The Lack of Ekotto - is it all that bad?

[THOWIG]

It's fine, we are all playing 343 next season anyway.

 

[rawhide]

It's a good point that most of the best fullbacks are frustrated wingers But think of Lahm, Alves, Marcello, Clichy, Cole, amongst others. They all get forward - often.

 

[kishman]

What's our record with Rose starting in the league?

I swear we've won every single game.

 

[hughy]

What's our record with Rose starting in the league?

I swear we've won every single game.

I think his first start last season was City away, which we lost.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Yes it is that bad, Rose is fucking dross. BAE is twice the player that Rose will ever be.

you do realise that Ekotto going so far forward has only really come about this season. I would suspect that it would have something to do with bale coming inside so often and BAE is trying to give us width, and attempt to mark the space to prevent fast counter attacks down that side.

 

[kishman]

I think his first start last season was City away, which we lost.

But other than that, started last season against Liverpool and Birmingham and this season against Blackburn and Bolton.

 

[RJ1882]

Bale getting a rough time I feel. He doesnt necessarily cut in by choice all of the time. If he's doubled up on, there simply isnt the space to run into out wide, so he comes inside to find that space. This in turn drags the two men doubling up on him with him. This should in theory leave plentiful space for BAE or Rose to bomb into.

It wont happen, but I'd love us to sign Baines. Baines and Bale, Walker and Lennon. Terrorising wing play.

 

[leffe186]

Good that Rose has been given his chance - but his general play shows why he is still only cover for BAE. It may however improve with more game experience but in normal circumstances he will not get that.

Publicly come out and said he doesn't like being second fiddle, question now having played a few more games is whether he will be angling for a move at end season

Has he really? Well seeya then.

It's useful having him because he's cheap and homegrown, absolutely no more than that. Just far too limited as a footballer. I would much rather see Naughton given a run at LB to see how he does.

 

[nailsy]

I'm still undecided about Rose. I thought he did pretty well defensively last night, but his attacking play let him down which is strange because that's the part of his game you would expect him to be most comfortable with. May-be it was just a pressure thing or lack of confidence though.

I certainly don't think we need to replace Benny. There are few better left backs in the league and I'm sure our money could be better spent upgrading other parts of the squad.

 

[Teegart]

Considering our formation and personel are very attacking normally, for me the most important attribute our full backs' need is the ability to defend well. Benny is a very good defender, with a composure akin to an attacking midfielder. His game has come on leaps and bounds this year year attacking wise and has settled into, in my opinion, one of the top 3 LBs in the league. To replace him would be madness, especially considering our needs elsewhere.

 

[beats1]

I thought Danny rose was much better in the second half and looked better defensively and better going forward, I would prefer him to go on loan to a prem club next season but remember this is a player who hasn't really played in a year or so regularly and spent most of the season injured

Players take time to back to match sharpness after lengthy time outs like hudd last season, Sandro during this season and etc.

 

[nightgoat]

Has he really? Well seeya then.

It's useful having him because he's cheap and homegrown, absolutely no more than that. Just far too limited as a footballer. I would much rather see Naughton given a run at LB to see how he does.

Probably not as well as he'd do at right back, which is Naughton's natural position.

 

[kungfugrip]

Rose has played against Blackburn and Bolton - two of the very worst teams in the league. We need Benny back for next season. Good to see Rose getting a few games, but I don't think he's good enough and nothing I've seen this year, especially in the cup matches against less than top quality opposition, has changed my mind.

 

[degoose]

I think Rose has shown us all that he's nowhere near the quality of BAE. I'm not saying Rose is poor, but he is inferior to the high standards BAE sets.

but he is better though than a lot of left backs and a good back up. If he was as good as ekotto then he wouldn't be a back up.

 

[Yid121]

Not at all team Bale, but Bale is bar far the best attacking winger we have (maybe in the prem right now) and i feel that Ekotto takes up far too much play that was meant for him by bombing down the wings so much.

Ekotto is a defender and Bale is an attacking winger - they have their own roles, yet i feel that Ekotto has been doing too much attacking as of late and this has got in Bale's way to a degree.

I'm sorry but am I misreading here, you're saying BAE is more attacking than Rose?! Look at the game v Blackburn and you see Rose ahead of Bale in much of our play. Also, I rarely ever see BAE take players on like Walker does, Walker is a far more attacking fullback, so we should drop him to stop Lennon going infield right?

You seem to be confused. Bale isn't moving in field because of BAE pushing up. BAE is pushing up BECAUSE of Bale moving infield, as there is space for him to exploit.

Rose needs more chances, I'm happy with him being a back-up left back tbh, what's the point in getting rid and paying for a left back who will want to left in a season or two as he gets no games. I actually think he should be used as an attacking sub by Redknapp, as he does tend to push take players on a lot more than Rose. I think it was against Stevenage where I was impressed with how often he beat the fullback and managed to get a cross in.

 

[canadacelt]

Same can be said for The lack of Parker-is it all that bad?

 

[Wiener]

I rate BAE highly. Clever, composed and skillful player. Rose is surprisingly good in defence and poor going forward. Also he has looked a little unsure in the last 2 games. I thought he has been our weakest link.

I would be tempted to drop Rose for the Villa game, move Bale to left-back, play Sandro Parker and Modric in the middle, VDV, Lennon wide and Adebayor up front.

Is BAE out for the season?

 

[RichieS]

I don't think Benny is the reason Bale cuts in. I think Bale is the reason Bale cuts in.

I disagree further. I think Redknapp is the reason Bale cuts in.

I can't believe Leffe186 is the only person to have mentioned what I have been saying all over the place - Naughton is a very capable, genuinely two sided full back. Before we bought the Kyles, they were both in the Sheff U team with Walker right and Naughton left, and he's played on the left for Norwich a few times this season too. I have nothing against Rose - he seems solid and does ok, but Naughton is definitely better. I would have no qualms about some genuine rotation of him and either of Benny or Walker next season. In fact, even though he may not be as good as Charlie (who I rate highly), he is perhaps a better back-up to Walker as he's more of a like-for-like replacement.

My final contribution to this discussion is to say that I fucking love Benny. Yes, he has his defensive lapses, but I love the fact that our left back is a better footballer then many of the players in any team in the league. It's not like he costs us that often either, it's just he is prone to the odd high profile brain-fart.

 

[AnotherSpursFan]

i love benny, i just wish he cuts down on hoofing the ball up.

Rose rarely does that and that's what i like about Rose, he's keeping possesion of the ball.

 

[Paolo10]

Rose's tackling was excellent last night and I don't think we'll miss Benny that much, I honestly feel that as good a player as Benny is, he's vastly over-rated by some here. Too often goes from sublime to ridiculous, not quite at Atouba levels of madness, but he comes close on occasion.