Morgan Schneiderlin Loss A Blow But Not Terminal Friday, 1st May 2015 12:40 Losing Morgan Schneiderlin for the rest of the season is not good news, but it is not the devastating blow that some would have you think. Morgan Schneiderlin has been a great player for Saints of that there can be no denial and he has had another excellent season, but his loss through injury in the final four games will not affect the run in too much. I said last summer before the sales started that if Saints were going to lose one player then it would Be Schneiderlin that we could most afford to lose, that was no reflection on his talent or ability but on the fact that we had a lot of options in the centre of the midfield. We still have most of those options now and that is why Schneiderlin's injury will not be as big a problem as losing Nathaniel Clyne could be or indeed Fraser Forster has been. The first reason why not is that in Schneiderlin and Wanyama we have two of the best defensive midfield players in the Premier, that is good when you are playing the likes of Chelsea Arsenal or United when you need to hold the centre and win the ball, but as was shown against Hull City recently, play them both together and you are struggling to move the ball forward quickly and effectively in the centre of the park and two holding players arent needed. In the first half of the season Ronald Koeman often rotated Wanyama and Jack Cork, recognising that in some games he needed more strength and in others more attacking flair, Cork was not the best passer or goalscorer, but what he did do best wasmove the ball quickly and efficiently to the likes of Tadic who could create, Im convinced that when Cork was injured and subsequently left this affected tadic who wasn't getting the ball quick enough, before he had space in front of him, now he often found he was closed down before he got the chance to use it. So in our next three games the fact that out of neccesity we will only be playing one of Wanyama and Schneiderlin is no bad thing, in all honesty i would have played them both if they were fit, we can now have two central midfielders who can move the ball quicker, Steven Davis can do this, James Ward Prowse can and so can Harrison Reed so we have options. For the final game against City obviously we would have preferred to have had both Morgan and Victor in the centre but that doesnt mean we can't use Alderweireld, Reed or davis in a deeper position alongside Wanyama. I would have preferred to have had Schneiderlin available, I would have started him on Saturday, but also I wouldnt have started Wanyama alongside him so it is swings and roundabouts. Horses for courses though, we can now take the game to Sunderland, Leicester and Villa, out of neccessity they will each have to attack us and that will suit us. Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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