Adam Lallana

[MrMichael]

Having struggled with PL and CL last season, we're going to need this expensive bench even more with the huge number of Europa games.

I think bench is the right place for Lallana. Ibe and Milner should be ahead of him in the pecking order. And the likes of Ings or Origi, if either hits it off well, could keep him further languishing there.

While I really like Ibe and think he has huge potential, I'm not sure he obviously outranks Lallana right now, particularly if we end up playing the diamond etc. Ings and Origi I would expect to play further forward.

Lallana as a player but he needs to gain more consistent fitness to be a success with us. I'm not sure he'd be in the absolute first XI after the summer but he'd certainly get a good number of games backing up the likes of Coutinho & Milner and occasionally playing wide in a 3.

[BigChief]

I've kind of lost all my faith with injured players this season. All the spirit I tried to keep up has been drained out of me. Lucas, Sakho, Sturridge and Lallana were all meant to be key for us, and they were when fit, but once they were out we were dead ducks in the race for top 4.

I want to rate Lallana higher I really do. But I keep remembering a comment I read from a Southampton fan saying he's a good player but good luck trying to keep him fit for a prolonged period to make any impact. This season I saw first hand what he was getting at.

[Phoenix07]

I think in a diamond, Lallana would be the back-up to Coutinho or even in central midfield.

He'll have a good number of games in the Europa League, cups, and some league games. He needs a sound pre-season and a primary position on the pitch, because playing left wing-back, right wing-back, left wing, right wing, attacking midfield, and even a striker position once doesn't help when trying to build some form.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I've kind of lost all my faith with injured players this season. All the spirit I tried to keep up has been drained out of me. Lucas, Sakho, Sturridge and Lallana were all meant to be key for us, and they were when fit, but once they were out we were dead ducks in the race for top 4.

I want to rate Lallana higher I really do. But I keep remembering a comment I read from a Southampton fan saying he's a good player but good luck trying to keep him fit for a prolonged period to make any impact. This season I saw first hand what he was getting at.

Wonder how much of that was sour grapes though. He was a first team starter for Southampton for six seasons and and he never played less than 30 league games in any of those seasons.

In six seasons as a first team starter for the Saints Lallana played in 229 league games which gives him an average of just over 38 league games a season.

The season before he joined us he played in all 38 league games for Southampton.

Pretty sure I read that his first season for us was his worst season (since becoming a first team starter) for minutes and games played in the league.

[Slinky Skills]

I anticipate that Lallana will have a really good season for us now that he's settled.

Just hoping that he won't pick up too many injuries as the season progresses.

[DannyMan2006]

Not sure Ibe had had a good game other than when he played as wing back.

[cream]

Had a good game after coming on in the second half. Thought he was England's best player

[RichC]

Aye, he played well and has that rare English trait in a footballer of having some real vision on the pitch

[Phoenix07]

He'll probably be Coutinho's back-up unless we ever play a 3-4-2-1 again.

[kev776]

He'll probably be Coutinho's back-up replacement

Corrected for you

[nineteen]

I think we'd have to know our preffered formation & style of play before selecting the ideal first XI.

If someone here figures that out, can you pass the info on to Brendan? I can see it being a big help in pre-season preparations.

[Gazzla]

Lallana is a quality footballer and a very intelligent player but I'm struggling to see where exactly he fits in or what vision we had for him when he signed?

He was hampered by injuries last season but you could still see the talent he has just not on a consistent basis but in fairness he wasn't alone.

[Daniel 7]

Massively overpriced squad player. A failure of a signing, but probably worth keeping around to attempt to extract some value out of him. A really strange one, as he has absolutely no resale value, having been signed as a 27 year old and on a 3 year contract. Seems like one of those Spurs types of players - although I would give them Lallana and cash for Eriksen, who we could have signed.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Lallana is a quality footballer and a very intelligent player but I'm struggling to see where exactly he fits in or what vision we had for him when he signed?

He was hampered by injuries last season but you could still see the talent he has just not on a consistent basis but in fairness he wasn't alone.

He was our best player for a period last year before tailing off terribly and not in sync with the teams form really. If he can reach the level of his good period and stay injury free he'll be an important player for us next season.

[microbe]

I have no doubt that he is a very good player in the right system. Perhaps we need Roy back as he seems to get good performances out of Lallana.