The case for the defence

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

I dont watch foreign football so I dont know who the latest big names defenders out there are, but from the European and Interbagional games I've seen there aren't many outstanding centrebacks available. Very few know how to defend as they are protected by a bank of blokes in front of them who dont allow anyone to run at them and if the balls in the air they either fall over and get a free kick or wrestle the striker. Few will have played in such a competitive league or had to play more than 8 tough games a season. If we buy a foreign defender I would prefer a northern European as it's probably easier for them to settle in Britain.

 

[Finney Is Back]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1363901610192216064

Ain’t nobody was bullying that defence...

View attachment 11112

Hmmmm..... One excellent signing at centre back to add to the absolutely top class player already there....

Our options there currently are so poor that I think Fazio would be first choice by a fair margin.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Evans wouldn't be a good example, they took a risk with him (and for the money, it was good one), but I could imagine this board's reaction if we had went for Evan's when available (an over 30 United reject who was banned for spitting on others, who spent 3 loans out, then 3 years with relegation fodder). People would brick all over that transfer, Levy being skint, etc.

There were a few of us on here that wanted us to sign Evans. I remember watching West Brom play us at Wembley and he gave a defensive masterclass that day. Would’ve been a very good squad option for us, especially as he doesn’t take up an overseas space.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I dont watch foreign football so I dont know who the latest big names defenders out there are, but from the European and Interbagional games I've seen there aren't many outstanding centrebacks available. Very few know how to defend as they are protected by a bank of blokes in front of them who dont allow anyone to run at them and if the balls in the air they either fall over and get a free kick or wrestle the striker. Few will have played in such a competitive league or had to play more than 8 tough games a season. If we buy a foreign defender I would prefer a northern European as it's probably easier for them to settle in Britain.

There are several good defenders ripe for signing in Germany with only a year left on their contracts.... there is even a ready made pair of them at Monchengladbach!

 

[Finney Is Back]

Yep, it's a good place to play, the only issue was Chelsea and City caught on and started hording a fair amount of those players.

There are hundreds of good players out there.... Chelsea and City can’t and don’t hoard them all.

Leicester have the best transfer policy right now in the PL IMO. In Europe I think Dortmund, Leipzig, Monaco, Lille and Leverkusen are good clubs to study.... I would imagine all have (or until very recently had) a very good DoF or person in charge of recruitment.

 

[DTA]

It's probably been said in here before but as our center backs are so bad apart from Toby. And constantly demonstrate that they don't learn from their mistakes. Would it not be better to play Tanganga and Rodon and at least then when they make mistakes they could potentially at least learn from them?

 

[Finney Is Back]

It's probably been said in here before but as our center backs are so bad apart from Toby. And constantly demonstrate that they don't learn from their mistakes. Would it not be better to play Tanganga and Rodon and at least then when they make mistakes they could potentially at least learn from them?

Not sure that Tanganga is a CH.... The Rodon situation though seems very strange. Jose only putting him against one of the best front three’s in the league and never since seems weird?

 

[billyiddo]

Not sure that Tanganga is a CH.... The Rodon situation though seems very strange. Jose only putting him against one of the best front three’s in the league and never since seems weird?

Strange that he wasn't included in the European squad too - if my senior CBs were consistently to blame for my team conceding goals and losing matches then I wouldn't be worried about dropping one out of the Euro squad.

I'd probably be playing the CB who's shown the most promise all season more often as well.

 

[DTA]

Not sure that Tanganga is a CH.... The Rodon situation though seems very strange. Jose only putting him against one of the best front three’s in the league and never since seems weird?

I think Tanganga is only a CH doesn't have enough going forward to be a RB starter and is an emergency LB at best.
Why do you think he may not be a CH?

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

I think Tanganga is only a CH doesn't have enough going forward to be a RB starter and is an emergency LB at best.
Why do you think he may not be a CH?

I dont like young players at centreback it's the most important part of defence and you need experience as well as talent, with more games under his belt he could a decent centreback. I'm not concerned about fullbacks being forwards as their job is to defend, a team end up with someone having to play as a cover for them like Sissoko, better to have a good defender and midfielder rather than a good attacking fullback and an average midfielder.

 

[Baleforce]

It's probably been said in here before but as our center backs are so bad apart from Toby. And constantly demonstrate that they don't learn from their mistakes. Would it not be better to play Tanganga and Rodon and at least then when they make mistakes they could potentially at least learn from them?

I'd say the same applies for Whiteman, if even now he's not a better option than the other two why was he given a new contract?

 

[DubSpur]

I dont like young players at centreback it's the most important part of defence and you need experience as well as talent, with more games under his belt he could a decent centreback. I'm not concerned about fullbacks being forwards as their job is to defend, a team end up with someone having to play as a cover for them like Sissoko, better to have a good defender and midfielder rather than a good attacking fullback and an average midfielder.

Catch 22, if you don't play him how is he going to get that experience?
The job of a modern FB is not only to defend but to get forward when possible.

 

[elltrev]

I dont like young players at centreback it's the most important part of defence and you need experience as well as talent, with more games under his belt he could a decent centreback. I'm not concerned about fullbacks being forwards as their job is to defend, a team end up with someone having to play as a cover for them like Sissoko, better to have a good defender and midfielder rather than a good attacking fullback and an average midfielder.

I know what you mean, but I think the trouble is that Dier and Sanchez are both playing terribly at CB despite having much more senior experience than Tanganga. And in his few starts at CB, I think Tanganga's looked hugely promising (and less mistake-prone). So I think he'll be better now and in the future than those two, so personally I'd like to see him starting alongside Toby.

 

[Raziel]

I know what you mean, but I think the trouble is that Dier and Sanchez are both playing terribly at CB despite having much more senior experience than Tanganga. And in his few starts at CB, I think Tanganga's looked hugely promising (and less mistake-prone). So I think he'll be better now and in the future than those two, so personally I'd like to see him starting alongside Toby.

Logic says -> Tanganga and Rodon "could do no worse"

Reality is -> Sanchez shows you what destroying a CB's confidence can do, the risk is you play Rodon and Tanganga and we get hammered and it kills their confidence, combined with their inexperience it could damage their careers. My assumption is we are protecting them somewhat.

That said, very soon we will likely have no choice ..

 

[elltrev]

Logic says -> Tanganga and Rodon "could do no worse"

Reality is -> Sanchez shows you what destroying a CB's confidence can do, the risk is you play Rodon and Tanganga and we get hammered and it kills their confidence, combined with their inexperience it could damage their careers. My assumption is we are protecting them somewhat.

That said, very soon we will likely have no choice ..

Yeah personally I don't think we should play Tanganga alongside Rodon. I'd be playing Toby alongside Tanganga in the Europa (or midweek PL games), and Dier/Sanchez (pick your poison) alongside Rodon/Tanganga (depending on Tanganga's fitness and EL performances) in the PL. But yeah if mistakes started to slip into Tanganga / Rodon's games too, then I can certainly see the argument for protecting them. (I don't think Toby's been as mistake-prone though, even if he's not at his best, so I think he'd be a good partner for Tanganga. And Tanganga's looked confident and capable when he's played so far).

 

[Raziel]

Yeah personally I don't think we should play Tanganga alongside Rodon. I'd be playing Toby alongside Tanganga in the Europa (or midweek PL games), and Dier/Sanchez (pick your poison) alongside Rodon/Tanganga (depending on Tanganga's fitness and EL performances) in the PL. But yeah if mistakes started to slip into Tanganga / Rodon's games too, then I can certainly see the argument for protecting them. (I don't think Toby's been as mistake-prone though, even if he's not at his best, so I think he'd be a good partner for Tanganga. And Tanganga's looked confident and capable when he's played so far).

Got to compensate for left sided thing

- Tanganga/Rodon
- Toby/Rodon
- Tanganga/Dier (Europa)

all work

 

[elltrev]

Got to compensate for left sided thing

- Tanganga/Rodon
- Toby/Rodon
- Tanganga/Dier (Europa)

all work

I'm not sure I buy this hard and fast rule that only Dier and Rodon can play on the left. What are you basing it on? Just who's played there to date? I mean Dier's looked crap playing there, so I can't imagine Toby being much worse. And Tanganga's played there this season, and I'm pretty sure last season (and even at left back before).

 

[Finney Is Back]

I'm not sure I buy this hard and fast rule that only Dier and Rodon can play on the left. What are you basing it on? Just who's played there to date? I mean Dier's looked crap playing there, so I can't imagine Toby being much worse. And Tanganga's played there this season, and I'm pretty sure last season (and even at left back before).

Often it just comes from how comfortable the player is in passing with his left foot (as quite often the centre back would be making a pass up the line to the fullback).

 

[Grays_1890]

Personally I would go back to push Dier up with PEH who needs the partner clearly as the two in him and Ndombele do we don't work, PEH looked horendous again recently. Then stick with Rodon and Toby in the league. Windows closed nothing to lose, gotta be better than the 5 losses in 6 selections

Sent from my Nokia 2.4 using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app

 

[Finney Is Back]

Personally I would go back to push Dier up with PEH who needs the partner clearly as the two in him and Ndombele do we don't work, PEH looked horendous again recently. Then stick with Rodon and Toby in the league. Windows closed nothing to lose, gotta be better than the 5 losses in 6 selections

Sent from my Nokia 2.4 using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app

Dier is even worse in midfield than he is in defence.... he is an absolute dream opponent for a pressing team.