Scouting thoughts on defenders

[tom cavendish 0]

1. Bassong seems to have got his act together and has been in his best form for a long while. However, he becomes error prone the very moment that those standards drop by even a just a tiny amount.2. I would expect every opposition manager to single-out Martin because he loses a lot of aerial and physical challenges and sometimes gets caught dithering on the ball for too long. 3. Ryan Bennett is 25 but I don''t think he has yet realised his full potential.4. Olsson is good going forwards but when he is defending the opposition get far beyond him with time to make good passes into the box.5. Whittaker is a lot better going forwards than some give him credit for but gets turned too easily when defending.6. Turner seems likely to be playing elsewhere next season.7. Toffolo, Awuah etc. won''t be counted in the 25 man squad but don''t  yet seem ready to be playing regularly in the Premier League.I think AN has done a brilliant job to get the club promoted considering the defenders he had to select from. The key to the system has been Tettey protecting the defenders which then gives the full-backs more freedom to get forwards (and so the team spends less time defending). Johnson playing wide on the left has also helped to make the team more solid defensively.I think the defensive priority should be to sign 2 new central defenders and a left-back. Then consider loaning Ryan Bennett to a Championship club for a couple of months.

[Nicko 0]

These aren''t ''scouting thoughts'', these are just your thoughts.

[Nicko 0]

For what it''s worth, I think getting 3 new defenders in would upset the dynamic. A decent CB would do the trick just fine.

[TCCANARY 263]

Not as good as my post yesterday.

[quote user="TCCANARY"]

 

1. We''ve got some.

2. They can defend, some are better than the others.

3. They can attack, mainly in set pieces like corners or free kicks.

4. We''ll probably need to buy some more.

[/quote]

 

http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/AddPost.aspx?PostID=3258327&Quote=True

 

 

 

[The ghost of Michael Theoklitos 0]

Really? We''re going this again, are we?

[The ghost of Michael Theoklitos 0]

[edit] *doing

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Well at least he''s talking about football rather than some childish attempt at humour...

1. Bassong - class act. Not as error prone as he''s made out to be given he has a lot to deal with. Need to build round him next year.

2. Martin - not as bad in the air as you make out. I''d rather he went back to RB though and we got a new CB

3. Bennett - Hopefully an injury free season will show his full potential as he''s capable of being a regular prem starting defender as he has been successfully for us in spells.

4. Olsson - I think the premiership will suit him. Needs an anchor man there to cover when he goes on his marauding runs. Hopefully we will see more of that again this year. I think he suits the prem better than the champs.

5. Whittaker - Nothing more to add here, I like him but I do wonder if there''s a place for him against the worlds best left wingers.

6 Turner - Likely to go, we need someone more mobile.

7. Toffolo - I''d be fine with us using a combo of him and Whitts to cover at left back, spend the money elsewhere.

Tettey or AN Other (perhaps Mulumbu) will be key in protecting the cbs and covering the fullbacks again.

I''d buy in a new CB and a right back. I''d be happy if we only got Van Dijk though as he can cover both roles.

[tom cavendish 0]

[quote user="Nicko"]For what it''s worth, I think getting 3 new defenders in would upset the dynamic. A decent CB would do the trick just fine.[/quote]Other than Olsson, who would play at left-back to a high standard?

[Nicko 0]

I would be pushing Olsson with Toffolo. Other areas are more pressing IMO.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

I can''t imagine any exclusive left backs out there of any ability happy with a supporting role to Olsson. Garrido wasn''t up for it and Toffolo has shown the most promise of any of our youth players. Happy with him covering the role.

If we got Van Dijk or similar, he can operate there in the games we need a solid back for with a WBA style 4 cbs at the back when they had Lescott, Olsson, McAuley and Wisdom all playing.

[Molly Windley 76]

These are your thoughts on the current squad, what are your thoughts on Who we move onWho we keep but loan outWho we bring inWhat is your back four come the start of the seasonWho are the back up players for each position

[TCCANARY 263]

[quote] user="Tettey''s Jig"]Well at least he''s talking about football rather than some childish attempt at humour... [/quote]

 

Sorry, best you concentrate on you childish attempts at talking about football.

 

 

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

If Olsson got injured and we had to go with Toffolo I''d be seriously worried.

At right back we''re probably ok; Whitts, Martin and possibly E Benno can all do a decent job.

We''re probably looking at getting another centre-back. Preferably someone who is mobile and has a bit of pace about him.

[Highland Canary 76]

None of our RBs are good enough for the PL nor is Martin at RCB. These two positions must be a priority..

[lake district canary 4,540]

[quote user="Highland Canary"]None of our RBs are good enough for the PL nor is Martin at RCB. These two positions must be a priority..[/quote]

Martin is the captain and he is a central defender. He will be there all next season and do well at it imo.  It would be quite nice if a few more people would forget that  he used to be a right back. He could play there in an emergency, but he is now a centre back first,  for Norwich and for Scotland - and will improve the more he plays there.

Him and Bassong - if they play to their best (and AN gets the best out of his players) - are of sufficient quality to be the main pairing imo and with Tettey in front of them, can be the core of the team.   Sure, get strengthening in the squad to cover and give them competition, but as they are and at their best they are first choice for me.

Whittaker is less of a certainty, but if he maintains form next season the way he finished this season, then no worries there either. Again cover/competition needed, but he will imo still feature regularly at RB.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

[quote user="TCCANARY"]

[quote] user="Tettey''s Jig"]Well at least he''s talking about football rather than some childish attempt at humour... [/quote]

 

Sorry, best you concentrate on you childish attempts at talking about football.

 

 

[/quote]

Do you ever have anything positive to say? Ever? Why do you even bother post here? In fact why do you even bother at all?

Anyway... The left back situation. Whilst it would be fragile if Olsson got injured, I can''t see someone willing to join us knowing that they won''t be first choice that is any better than Toffolo. Our best chance there is to sign a utility player like Van Dijk who can slot in there seamlessly if needs be.

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Miquel can play there. Where''s he got to ;-) ?

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Agree with all of what LDC said. Never thought I''d say that.

[ZLF 274]

It seems I remain alone at being concerned about the whole defence.

Seb did bring some stability to CB but I remain concerned about both positions and would like 2 signings, at least one to be pushing for a start. Not much I like about the UK options - although loic perrin would be great

LB we do need an option beyond Olsson as we cant yet rely on tofollo; and a player to push whittaker at rb too.

[BroadstairsR 2,186]

If Martin is such a liability at centre back, and I''m not saying he is or he isn''t, then how come three City managers in a row have used him regularly in that position, he is the first choice for Strachan''s Scotland team (and rated above Berra, a big star down the road) and was voted in the team of the season by his fellow professionals in the Championship and was a fixture in one of the tighter Championship defences in the second half of last season?

Yep! I too would want another classy centre back to go alongside Bassong, but let''s not ignore RM''s quality in that position and at least be grateful to have that quality in reserve.

[ZLF 274]

I dont disagree with that Broadstairs - I think both seb and russ still have a place at the club and pushing for starting positions - its only with that quality in depth that we will progress. The ones to move on are those that did not push Seb and Russ for places last season.

Both had a good second half to the season but both have their weaknesses a level up; that does not make them a liability, just that I see it as a key position where we need to add quality this summer.