Or will we go with Galloway, Browning and Pennington as the cover?
- Status
I can't see Martinez spending big as has been reported for Dann, maybe Vlaar on a free? I think all his pocket money will be going on a top class playmaker (here's hoping!)
Kendall's Dream
Player Valuation: £10m
If we had a good experienced centre back last season, he would of played over Alcaraz and we would of went further in europe. We defo need one.
toffeejack
Player Valuation: £100m
of course. stones is young as well regardless of how good he is.
tim cahill
Player Valuation: £50m
Of course we do. If jagielka got injured our most senior CB would be 21.
blueboy1945
Player Valuation: £8m
Think we should go with the youngsters. Got to find out if they are good enough and have the right mentality.
MartSlinger
Player Valuation: £40m
As someone said, if Jagielka got injured, Stones would be our most senior centre back at the age of 21. We definitely need experienced cover and that seems to be what he's targeting. Dann 28, Ogbonna 27 & Klavan 29 are all experienced centre backs. I think he rates Galloway that highly that he feels he doesnt need to bring in a CB between 20-25.
The only way the youngsters will develop is by using them.
Jags and Stones as regular CB, with Galloway as able cover - he did well against Spurs and the old adage goes, if your good enough your old enough.
If they're cover, they're still likely to have one of the two regular CB's to guide them. Alcaraz was experienced, however didn't inspire confidence.
TrixyStevens
Player Valuation: £30m
Are the young players good enough yet for the senior panel? Galloway certainly gave a good account of himself against West Ham a few weeks ago, I would say out of the 3, he's the one with something about him. Browning is physically ready but technically and mentally I'm not so sure. I don't know anything about Pennington tbh.
In the past two seasons, Alcaraz made 14 league appearances, and Distin made 13 last season, with the majority of those coming because of injuries to Stones. Jags has been pretty consistent in terms of fitness.
So whoever came in would have to, in all likelihood, play a small number of games alongside an experienced England international. Even if Jags was injured, Stones has had two full seasons at PL level and a handful of England caps. He's not that wet behind the ears imo.
Of the young lads, Pennington has played 42 senior games, albeit at a lower level. Galloway has played 19 games, with 2 at PL level, and Browning has just 5, with 2 in the PL. So both Pennington and Galloway have as much experience as Stones had when he broke into the first team.
So for me, unless one of our 1st choice centre backs has a long-term injury then we have enough talent in reserve to provide cover and should give them a go. These lads need to be tried at some point anyway, so lets use them rather than bring in a journeyman for the sake of it.
So whoever came in would have to, in all likelihood, play a small number of games alongside an experienced England international. Even if Jags was injured, Stones has had two full seasons at PL level and a handful of England caps. He's not that wet behind the ears imo.
Of the young lads, Pennington has played 42 senior games, albeit at a lower level. Galloway has played 19 games, with 2 at PL level, and Browning has just 5, with 2 in the PL. So both Pennington and Galloway have as much experience as Stones had when he broke into the first team.
So for me, unless one of our 1st choice centre backs has a long-term injury then we have enough talent in reserve to provide cover and should give them a go. These lads need to be tried at some point anyway, so lets use them rather than bring in a journeyman for the sake of it.
We need a centre back who is dominate in the air, and also be pacy that will stop Barry playing as an extra centre back! - a defender to command , and to deal with crosses as if we keep TH we have a problem as every corner is heart in your mouth time or a free kick cross or any cross - Jags is small -Stones is tall but not beefy enough to attack the ball in the air while TH just watches on his line!
Do any of the younger players come into that category?
Do any of the younger players come into that category?
Are they on a similar level as Alcaraz and the last season of Distin? I'd say so. If you look around the PL, it seems very rare that centre backs get rested, and injuries are fairly uncommon too, so I reckon whoever backs up Jags/Stones would be called upon for no more than a dozen PL games next season. Ideal territory for giving the youngsters a go imo. Browning didn't let anyone down when he came in, and neither did Galloway.
Pennington and Galloway are both 6'1", with Browning a shade under 6'
- Status
