Michael Dawson

[scaramanga]

I don't think he suits Hull's current 352. He's not mobile enough. Ultimately he's a good penalty box defender. He'll struggle until they move back to four at the back.

I think Dawson's precisely the kind of player that would benefit from having a sweeper in with him.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Whatever your opinion on him as a footballer, no-one could ever level the accusation that he didn't love this club, wasn't passionate for the shirt, he truly was an old school british blood and guts footballer - played the game for the love of it, with a smile, none of this flash'harry'ing around night clubs etc

The game has sadly moved on and is full of show ponies and athletes who can run all day, which was never Daws' game to be fair to him, but he always tried his best - he changed AVB's mind by fighting for his place when the easiest thing to do would have been to leave.

Decent bloke, decent footballer, spurs legend. Take a bow Michael Dawson, you deserve it.

Interestingly, there seems to be a massive dearth in quality in defenders at the moment. This was really shown at the WC when Hector Moreno and Hummels were about the only standout defenders. The generation of Nesta, Cannavaro, King, Ferdinand, Hierro, Stam etc. have never been succeeded.

The way the game is going at the moment, organisation, discipline and positioning are the most important qualities for CBs, more than height or pace.

 

[90291Spur]

I'm keeping my username.

If every player at Spurs gave as much of a fcuk as Dawson did we'd be in the top four every season.

Hear hear. Even in the good old days of player loyalty 9 1/2 years would have been a long time. Hopefully some of his attitude will stick around the place.

 

[braineclipse]

I don't think he suits Hull's current 352. He's not mobile enough. Ultimately he's a good penalty box defender. He'll struggle until they move back to four at the back.

Depends. If he's asked to play the position/role that Richard Dunne played for QPR against us he'll struggle big time. From what I've seen Hull defend quite differently from that despite having a back 3 and their back 3 is fairly compact and "in the box" when defending with quiet a bit of protection. Could do just fine I think.

I think Dawson's precisely the kind of player that would benefit from having a sweeper in with him.

Possibly. He will struggle if he's pulled wide frequently as the wide centre backs can be in a back 3. Just not his thing. Typically you would consider the sweeper being the central one of those in the back 3, right? I wonder if Bruce might put Dawson in that central role, always in the box, always back to goal. He's not a traditional sweeper, but I'm not sure Hull has played with a traditional sweeper so might not be an issue.

 

[scaramanga]

Possibly. He will struggle if he's pulled wide frequently as the wide centre backs can be in a back 3. Just not his thing. Typically you would consider the sweeper being the central one of those in the back 3, right? I wonder if Bruce might put Dawson in that central role, always in the box, always back to goal. He's not a traditional sweeper, but I'm not sure Hull has played with a traditional sweeper so might not be an issue.

Maybe I'm doing Bruce/Hull a disservice, but I didn't really imagine their wing backs getting too far forward.

 

[braineclipse]

Maybe I'm doing Bruce/Hull a disservice, but I didn't really imagine their wing backs getting too far forward.

Usually not, but even though the wing backs drop back into full backs in a back 5 it often becomes the job of one of the wide centre backs to cover for their full back. Whereas that defending is often done by the full back in cooperation with a winger/midfielder in most back 4 lineups. However you change it those wide central defenders will be pulled wide more often than if they played in a back 4 system, dealing with that is a key aspect of playing those positions imo.