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I now have no idea who best centre backs are!?!

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Amazing result today given players out - also strange that Nelson and Whitbread keep clean sheet unlike the "messiahs" Barnett and Ward have done -thoughts?

Like most would rate the latter pair as the classier/reliable players but this is now up to debate.

Only listened on radio but appears excellent performance from Nelson and Whitbread today especially when you consider lack of match practice.

I say these two to continue until it ''goes wrong''

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Good to have these problems.  I think Probably Ward and Barnett are our best pairing, but i really do have admiration for Nelson.  Hes taken a lot of stick about being a hoofer and long ball merchant, but he does a bloody good job for us and Lambo has made him into a really good defender who knows what his job is, he also grabs a few goals.  Zak needs a run of games before hes judged, but again full credit for getting through today against probably the best team in the league.

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Commented before the game if Lambert is willing to risk Whitbread ahead of JBA when he has no match fitness/experience for months it says it all

JBA might as well go home today and start packing. This shows how far we have come in the last season as he looked class when he first came but is now nowhere good enough to be in the team

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I really thought today, that our centre back pairing looked top class. There''s a really good selection problem now. I don''t think we need a centre back in the window, as with Nelson, Ward, Barnett and Whitbread, we have 4, absolutely top class championship defenders. Whoever gets dropped next game for surely the return of Barnett can feel very aggrieved. Nelson was fantastic today, as well as Whitbread. He only really gets thought of as rock solid header of the ball, and although he made plenty of crucial headers today, he also made a couple of fantastic slide tackles and blocks.

Nelson will probably start on Monday, alongside Barnett, to give Whitbread a well earned rest. I then think against Cardiff, Whitbread and Barnett will be the pairing. That really looks rock solid, with plenty of pace and passing ability between them. I can see a few clean sheets coming!

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if Whitbread really has got over his injury demons he will be a fantastic addition to the playing squad. have heard nothing but good about his playing ability and judging on todays performance when not match fit he will be a certain starter in a few games time.

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It would be hard to leave Whitbread out after a performance like that,  but I have always had a doubt about left footed centre halves and would prefer to see 2 right footers in there

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Anyone still think it was a mistake to get shot of the Doc???

 

Whitbread was massively impressive today and Nelson was colossal too! Nice problem for Lambert to have.

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Have to admit, i wasn''t expecting a performance like that from Whitbread (in fact a couple of weeks ago, i thought he would never play for us....) Well done to him, and really unless their not fit enough, Nelson and Whitbread to play on Monday please......

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Well Whitbread and Nelly have given Lambo a massive problem now !!Awesome, we have 4 quality centrebacks !! About bloody time and may the 4 of them have a massive fight for the 2 positions as the only real winner here will be Norwich City !!Bravo to all 4 of them !!!

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I expect to see Nelson/Barnett against M''boro...

Whitbread was fantastic (my MOTM incidentally), but it''s too much to expect him to play 2 games in 48 hours, when he''s only played twice in a year before that!

Interesting dilemma for Cardiff though, especially if Ward''s back!

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Whitbread had a fine game. After a shaky first 10 minutes where Lambert and Culverhouse were continually telling him what to do, he settled and showed he can play a bit, as well as defend.Nelson continues to remind me of Malky. A big lump who does the job with no messing about. A tower of strength today.Adam Drury, aka Mr Reliable, deserves a mention for slotting in as if he''d never been away. While Russell Martin won us the game! Top work our back four!

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For me i would like to see Whitbread playing just behind Barnet. Ward is unreliable in my opinion and is as likely to cause a gaols as stop one. Has had some good games but people calling him Premiership class - not at the moment.

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this must be a different nelson, the nelson last season was a bit of a cart horse, this guy is brilliant

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[quote user="dylanisabaddog"] but I have always had a doubt about left footed centre halves and would prefer to see 2 right footers in there[/quote]Why?I think you get a better balance playing one left footer and one right footer tbh.

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I think Barnett and Nelson will start on Monday but only because after being out for so long Whitbread''s body probably needs time to recover and can''t handle 2 games in 3 days.  However I would expect Whitbread to play against Orient for some further match fitness and against Cardiff I would love to see Barnett and Whitbread at the back together because I thought Whitbread was immense today.  I know it''s only one game for Whitbread but I think he looked better and a lot more reliable than Ward.

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Heres a thought then - I reckon Nelson / Barnett on Monday as Whitbread surely could not manage another 90 minutes so quickly. IMO this actually gives Nelson a chance to be partnered with Barnett for the rest of the season, because if he plays well again you have to assume he will not be dropped against Cardiff. It is therefore only his place to give away however much better than him Whitbread and Ward are. This guy never gives in, he never seems to know when he is beat and the more people seem to think he is at his limits he finds another level. Better players on the side line seem to spur him on to play even better. A year ago everyone assumed he would make a mistake to lose his place - he did not. His determination to keep his place is immense.   

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Just brilliant knowing that we now have 4 central defenders who can do the business in this league.

 

Really pleased to see Whitbread get through the game and play very well. And for Nelson...well he was written off by plenty as not being good enough for us in League 1 (not by me, btw) and now he''s showing that actually he can handle it in a much better league.

 

I probably rate Leon Barnett the highest but I have confidence in all of them.

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[quote user="Chalk"][quote user="dylanisabaddog"] but I have always had a doubt about left footed centre halves and would prefer to see 2 right footers in there[/quote]
Why?
I think you get a better balance playing one left footer and one right footer tbh.
[/quote]

If a striker attacks the space between the two centre halves and one is right footed and the other left footed, they will both be attempting to tackle with their weak side.  I assume it''s not just me that thinks like this - you don''t often see left footed centre halves in top club or international sides.

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I see your point dylanisabaddog, but does putting your weak foot into a tackle really matter?

With shooting/passing year, its more about technique, but sticking a foot in isn''t the same is it? Both legs should be as strong as each other, which is where the power is coming from?

I could be completely wrong :P

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Barnett and Nelson for me. Nelson is very strong in the air and Barnett has the pace to tidy up.

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