Is our defence good enough to keep us up?

[Darlo dumplin’ 0]

I went to Villa and ''Boro (away), but the last 2 home games I heard on Radio Cleveland (Boro) and WBA on Canary Woeld. Both said we were a very poor side, and Cleveland said the defence looked like Keystone Cops. Is the defence really that bad, and is it good enough to keep us up.? To stay up now I think we ''only'' need to win against Palace and Southyampton, plus 1 other , preferably a win at Blackburn , they''re going to be right in contention for relegation too if you look at their fixture list IMO.

[Chunky! 0]

At times yes, at others no!At everton the defence was excellent, however its clear that in certain games our defence has been appaling! It may be due to the setup of the midfield or other things, but its something we need to sort!OTBC!

Chris

[Mariner 0]

The defence is a great worry at the present time. Of course I am thrilled by today''s result but at times I thought the word appalling was justified. There was a period just before half-time when we were an absolute shambles. Surely Worthington must address this before the next match. The idea that we rely on experience before all else just doesn''t make sense. At least get Shackell on to the bench so a change may be made. Don''t throw away the advantage that has been quite incredibly earned today

[Big Rob 0]

our defence were appalling at times today with the central defensive two being the main culprits. It really looked like we were trying to allow West Brom to have a go at us today! It is ironic that both Flem and Doc got on the score sheet though so i doubt they will come in for the critisism they deserve.

I cant believe Worthington still does not give Shackell a game. I have seen him for the reserves on many occasions and I cannot recall him having a bad game.

Also I cannot believe we didn''t strenghten the defence in the window. On todays performance a lot of work is going to be needed on all concerned if we are to use this result to start the great escape.

 

[Northern Canary 0]

with Helveg and Charlton, yes. And dont anybody start about wether Helveg is up to it because i think he was coming good when he got injured and maybe a defence of.

eddy  Helveg  Doh  Charlton

would be good

[jobian 0]

oh for god sake. Why the hell do you want to drop Fleming? Just buying loads of new players is not the way forwards. The defense works as a system, and shoving Helveg in there (not a natural centre half, and sorry but he''s been crap for us this season). Doherty is the main problem in defense, I like the guy but can someone explain to me what he does which Malky doesn''t. The reason the defense played badly was because we played 4-3-3 and the full backs were exposed. This isn''t Championship Manager. You seem to all think if the defense has a bad game we should swap them all round, this won''t work. It is about the system. Drop Fleming! yeah right! I guess we should have rested Huckerby today aswell? and how about Aston only 1 goal in 3 oh dear let''s send him back to Crewe.

[AJ 1,218]

After seeing flem today, id drop him and doherty and bring in shackell and charlton, with Brennan/drury at left back.

[Northern Canary 0]

i wouldnt drop doherty but something has to be changed. Helveg plays at centre back for  Denmark doesnt he?

[silver fox 0]

[quote]After seeing flem today, id drop him and doherty and bring in shackell and charlton, with Brennan/drury at left back.[/quote]

I have to agree with you AJ, Fleming and Doherty were an absolute shambles today, then they both go and get a goal, which probably guarantees them a start next week.  Clearly Worthy is impressed by Doherty''s inability to clear a ball into the opposition half and his ability to give lots of free kicks away just outside the box.  He must also be impressed with Fleming''s injury free run and good disciplinary record, which isn''t hard to understand because he doesn''t actually tackle anyone.  Unless a defender gets injured I cannot remember a player, apart from Drury, who Worthy suggested needed a rest to sort his game out.  Might I suggest Doherty and Fleming would benefit from a rest.

I don''t care what anyone says ( cue Worthy Nigelton ), Shackell cannot do any worse than the two players currently occupying the centre of our defence.  Last season Earnshaw never got a look in when Shackell marked him, today he had the beating of Fleming every time.  Where was Shackell today, not even on the bench yet again.

I really hope Worthy''s gamble to rely on the older, more experienced, but slower players pays off.  All I can say is thank God West Brom had an even more pathetic defence than our own today, or else we would have lost. 

 

[LinkNR9 0]

Despite their goals, our central defenders were poor again, on the whole, I think that Shackell could replace one of them (Doherty?) but who replaces the other? Also, our midfielders (apart from Holt) were poor again defensively today, allowing the opposition midfield to run beyond the WBA strikers to pick up the ball. Even their centre back (Purse) split open our defence, only for the Walking Denture Earnshaw to miss a sitter. If we play as badly as that next week against Blackburn, they''ll win by 2 or 3 goals.

[Plastic Scouser 0]

OK so I didn''t attend the game, but from what I saw on MOTD, Fleming continues to be at least a yard behind the pace - he is simply not good enough, why Worthington persists with him, I don''t know...OK so we are not exactly bursting at the seams with defenders, but surely that''s indicative of what the problem is.   We have the leakiest defence in the Premiership - and we let in 2 goals against the worst team in the league - and we''re second worst at the moment - doesn''t bode well for the rest of the season does it....?   Personally I think that we blew it during the window by not bringing in some effective defenders - yes Stuart will probably toughen up the midfield, but that''s not where the problems are.    Before Jan I was optimistic that we could stay up - realistically now, I ain''t so sure.

[ZLF 274]

By themselves no defence will keep us up - we still need to score and create some chances.

''Our defence'' needs a bit of definition - we probably have 4 players who can defend but have yet to be seen together.  Earnshaw was here last season with Cardiff yet didnt geta  sniff all game as he was played out of the game by a skillfull and talented defender in Jason Shackell.  Doc had a ''mare yetserday but generally has been getting better and does not deserves some of the vitriole I heard on the terraces yesterday - Flem has been consistently worse for the last dozen matches yet no one says a word!  However our best central defender has been Charlton who can organise and keep a shape.  We have a class right back in Helveg, who unfortunately has the ability to defend rather than run around like headless chicken, which only leaves left back, which has to be Drury ahead of Brennan.   

However any defence we put out that continues to contain Eddy and Flem is the biggest barrier we face to staying up - we cant keep shipping chances like we did yesterday.

 

OTBC

[Northern Canary 0]

[quote]By themselves no defence will keep us up - we still need to score and create some chances. ''Our defence'' needs a bit of definition - we probably have 4 players who can defend but have yet to be seen ...[/quote]

I think you are right there. I think our defence is torn apart too easily. it needs to be a lot tighter. I think if they can get some tactics going then it could be ok. It was good earlier in the season

[Dan Roper 0]

Shackell deserves his chance and I would put Charlton alongside him (who has been more impressive at centre half than Felming or Doherty). Right back ought to be Helveg cos he has a level of class which Eddy for all his good work doesn''t. Left back, still a feeling that Drury has struggled - maybe Brennan is finally worth a run in his natural position??

Have just realised I''m suggesting we change the entire back four!

[We need a Manager 0]

No simple as that , it was West Brom yesterday not Arsenal and but for poor finishing nobody could of complained if they had scored 6 . Also we dont seem capable of opening up the opposition at the other end , most of the goals are coming from balls hoofed into the box , how many times do you see the city strikers put clean through with just the keeper to beat.The result keeps us in with a chance but unless there is a big improvement its hard to see where the next 3 points are coming from. And going by Southamptons performance today they look anything but a relegation side , our best hope maybe beating Blackburn next weekend and bringing them back into the mix .