Caulker to go out on loan! (Sorry Beth)

Yes, good post and dam good to get rid of a player that most of us could see was a mismatch for our club.
Hopefully, we can add a defensive player better suited to our style of play. The good news keeps coming.

 

Yes, if I understand you correctly: if you assume most clubs are doing a better pre-season than us, our late recruits may indeed have had a better pre-season than our current squad in terms of match fitness . However, they won't have played with their new team mates or learned how our coach wants them to play. One is tempted to use the "gel" word and I am sure we will hear more of that once the season gets under way.

 

Thought we agreed to never use the term 'gel' after Mark Hughes left. It was his mantra, and neverending excuse.

But I do get what you're saying, it is of course important for the players to get to know one another.

 

In contrast, all our new players seem to speak excellent English and will be adapt easily. Someone like James Perch should not take long to adapt to a passing/pressing style of play; after all its how Wigan played during their successful year in the Championship (before losing to us).

 

In what way was a player relegated with Cardiff a mismatch for QPR Aussie? As our style of play basically ensured losing most weeks Caulker was the perfect match!!

Seriously though surely getting rid of an 8 mill player after one poor season (in a very poor team) smacks of some rather short term thinking at the club IMO. Good players have dips in form - surely the club realise that?

 

Some stats on him:-

Steven Caulker has joined Southampton on a season-long loan from Queens Park Rangers ahead of the 2015/16 season.

Southampton yesterday completed the season-long loan signing of Queens Park Rangers defender Steven Caulker.

Caulker started his career at Tottenham but has been relegated from the Premier League in the past two seasons with Cardiff City and QPR respectively.

He is expected to fill the defensive void left by Toby Alderweireld's move to Tottenham and the serious knee injury sustained by Florin Gardos.

The 23-year-old has been allocated the No 26 shirt at St Mary's, where the season starts with Thursday's Europa League tie against Vitesse Arnhem. Following the Englishman's return to the Premier League, here are a few stats...

74 - Only one defender (Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic 74) has made more Premier League appearances in the last two seasons than Steven Caulker (73).

672 - Meanwhile, only Liverpool's Martin Skrtel (722) and Swansea's Ashley Williams (686) have made more clearances in the last two Premier League seasons than the 23-year-old (672).

4.2 - Having won 4.2 aerial duels per game, no defender among Queens Park Rangers or Southampton's ranks won more headers per average appearance than Caulker. Richard Dunne proved his closest competitor (2.7 per game).

1.1 - However, having won just 1.1 tackles per match, the Englishman ranks last in this key area, compared to the central defenders at St. Mary's and Loftus Road last season.

1 - Caulker averaged one block per appearance for Queens Park Rangers last term; a total only bettered by Dunne (1.2). Meanwhile, Toby Alderweireld (0.8) proved his closest competitor at Southampton.

 

Ronald Koeman key to Steven Caulker redemption at Southampton

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Steven Caulker has the potential to be a fine addition.

Only three years after having the world at his feet, Steven Caulker has arrived at Southampton on a season-long loan hoping Ronald Koeman can help restore his damaged reputation.

It was June 2012 when Caulker signed a new four-year contract at Tottenham, having impressed during a loan spell at then-Premier League newcomers Swansea. Caulker's form at the Liberty Stadium also earned him a place in Great Britain's Olympic squad for the London games and a maiden England cap in the 4-2 friendly defeat against Sweden -- a match more remembered for Zlatan Ibrahimovich's stunning overhead kick than the centre back's debut goal.

His departure from White Hart Lane in the summer of 2013 to join Cardiff for £8 million came as a surprise given he had played more than 20 games for Tottenham in the preceding season and his return to Wales heralded the start of a downward curve in the centre back's career.


Despite being one of Cardiff's standout players he could not rescue the Bluebirds from an immediate return to the Championship but his performances were enough to persuade Harry Redknapp to take him to Queens Park Rangers for around £8m following their promotion to the Premier League.
Like many of the Rangers squad hastily and expensively assembled by Redknapp, Caulker failed to impress at Loftus Road and Chris Ramsey was even forced to defend the Londoner after he came under fire from supporters on social media following the 6-0 defeat away at Manchester City which confirmed their relegation.

That is why his arrival at the St Mary's Stadium represents something of a gamble for Koeman, whose wheeling and dealing in the transfer market over the past 13 months has been nothing short of exceptional after being forced to sell half his squad.

Koeman is banking on Caulker rediscovering the form he showed prior to his Tottenham departure, which catapulted him into the national spotlight that night in Stockholm. At the time it appeared more England recognition would follow but he is in danger of adding his name alongside the likes of Kevin Davies in England's list of one-cap wonders.

Whether the 23-year-old can get back to his previous best may depend on how badly he has been scarred by the experience of suffering two successive relegations and Koeman's first job will be to rebuild his fragile confidence.

The Southampton manager already used the loan market well last season to recruit Belgium international Toby Alderweireld from Atletico Madrid when clubs were hardly queuing up for his signature. Alderweireld's switch to Tottenham this summer, while ruining Koeman's plan to recruit him permanently, is an indication of how he flourished under the Dutchman's guidance last season.

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Koeman has used the loan market well.

Many Southampton supporters were dubious about the signing of left-back Ryan Bertrand when he was borrowed from Chelsea to replace Manchester United-bound Luke Shaw but the Champions League winner more than repaid Koeman's leap of faith to earn a full-time move.
A legendary defender in his own right, Koeman has the skillset to get the best out of his players, especially at the back. He can take responsibility for the incredible form of Saints captain Jose Fonte, who was named supporters' and players' Player of the Year at the club's end of season awards and belatedly established himself in the Portugal squad at the age of 31.

England right-back Nathaniel Clyne was another player who improved under Koeman's guidance, adding goals and a greater freedom to his play to earn a move to Liverpool.

Caulker will be Koeman's next project and, after being unveiled as Southampton's sixth summer signing, the centre-back admitted he need to "prove himself." If he shows the mental fortitude to overcome the issues of the last few years, it could be a perfect match as Southampton were in dire need of new defensive partner for Fonte in the wake of Alderweireld's departure, coupled with a serious knee injury sustained by their Romanian international Florin Gardos. Caulker needs to take the road to redemption, but if anyone can help him get there it is Koeman.

Alex Crook is a national newspaper journalist, commentator and author. Follow him on Twitter @alex_crook

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/southa...-key-to-steven-caulker-redemption-southampton

 

A couple of 'friends and family' comments emerging through social media sources suggest that Steven Caulker was not fully bought into the transition taking place at W12. If the thoughts attributed are valid, then any player that lacks belief, and thinks that the clubs is 'badly run' and 'Ramsey is a nightmare' ought to be moved on.

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/forum/150693/page:6/#.Vbx7Ek1RGUk

On this basis, the loan move is a smart one from Sir Les and Sir Alf.

Let's not forget that Joey Barton was in exactly the same position a couple of seasons ago; in that instance, the loan move provided the much needed space, and he returned fully committed to the cause.

As such, there's hope yet!

 

He's a mule?

 

Well, if it was Paddy Kenny instead....