Don't we need a centre half - or two?

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

Can''t remember much speculation either in the press or on this board about our need for a commanding, experienced centre half. Or am I missing something?

Peculiar. Let''s hope they''re not satisfied with Shackell/Doherty/(Dublin) plus youngsters. They obviously weren''t good enough last season. And Flemming wasn''t replaced. Plus I think that Dublin should be used mainly as cover up front - which is his oft stated preference.

Anybody see anything on the horizon.

For sure, we don''t need multi-purpose, not-quite-good enoughs who can fill in at centtre half. 

Worrying indeed.

We need to find another Butler or Forbes or Stringer or Bruce or Watson or Linigan or Butterworth from somewhere - and quick.

OTBC

 

 

[deano 0]

there was a rumour we tried to sign bramble. haha. id rather doherty than that sc*ummer piece of rubbis. shame we lost out to wigan really. that signing may well have sealed there relegation next year.

[Fordy 0]

At last someone who shares my opinion! All the speculation is on gk''s, midfielders and attackers - missing out our main problem! Sure there has been a few defenders banded about but nothing definite! We can score goals with the forward players we have so we need to act on the defense. Maybe look at a permanent centre back and one on loan? Loan out Halliday for experience and go with Doc, Shackell, loanee and other permanent signing. Maybe Grant should have a word with one of the top 4 in the prem - they must have a promising young centre half they want to loan out? Also enquire about Davenport or Collins at West Sham if we havn''t already done so.

Sigh.

[a1canary 0]

And me! I''ve been bleating about this since the Jan transfer window, and before. It''s extremely worring to me - priority number one is a GK, VERY closely followed by a commanding CB in the style of Malky, he who has yet to be replaced however many years on from when he was released.Strikers, midfielders, fullbacks all less of a priority for me...

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

Well, well - a rumour! For what it''s worth.

Norwich are interested in highly rated centre back
Leon Barnett from Luton, it is thought that Peter
Grant will bid £1.5 million for the young player. (from Dodgy Rumours, no less)

Played in both matches against us last season.

Anyone remember him?

OTBC

 

[Putney Canary 0]

I agree, we need at least one more in. Never mind relacing Fleming, we haven''t replaced Malky yet...

[Wings 0]

Yes we do; look at who we have, and it''s a worrying situation indeed. Doherty, Shackell and Dublin will not be enough in terms of cover for the center back position and Halliday and Spillane isn''t ready to step up yet.

I''d like to see someone brought in and promptly.

[Salopian 1]

Emphatically "Yes", we do need a central defender. Even if the "fit again" Doc plays at his best, he is still liable to get out of position and give away free-kicks. If he doesn''t, or if he is injured in a two games a week period, then can Dion still do the job?Given that PG apparently doesn''t rate Spillane as a central defender, at least not yet, do we have any option but to find another? We should be tighter in defence if Otsemobor signs, although Drury''s lack of bite worries me, and the midfield is not clear at the moment. We ought to score goals, but we need to be much tighter in defence than we were last season.Were they just ill-founded rumours, or were we linked to at least two young central defenders - Hitchin and Dereham? Even if this were true, they would be for the future, and we need a strong experienced no-nonsense central defender now. I hope that the management have someone lined up, and we just have not heard about it.

[renegade tootsie 0]

I wondered about this, but ask you the question - were the centre backs put under pressure by attacks from the flanks?  I seem to remember endless goals coming from Drury and whoever happened to have been picked out of the hat to play right back getting skinned or being out of position, leaving the centre backs floundering and out of position.

Perhaps a new right back and Drury getting his thumb out of his proverbial might be what it takes to allow Shackell and Docherty to concentrate on their own jobs?

 

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

Nothing I have seen has said to me that the pairing of Doherty and Shackell are the answer.  Dublin can only be relied upon as backup these days (although he is better than both of the aforementioned players).

We desperatly need to finally replace Malky with a similar player to Dublin, coming and winning every header and organising things at the back.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

A1canary calls it right for me. Priority number one has to be a goalkeeper. Doherty got POS in 05/06 and the only real difference in the defence then was that we had a proper goalkeeper. 06/07 we went with Gally who I still believe was the worst 1st choice keeper I ever saw play for us.

We tried zonal marking. Then we brought in a kid leftback from Everton for whatever reason. Then we changed keepers more often than Wiz has changed his mind about Grant. Then we ditched zonal marking. During this we tried Doherty / Shackell, Dublin / Shackell and Doherty / Dublin with little difference between any combination.

We need another centreback because we have no cover other than Dublin and possibly Spillane. I would like it to be an experienced player who will put pressure on Doherty / Shackell for their position and then let the best pair play.

 

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

How about Darren Moore from Derby? Tough and experienced.

I hear they''re ready to let him go (just like we did Malky) because they don''t think he can hack it in the prem.

OTBC

[megson 0]

Really?

I''d snap him up with little hesitation. Would depend on the fee of course, but I do think he''d be a short term asset.

Good leader as well.