Back 6 (Next season)

[Zatara]

Amongst all the recent panic and negativity...I was having a think about our defence next season.

With Branthwaite returning and Pickford signing an extension we could line up with this back 6:

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Onana
​

I think were really underrating this defensive group.

GIve them games together to build partnerships and this group (on paper) doesnt look worse than 6th best in the league.

How highly would you rate it on paper compared with other clubs' back 5 + keeper?

​

GK: Pickford


LB: Mykoleno / Godfrey



LCB: Branthwaite



RCB: Tarkowski


RB: Patterson


DM: Onana

 

[Eggs]

….i think I want to get this disaster of a season over before thinking about the next. Evaluate in May when we know where our future lies.

 

[Zatara]

….i think I want to get this disaster of a season over before thinking about the next. Evaluate in May when we know where our future lies.

Just enjoy the videos then Eggs

 

[ArtetaMoney]

Get a different left back in there and it’s not a bad defence.

 

[Zatara]

Get a different left back in there and it’s not a bad defence.

I like both Mykolenko and Godfrey.

But aside from that, Branthwaite has been known to being the ball out of defence and of course Patterson is quite attacking.

So having a defence first LB adds balance.

 

[Blue peter]

Amongst all the recent panic and negativity...I was having a think about our defence next season.

With Branthwaite returning and Pickford signing an extension we could line up with this back 6:

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Onana
​

I think were really underrating this defensive group.

GIve them games together to build partnerships and this group (on paper) doesnt look worse than 6th best in the league.

How highly would you rate it on paper compared with other clubs' back 5 + keeper?

​

GK: Pickford


LB: Mykoleno / Godfrey



LCB: Branthwaite



RCB: Tarkowski


RB: Patterson


DM: Onana

I think two out of Pickford, branthwaite or Onana won’t be here next season - otherwise that would look decent defensively - not sure it would contribute much in an attacking sense just due to LB

 

[brieverton]

One of the big challenges would be maximising the fee for Pickford. We would have to get a suitable replacement for a fraction of the fee and try and spread the remainder over other signings if allowable.
That's if we stay up, of course.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Are they any good on grass though?

 

[blulouie]

Amongst all the recent panic and negativity...I was having a think about our defence next season.

With Branthwaite returning and Pickford signing an extension we could line up with this back 6:

Pickford
Patterson Tarkowski Branthwaite Mykolenko
Onana
​

I think were really underrating this defensive group.

GIve them games together to build partnerships and this group (on paper) doesnt look worse than 6th best in the league.

How highly would you rate it on paper compared with other clubs' back 5 + keeper?

​

GK: Pickford


LB: Mykoleno / Godfrey



LCB: Branthwaite



RCB: Tarkowski


RB: Patterson


DM: Onana

I'd be confident we wouldn't concede many agst Rotherham tbh.

 

[DanB90]

It’s pretty much the same as we’ve seen for the majority of this season aside from 1 player who’s only done it in a pub league.
I wouldn’t be hinging my hopes on things dramatically turning around based on that.

Our main problems lie at the other end of the pitch anyway.

 

[Zatara]

I think two out of Pickford, branthwaite or Onana won’t be here next season - otherwise that would look decent defensively - not sure it would contribute much in an attacking sense just due to LB

One of the big challenges would be maximising the fee for Pickford. We would have to get a suitable replacement for a fraction of the fee and try and spread the remainder over other signings if allowable.
That's if we stay up, of course.

We'd have Branthwaite, Patterson and Onana in there and probably need the experience (and ability) of Pickford and Tarkowski to ease them through games.

In theory though, if we could move on Pickford for say Bazunu, Mamardashvili or Trubin...and clear £25-30mil then it could be very sensible.

Its a bit of a risk and Id be very comfortable if Dyche went into the season starting these 6.

 

[chippy1722]

4/5 of them have been in the bottom 6 two seasons running, I don’t see Branthwaite making that much of a difference. They are not a bottom 6 defence if we had a striker who could score, they also aren’t even close to a top 6 one either. Maybe anywhere between 8-12.

 

[Neiler]

We need to regulate at the back, we have way to many Centre backs (with to much money being spent on them) and not enough full backs, its unbalanced.

A lot will depend if we are in this league or not - could well be a fire sale.

Keep four anyway - logically you would try and keep Brantwaite and maybe Godfrey - with Keane and JT - but i can see a market for the two others and lets be honest we need to sell players whether they are good prospects or not - that lamentable but reality and are low hanging fruit, you could see Coady staying if a bid came in for Keane.

Onana is getting sold anyway - whether its this summer or the one after.

 

[Blue peter]

We'd have Branthwaite, Patterson and Onana in there and probably need the experience (and ability) of Pickford and Tarkowski to ease them through games.

In theory though, if we could move on Pickford for say Bazunu, Mamardashvili or Trubin...and clear £25-30mil then it could be very sensible.

Its a bit of a risk and Id be very comfortable if Dyche went into the season starting these 6.

Agreed with the movements in and out….but this is sensible/savvy - I am not sure this club has it in them, although I was a little more encouraged by some of the transfer business last summer than I have been for quite a few windows. Still plenty of work to do, given any P&S punishment is also likely to contain even more stringent transfer restrictions (if that’s possible)

 

[nsno-chris]

They won’t want to play in the Championship.