Allardyce On Left Backs

[Azza]

Oh I see Chelsea have signed a left back.


How have they managed that?! I didn't think there were any in the world?!?

 

[ToffeeTim]

I thought we'd be all over Daley Blind

 

[anton66]

Two pricks with a bag of cash can’t find a half decent left back. Ff’s get them out of this club now.

 

[bilyaletdinov_]

Tierney
Chilwell
Shaw
Bertrand
Sessegnon
Cresswell
Bryan

That's just a list of British left backs that would improve us (and before the football manager shouts i'm aware some of them are less likely than others)

 

[Azza]

Tierney
Chilwell
Shaw
Bertrand
Sessegnon
Cresswell
Bryan

That's just a list of British left backs that would improve us (and before the football manager shouts i'm aware some of them are less likely than others)

Are you high? There are no left backs in the world mate, what have you even typed there?

 

[SteStocksDJ]

I think the negativity on Martina on this board and toffeeweb over the past few months is blown out of proportion. He is obviously an easy target because he came for free and was a Koeman favourite at his old club.

Firstly I'll say he makes mistakes, he'll miss a clearance or a header and it'll lead to a goal. But I think he's defensively very solid for most games and there are some games where he's good for 75 minutes, and he'll have a brain fade for 10-15 minutes. Other teams also much prefer to target Jonjoe Kenny's side rather than Martina's, because he's easier to get past. Martina has good size, isn't slow and can read the play better. He also puts in a much better effort and appears to give a s*** on the pitch as opposed to mercs like Schneiderlin who walked into the team on reputation. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say, Martina's a better signing than Sigurdsson because he was 45m cheaper and can play in the first 11. He's also just a backup/squad player, and Baines is out at the moment.

Anyway I think people should give him a chance.

Didn't he just fall over when Salah looked at him for his goal??


Anyway... Garbutt...or Galloway ... Anyone with a left foot will do.

 

[Michael Tsui]

Oh I see Chelsea have signed a left back.


How have they managed that?! I didn't think there were any in the world?!?

But they are Chelski. The player in question is progressing up his career. Come here and his future will be questioned.

 

[carolinablue232]

All about opinions, but Kenny is a modern day defender for me, defensively not that great, but effective going forward.

What has Kenny done that’s been effective going forward? I’d say his 1v1 defending has been his strongest attribute this season, but honestly he’s got a lot of improving to do, especially helping going forward. His crossing has been disappointing given what he showed at the U20 WC.

 

[Nymzee]

Emerson Palmieri has just been signed by Chelsea. Was he considered for us as a left back?

Yeh everyone wants to move from Roma to Everton.

 

[HOWIE13]

Yeh everyone wants to move from Roma to Everton.

Sure-but did we even try, that's the point I'm making.

 

[Nymzee]

Sure-but did we even try, that's the point I'm making.

What difference would it make if we did or didn't?

 

[anton66]

Tierney would cost about £20-30M The same price as Klassen.

 

[chazzle_dazzle]

What about Allardyce AS left back?
Clutching at straws a bit I know, but could he be any worse? Maybe put Cuco as manager instead?

His fat head would be a great defensive blocker.

 

[arbok]

You won't get many balanced replies in this thread as it contains an opinion on one of the team scapegoats, and some of our fans like to write a player/manager/coach off before they've had a chance to represent the club in whatever role.

After seeing him for half a season now, if he had been brought in as a squad player that was used when necessary then he would have received far less stick than he has. Unfortunately, Koeman brought him in with the intention of having him as our first choice right back and also as a backup left back. He was wrong on 2 counts because Kenny should have been in line ahead of him at RB, and Koeman gambled on Baines not getting injured.

At Left Back this is where Martina has been truly exposed as a weak link and part of it is down to his own lack of ability and the other part is extremely unfair on him as he is being expected to play out of position on completely the wrong side for him. You wouldn't have seen one footed full backs like Ashley Cole or Roberto Carlos being asked to play Right Back for 12-15 games and you wouldn't see Kyle Walker these days being expected to regularly play at Left Back yet Martina is being expected to do that and perform well in a disjointed side. The fact that Koeman and now Walsh twice has allowed the left back situation to continue to be neglected is a disgrace.

Martina has done well in certain games this season in doing the best he can and has contributed to some good defensive performances like against Chelsea at Home. However, I seem to remember him getting slated by many that day because some of our fans simply cannot ever go against their preconceived opinion.

That said, he is simply not good enough to be starting at this Football Club in any position. I don't think he was ever good enough, even at Right Back and is certainly not good enough at Left Back. He has regular moments of being poor defensively which include losing his man, backing out of tackles, poor positioning, failing to stop crosses, and heading the ball back in to danger. All vital parts of defending at the top level. His most glaring weakness at LB is his inability to even want to attempt to use his left foot to any sort of acceptable level. I've seen him pass the ball out of play 5-10 yards for an opposition throw in as he has a complete lack of confidence in his own ability to be able to clear the ball properly. That is not acceptable for a professional footballer expecting to hold down a starting position in the Premier League.

There were quite a few quotes of my earlier post and I'm not going to quote them all and reply, thought this was the most balanced response so far on Martina.

He's not won many fans over here, but he cops it worse than other players while at the same time doing a job hes not supposed to be doing. He doesn't pick the team and he doesn't get to tell fat Sam where he wants to play.