Back Four
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Welshiespursboyo
Banned
- Feb 19, 2009
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I'm only half joking here when I say that we should dispense with worrying about defending altogether and just attack, attack, attack. We can't defend, but we CAN attack like fuck.
Let's win games 6-5!
Let's win games 6-5!
- Oct 2, 2004
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As has been said I think the lack of Dawson is the key this season. He developed last year into a centre back who would make his defensive partner feel comfortable no matter who it was. With Dawson there I genuinely believe we could play any of our other centre backs and it would be fine.
At full-back we can definitely strengthen. Corluka seems to have gone off the boil and Hutton, although good going forwards always looks a bit suspect defensively. As for Benni he's improved but he does tend to make one big defensive error per game and at the level we want to be at we can't afford that. Having said that he's constantly improving so maybe he'll sort that problem out himself.
At full-back we can definitely strengthen. Corluka seems to have gone off the boil and Hutton, although good going forwards always looks a bit suspect defensively. As for Benni he's improved but he does tend to make one big defensive error per game and at the level we want to be at we can't afford that. Having said that he's constantly improving so maybe he'll sort that problem out himself.
sidford
Well-Known Member
- Oct 20, 2003
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BAE isnt a bad defender and hes a committed little git with a nasty streak which i definitely like but we can certainly upgrade from him. he wasnt even the best LB we had last night because i believe bale is a better LB then him
what was wrong last night is we had our 2nd choice RB (charlie is having a dip in form but that doesnt mean hutton is our best RB) and our 3rd and 4th choice CB's. it was always going to be extremely difficult against the reigning european champions when you dont have close to your starting back 4 playing. once dawson is back we will be better defensively but i dont see benni as being good enough and gallas was very disappointing, i thought he could've talked bassong through the game last night but he couldnt even do his job properly never mind get bassong through the game.
as good as our team is we still have areas in which we need to improve and with no 'leader' or person at the back able to talk the others through games like king does then we are going to be vunerable
what was wrong last night is we had our 2nd choice RB (charlie is having a dip in form but that doesnt mean hutton is our best RB) and our 3rd and 4th choice CB's. it was always going to be extremely difficult against the reigning european champions when you dont have close to your starting back 4 playing. once dawson is back we will be better defensively but i dont see benni as being good enough and gallas was very disappointing, i thought he could've talked bassong through the game last night but he couldnt even do his job properly never mind get bassong through the game.
as good as our team is we still have areas in which we need to improve and with no 'leader' or person at the back able to talk the others through games like king does then we are going to be vunerable
Sauniere
Grand Master of the Knights of the Fat Fanny
- Oct 28, 2004
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Re Gallas, I hate to say it but it shows you how good the Arse midfield were to make Gallas look like a good player. ITts similar to how Man Utd made it look like Van der Sar was a good goalie when he looked pants when he was at Fulham.
I bet Gallas has never had to deal with so many attacks before, no wonder he looked shell shocked
I bet Gallas has never had to deal with so many attacks before, no wonder he looked shell shocked
RobinLeonard
Well-Known Member
- May 8, 2008
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We lost 2 goals and 1 keeper last night within 10 minutes not because of our central defenders but because of our fullbacks.
Hutton is not good enough in defence, we know this. BAE is fantastic but he does switch off, pretty much once every game. And we paid the price.
Hutton is not good enough in defence, we know this. BAE is fantastic but he does switch off, pretty much once every game. And we paid the price.
Our midfield weren't the best either were they. Zanetti wasn't track when Hutton was moved out position, and Hudd just ball watched as the player turned and had all day to pick out the through ball
We are at our best when we hurry players, and work hard, when we sit back and try to canter to victory, we are shit.
DiscoD1882
SC Supporter
- Mar 27, 2006
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Gallas is an easy scapegoat. i think he needs a bit more time to get up to fitness and then we can judge him. Its too easy to kick an ex-gooner, but I dont think we have seen him at his best yet.
michaelden
Knight of the Fat Fanny
- Aug 13, 2004
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Kaboul needs to be given more time at CB for him to improve. He is a good CB but can be better
alamo
Don't worry be happy
- Jun 10, 2004
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Prob me just being a daft-arse. But whats a GB?
Bus-Conductor
SC Supporter
- Oct 19, 2004
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I find it kind of bizarre that Gallas makes one mistake against Samuel Eto in an otherwise good performance away to Inter Milan and he gets slated but Dawson makes them just about every week yet gets adored. Go watch dawson's atrocious 90 minute performance at the mighty Young Boys of Berne and then give yourselves a fucking reality check.
I said a couple of weeks ago that it is time to start seriously thinking about picking two players that are capable of playing week in week out at CB and getting some continuity going and got slaughtered for it by several people. King & Woodgate are great but it is time we grew as a team and stopped depending on players that struggle to play 90 minutes of football, let alone consecutive games.
We need to accept that as loveable as Dawson is, he isn't the future. Even if he wasn't error prone, a bit climsy, not totally comfortable on the ball and not very bright he'd still be basically too slow to ever really be top top drawer.
Bassong is prone to the odd lapse in concentration, but is otherwise pretty decent in that he is comfortable on the ball and quick.
The best of our "back up" bunch for me though is Kaboul. Strong, quick, good in the air and on the deck he represents the best prospect for the future. His ability to play in midfield and at RB marks him out as a the best footballing CB we have seen here since King.
For now I'd pair him with Gallas ever week with Bassong filling in, but in the next couple of windows I'd be looking to add a the best CB we could find to partner Kaboul long term and try and build a CB pairing that would allow us continuity.
I said a couple of weeks ago that it is time to start seriously thinking about picking two players that are capable of playing week in week out at CB and getting some continuity going and got slaughtered for it by several people. King & Woodgate are great but it is time we grew as a team and stopped depending on players that struggle to play 90 minutes of football, let alone consecutive games.
We need to accept that as loveable as Dawson is, he isn't the future. Even if he wasn't error prone, a bit climsy, not totally comfortable on the ball and not very bright he'd still be basically too slow to ever really be top top drawer.
Bassong is prone to the odd lapse in concentration, but is otherwise pretty decent in that he is comfortable on the ball and quick.
The best of our "back up" bunch for me though is Kaboul. Strong, quick, good in the air and on the deck he represents the best prospect for the future. His ability to play in midfield and at RB marks him out as a the best footballing CB we have seen here since King.
For now I'd pair him with Gallas ever week with Bassong filling in, but in the next couple of windows I'd be looking to add a the best CB we could find to partner Kaboul long term and try and build a CB pairing that would allow us continuity.
werty
Well-Known Member
- Aug 8, 2005
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I don't think our back four is a problem as such. Sure, we don't have the ideal pairings that we would want right now, but even if we had King and Dawson we'd still be conceding goals because our midfield, especially the wingers, aren't defending correctly. The first goal last night was a great example. Hutton was dragged infield tracking a runner. When this happened, Lennon should have been covering for him and filled in the right back spot. Instead, he stayed where he was leaving a huge gap there. Zanetti ran into this space and Jenas didn't bother tracking him.
Things like this have been happening all season. This, the covering by our wingers and the amount of space between our back four and midfield is just plain bad. It's been happening since the Stoke game and last night was the first time we finally came up against a side good enough to take advantage of it. Hopefully Harry addresses it soon and we can start to keep some clean sheets
Things like this have been happening all season. This, the covering by our wingers and the amount of space between our back four and midfield is just plain bad. It's been happening since the Stoke game and last night was the first time we finally came up against a side good enough to take advantage of it. Hopefully Harry addresses it soon and we can start to keep some clean sheets
jonathanhotspur
Loose Cannon
- Jun 28, 2009
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Fucking spot on. :clap:
Bus-Conductor
SC Supporter
- Oct 19, 2004
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I still think we need to get a pairing together that can play more regularly, but you make very valid points about defending as a team.
EastLondonYid
Well-Known Member
- Jan 26, 2010
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DID you have a power cut?
he was shocking ! wake up mate, lastnite we saw why wenger got rid.
kaz Hirai
Well-Known Member
- Nov 5, 2008
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madness. did you not watch the 2nd half
spurdownunder
Well-Known Member
- Mar 20, 2007
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Most of us have refrained from saying he's shit because he's ex scum.
Being a shit defender has nothing to do with coming from a bumhole of a club previously
Locotoro
Prince of Zamunda
- Sep 2, 2004
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I have to say that for me Kaboul has got to be the one we are looking a partner for. I like Dawson and Bassong as centre backs and im sure with time they will continue to improve as I dont believe either has reached their peak.
However, I cant say that I've seen Kaboul ever physically dominated the way Bassong can be sometimes and I dont think I've ever seen him outpaced the way Dawson has been on occasion. Since his new found maturity, the return to form of Hutton, Corluka still to find form this season and the young Walker and Naughton as prospects, Kaboul is the best prospect of the three younger centre backs
However, I cant say that I've seen Kaboul ever physically dominated the way Bassong can be sometimes and I dont think I've ever seen him outpaced the way Dawson has been on occasion. Since his new found maturity, the return to form of Hutton, Corluka still to find form this season and the young Walker and Naughton as prospects, Kaboul is the best prospect of the three younger centre backs
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