When Saints signed Portugese right back Cedric Soares there were high hopes that he would be as good as if not better that his predecessor Nathaniel Clyne, Soares has made a mixed start to his Saints career however so did Clyne.

There is a tendency if football to forget that a footballer does not magically make his debut being the finished article, even the likes of the wonderkids we have brought through and sold early like Walcott, Bale, Shaw & Oxlade Chamberlain were far from being a great player when they made their debuts for Saints, they had potential and often that potential made people forget that they weren't the best player in the side indeed even their own position.

Perhaps that's why all four initially struggled with their big club moves when they initially went, Bale apart perhaps the other three have yet to really reach their full potential, but that is another story.

Nathaniel Clyne is possibly the best right back in England at the moment and a shoe in for the World Cup, his transfer to Liverpool after a great season in 2014/15 perhaps makes Saints fans forget that his three years at the club were not ones of Clyne being the star. his first season started dreadfully as Saints conceded 14 goals in the opening 4 Premier League games and Clyne after conceding an own goal at Arsenal in the fourth of those was making some feel we had bought a dud.

Of course he established himself that season, but in the next yes he was blighted by injury but for some parts he found himself on the bench with Chambers being preferred. When the big clubs came calling in the summer of 2014 Clyne's name was not being mentioned.

It was only last season that he found himself considered truly a quality Premier league player and blossomed into the player he now is.

The moral of that story is that we have to give his replacement Cedric Soares time to establish himself in the right back spot and the Portugese International does not have the luxury like Clyne of not only being English but of several seasons playing in England already to his name.

Some Saints fans were questioning Soares before they had seen him kick a ball live in the Premier League, all they saw was the fact that he had to be substituted at half time as he was on a yellow card and being given a torrid time, they conveniently forgot that he had put in a great cross for the opening goal from Pelle, those at Newcastle were obviously concerned that the pace of the Premier League might be too quick for him, but getting caught out by that pace is not always a question of being too slow to adapt to it.

When those supporters saw Soares benched for the Midtylland games and Yoshida played they assumed that he as being dropped because he wasn't good enough, in fact it was tactical by Ronald Koeman, he knew he needed height for the Danes set pieces at corners and throw ins and Yoshida offered that.

Apart from that Soares was settling in quietly he started the first five Premier League games and in the final three of those we kept clean sheets, Soares was then dropped for the visit of Manchester United and to be fair this was a rare tactical error from the manager, Ronald Koeman doesn't get much wrong but he did here.

However Soares was back for the trip to MK Dons and the subsequent league game against Swansea on Saturday.

So can Soares or Cedric as he likes to be known become as good a player for Saints as Clyne ? The answer is yes.

The big perception amongst some Saints fans dating from that Newcastle game is that Soares is slow, especially when compared to Clyne, that is not quite correct, Clyne last season was clocked at 21.43 mph ( Ryan Bertrand at 21.18) which in Premier League terms is fast, this year against Watford, Soares was clocked at 21.58 which is of course a little faster.

These things aren't exact in that distances can vary and that can make a difference in a players true speed, but it does prove that Soares is no slouch.

Some Saints watchers like myself have claimed that Saints poor defensive record in "some" games has been down to a lack of pace, that can't be denied, but the reality is that in the main it has not been on Soares side of the pitch and in truth the goals conceded almost all can be put down to individual error and lapse in concentration by those individuals.

So Soares like Clyne three years ago, has had the misfortune to start his Saints career in a defence that has been all at sea for one reason or another, but now that defence is complete after the arrival of Virgil Van Dijk and the return of Ryan Bertrand we will start to see the true class of Soares.

I think that we will see a player who like Clyne will get up the line and create chances, in fact he already has, last season Saints scored only 3 goals from headers in the Premier League, this season we have already scored 4 including Van Dijk's goal on Saturday and Soares crossing ability has played a part in that, he has already put in 30 crosses so far n the 6 Premier games he has played.

Some have accused Saints of being too long ball this season, Im not one of them, I just think that Ronald koeman has wanted us to get the ball into the box a iittle bit more often, great runs and long passing moves are great, but sometimes at the end of last season we over elaborated and too often did not get in crosses and shots when we should have done, I do not think we will see that with Soares.

So I think he has the ability to be as good a player as Clyne, in regards pace I think Clyne has a better engine ie he can sprint for longer distances, but Soares is a little more like Luke Shaw, his pace is ver a short distance to get him out of trouble or for that quick burst forward.

Soares since that torrid time at Newcastle has quietl got on with the job and shown just why we bought him, now the defence is back to full strength and will allow him to attack more I think we will truly reap the benefit

Photo: Action Images

arthurfane added 09:34 - Sep 30 A friend of mine is a Sporting Lisbon fan and was DELIGHTED they had got rid of Cedric, especially as they received a fee! I am yet to see why - he is quick, takes on his man and regularly puts dangerous balls into the box. He has struggled on the occasion but that is bound to happen as he settles into the PL. Only downside is he is very short for a defender which could make him vulnerable from the set-piece. Was curious to see Koeman highlight his supposed defensive vulnerability pre-Man Utd game. Surely now teams will target him in matches?! Confident he can be a hugely important for Saints in the coming years!

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tiptop added 09:36 - Sep 30 Suarez handled himself against Jefferson monstero ok. I was worried home being isolated when montero came on. He does look a little suspect defensively...something clyne didn't. I remember clynes perfectly timed tackle against Aguero 1st game back in the prem and noticing from that point he had great recovery and tackling ability. Time will tell w Suarez but his natural strength is getting forward...w pace.

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SaintPaulVW added 11:23 - Sep 30 He's started during a very unsettled period at the back. He's a different player from Clyne and it's unrealistic to expect every new recruit to fit straight in. Needs a bit of time to adapt and a confidence boost from Ron and hopefully we'll see the best of him.
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SaintBrock added 14:03 - Oct 1 Why not? Clyne wasn't much cop when he arrived here.
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