2020/21 Ben Godfrey

[BlueToff]

Tactically and physically outplayed last night. All over the pitch, too.

Godfrey didn't have the best of games which reaffirms my belief that Keane and Mina are probably the strongest pairing we have.

It's horses for courses.

If we're able to defend on the edge of our own box, and just want to invite teams to cross it in, then yes, Keane and Mina are ideal.

If we're wanting to push on that extra 10 yards - which is what Carlo has said he wants in certain games - we need that pace there.

 

[LocalNative]

It's horses for courses.

If we're able to defend on the edge of our own box, and just want to invite teams to cross it in, then yes, Keane and Mina are ideal.

If we're wanting to push on that extra 10 yards - which is what Carlo has said he wants in certain games - we need that pace there.

Hmm, maybe. Although I haven't see us push on these extra 10 yards since Godfrey has started at CB. We've been just as defensive and passive as usual for whatever reason.

 

[BlueToff]

Hmm, maybe. Although I haven't see us push on these extra 10 yards since Godfrey has started at CB. We've been just as defensive and passive as usual for whatever reason.

I know, that's probably a result of just how we've learned to defend as an entire team.

It's all in theory. But Mina's unfit so for now it has to be Godfrey. Think he's generally done very well. He's a young lad learning his game. Positionally he needs to work on it but he's 23, it'll come.

Mina and Keane together can be a very good partnership, but both are very similar players so they suit a certain way of playing. Ultimately that shouldn't mean we can't play them and still push on, it does just risk leaving us more exposed.

 

[TheBigIguana]

I think West Brom is the only game he's played at CB where he didn't have a questionable moment

 

[LocalNative]

I think West Brom is the only game he's played at CB where he didn't have a questionable moment

I actually thought their centre-forward Diagne got the better of him and Keane a few times in that game, too.

I like Godfrey, he's much better than i thought he was going to be and he's had a good season. But he's looked better at LB where he's had less responsibility, I think at the moment he would be best deployed in a back 3 to give him extra support.

 

[TheBigIguana]

I actually thought their centre-forward Diagne got the better of him and Keane a few times in that game, too.

I like Godfrey, he's much better than i thought he was going to be and he's had a good season. But he's looked better at LB where he's had less responsibility, I think at the moment he would be best deployed in a back 3 to give him extra support.

Actually yeah now that you say it he completely lost him once but he headed over.

So he's yet to have a game at CB without at least 1 questionable moment.

I agree, he's been better defensively at LB but he's so so bad on the ball over there that it just isn't a viable long term solution. And we have Lucas Digne who is awesome.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

I think West Brom is the only game he's played at CB where he didn't have a questionable moment

That was his worst game for me, in about 3 months. Run ragged by Diagne, who cannot finish fortunately

 

[TheBigIguana]

That was his worst game for me, in about 3 months. Run ragged by Diagne, who cannot finish fortunately

I think people jumped the gun because he was able to use his abundant pace to run down players on the wing. Personally I've seen nothing to suggest he's going to be a rock solid CB for us. He spends the whole game in recovery mode and while his physical gifts allow him to get away with that in a way Yerry or Keane couldn't, it isn't a good way to play.

 

[Toast]

I think people jumped the gun because he was able to use his abundant pace to run down players on the wing. Personally I've seen nothing to suggest he's going to be a rock solid CB for us. He spends the whole game in recovery mode and while his physical gifts allow him to get away with that in a way Yerry or Keane couldn't, it isn't a good way to play.

I swear I must watch a different game to you sometimes mate.

Our views on players differ so much.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Now we’re criticising Ben Godfrey. Wow.

 

[LocalNative]

Now we’re criticising Ben Godfrey. Wow.

I think it's fair criticism though, mate. It's just bringing people back down to earth a bit who were getting carried away that he was England's best defender.

I remember being a massive fan of Kurt Zouma, who has a similar style of play to Godfrey, yet he got criticised majorly on here because all he had was his recovery pace and power.

 

[gaino92]

Now we’re criticising Ben Godfrey. Wow.

No we aren't, The 1 random Alex Iwobi lover has set his sights on trying to burn the forum down

 

[TheBigIguana]

I swear I must watch a different game to you sometimes mate.

Our views on players differ so much.

Well I'll explain myself at least. In the derby he was at least partially at fault on both Mane headers and really bad for the Salah chance. On that one he's chased Firmino way out of position, not won the ball and then switched off allowing Firmino to get a loose ball and play it into the massive gap he's opened.

Saints he had the incident with Adams that I thought in real time was a penalty and am still fairly certain would have stood as one had it been given.

WBA he lost Diagne at least once. Honestly though he was mostly fine but it's WBA.

And then yesterday happened which among other things included him getting absolutely roasted by Werner. So while the sprints forward and the crunching tackle in the derby are all well and good I'm not sure he's really doing his job all the way.

I know we kept clean sheets but to me at least a lot of that was down to our defensive structure on the whole. I didn't feel like in Saints or WBA either CB had to do a lot and so him having those concerning moments felt not great.

 

[Toast]

Well I'll explain myself at least. In the derby he was at least partially at fault on both Mane headers and really bad for the Salah chance. On that one he's chased Firmino way out of position, not won the ball and then switched off allowing Firmino to get a loose ball and play it into the massive gap he's opened.

Saints he had the incident with Adams that I thought in real time was a penalty and am still fairly certain would have stood as one had it been given.

WBA he lost Diagne at least once. Honestly though he was mostly fine but it's WBA.

And then yesterday happened which among other things included him getting absolutely roasted by Werner. So while the sprints forward and the crunching tackle in the derby are all well and good I'm not sure he's really doing his job all the way.

I know we kept clean sheets but to me at least a lot of that was down to our defensive structure on the whole. I didn't feel like in Saints or WBA either CB had to do a lot and so him having those concerning moments felt not great.

If Godfrey was available, every single team in the league would want him.

 

[TheBigIguana]

If Godfrey was available, every single team in the league would want him.

I think this is probably untrue because he's poor on the ball and the top teams rarely tolerate that.

I know people are going to think I'm crazy but I just don't see it. He's been at best our 3rd best CB and people want him in the England squad that our best CB is a rotation player for. I think we're seeing him for what we want him to be and not what he really is.