Sums up our season. SC user were even predicting this 12 months ago, so it's not like this issue came out of nowhere. I think our FBs in fact have had a highly acceptable season. Not a flawless one, but I'm adequately satisfied with them, Davies in particular.
Take your point
Assists with fullback is far more telling than any other position on the pitch because for them to assist they either need to have worked themselves into a great position, delivered a great ball, or both, and given that strikers won’t score every good chance they get, to get high assist stats a full back needs to perform the aforementioned very regularly. Fullbacks are far less likely than midfielders and attacking midfielders to tap a 4 yard pass which the forward the blasts in from distance.
This. Assists are one thing but Rose/Walkers pace pushes teams back and they commit and beat men, Trippier and Davies do not.
I think it’s both issues lads and a little bit Poch.
And then the backups became first choice and seemingly some people want them to remain first choice. At this level, they are both good back ups. Could start for teams lower than us but to be where we want to, they should not be preferred. And Trippier should go this summer as he’s only blocking a really good FB who fits us far more.
You mean like Davies' pass for Eriksen's goal against Chelsea, or Kane's against Everton last year. I'm sure there's others that I can't think of. Full-backs, especially in our system, are no less likely to get an insignificant 4 yard pass to turn into an assist
Similar to how Rose was last season? I'm sure it won't be too hard to find someone who was by far the best left back in the league.
Who do you legitimately bring in though? There are really not that many top quality fullbacks around these days. There just arn't.
Exactly, people seem to want simply unrealistic things, I mean there really arn't many amazing fullbacks out there. And I say this as someone who is sick of seeing Rose in the team. Mainly because his performances this season are arguably not even good enough for the league yet alone us and his attitude on the pitch, yet alone off it sucks. The other day the amount of appeals for none existent fouls when the ball was there to be played, and the just complete slowness to his play really makes me think his head is not in the right place. He needs a change we need a change lets move on. There still may be a player in there though, but..
They're both weaknesses but central midfield is to a much greater extent and should be the priority.
