Hanley

[hogesar 10,761]

I think hes always been quite wrongly criticised as not being good enough at this level (some even claimed the level below, actually) and several on here have wanted him replaced - certainly many wanted Kabak / Omobamidele starting ahead of him.

Yet again he's proven to be our best defender this season and seems to do a good job as captain too. I think he's a much better defender than Gibson personally, but as a partnership they generally tend to compliment each other quite well. Of course, we will need both fullbacks to have pace when playing this partnership but thats not a problem for us,  thankfully. 

Omobamidele is back soon but unless we switch to a three or one of the current two suffer a huge drop in form I cant see him getting in?

[Mason 47 1,921]

Wouldn't change a winning partnership now. Omo will have to work his way back in again.

In fairness I don't think it's that he's lacking the ability to play at this level, he was lacking the ability to play Farke-way at this level. Without the extra thought procedure going into being a ball-playing defender, he's looking a lot more competent.

Gibson and Omobamidele are a good passing foil for him. Not really sure what Kabak is really.

[Coneys Knee 1,048]

I think Andy O will end this season as our strongest CB, first name on the team sheet.

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

Think Smith has generally had our CBs  performing much better than Farke ever did at this level, the individual errors have been few and far between (when we are full strength at least).

Hanley is certainly showing himself to be our best defender, would rate Omobamidele to take Gibson’s spot before the end of the season though.

[Yellow Wal 315]

13 minutes ago, Coneys Knee said:

I think Andy O will end this season as our strongest CB, first name on the team sheet.

Omobamidele is the future, and a very good future he will be, but at the moment Gibson and Hanley are proving to be a good partnership.

Hanley is having an exceptional season and the only slight problem bringing Omo in to partner him  is that Hanley moves to the left of the defence where, perhaps, he is not quite as effective.

If it aint broke, don't mend it.

[Ken Hairy 4,272]

Said it Friday, Smith's no nonsense safety first back to basics style suits Hanley much better than Farkes tippy tappy play out from the back at all times. Certainly at Premier level anyway.