Ben Gibson vs Liam Cooper

[Six Pack 93]

I have always considered Gibson as a pretty average defender, benefitting from a good bunch of players around him, ok for the championship but the step up to the premier league will badly expose him. I have brought it up before and many posters argued that I have it wrong and Gibson is talented and that he has improved our defence. The stats have proved this to be correct as we have conceded less goals than in our last championship winning campaign. I am trying to stay positive this season as in his previous premier league seasons Middlesbrough were relegated & he was only a reserve for Burnley and didn't really feature. I note that Liam Cooper, a similar type player has done well with Leeds. Is comparing Gibson with Cooper a good comparison ? Putting aside that Gibson plays for us and Cooper for an arch enemy (to some posters) are they similar ? Who is better ?  Compared to Handley he is average but this is because Handley performs so many heroics. How does Gibson stack up against Cooper ?

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

Handley? Who's he?? 😉

As for Gibson, you're talking about a defender who ended up on the edges of the England team despite playing for a Middlesborough side that went down so he must have had plenty about him. His Middlesborough side went down having conceded only 53 goals, whereas Hull conceded 80 and Sunderland shipped 69. The problem with that Middlesborough team was scoring goals. Defensively they were staying in games.

As for Burnley, getting into that team at centre-half must be hard work with proven class in the likes of Tarkovski and Mee around. He probably will not be exposed going to the Premier League. In fact, the combination of a ball-playing centre-half who's decent in the air and has excellent anticipation with a hard-as-nails old-school centre-half who'll get his head on most things played long, and is also fast enough to sweep up most things launched behind the back four is a key reason why we looked defensively more solid. (Skipp's performances were another, I don't disagree).

Not watched too much of Cooper, so cannot comment on that bit, but the notion that Gibson could be exposed in the Premier looks off to me.

[cornish sam 953]

2 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Handley? Who's he?? 😉

As for Gibson, you're talking about a defender who ended up on the edges of the England team despite playing for a Middlesborough side that went down so he must have had plenty about him. His Middlesborough side went down having conceded only 53 goals, whereas Hull conceded 80 and Sunderland shipped 69. The problem with that Middlesborough team was scoring goals. Defensively they were staying in games.

As for Burnley, getting into that team at centre-half must be hard work with proven class in the likes of Tarkovski and Mee around. He probably will not be exposed going to the Premier League. In fact, the combination of a ball-playing centre-half who's decent in the air and has excellent anticipation with a hard-as-nails old-school centre-half who'll get his head on most things played long, and is also fast enough to sweep up most things launched behind the back four is a key reason why we looked defensively more solid. (Skipp's performances were another, I don't disagree).

Not watched too much of Cooper, so cannot comment on that bit, but the notion that Gibson could be exposed in the Premier looks off to me.

Handley Lamarr?

[Branston 53]

Couldn't disagree more with everything written . 

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Cooper is more comparable to Hanley. "League 1 Liam" he used to be known as at Leeds due to his limitations. He's strong, good mental strength and good in the air but maybe not great technically. Bielsa has clearly taken him to a better level but now it looks like Koch/Llorente will be the established partnership long term. The sort of centre back you get promoted with, keep for your first year up but end up wanting someone a bit more classy to progress further.

Gibson is more the ball playing, progressive type that looked every bit a premiership operator until his strange time at Burnley and on the evidence of his last season with us, he looks like he could get back to those levels with us in the prem. I suspect if we sign a new centre back and go 2 at the back, it'll be more likely Hanley becomes 3rd choice.

[Vazzza 62]

12 minutes ago, Tetteys Jig said:

it'll be more likely Hanley becomes 3rd choice.

You mean the Captain, 2nd in POTS and Championship team of the season Hanley? 😉

I’d put money on regardless of who comes in and no matter how big of a profile/fee, we’ll see a Gibbo and Hanley combo vs Liverpool. A lot to be said for stability and a built partnership in those CB positions. Let new guy force his way into the team. 

[Tetteys Jig 830]

50 minutes ago, Vazzza said:

You mean the Captain, 2nd in POTS and Championship team of the season Hanley? 😉

I’d put money on regardless of who comes in and no matter how big of a profile/fee, we’ll see a Gibbo and Hanley combo vs Liverpool. A lot to be said for stability and a built partnership in those CB positions. Let new guy force his way into the team. 

oh I agree... it would be daft to break those 2 up with the momentum they built but we definitely need another reliable option given circumstances. I suspect we'll eventually look at 3 at the back options anyway

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,135]

They're both good defenders who compliment each other well and were outstanding for us last year, but I can't help but worry about how they'll deal with set pieces and crosses next year as they're 6ft1 and 6ft2 which is quite small for PL level defenders. Gibson didn't look that great in the air last season to me and I've noticed watching Hanley at PL and international level that he also isn't the best at dealing with crosses and while he is a powerful guy, he's not bad of course, but not as dominating as I'd like and he's physically a clear level below a lot of top level strikers like Benteke/Wood/Antonio who I still think are capable of bullying us next year. 

The other defenders we're linked with, although tall, also seem to be more in the ball playing category instead of what I think we need which is someone who will win almost everything in the air, if you play a player like that alongside Hanley or Gibson I think they would be absolutely fine next year, but I worry a bit about that partnership. They'll be fine for the first few games though because we don't have to worry about a teams physicality until we play Watford on the 18th of September so I'm happy for them to start the season together. 

[Krul Mistress 36]

13 hours ago, Vazzza said:

You mean the Captain, 2nd in POTS and Championship team of the season Hanley? 😉

I’d put money on regardless of who comes in and no matter how big of a profile/fee, we’ll see a Gibbo and Hanley combo vs Liverpool. A lot to be said for stability and a built partnership in those CB positions. Let new guy force his way into the team. 

Agreed, they should and all things being will both play opening game. But we just spent £8m on Gibson. If we spend £8m on someone under Webber, they're in the starting line-up.

[Canary Jedi 579]

16 hours ago, Branston said:

Couldn't disagree more with everything written . 

Everything, ever? A bit harsh on William Shakespeare 😁

[wcorkcanary 4,334]

On 08/07/2021 at 23:11, Branston said:

Couldn't disagree more with everything written . 

Viz  is surely the exception .

[Nuff Said 5,130]

1 hour ago, wcorkcanary said:

Viz  is surely the exception .

Not as funny as it used to be.

[Branston 53]

On 09/07/2021 at 15:22, Canary Jedi said:

Everything, ever? A bit harsh on William Shakespeare 😁

OK so he knocked off a few good plays 🙂