Why are our defenders so mentally fragile?

[king canary 8,763]

Summed up perfectly by that dreadful 5 minutes around the goal.

Firstly too passive and backing off for the goal. Then after it went in everyone lost their heads. Hanley and Aarons forget to step out and we're nearly 2-0 down, Hanley then totally switches off from a set piece and gives Bath a free header, then Gibson passes it out for a corner under no pressure. All in the space of a few minutes.

Honestly the whole unit seems to have all the robustness of a stale breadstick at this point.

[cambridgeshire canary 7,804]

Feels like we have been asking this for years and yet nothing changes.

[Robert N. LiM 6,303]

Didn't watch today but this frailty is so frustrating. It's why I thought the Millwall game could be a turning point. We went one down, but fought back well and looked like a team who could win difficult points as well as easy ones. But even in that game we had a very shaky period after they went 1-0 up, and generally we've responded really poorly to going behind. So frustrating and it's what will sink us in the end. I think we'll probably still end up in the top six, but can't see us finding the three resilient performances against good sides we'd need to do anything in the playoffs. Ugh.

 

Edit: fwiw I don't think it's just the defence, think it runs throughout the team. I think there's a lot of merit in the theory some have put forward, that two seasons of punishment beatings in the PL have really taken its toll on these players.

Edited March 12, 2023 by Robert N. LiM

[unique 466]

None of them fit for defensive purpose.

The recruitment team will need to earn their corn close season. Need warriors who hate conceding.

[Indy 3,477]

To be honest I’m pretty sure our goals conceded have always been high, under Farke too, we’ve found ways to score more than we have since losing Buendia. Fragility is something we’ve not addressed at the back in many years, we have papered over this by attacking really well, now that’s not happening we see our defensive frailties more.

[mrdi 411]

Gibson taking the ball from Gunn then immediately bending it out for a Sunderland corner was my 'favourite' from today. Sunderland arguably let us off: for the 10 mins or so after they scored, we were totally there for the taking. 

Edited March 12, 2023 by mrdi
punctuation, baby

[All the Germans 1,239]

Aarons decent with the ball and going forward but defensively suspect and physically small. Hanley a beast in the air but lacking any kind of footballing ability, Gibson good with the ball and passing out but so slow and suspect positioning, Giannoulis fast, good going forward, can tackle should be better than he is but switches to "useless mode" too often.

[TheBaldOne66 768]

Because they have no pressure on them from others wanting the shirt as much, too complacent by far knowing they will play especially Hanley 

[shefcanary 2,956]

They are frail because Hanley is there and Hanley is the captain. He is the biggest ditherer in the Championship. Nothing decisive about him unless he's in the six yard box when he is good at last ditch block tackling etc. But give him any time and he's ****ing useless. He needs to go.

Edited March 12, 2023 by shefcanary

[norfolkngood 1,174]

1 hour ago, shefcanary said:

They are frail because Hanley is there and Hanley is the captain. He is the biggest ditherer in the Championship. Nothing decisive about him unless he's in the six yard box when he is good at last ditch block tackling etc. But give him any time and he's ****ing useless. He needs to go.

i think Hanley is like a old fashioned CB / Stopper blocking and just clear it anywhere and reshape etc he would be Excellent 

As for Gibson who is what you call a ball playing CB to pass it out for a Corner is him all over he could ping in 40 yards or do something as awful as that ,

i think they both need selling and rebuild the CB places 

[Capt. Pants 5,015]

Special mention to Giannoulis who once again was awful plus Aarons who finally has a bad game alround.

Sunderland defended superbly and wanted it just that bit more. I worry that some of our players are scarred by 2 Premier League failures and need to be moved on.

[mannings bandy legs 439]

1 minute ago, Capt. Pants said:

Special mention to Giannoulis who once again was awful plus Aarons who finally has a bad game alround.

Sunderland defended superbly and wanted it just that bit more. I worry that some of our players are scarred by 2 Premier League failures and need to be moved on.

I stated that a few weeks back. Some of these players know what the big boys league has in store and don't really fancy it again.

[TIL 1010 5,246]

By mentally fragile do you mean bang average ?

[overthebordercanary 163]

When was the last time aarons has actually beat an opponent going forwards, rather then cutting back. 

[Richard Richard 191]

5 hours ago, All the Germans said:

Aarons decent with the ball and going forward but defensively suspect and physically small. Hanley a beast in the air but lacking any kind of footballing ability, Gibson good with the ball and passing out but so slow and suspect positioning, Giannoulis fast, good going forward, can tackle should be better than he is but switches to "useless mode" too often.

IS Aaron's decent with the ball and going forward?

I can't remember the last time he went outside a man and beat him. Or put in a decent cross...

[yellowrider120 920]

5 hours ago, All the Germans said:

Aarons decent with the ball and going forward but defensively suspect and physically small. Hanley a beast in the air but lacking any kind of footballing ability, Gibson good with the ball and passing out but so slow and suspect positioning, Giannoulis fast, good going forward, can tackle should be better than he is but switches to "useless mode" too often.

Which is why for all these rumours of him being tracked by............'Europe's top clubs' have never come to anything and he remains firmly at FCR. The days of Webber dreaming of flogging him for '£30M' are well and truly gone. 

[Canary Jedi 611]

Just watched the “highlights” - a block would have been nice
 

[king canary 8,763]

10 hours ago, Canary Jedi said:

Just watched the “highlights” - a block would have been nice
 

I just think watching this goal in comparison to how Sunderland defended us is so frustrating.

We backed off and off and off until he was in shooting range and got punished. Gunn should have done better but the opportunity comes because Hanley and Gibson are both too passive with their men.

In comparison the Sunderland defenders were in our attackers faces every time, stepping out an engaging Pukki, Sargent, Idah, not letting them get close enough in to worry the keeper. This is what I mean by fragile- they just seem to play scared of the opposition, no matter who they are.

[Capt. Pants 5,015]

I was right behind that goal. Our (Hanley's) defending and Gunn's starting point were criminal.

[king canary 8,763]

12 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

I was right behind that goal. Our (Hanley's) defending and Gunn's starting point were criminal.

Gunn is in some ways a bit unfortunate in that he takes a little hop to his right just before the shot comes in, although he can be questioned if he needed to take it at all- I'll let people who know more about keepers give an opinion on that.

[simmo_2 6]

The defence is useless, the recruitment of defenders is a shambles, we bought Handley from NUFC who he could not get a game when they were in championship. We bought Gibson from Burnley and they just thought he was not at any level to get in there team. Aarons was a better player 5 years ago than now. We have never had a left back since Lewis was sold. As for the defensive midfielder who is incapable of taking the ball from the defenders. I read a comment on here from Hogesar slagging off other fans wanting the ball kicked long. This is exactly what the team should do and focus on winning 2nd ball. When we play short to central defenders it’s like pass the hand grenade. 
I remember watching ITFC when Lambert manager and he tries to get them playing from back it was comical, that is now NCFC level of defending.

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,797]

A combination of things have lead to a loss in confidence and subsequent poor execution of game plan. 
 

1. Gibson was not favoured by Smith. Gibson  felt that when he played (picked behind AO) he dare not make a mistake. I’ve heard Gibson say this. 
 

2. Relegation . Three of the back four yesterday have suffered 2 horrendous relegations . This must affect players. Parma has made similar points before 

3. We are well known to play out , we are statistically shown to give the ball away , and QED we are vulnerable to a high pressing team. Refer to Mowbrays “look at the stats” interview yesterday. 
 

4. The fans got straight on the CB’s backs yesterday . bloke behind me in the Upper Barclay was incandescent with rage every time Gibson and Hanley got the ball. Imagine playing with that sort of pressure.