Gallas

Gallas won't be dropped, I just can't see it happening.

I agree that he should be and that Naughton should go left with Caulker and Verts in the centre. However, managers seem to get a stiffy over these veteran players that have been around in top teams for ages. They seem to think that they've got the mentality and experience to drive a team forward.

Gallas clearly thinks he is the bollocks, always has done, and probably trains as such with a hell of a lot of confidence strutting his stuff around the training ground. As a result of him acting like he is the bollocks managers see a confident veteran, and in their eyes that's captain material. Not always the best choice but works for some.

I wish Dawson had the legs to keep up with quick players as he is captain material for me. Vocal, brave, determined and hard working.

Peter Beagrie was in the panel for Norwegian TV2 today, and he said something along the lines of;

"I think Gallas forgot he's no longer a Chelsea player today"

He was very poor, but on the other hand he's probably a better choice to play alongside Caulker than what Dawson is. He cost us the game today, but when you look at the injury situation in our defence we don't really have any other viable options.

Having said that, he was truly absolutely shocking today. Cost us the game.

I think Gallas should be sold and question why he was made captain which then makes it more difficult to drop him.

dawsfan said:

I reckon maybe this is a touchy subject, but I really do believe that Gallas has made to many errors to be on the pitch anymore. As much as I would like to see Dawson on the pitch, I would take anyone over Gallas. He cost us three goals today and not to mention others in other games, he is not the right man for the job anymore, and has proven that today. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Poor Gallas.

I feel sorry for him as I do think overall he is a good defender. Yes I admit I got my player rating wrong yesterday when rating gallas but I still think he did have an okay game and was not our worst defender. If only our whole defence had a bit of a brain. Chelsea just were to smart for us but to be fair we are not going to be up against players like that every week.

It makes me laugh that your name is "dawsfan" and you would rather Dawson than Gallas. Dawson has and would cost us so much more than Gallas. Atleast gallas is a good footballer and has got a "footballing brain" and is pretty decent on the ball. Ok I agree Gallas is not world class and is not going to take us to that next level but he is a decent player who does a good job. I thnk gallas is a good hardworking organised defender, who gives it his all. He is better than clumsy dawson who is so shaky on the ball, no brain and just hoofs it forward. I think we should stick with Gallas untill we get some one better.

OiOiDrUnkYiD2 said:

Atleast gallas is was a good footballer and has got a "footballing brain" and is was pretty decent on the ball. Ok I agree Gallas is not world class and is not going to take us to that next level but he is was a decent player who does a good job. I thnk gallas is a good hardworking organised defender, who gives it his all until he gives up when he has lost a challenge.

Click to expand...

Your post would have been largely accurate had it been written five years ago (I have added the parts in bold). Now he occasionally shows flashes of what he used to be.

It is no coincidence that Gallas had one of his better games at Old Trafford when we were camped in our own box. Against Chelsea, when we were trying to defend higher up the pitch, who was it who constantly played them onside? Yep, our mate Gallas. Why? Because his legs have gone he can't cover runners, and so instead of holding the line he dropped off. Watch the game again and you'll see three of the back four in a line and 'Mr Experience' Gallas behind them playing the opposition onside.

Gallas is adequate when we are defending deep, as long as he is not challenged physically. When we try to play higher, he is a catastrophe waiting to happen. We will never play a high defensive line when he is in the side because he is scared of it and drops off. This means that the opposition has more space, and we are unable to defend from the front. So he is not only costing us goals, he is costing us possession and the opportunity to attack. He is yesterday's man, and the sooner he is dropped the better it will be.

Dawson has his faults, but he does not give up on physical challenges and - contrary to 'informed' opinion on here and elsewhere - he is equally as comfortable on the ball as this year's Gallas. His 'long hoofs' are long, hard, crossfield passes aimed at the wide player on the opposite flank. They are usually accurate. He does not simply smash the ball upfield, unless he is under pressure and has no option. Just one more misconception of those who believe what they read and not what they see. He is not the quickest, but my money would be on him in a race with Gallas.

My first choice centre-back partnership would be Kaboom and Vertonghen. In Kaboom's absence, Caulker has proved to be a capable replacement. If Vertonghen is at left back, Dawson is the next best option. I just hope that Naughton can play so that we can have Vertonghen in the middle with Caulker - and Gallas can watch the game on TV.

One other point. If AVB continues to play Gallas, then he has to play Lloris instead of Friedel. Lloris will play as a 'sweeper-keeper' and mop up some of the mess that Gallas creates. Friedel is unable to do that.

He's 35, what else were people expecting? He's played every game and was always going to run out of puff at some stage.

That being said I am very surprised that it happened after an international break - considering he doesn't play internationals anymore, I thought that break would re charge him a little and we'd squeeze another few games out of him.

Easy option for us now, Vertonghen comes across and Naughton slots in. No dramas there.

Gallas is the new scape goat because dawson is not starting. sigh

Eric_s said:

Gallas is the new scape goat because dawson is not starting. sigh

Click to expand...

No, you get targeted when two of your failed clearances land at the feet of opponents and your bad positioning allows a 3rd goal.

Eric_s said:

Gallas is the new scape goat because dawson is not starting. sigh

Click to expand...

I don't do scapegoating. What I do is to give an opinion according to what I see.

What I have seen is Gallas decline alarmingly from being very good in his first season with us to being an accident waiting to happen. Yesterday was the most glaring example of it this season as he - and we - didn't get away with it. It would be ridiculous to say that our defeat was entirely, or even mainly, due to Gallas. But if he continues to play, his mistakes will increase because his legs have gone; and he knows it. He is trying to compensate for losing an integral part of his game and he is failing.

His continued presence in the team will continue to hurt us.

Like how it hurt us at old Trafford. We have lost 2 games this season, Newcastle game was a stupid penalty and a stunner from their striker. The Chelsea match was down to Matas brilliance, you guys need to stop scapegoating.

Everyone blames Gallas for two of the goals but where was Cahills Marker and Matas markers, our other players were ball watching, I actually give props to Gallas for winning those headers. Undoubtably a poor display though, by our whole team defensively.

It's not scapegoating, he had a shocking game what's wrong with saying that. Should we rate all of our players and think they have great games every week. Not only has his legs gone, he's weak and he looks uncomfortable on the ball. Everything that gets played across his body is mistimed. When has he last made a clean connection with the ball?

Gallas was ok. The clearance header back into the centre that became an assist was pretty shocking. For the Mata - Torres 1-2 goal Mata should never have been allowed to run on without being tracked by midfield. That made it difficult for him to turn and get back in time. But Brad could've charged Mata as that move was telegraphed.

Unfortunately, I think age has caught up with Gallas and he is not capable of the type of performances we saw from him when we first signed him.

This isn't a anti-Gallas post, as since we signed him he has produced some quality performances for us, but once BAE is fit, then it should be Jan and Caulker at the back until Kaboul is fit.

When is kaboul back?

markiespurs said:

Unfortunately, I think age has caught up with Gallas and he is not capable of the type of performances we saw from him when we first signed him.

This isn't a anti-Gallas post, as since we signed him he has produced some quality performances for us, but once BAE is fit, then it should be Jan and Caulker at the back until Kaboul is fit.

Click to expand...

This. Gallas has been a top quality CB for over a decade and even well into his 30's has put in some immense performaces, incuding for us. However, age catches up to us all. The consistency is lost. He might get away with being a yard slower on foot or a half second slower to react and still play at a high level. Not in this league though. Its simply far too quick and it gets exposed. Then again, we might get a vintage performance next time out. You just know any more.

Hurry back Younes.

Shadydan said:

More mobile, did you see him again Panathanaikos? I've never heard Dawson being called ore mobile than anyone let alone Gallas

More mobile

Of course he can pass the ball, every footballer can but he's not comfortable on the ball so to compensate for his weakness he ends up hoofing the thing which make up lose possession which totally contradicts AVB's system.

But this is just the fickleness of fans because after the UTD game he was immense and the best player in our team yet we didn't see people calling Dawson more mobile than him nor did we have campaigns for him to be dropped from the team permanently.

Click to expand...

He did play well against Man Utd, nobody is saying he didn't. But he was truly shocking yesterday, and sadly to coin an old phrase, you're only as good as your last game. And his last game was dreadful. How a player deemed 'experienced' in the fashion Gallas is, can head a clearance he could barely reach straight into the middle of our goal mouth is beyond comprehension. It really is schoolboy stuff. And more annoyingly, he does this with familiar regularity.

Dawson may not have the pace, (not that Gallas does either) and may Launch a long cross field ball occasionally, (Gallas normally just passes the ball straight to the first opponent he sees) but he rarely ever makes such stupid clearances, he puts his laces through it. I can honeslty say I never get nervous when Dawson has the ball at the back by his feet, I do however crap myself when Gallas has it.

two top English clubs deemed him to be passed it and simply not good enough. It's incredible we see him differently. Hopefully, todays game will make us realise the same thing Chelsea and Arsenal did.

And in response to the 'Nobody moaned about him in the United Game' - Ryan Nelsen got the MOM award a few weeks ago in QPR's match against Chelsea..., now read the QPR fans thoughts on him... you see the similarities...

stick a fork in him hes done lads

Gallas is a solid 4th choice imo

teok said:

When is kaboul back?

Click to expand...

Christmas. Probably after.

Deathrod said:

He did play well against Man Utd, nobody is saying he didn't. But he was truly shocking yesterday, and sadly to coin an old phrase, you're only as good as your last game. And his last game was dreadful. How a player deemed 'experienced' in the fashion Gallas is, can head a clearance he could barely reach straight into the middle of our goal mouth is beyond comprehension. It really is schoolboy stuff. And more annoyingly, he does this with familiar regularity.

Dawson may not have the pace, (not that Gallas does either) and may Launch a long cross field ball occasionally, (Gallas normally just passes the ball straight to the first opponent he sees) but he rarely ever makes such stupid clearances, he puts his laces through it. I can honeslty say I never get nervous when Dawson has the ball at the back by his feet, I do however crap myself when Gallas has it.

two top English clubs deemed him to be passed it and simply not good enough. It's incredible we see him differently. Hopefully, todays game will make us realise the same thing Chelsea and Arsenal did.

And in response to the 'Nobody moaned about him in the United Game' - Ryan Nelsen got the MOM award a few weeks ago in QPR's match against Chelsea..., now read the QPR fans thoughts on him... you see the similarities...

Click to expand...

If you're only as good as your last game shall we give up on Adebayor as well as Siggy and Dempsey, what about Walker as well, may as well get rid seeing as they didn't have particularly good games. I find that way of thinking quite ridiculous TBH.

I brought up the Utd game because it shows that he hasn't lost it like some people are suggesting, as a player he has rarely let us down and as a leader he's always been exceptional.

In regards to his previous clubs well that's obviously not true at all, He left Chelsea because he wanted to play CB and was playing LB for the last 2 seasons and they brought Ashley Cole plus couldn't get in the team due to Terry and Carvalho. Arsenal he left because of contractual indifferences, in neither case this has nothing to do with him not being good enough for them because he clearly was.

I'm not denying that he had a bad game against Chelsea but for people to be calling for Dawson to replace him is silly. We know Dawson's limitations as a footballer and we know that he will be terribly exposed if he played in this system which requires our CB's to be comfortable on the ball and the need for high pressing. That doesn't suit Dawson's game at all, did you see him in Greece?

For the record I would like to see Verts and Caulker as the first choice pairing to step into the centre when either Naughton or BAE comes back from injury.