- Jul 28, 2004
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A lot of the media and so called experts, as well as our own fans, believe we have defensive issues to address. I beg to differ, this is why:
O5/06, where we finished 5th for the first time. We ended the season with both the 5th best defence, and attack in the league.
06/07, again we finish 5th, still with the 5th best attack in the league, but only the 12 best (9th worst) defence.
Last season we again had the 5th best attack, but this time as poor as the 16th best (5th worst) defence, and we ended up mid table, 11th.
So with a very good attack and a very good defence, we ended up 5th, with a very good attack and an average defence we finished 5th, but a very good attack with a poor defence saw us plummet to mid table.
Right now in the current season, we again have the 12 best (9th worst) defence, so again we are fairly average in defence, having conceded 26 goals in 21 games. That is acceptable. But here is the scary part. We have gone from having the 5th best attack, to the 16th best (5th worst) attack, having scored just 20 goals in 21 games.
Given that attacking is clearly our problem, while defending is adequate if not quite up to standard, we need hope for a few things.
First, our manager needs to be less cautious. We have lasted most of the season with just one specialist defensive midfielder playing in the form of Zokora, so let it stay like that, or replace him with King (something i support). But don't play them both. It is not necessary because we are not leaking goals.
Second, in those other three positions, try and find a role for at least 1 of Jenas and Huddlestone. With Steed gone, they are the two remaining midfielders from last season who scored the most. More importantly with our new direct front line of Defoe and Pavlyuchenko, they are the two midfielders who assisted most last season, with Jenas getting 6 and Huddlestone getting 7. From now on there should always be a place for one of them in the side. My preference would be Huddlestone but either will do.
Only two of Lennon, Modric and Bentley can ever play. They are all new to the side first and foremost, but they are also all players who will ultimately rely on the work of others to allow them to do what they do best. I am an unashamed Lennon fan, while others love Bentley, and most would agree that it is one of the other. Most would also agree that Modric is worth persisting with because his mind in on that slightly higher level.
Now I know that when make my suggestion a lot of you will think "but what about balance?". Balance, in my opinion, is a word used by managers when they need a situation to blame. Waddle and Ginola were amazing wingers who played on their wrong sides (though the latter was rather two footed).
We should go into every match with that 1 designated defensive midfielder. Maybe Zokora, maybe King, but I don't think the position, or any pof the backline, should be addressed. We can live with an adequate defence, adequacy doesn't get you relegated.
In front of that defensive midfield, it becomes a question of roles. Jenas and Huddlestone, though so different in style and physique, do very similar jobs when at their best. They both contribute to the attack first and foremost, while not shirking defensive responsibility. In fact, last season they rarely played together, but in place of one another and next to Zokora, which is why, when put together, their stats read as those of a great midfield season.
Two more positions to go. Zokora is in front of the back four, and one central midfield position is filled. The other, I would give to allow to be fought out between Modric and O'Hara. Modric is the more skilful, but he works hard. O'Hara is the harder worker, but he has some skill. Both are central players who can occasionally roam wide if need be. The presence to two other central midfielders will allow them to roam wide when need be. I want Modric to be the main man one day, but perhaps not just yet. For now, I think it should be between the two of them for one place and much should depend on whether we are home or away and on who we are playing.
The last position goes wide. We have Lennon, Bentley, and even Giovani. We all have our opinions on all of these players, siding with one or the other in various arguments, but ultimately they are the three players we have who are most likely to get the ball into the box by hook or by crook, one way or another. That comes in handy when all of our strikers are so service reliant.
I have provided statistics, I have provided my own views, and I have given reasons as to how I think we can solve our attacking issues without sacrificing the decent (and improving) defence that we have in place. I hope that perhaps this issue of signing solid defensive players can be put to bed, because the one part of our team not in complete crisis, for once, is our defence.
O5/06, where we finished 5th for the first time. We ended the season with both the 5th best defence, and attack in the league.
06/07, again we finish 5th, still with the 5th best attack in the league, but only the 12 best (9th worst) defence.
Last season we again had the 5th best attack, but this time as poor as the 16th best (5th worst) defence, and we ended up mid table, 11th.
So with a very good attack and a very good defence, we ended up 5th, with a very good attack and an average defence we finished 5th, but a very good attack with a poor defence saw us plummet to mid table.
Right now in the current season, we again have the 12 best (9th worst) defence, so again we are fairly average in defence, having conceded 26 goals in 21 games. That is acceptable. But here is the scary part. We have gone from having the 5th best attack, to the 16th best (5th worst) attack, having scored just 20 goals in 21 games.
Given that attacking is clearly our problem, while defending is adequate if not quite up to standard, we need hope for a few things.
First, our manager needs to be less cautious. We have lasted most of the season with just one specialist defensive midfielder playing in the form of Zokora, so let it stay like that, or replace him with King (something i support). But don't play them both. It is not necessary because we are not leaking goals.
Second, in those other three positions, try and find a role for at least 1 of Jenas and Huddlestone. With Steed gone, they are the two remaining midfielders from last season who scored the most. More importantly with our new direct front line of Defoe and Pavlyuchenko, they are the two midfielders who assisted most last season, with Jenas getting 6 and Huddlestone getting 7. From now on there should always be a place for one of them in the side. My preference would be Huddlestone but either will do.
Only two of Lennon, Modric and Bentley can ever play. They are all new to the side first and foremost, but they are also all players who will ultimately rely on the work of others to allow them to do what they do best. I am an unashamed Lennon fan, while others love Bentley, and most would agree that it is one of the other. Most would also agree that Modric is worth persisting with because his mind in on that slightly higher level.
Now I know that when make my suggestion a lot of you will think "but what about balance?". Balance, in my opinion, is a word used by managers when they need a situation to blame. Waddle and Ginola were amazing wingers who played on their wrong sides (though the latter was rather two footed).
We should go into every match with that 1 designated defensive midfielder. Maybe Zokora, maybe King, but I don't think the position, or any pof the backline, should be addressed. We can live with an adequate defence, adequacy doesn't get you relegated.
In front of that defensive midfield, it becomes a question of roles. Jenas and Huddlestone, though so different in style and physique, do very similar jobs when at their best. They both contribute to the attack first and foremost, while not shirking defensive responsibility. In fact, last season they rarely played together, but in place of one another and next to Zokora, which is why, when put together, their stats read as those of a great midfield season.
Two more positions to go. Zokora is in front of the back four, and one central midfield position is filled. The other, I would give to allow to be fought out between Modric and O'Hara. Modric is the more skilful, but he works hard. O'Hara is the harder worker, but he has some skill. Both are central players who can occasionally roam wide if need be. The presence to two other central midfielders will allow them to roam wide when need be. I want Modric to be the main man one day, but perhaps not just yet. For now, I think it should be between the two of them for one place and much should depend on whether we are home or away and on who we are playing.
The last position goes wide. We have Lennon, Bentley, and even Giovani. We all have our opinions on all of these players, siding with one or the other in various arguments, but ultimately they are the three players we have who are most likely to get the ball into the box by hook or by crook, one way or another. That comes in handy when all of our strikers are so service reliant.
I have provided statistics, I have provided my own views, and I have given reasons as to how I think we can solve our attacking issues without sacrificing the decent (and improving) defence that we have in place. I hope that perhaps this issue of signing solid defensive players can be put to bed, because the one part of our team not in complete crisis, for once, is our defence.