Where would Santon fit in our starting XI?
Posted on August 29th, 2011 | 41 Comments |
The 20 year old started plying his trade on the wing and gradually moved back to his current position as full back, or to be more precise, wing back and despite being right footed, can play on either flank and is always willing to terrorise both defenders and attackers with his raw pace.
You’ll all be glad to know that unlike most Italian players, this lad actually has strength and doesn’t go down screaming about how the wind knocked him off the ball and how it should be red carded for violent conduct. So there’s a bonus.
Of course, the title is a little bit sensationalist – he could walk into the squad in either full back position and he probably knows it. He fits into the continental style of right footers on the left wing and vice verse and as far as I know he could very well prefer the left flank – that is, after all, where he gets the most games.
The point remains: with the current form of Ryan Taylor, perhaps it could be Danny Simpson who stands to lose his position to the rising Italian star. Alternatively, he could also take Raylor’s spot at left back, leaving Raylor to move out to the right – we’ll only know when, or indeed if, he comes.
With the departure of Joey Barton to QPR and the absence of Guthrie due to injury, Ryan is left with a unique trait among our starting XI and he has proved that twice in as many games – the man is a dead ball specialist.
Yohan Cabaye is another player who fancies himself with a rocket of a set piece and now Barton has gone, he’s free to knock those corners in as often as he likes – but would you replace somebody like Ryan Taylor with the form he’s been in?
As Pardew himself said after that Sunderland game, whoever we get in for left back will have to be something special to remove him and it’s something I completely agree with. Ryan has earned his place and from his lack luster performances at right back the past few seasons, I have to say that I have full confidence in him and against Fulham we even saw him bombing up and down the flank to try and whip in crosses, or to free up some space for Jonas to… well, do something anyway.
So perhaps Santon’s arrival could signal the end of Simpson’s days in the starting XI?
I should make it clear that I personally think Simpson has done a decent job for us. At Fulham he started getting up to support Obertan in an effort to try and get an assist or two but his late challenges were almost reckless at times and resulted in a yellow card. Maybe the baby has been keeping him awake?
Santon has been touted by many to be the next Paolo Maldini and from what I’ve seen of him it certainly seems likely. He stands at 6 foot 2 and has pace to burn and, as mentioned earlier, is as strong as an Ox. (Note: Cheick Tioté was once thought to be as strong as an Ox but it turns out he’s actually Hercules reborn as a professional footballer.)
His agent, Claudio Vigorelli, had this to say:
“At this time there is no possibility that Santon can join Roma because right now the aim is Newcastle.”
While not a compliment I pay out lightly, the Daily Mail has been correct with a fair chunk of their transfer rumours and given the comments made by the lad’s agent, it certainly seems like not only has a fee been agreed but the player and his agent are trying to force the move – and that’s just fine by us.
There’s no doubt about it, Santon would be a great acquisition for us but somebody is going to have to step aside and I have a sneaking suspicion it isn’t going to be Ryan Taylor.
I’ll leave you with a video of when he was playing as a teenager in Inter’s first team.
NUFCBlog Author: Thump
Some say his bones are black and white but that is yet to be medically proven. Currently writes for a few different publications and likes to assert his imaginary authority on nobody in particular.
Beware: eats children.
Thump has written 36 articles on this blog.
Him and Raylor on RB and LB. Not sure who to play on which side though, both are right footed.