bluebastardo
Player Valuation: £40m
I've kept this seperate from the main thread, as it's not just about yesterdays match in particular, but yesterday highlighted it a bit more.
Our defense take too many chances, in particular Yobo, and strongly highlighted yesterday Distin.
I'm not sure what goes through a defenders mind, but they're not paid to play 'olay football'.
When the attacker is coming down on you, get rid of it.
More often than not, he is a sharper player than the defender, a little bit quicker, and needs just one chance to punish you for your mistakes.
What we don't do as defenders is try to be clever, by nutmegging him, flicking it around your ankles Fellaini v Bellamy style, or try to play our way out of the situation.
Central defenders aren't paid to think, but to defend.
They're not employed to demonstrate silky skills, but to be ruthless in their managing of a situation.
So why last night did our 2 little darlings suddenly have a personality crisis and think they were Zidane?
Yesterday, they got away with it, but next time they're going to get caught out.
When you're the last defender in possession of the ball, and a striker is approaching you at pace, get the damn thing up the field, or out of play.
Our defenders, with the exception of Baines need far too many touches to get the ball under control.
Why must we take that extra touch every time before releasing it? Neville is a big culprit for this too, as is Hibbert.
Distin should have wellied that ball, bad as it was, away last night with 'one' kick, and should have been perfectly aware where the opposition players were positioned.
Instead, he tried to control it, and play football.
The quicker our defenders stop trying to play, and just defend, the better.
Our defense take too many chances, in particular Yobo, and strongly highlighted yesterday Distin.
I'm not sure what goes through a defenders mind, but they're not paid to play 'olay football'.
When the attacker is coming down on you, get rid of it.
More often than not, he is a sharper player than the defender, a little bit quicker, and needs just one chance to punish you for your mistakes.
What we don't do as defenders is try to be clever, by nutmegging him, flicking it around your ankles Fellaini v Bellamy style, or try to play our way out of the situation.
Central defenders aren't paid to think, but to defend.
They're not employed to demonstrate silky skills, but to be ruthless in their managing of a situation.
So why last night did our 2 little darlings suddenly have a personality crisis and think they were Zidane?
Yesterday, they got away with it, but next time they're going to get caught out.
When you're the last defender in possession of the ball, and a striker is approaching you at pace, get the damn thing up the field, or out of play.
Our defenders, with the exception of Baines need far too many touches to get the ball under control.
Why must we take that extra touch every time before releasing it? Neville is a big culprit for this too, as is Hibbert.
Distin should have wellied that ball, bad as it was, away last night with 'one' kick, and should have been perfectly aware where the opposition players were positioned.
Instead, he tried to control it, and play football.
The quicker our defenders stop trying to play, and just defend, the better.
