lake district canary 4,531 Posted January 3, 2020 I asked this the other day, but our defence has been relatively good with Zimbo and Hanley and I was trying to work out how many times they have actually played together as a pair and I can't recall any times before these recent matches. Am I correct or have they played together before? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Greenthumb 746 Posted January 3, 2020 1 hour ago, lake district canary said: I asked this the other day, but our defence has been relatively good with Zimbo and Hanley and I was trying to work out how many times they have actually played together as a pair and I can't recall any times before these recent matches. Am I correct or have they played together before? It was Klose and Hanley at the start last season, I think zimmermann and Godfrey were the cup starters. Then Hanley got injured and he never really made his way back after that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete 318 Posted January 3, 2020 Zimmermann now looking the weak link at the back handballs and penalties starting to abound. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,531 Posted January 3, 2020 Zimbo is definitely not a weak link and the pairing of him and Hanley seems to work really well. Both big characters too. Hanley has surprised me since he came back in to the team and has looked strong and purposeful. A good solid cb pairing imo. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron obvious 1,502 Posted January 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, lake district canary said: Zimbo is definitely not a weak link and the pairing of him and Hanley seems to work really well. Both big characters too. Hanley has surprised me since he came back in to the team and has looked strong and purposeful. A good solid cb pairing imo. Not the prettiest but maybe the best. Anyone else noticed how often Tim is kicking it long lately? Perhaps it's just against CP, but definitely a change of tactic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wcorkcanary 4,334 Posted January 3, 2020 Zimbo is definitelyot a weak link......LDC. He definitely was THE weakest link in our defence in the last game. I really dont like to see him come out of defence,with the ball only to dither, be closed down and hurried into a wayward pass.....it has happened several times latey,he is def more Tony Adams than Rio Ferdinand. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,599 Posted January 3, 2020 8 minutes ago, lake district canary said: Zimbo is definitely not a weak link and the pairing of him and Hanley seems to work really well. Both big characters too. Hanley has surprised me since he came back in to the team and has looked strong and purposeful. A good solid cb pairing imo. I'm not sure zero clean sheets suggests it is working 'really well.' It is working slightly better than it was before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,653 Posted January 3, 2020 Hanley has come back alot better than where he left off. Good on him. However vs Palace Zimmerman was poor. And hes one of my favourite players so that's with some likely bias in his favour! His positioning wasnt great, made a couple of bad mistakes for this level and was getting dogs abuse from Krul for unnecessarily playing Zaha onside. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Van wink 2,994 Posted January 3, 2020 55 minutes ago, ron obvious said: Not the prettiest but maybe the best. Anyone else noticed how often Tim is kicking it long lately? Perhaps it's just against CP, but definitely a change of tactic. Yeh but unfortunately it comes straight back. We cannot hold the ball when we have a lead, we need a man up front who can turn his back and play others in, we dont have that so the tactic doesnt work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron obvious 1,502 Posted January 3, 2020 1 minute ago, Van wink said: Yeh but unfortunately it comes straight back. We cannot hold the ball when we have a lead, we need a man up front who can turn his back and play others in, we dont have that so the tactic doesnt work. Didn't think it did so much VW? I think Kenny & Alex were winning a few. We certainly need to be able to mix it up. Predictability is the worst thing, & if the opposition know we're always going to pass it out then they can just breathe down our defenders' necks & wait for the inevitable mistake. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wcorkcanary 4,334 Posted January 3, 2020 7 minutes ago, Van wink said: Yeh but unfortunately it comes straight back. We cannot hold the ball when we have a lead, we need a man up front who can turn his back and play others in, we dont have that so the tactic doesnt work. Idah can do that Job, mobile enough to get to the ball and strong enough to hold on to it. Whether he has the skills to play at this level is of course, yet to be seen.His body transformation since he left these shores is incredible, physically looks like John Fashanu now. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Well b back 3,198 Posted January 3, 2020 Seems it to the naked eye Lakey. Much better than Tettey and Amadou I must say, but the reason we seem that bit better to me is Hanley and Byram. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wcorkcanary 4,334 Posted January 3, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Well b back said: Seems it to the naked eye Lakey. Much better than Tettey and Amadou I must say, but the reason we seem that bit better to me is Hanley and Byram. Agree Backo, I was very surprised how unHanley like Hanley was , looked a yard faster, bit more composed, has his passing improved too? cos Zimbos looked a bit nervous and hurried to me. Byram, for a right footed left back has been very good, i think he defends better centrally than Jamal. Edited January 3, 2020 by wcorkcanary 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Greenthumb 746 Posted January 4, 2020 16 hours ago, lake district canary said: Zimbo is definitely not a weak link and the pairing of him and Hanley seems to work really well. Both big characters too. Hanley has surprised me since he came back in to the team and has looked strong and purposeful. A good solid cb pairing imo. Your answer is above, your welcome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cantiaci Canary 556 Posted January 4, 2020 So ... with Klose, Godfrey, Hanley and Zimmerman fully fit and in equal form - who do you pick, bench and leave in the stands?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray 111 Posted January 4, 2020 CC, you could of course pick 3 and bench one with noone in the stands. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cantiaci Canary 556 Posted January 4, 2020 Who do you bench then Ray?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray 111 Posted January 4, 2020 Now that's a different question, to which I know not the answer, other than to say Godfrey would probably definitely play due to his superior pace and will be learning from more experienced players. May be rotate the others depending on the oppo??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cantiaci Canary 556 Posted January 4, 2020 (edited) That's the funny thing with our backline isn't it? Over the last 1.5 seasons we've adored what Krul, Zimmerman, Klose, Godfrey, Hanley, Lewis, Aarons and Byram have done (so much so that we struggle to pick between them and dread their departures / injuries) ... BUT - we've let in so many goals! Edited January 4, 2020 by Cantiaci Canary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,531 Posted January 4, 2020 14 minutes ago, Ray said: Now that's a different question, to which I know not the answer, other than to say Godfrey would probably definitely play due to his superior pace and will be learning from more experienced players. Godfrey will imo be benefiting from this break from the team. It will have given him a chance to take stock of things and catch up with himself after the whirlwind of the first half of the season with all the problems and injuries. Should come back stronger....but, if Hanley and Zimbo can show they are able to shore up the defence and we start getting results, Godfrey, however good, will have to wait his chance to get back in the team. Could be a great person to have on the bench too, as he could slot on anywhere on the pitch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Well b back 3,198 Posted January 4, 2020 17 minutes ago, lake district canary said: Godfrey will imo be benefiting from this break from the team. It will have given him a chance to take stock of things and catch up with himself after the whirlwind of the first half of the season with all the problems and injuries. Should come back stronger....but, if Hanley and Zimbo can show they are able to shore up the defence and we start getting results, Godfrey, however good, will have to wait his chance to get back in the team. Could be a great person to have on the bench too, as he could slot on anywhere on the pitch. £30 million ( allegedly ) for our 3rd choice cb, can’t be bad. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,531 Posted January 4, 2020 5 minutes ago, Well b back said: £30 million ( allegedly ) for our 3rd choice cb, can’t be bad. Yes, except that he is not really 3rd choice. If all four cb's are that good and they are all interchangeable, then they would have to all be considered at the same level. Four equals, if you like. Hanley maybe has the biggest point to prove, but imo in the last few games he has been very good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,800 Posted January 4, 2020 It's nice to have two actual central defenders playing together, but has the Zimmermann-Hanley combination really been that brilliant? We still haven't kept a clean sheet or won a game since they've been playing together. Hanley has looked decent since his return but Zimmermann has had a few shaky moments since returning from injury. When Godfrey comes back from injury, I'd put him back into the side as he offers something different- he's quicker and better on the ball than the other two whereas Zimmermann and Hanley have a similar style to each other. Obviously that would change if there's a serious upturn in results or a serious downturn in goals conceded between now and Godfrey's return. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy_Bones 441 Posted January 4, 2020 Part of it surely comes down to pairings rather than innate ability, and sometimes players just work better with a specific individual alongside them than another. Zimm has looked better when alongside Godfrey, almost like they play off each other's strengths better than say Hanley and Zimm together who are relatively similar types of players (certainly compared to the ball-playing Godfrey). I also think that Tettey and Vrancic just work better in the middle rather than having Tettey alongside either of Trybull or Mclean, but that doesn't make them worse players than Vrancic in the process. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites