DDD In The Fine City 1 Posted November 5, 2004 Everyone keeps talking about our need for a striker but i think a problem that is being overlooked is the defence, flem and char have looked good "at times" but everytime the ball is crossed in the air it has me on the edge of my seat. we have tryed different strikers to score the goals but if we dont let any goals in then we only need to score one to win a game. worthington bought the Doc as a centre back, so why not give the man a try?Whats the worst that could happen? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dean Coneys boots 1,531 Posted November 5, 2004 The worst that could happen.... ...the Doc slips in the first minute and falls backwards- he crashes into Green fracturing both  skulls and putting them out for the season. As a result Ward goes into goal -only for it to be revealed that he had a strong affection for the Doc and cannot concentrate when his lover/hero is hurting - thus letting in several goals....Nigel collpases under the strain and is replaced by Megson- who demands his old Chairman back- and fat Chase arrives - promptly selling Hucks and buying Marshall as cover for Green and Ward (Gallacher and Lewis having been sacked by the ranting Megson).....Delia has enough and joins Ipswich- and takes them to the PRem.... ...not likely bu it was an inviting question!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Super Shaun Carey 0 Posted November 5, 2004 Great speech.I bet that your Church is fantastic on a sunday morning with services like that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DumbleDelia is Magic 0 Posted November 5, 2004 [quote]The worst that could happen.... ...the Doc slips in the first minute and falls backwards- he crashes into Green fracturing both skulls and putting them out for the season. As a result Ward goes into...[/quote]Great post Vic! Quality! It wouldn''t surprise me if we started to see the Doc sneaking into the back four in the next couple of weeks. I don''t think it would do any harm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobfleck 0 Posted November 5, 2004 Seems a little paradoxical that our back four (especially Flem and Charlton) have been getting some really positive reviews, yet our ''goals against'' column is looking a tad hefty! Cant see Worthy dropping either of our centre backs, but I totally agree that the lack of a clonking great defender may have cost us points of late, and leaves us looking vulnerable from set pieces (was it me, or did Sibierwski win EVERY header he went for???). Its a conundrum alright. Poor old Nige. Who''d be a manger eh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tumbleweed 106 Posted November 5, 2004 Yes, we let the oppo win crucial headers in the box but our main vulnerability is fast pacy midfielders who come up to support the attackers. We fling men at the bloke on the ball leaving acres of space for others to run into. Time and again on Monday we were in real trouble when Flood and Anelka linked up with Flood racing into good crossing positions. In my view that is a weakness in the organisation of the defence and the midfield''s failure to pick this up. At times Holt and Francis were virtually sitting on top of Flem and Charlton. Ball breaks loose and we have no one to relive the pressure either. Wide midfielders also need to get back to help out the full backs more.Doherty will not solve this problem but I agree it might be worth trying him at centre back for a bit to see how it goes. Don''t believe it will shore things up though until the defence get a bit better organised and tighter than a gnat''s arse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FilletTheFishWife . 0 Posted November 5, 2004 No.The only thing i can see the doc offering us in defence is his height and from his spell up front i don''t think he''s any better in the air than charlton & fleming.the goals against number is high because we''re 19th and the defence is constantly under pressure because our midfield is weak defensively (especially wide and especially the left side). that''s why when playing 4-3-3 we need even more defensive cover from the 3 midfielders.with this in mind with drury injured I''d go for :greenedworthy fleming shackell charltonholt francis brennanmckenzie svensson huckerby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pottsy 0 Posted November 5, 2004 How can anyone say maybe its a defender we need and not a striker. We have created quite enough and more chances to win nearly all of our games but our strikers just haven''t been good enough. Where are these goals we are letting in because our defenders aren''t big enough?Headed goals, well there was one against Everton but no-one jumped against Ferguson so size is irrelevant. Did u watch Docherty when he played for spurs, he makes at least two absolute howlers a game. Lets remember that the Spurs fans don''t like him cos of his performances at centre back. This view is echoed by a previous manager at Spurs George Graham who said in the build up to the spurs game. Docherty makes too many errors to be a premiership defender. I was extremely worried at the start of the season about the lack of height as I myself am a 6ft 4 centre back but I don''t think it has been a major problem. If we have to select a big defender lets select Jason Shackell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gazzathegreat 0 Posted November 5, 2004 [quote]The worst that could happen.... ...the Doc slips in the first minute and falls backwards- he crashes into Green fracturing both skulls and putting them out for the season. As a result Ward goes into...[/quote] i had a similar dream the other night vicar but it was big fat joe we got, not megson could it be i am becoming a psyhic? or is it merely i am reading too many of first wizard''s posts about doomcaster Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DDD In The Fine City 1 Posted November 5, 2004 [quote]How can anyone say maybe its a defender we need and not a striker. We have created quite enough and more chances to win nearly all of our games but our strikers just haven''t been good enough. Where ar...[/quote]Firstly its called an opinion and anyone that comes onto these boards is intitled to one. if we didn''t let goals in, in practicly every first half then we would only have to score one in the second, which we do practicly every game. look at the amount of goals that the Everton strikers have scored, about five between them. Then look at the amount of goals they have conceded, not many and they are in third spot.Are you still trying to tell me that our back line is doing well and its not time for a change? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DDD In The Fine City 1 Posted November 6, 2004 [quote]How can anyone say maybe its a defender we need and not a striker. We have created quite enough and more chances to win nearly all of our games but our strikers just haven''t been good enough. Where ar...[/quote]WAS THE ONE TODAY GOOD ENOUGH TO PROVE THE POINT THAT WE NEED SOME HEIGHT AT THE BACK POTTSY? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FilletTheFishWife . 0 Posted November 8, 2004 surely height is not a defence against Dickov. i think you''ll find our entire back-four was taller than him so putting a taller defender in there is irrelevant. if we stop the service into the box or get our positioning right that might help! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pottsy 0 Posted November 9, 2004 Exactly my point Fillet. Travolta, Dickov scored from a free header so I don''t get your point. Everyone in the box was bigger than Dickov so how is it to do with the centre backs size? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 335 Posted November 9, 2004 John Travolta does have a point. The team has consistently shipped very soft goals and so the defensive side does need to be tightened and I agree that this is the current highest priority.As has been pointed out many of these goals have been from crosses usually where the midfield cover has been lacking, and particularly on the left hand side - Hux and McVeigh have not been working back and giving Drury enough cover and this was always the risk when asking hux to play as a winger.Secondly the back 4 need to retain their shape for when the crosses do come in. The goals of Kilbane, Ferguson adn Dickov are all examples of where the defensive line have not been organised enough to pick up a runner from deep, the same goals for Rovers effort off the bar on sat. I agree that just throwing some height at the problem will not solve the real issue which is having a co-ordinator marshalling the players on the pitch.What is good is that defensive formation can be solved by coaching so the onus on Worthy is to get it right on the training ground with the players we already have. I do think that we have 4 players,while not the best defenders in the world, that can do a job for us in most games if they get back to basics and focus on defending. In answer to the question is it time for the doc I would personally prefer shackell who has always impressed my but why spend the best part of a million on a defender and not play him? If we continue to look this disorganised it would be hard not to include the ginger pele.Coaching the defence would allow any transfer kitty to be spent on solving the thorny issue of converting a few more of those chances. That I feel is the bigger challenge.OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
