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Caceres Training With Saints ! Will He Play At Wembley !
Thursday, 9th Feb 2017 10:16

Martin Caceres has been pictured training with Saints at their Staplewood training complex, but will he be fit enough to play a part at Wembley ?

Martin Caceres has passed his medical and has now been pictured by his agent on twitter kitted out in Saints training kit and joining his new team mates ahead of the game against Sunderland.

It is unlikely that the Uruguayan defender will play a part in that game though as he is still awaiting the red tape surrounding his work permit to be sorted out.

Although the appeals process is relatively quick it will still mean that he probably won't be signed in time for the trip to Sunderland, however it could be that he is thrown in at the deep end and could make his Saints debut at Wembley against Manchester United.

Ryan Bertrand will perhaps be able to offer him some advice on this as although he had already made a few appearances for Chelsea in the Premier League, when he started the 2012 Champions League final, he had never before played in that competition when he helped his then club to a win over Bayern Munich in his Champions League debut.

But there are two questions than will need answering about whether Caceres will feature at Wembley.

The first is fitness, he hasn't played for nearly a year due to an achilles tendon rupture, but you would hope that in that time he has been keeping himself relatively fit and that now he is back training with a club that he could be got to somewhere near match fitness quickly.

By the time that Wembley arrives Saints will have had just under three weeks to assess the situation, that will be good enough to get him to a level where he can play matches, but the real question is match sharpness.

My view is that we can get him to a satisfactory fitness level and if we can slot him into a U23 game or two in the meantime it should sharpen up his levels up enough to put him in consideration for a place in the starting line up.

That in itself asks a question within a question and that is if he is fit should he play ahead of Jack Stephens who has had to fit into the squad with little experience.

To drop Stephens would be harsh after his heroics at Anfield in the second leg, but the stark truth is that in the games since the pairing of Yoshida and Stephens is just not good enough for the level that we require.

I don't like to run down either player, both are good servants to the club and will give the proverbial 110% and run through brick walls, but the truth is neither is good enough at this level, yes you can perhaps get away with playing either alongside a quality experienced defender like Virgil Van Dijk for short bursts, but long term they are not conistent enough and together as a pair as recent results have shown it does not work.

So I would be looking at getting Caceres into the starting line up at Wembley, he will have the experience and quality to slot into te defence without having played much lately, there is no substitute for class and we desperately need that in the centre of defence at the moment.

Harsh on Yoshida and Stephens yes, but we have to forget sentiment and go with the best side for winning the game.

If Caceres is not fit to play then I seriously worry about our ability to defend in the final, yes for long periods against both Swansea and West Ham we were solid, but twice in the game in Wales and three times against the Hammers a lack of concentration and discipline at the back cost us goals, we cannot let that happen.

Having said that both proved at Liverpool, sometimes a combination of effort, luck and team spirit can get you through a tough game and if both have to play then perhaps they have it in them to play the game of their lives, in many respects the difference between say Yoshida and a top central defender is consistency, the likes of Van Dijk do it week in week out and keep their concentration levels, Yoshida can be brilliant but then let his standards drop in a game that can cost us goals.

I remember the last time we played in a final against Manchester United, back then our central defenders were seen as not good enough to subdue a free scoring United attack, but they dug in had the game of their lives and we won the trophy, can history repeat itself ?


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highfield49 added 10:32 - Feb 9
Great to speculate whilst he hasn't even got a work permit but I'd be inclined to get him on the bench and involved with the players whilst building fitness in training. If he's able to play even part of a match it shouldn't take him too long to adjust to his surroundings. This guy isn't a non league novice, he's played at the top level.
0

Sanguin added 10:48 - Feb 9
If I were Southampton management I'd be looking to organise a behind-closed-doors friendly with another Premier League club, knocked out of the FA Cup, on the weekend of 18 February.
3

highfield49 added 10:56 - Feb 9
That makes a lot of sense Sanguin, in the meantime it wouldn't be a surprise to see Bertrand taking up a central roll at Sunderland. If Caceres, for whatever reason, can't start at Wembley Puel might be looking again, short term, to stabilize the centre. So would Stephens or Yoshi make way?
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LordDZLucan added 11:10 - Feb 9
I have to agree with everything you’ve said, Nick. Yoshi is great alongside a van Dijk and Stephens has great promise but has a lot to learn. Together they’re not yet a unit. But, if there’s one position where a lack of match fitness doesn’t hurt you so much it’s centre back. Positional sense is far more important. I’d put Caceres into the team as soon as we can.
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highfield49 added 11:12 - Feb 9
Oooops, make that central role.
0

SaintJez added 11:32 - Feb 9
Yeah - we're not paying these wages for him to sit on the bench. if he's physically fit, he plays. he'll have to get match fit on the pitch!

The big thing about playing centre back is knowing your other defenders and playing as a unit. That usually means 1 dominant voice and the others work off him. For Saints, Fonte has always been that and VVD picks up the mantle when he's not in the team. Alas, neither Yoshi or Stephens really seem to demonstrate that for one reason or another. I expect Caceres is a leader but there'll be a language barrier. They have 2 weeks to sort that out on the training pitch. I highly doubt he'll play against Sunderland whether the work permit arrives or not as he won't be physically ready by then.
0

saintsnutcase added 12:01 - Feb 9
The news about VVD wanting to stay longer is a very big deal and can move our club to another level.
0

SanMarco added 12:23 - Feb 9
This guy has to play - the whole point of the exercise is that he is better than both Yoshi and Stephens. As to match fitness - he has just had a long 'rotation'....
3

helpineedsomebody added 13:36 - Feb 9
If Marcus liebheir is watching now he must be thinking Mr doff you told me if you were given the tools to bring the youth through to the 1st team It would save me from raiding my bank account to pay for proper players.
Mr dof you have had 7 years to get these young guns through plus you said why only get one player through per season when if you spend 40million pounds on a new training centre I will get you 6 youth players through per season well now we see jack Stephens coming through plus few other half wits you must be delusional.
Man u centre forward must be licking his lips to play against our 2 centre backs.
Illingsworth I not sure you were at wembley in1976 but I was and I can tell you Mel blyth Jim steel were class centre backs they were the real deal
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pintsizedsaint added 15:26 - Feb 9
Saitnsutcase - absolutely: the news about VVD wanting to stay is immense but will it get the attention it deserves in the local based media?

If Carceres stays fit and performs at previous levels, you have a pretty amazing CB line up there with VVD.
0

dixiefrog added 16:28 - Feb 9
For me where Caceres is concerned then it's a no for Sunderland and a maybe for Wembley, I think the combined effect of licence and match fitness may scupper the latter of the two. That said, I suspect that the club may have only brought in Caceres with a view to ensuring that we stay in the premiership, and that the club aren't too interested in winning the trophy. If true then it's devastating for the fans but business as usual for the club.
-2

SanMarco added 16:37 - Feb 9
This picture of him training - the Echo says he is not allowed in the country until he gets the permit so presumably this was just a photo op after the medical??
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SaintBrock added 16:53 - Feb 9
"If Carceres stays fit and performs at previous levels, you have a pretty amazing CB line up there with VVD".

Imagine if we start like that next year and Boufal & Gabbiadini are the super stars we hope they will be up front....

I can't wait, when are the STs on sale?
1

SaintBrock added 16:56 - Feb 9
If we win this Cup do we not qualify for the Europa League next season? Common sense says we will go all out to win it.
1

SaintJez added 18:22 - Feb 9
Without question we will go all out to win the Cup! even saints and crazy rotation policies wouldn't throw a cup final played after 2 weeks of solid rest!!!!

This is our cup. this is our time. believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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aceofthebase added 20:11 - Feb 9
Why don't you come clean Nick, You have a dartboard with Yoshis face on. Pity your poisonous barbs are easily recognised by your contributors. Not sure that you are premiership webpage material and perhaps, try as you do, you would be more suited to Portsmouth
2

SaintBrock added 12:14 - Feb 10
If Maya scores the winner at Wembley Nick will still chide him for missing three others. There's an agenda there but can't fathom it myself.
1


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