who follow the instructions of the cretins who legislate the game and therefore don't count.
damoose wrote:But isn't this a Premier League-wide survey of players?
Sainty saint saint says...
11:13am Fri 14 Dec 12
Am I the only person who thinks that defenders making less than 4 tackles a game (on average) is a bit weird?!
--
Defenders making less tackles means the opposition is not breaking through so much now for them to have to make the tackle,because the midfield is stopping them .Spider is much better obviously with Cork along-side him as they complement each other well
That means there is no defender in the Premier League that makes more than an average of four tackles a game. Seems pretty weird to me, unless I'm misunderstanding what 'tackle' means nowadays.
TheSaintsMan
says...
2:07pm Fri 14 Dec 12
He is great at playmaking but is still too lightweight, and cannot beat the stronger midfield players. This is why I think we should play Steven Davis instead of Schneiderlin as Davis can pass as well as him and tackle much better.
right back in the bar
says...
2:16pm Fri 14 Dec 12
TheSaintsMan wrote:gets worse
Spider is a great playmaker for central midfield as a passer, but needs help with Cork or Davis as they are tacklers.
He is great at playmaking but is still too lightweight, and cannot beat the stronger midfield players. This is why I think we should play Steven Davis instead of Schneiderlin as Davis can pass as well as him and tackle much better.
right back in the bar
says...
2:22pm Fri 14 Dec 12
CB FRY LIVES wrote:Unfortunately this is one of the more accurate posts on this thread- Wenger has long benn an admirer and has had Morgan watched this season and even last season. We should not be surprised if there is a bid.
Spider has been a great servant for the club.When we went down to Division 1 the powers that be in the French national set up put him under a bit of pressure to leave the club as they deemed that playing english Division 1 football was not conducive to developing his career with the french under 21 side.
Also i have heard that when he first came to england Arsenal wanted him as well as Saints.His career though has developed much better at Saints coming through the different divisions with the club than it would have done at Arsenal where. like so many others. he would have been in and out of their team.
What worries me though is the rumours that Arsene Wenger will be given a 50 million quid war chest in january and that possibly Morgan will be on his wants list.We need him at STMARYS to fight the good fight for us.
COYR.
InCortesewetrust
says...
2:52pm Fri 14 Dec 12
alan.of.eastleigh wrote:You obviously are someone with very limited intelligence, but I applaud you as you do try hard, chin up lad!
scooter75 wrote:You don't know much about football do you.
A player of very limited ability but tries hard...
Taunton Saint
says...
5:41pm Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:unlike anything you have ever posted
Rising_Son wrote:comedy comment of the day......lol
The guy is class and will probably a regular in the French national team within the next 12 months.
Personally some of the PST Chairmans comments outside of court today made me laugh so hard, take a look at them Scooter which is where ya should be
KeefyH44
says...
8:45pm Fri 14 Dec 12
scooter75 wrote:A bit harsh! I'd swap our Lewis Dunk for him, (and yes I know it's not like for like but I always rated Spiderman), he'd fit niceley alongside Bridcutt or Dicker.
A player of very limited ability but tries hard...
hedge end bob
says...
10:51pm Fri 14 Dec 12
OSPREYSAINT wrote:Osprey he is a **** that i just ignore. He can only insult to try and get me to bite. Hell will freeze over before that happens , but he will never work it out by himself, so just let him get on with it, it dont worry me .
scooter75 wrote:Leave the abusive stuff out of it please, no need for that.
hedge end bob wrote:Cork in his backside more like paranoid bob.
He is playing much better with CORK back in the side. Cork allows Morgan to get forward more than at the begining of the season. long may it continue on our upward journey.
Cant someone let old Scooter's tyres down, i dont suppose the law courts will.
COYR.
hedge end bob
says...
10:55pm Fri 14 Dec 12
OSPREYSAINT wrote:Osprey he is a **** that i just ignore. He can only insult to try and get me to bite. Hell will freeze over before that happens , but he will never work it out by himself, so just let him get on with it, it dont worry me .
scooter75 wrote:Leave the abusive stuff out of it please, no need for that.
hedge end bob wrote:Cork in his backside more like paranoid bob.
He is playing much better with CORK back in the side. Cork allows Morgan to get forward more than at the begining of the season. long may it continue on our upward journey.
Cant someone let old Scooter's tyres down, i dont suppose the law courts will.
COYR.
dadofmy3sons
says...
7:39am Sat 15 Dec 12
The shshsh campaign was very effective against him, cannot handle being ignored.
BracknellSaint
says...
8:40am Sat 15 Dec 12
The problem with League One, and to a slightly, but not massively, lesser extent , in the Championship, is that they are at times brutally physical, and power and the ability to bully, were key. He should thrive in the Premier, as there is less of the battering ram attacks and 6foot 5 ,big ugly centre halves smashing you to pieces up in this league( Wet Spam and Stoke excluded).
No coincidence that our smooth passing football has improved further this year,eve though we're now in the top league.
scooter75 says...
10:00am Fri 14 Dec 12