Im sorry if there is a feeling of deja vu in this latest player review of season 12/13, as we look at Jose Fonte.
The sad truth of this latest review is that I could quite easily have cut and pasted the reviews of both Yoshida and Hooiveld into this one and indeed could have interchanged any of the individual reviews to any of the other two central defenders.
That says something about the season, given that only four teams conceded more than us and that most would claim we have two of the best full backs in the league, the blame for this has to be squarely in one area, thats perhaps why I dont blame any individual, but collectively Jose Fonte, Jos Hooiveld and Yoshida were not up to the standards required in the Premier League, their problems were almost identical, at times they would be strong, but then they would lose concentration and concede sloppy goals, stick a pin at random into the fixture list and the chances are that a sloppy goal was conceded somewhere along the line, not always our central three, but more often than not.
In terms of how well he performed Jose Fonte was probably the middle ground of the three centre halves, like most of the defence he started badly, getting caught in the final minute of the 2nd game of the season against Wigan, but he did improve, probably more than the other two he was suited to the Premier League, although like them those lapses of concentration were evident.
As Xmas approached and turned into the new year it looked like we might have turned a corner defensively, Jose was forming a partnership of sorts with Yoshida and the emergence of Boruc seemed to bode well, but then disaster struck and Jose suffered an injury in the FA Cup tie against Chelsea, this would keep him out for two months, although he would return later in the season, but in the closing games Pochettino seemed unsure of his best partnership in the centre and a look at the team lists shows a bit of mix and match at the back in the final games, with Yoshida possibly with a knock being an unused sub in the final three games, perhaps the manager was trying to decide which of Fonte and Hooiveld would be staying next season ?
If Saints are to push on they need changes in the central area, they need quality and ideally would bring in two central defenders of the calibre needed, that being the case I would see Yoshida as the immediate back up and perhaps one of Fonte & Hooiveld as fourth choice, that is of course assuming that Forren isnt that mythical collossus kept in wraps that has been suggested in some quarters.
If Saints bring in only one central defender then Fonte could get a look in, if they bring in two then I fear that his chances will be limited and that Hooiveld will be loaned out, some will say this is unfair, but if we are to not only retain our Premierhsip place but consolidate it and look for that top ten finish or higher, then their is no room for sentiment Im afraid and we have to move on.
6/10 for Jose Fonte, I would have liked to have given him more, but the reality is that when you look at the contribution Artur Boruc made, add to that the promise of Clyne and Shaw, then there has to be a weak link somewhere at the back and its in the centre.