The Case for the Defence

[ToffeeTim]

Tarkowski just hasn't played very well and the full backs just aren't very good.

 

[Drico]

A perfect storm: Branthwaite is showing his value in absentia. We have no full backs. One season too many for Tarkowski. And then there's Michael Keane, whose utter lack of pace means we can't push up.

Moyes has his hands full with that lot, but didn't help himself at all in the summer.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Not signing any full backs but spending 70m on attackers not deemed good enough to start, is exactly why this club has been terrible for decades.

Every summer we make a number of abysmal recruitment decisions and that's why we never improve.

 

[ElGato]

Keane is having a decent spell but he's a back foot defender. all his best work is clearances from deep and last ditch blocks

essentially the sign of a bad defender who is too deep and out of position

a bit liek Hibbert, he made a few slideys so everyone thought he was solid but he shouldnt have been having to make those tackles in the first place.

this would be fine if we were looking to soak up pressure every game, but we're not. we have actually played on the front foot in every game and looked to have control of the football, except for the first halves against Leeds and Liverpool. so when we end up losing the ball there is a huge gap between attack and defense which opposition sides are exploiting

with a higher line and a more aggressive defensive unit you can squeeze the opposition and turn the ball back over instantly and go back on the attack in the oppositions half.

Keane was a needs must at beginning of season, but OBrien needs to partner Tarkowski for now, and Garner will give us more balance and threat on the right.

garner out of midfield also means one of (if not both) Rohl or KDH will play in CM, which i think would make us less easy to play through as both seem that bit more solid and aggressive than Gana, and btter at covering the ground

Garner is in great form on the ball, off the ball i think he's too lightweight to be in there for us. if he played for a side that had 70% of possession every game fine, but we dont. We are too easy to play through currently I think which impacts the defence.

OBrien is also playing like a centre half who is being shifted to right back. last year he played like a lad who was just determined to make an impact no matter where he played and was effective. Now he looks like what he is, a 6ft6 centre half at right back, which isn't really sustainable for what we are trying to do with the football when we have possession of it

Pep did play Stones at right back for a spell, but Stones would drift into central midfield when they had the ball (which was all the time) and dictate the tempo from there. he's also levels above OBrien. OBrien isnt offering anything offensively except for at set plays and this is hampering us

mykolenko is just not good enough and I think is being shown up without Branthwaite mopping upafter him. his lack of any attacking ability is so stark now that he's supporting Grealish, instead of someone ike McNeil or Harrison, and under Dyche we didnt really play through them anyway, we just hoped for a set piece

Spot on imo, great post

 

[Zatara]

Bournemouth' replaced the majority of their backline which they sold for close to 200 million this window and bought the replacements along with one loan all regularly playing for around 65 million. Obviously it's not always that easy but it can be done. They are currently 2nd in the league

Yes I'd mentioned Truffert as someone I wanted a couple of years ago for left back and again when we were linked in Jan. Kayode at Brentford now and Wesley at Roma may also have been low cost right backs.

I listed the fees down the other day but i think for Truffert and Kayode the total including add ons was £29mil.

The players are out there. But if you want to go after clear quality or quality with high potential and have the level Spurs and Arsenal have signed then youre talking £40mil a pop.