Defensive changes for next season

[Papa Shango]

You are chatting bubbles as you have literally no idea what happens at Finch Farm, thus anything you say about coaches roles is wild speculation on your part and displays an eagerness to feel "ITK" here at GOT. You know more than no other person here, stop acting like you do.

And yet its perfectly OK for you to say Lawrence is to blame for the poor defensive showings? Im sorry, do you know what happens at Finch Farm either? No you dont so stop being a hypocrite.

No idea where you are going with the ITK stuff either. I really couldn't give a toss about stuff like that. I am just saying what is there in black and white, Lawrence is not our defensive coach, this is a fact so its harsh to blame him for it unless you have any "ITK" knowledge yourself about him doing a job that he isnt paid to do?

 

[Papa Shango]

For mourinho i was just referencing him as i would think that our defence would be changed under him or someone new who would build from the back.

On Jagielka @Simon baker posted above about the defenders who dominate and organize in defence. For me, Jags is a top defender but personally i dont think he has the leadership qualities to be considered a 'winner' as some of those others named have. He's a good player but 34 at season start. My own feeling is that hes a good club captain but perhaps we need someone new to come in as the team captain on the pitch.

Stones is, well he's john stones isnt he? He needs someone alongside him to learn from and although i feel strongly that Mori is going to really improve next season i dont see either of them being our 'Terry/Adams/Hendry" type defender who can organize the defence and intimidate the opposition.

With Watson and Gough you knew that they were leaders...Jagielka not for me. I think we need someone in there alongside Stones in that mould.

With that in mind i think we should sign an overseas player who can become our lynchpin and defensive "captain". Either someone at their peak say 26-28 years old or a young player who can become this player after a season of being "mentored" by Jagielka himself....


Personally i think baines has been well below par for 2 years now. I think injuries could be partly responsible and at 31 hes not really old and could have 3 seasons in him but i think these injuries seem to be happening frequently now and at the moment hes apparently carrying one. So both he and Oviedo as options at left back, whilst strong on paper arent consistently available at full fitness.


What i would really like to see is the defence totally remodelled but this is going to be a transition allowing the players like Galloway, Holgate, Kenny etc to come through into fhe squad.

I just look at it and think that it lacks a true inspirational leader and also lacks depth which is funny as we have 4 left backs on the books.

We lack leadership all over the squad really. Worryingly some of our older heads are our least vocal. Barry leads by example on the pitch but he doesnt seem to rally players either. The only one I have seen doing any of that this season is Besic and he has barely played. Coleman too I suppose but he seems to have a constant nark on about everything.

 

[Papa Shango]

Murinho wouldn't touch Everton with a barged pole. That's dreamland stuff. Going forward into next season our defence is good quality. Baines and Jags are suffering because of the manager the should be first choice and were not so long ago. Both are top players. Maybe Jags is getting on we will need someone to partner stones but not straight away, Jags is a top defender to be learning from. You probably have forgotten how good he can be but I don't blame you. And you probably forgot how Baines is one the best lbs in the world, statistically and I still don't blame you . I'll cite Martinez again.

Baines WAS one of the best LB's around. Injuries can ruin a player. Time will tell but he doesnt look right to me.

 

[gaino92]

What the bloody hell is a half back? why can't we just call positions what they are?! goal keeper, centre half, full back, defensive mid, centre mid, attacking mid, winger, striker. Anything other than this is pure football manager tosh and should be rejected by everyone

 

[gaino92]

Baines WAS one of the best LB's around. Injuries can ruin a player. Time will tell but he doesnt look right to me.

Isn't he still playing with a niggling injury that he will get sorted in the summer?

 

[nsno-chris]

The major defensive changes for next year should not involve buying players because der boss on dem footy games.

The issue surrounding our frailties is not solely down to 5 individuals at the back, the entire team lacks leadership from the management team, and by this I mean closing down and pressing space.

We are weak minded team, there is no fight and passion installed in the team, there is a lack of leadership from the top and the tactics are totally to blame for these issues.

Computer games are not real life

 

[orly]

What the bloody hell is a half back? why can't we just call positions what they are?! goal keeper, centre half, full back, defensive mid, centre mid, attacking mid, winger, striker. Anything other than this is pure football manager tosh and should be rejected by everyone

It's what working class people call scrum half / fly half pairing.

 

[Papa Shango]

Isn't he still playing with a niggling injury that he will get sorted in the summer?

No idea, lets hope so though.

 

[gaino92]

It's what working class people call scrum half / fly half pairing.

Rugby term for a position used in footballing forum

 

[Elong]

You are chatting bubbles as you have literally no idea what happens at Finch Farm, thus anything you say about coaches roles is wild speculation on your part and displays an eagerness to feel "ITK" here at GOT. You know more than no other person here, stop acting like you do.

You are an angry man.

 

[Zatara]

We lack leadership all over the squad really. Worryingly some of our older heads are our least vocal. Barry leads by example on the pitch but he doesnt seem to rally players either. The only one I have seen doing any of that this season is Besic and he has barely played. Coleman too I suppose but he seems to have a constant nark on about everything.

Its very weird as weve always had a "talisman" at the club until recently (cahill/ferguson etc) and a natural leader as well but this side has zero leadership.

i think that behind closed doors Barry Jags and howard will be fairly vocal but not on the pitch. Lile you say only besic has shown any real ability to rally the team over the past 2 seasons.

i was hoping mori would have that as at a total generalization these argentinians certainly used to play with their heart on their sleeve but he seems very calm and assured.

Coleman looks like hes about to punch someone all game long and jagielka has a once a game little shout....

But we need a leader in defence and midfield.

 

[Zatara]

Rugby term for a position used in footballing forum

Its a term which was used in the 60s mate.

These days i take it to mean a deep lying playmaker type.

 

[Zatara]

Baines WAS one of the best LB's around. Injuries can ruin a player. Time will tell but he doesnt look right to me.

Me neither. I think its clear that the injuries have affected him over the past 2 seasons and recently its been claimed that hes playing with an injury also. So either he gets the operation done in the summer and hes bac to normal or it could be that injuries have taken their toll on him.

Dreadful situation we have as he and oviedo are always injured now or playing with injuries...garbutt is almost 23 now and no kid anymore yet has failed at fulham and Galloway isnt a long term answer.

 

[McBain]

*Rolls up sleeves

We have two, In My Opinion, Centre halves with phenomenal potential. Stones and Mori can both put in a cracking tackle, have Athleticism in spades and both have have different strengths and weaknesses. Left and Right footed to boot. Stones oozes class, or can, and seems of a genetic pedigree every CB aspires to in terms of looking so at ease with the ball at his feet. His weaknesses can be defensive positioning and over playing the ball, both modern youthful frailties. Mori, deadly in the air, and with searing pace yet less then solid picking a pass and prone to the odd head fart. But what defender isn't. You've got two International Class CB's learning their trades, and looking at them individually you've got two of Footballs next Icons.

What they both lack is The Biff. The Grock. They need the right coach to bring out The Mongrel. They're too nice. You want a seasoned Pro, and Jags is a seasoned Pro - but you need a much dirtier one. An Italian. Can you imagine a dirty, grocky Italian or Argentinian teaching these guys how to get in opponents faces, teaching them the art of the wind up to add to their skills? Teaching them the no nonsense boot the striker right up the sphincter and face first into the Hoardings? Do they ever even mention their Mums to them? How hot their Sister looked last night? Who is teaching these guys to look your opponent right in the eye and explain to him directions to local Hospital? Tag team psychological Striker Rape.

Other than that you have to tell Seamus he's getting sacked if he doesn't pull his socks up and start playing properly. Less moaning, more action. And buy a bloody 'nother Right Back for FFS. What is there a one right back rule engraved in the Managers Office? Are they in such short supply you ony get one? Baines has been a legend for us, but it's time to get modern. Oviedo is great on his day, got a lot of time for the guy, but he's always crocked. If he keep his hamstrings on I'd keep him around, but if he spends any more time on the operating table I'd be moving him on.

Jags I'd move on at seasons end. Get a couple of cheap aging grocks to teach our youngsters a thing or two.

*sits back down

 

[Number_25]

Defending as a team would be a good start.

Our back four is decent, but left awry.