The elephant in the room.

[nopigfansintown]

After listening to Chris Wilder's post Millwall interview he talked about our defensive naivety. In truth this has worried me all season, and has been exacerbated since Wright came out of the team.Now I'm not saying Wright is the answer - he certainly isn't long term -but our centre backs are not good enough. Specifically our candidates for the central player in the three. During the game today, once again we have complete control before giving away a shocking goal from the oppositions first bit of sustained pressure .We have no leadership back there; nobody in that back three reads the game well.I view the central position of the three as requiring somebody who anticipates, rather than reacts, possessing good organisational skills. I think Stearman is brave, and a great reactive player but I don't think he possess these qualities.The goals we concede are a joke that are undermining otherwise decent performances.

 

[Rodley]

Think we need another centre half. Stearman lacks aggression for me.

 

[blade.i.am]

Would rather have an elephant in the goal mouth, might concede a few less goals

 

[zablade]

In a perfect world We need to replace Stearman and Basham for better players in the summer.

.. but we also need new strikers, new LWB and a new midfielder If Coutts isn’t back at his best.

We don’t have a bottomless pit of money.

 

[1973Blade]

I think that is harsh on Stearman who has been solid at the back all season. Stats only say so much, but today was only the fourth game in 24 that we have let more than one in. For me we could do with being more effective in the final third. But getting the player to do this is another matter.

 

[robbiez666]

We play 3 at the back. This is why we don't keep clean sheets. Baldock and Stevens are basically playing in midfield.

 

[Houston_Blade]

There’s a pig on the forum, not sure about an elephant though.

 

[BigBed]

After listening to Chris Wilder's post Millwall interview he talked about our defensive naivety. In truth this has worried me all season, and has been exacerbated since Wright came out of the team.Now I'm not saying Wright is the answer - he certainly isn't long term -but our centre backs are not good enough. Specifically our candidates for the central player in the three. During the game today, once again we have complete control before giving away a shocking goal from the oppositions first bit of sustained pressure .We have no leadership back there; nobody in that back three reads the game well.I view the central position of the three as requiring somebody who anticipates, rather than reacts, possessing good organisational skills. I think Stearman is brave, and a great reactive player but I don't think he possess these qualities.The goals we concede are a joke that are undermining otherwise decent performances.

Not rated Stearman since he arrived, Jake is a far better CB, maybe not a better footballer, but for us, in that position, a better player.

 

[bertieblade]

Our defenders are all individually quite good, O’Connell being v good.
But as a unit they are dire, no organisation and definitely no leadership.

 

[Baaaaaaa Blades]

Have we ever replaced Morgan ? And before that we had Page and then before that others like Stancliffe,Gayle , Beesley etc

IMO you need that leader with strong communication and strength at the back , IMO Jake wright is the best we have for this

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Would rather have an elephant in the goal mouth, might concede a few less goals

Might score more if it shits in the opposition's box as their goalie would be reluctant dive.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

We play 3 at the back. This is why we don't keep clean sheets. Baldock and Stevens are basically playing in midfield.

Correct.

The reality is that to play 3 at the back , both the defenders and the wing backs need to be of the very highest quality. Ours aren't and, whilst we got away with it in the pub league, their limitations are are now being exposed but for some reason Tufty seems to refuse to acknowledge this.

My greatest wish for next season is that we start with a solid defence based on a back four, coupled with a midfield that deploys at least two attack minded, creative midfield players.

But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[oldblade]

In a perfect world We need to replace Stearman and Basham for better players in the summer.

.. but we also need new strikers, new LWB and a new midfielder If Coutts isn’t back at his best.

We don’t have a bottomless pit of money.

In a perfect world we need Manchester City's team.

 

[stringer]

Have we ever replaced Morgan ? And before that we had Page and then before that others like Stancliffe,Gayle , Beesley etc

IMO you need that leader with strong communication and strength at the back , IMO Jake wright is the best we have for this

Genuine question because this has intrigued me for a while, what does ‘we need a leader at the back’ actually mean, when Basham, Stearman and O’Connell are all what I’d class as leaders?

 

[FriethBlade]

Wh

Genuine question because this has intrigued me for a while, what does ‘we need a leader at the back’ actually mean, when Basham, Stearman and O’Connell are all what I’d class as leaders?

What it means us we need a nasty bastard with physical presence who will scare opposition forwards. O'Connell has the physique but not the mindset, Basham and Stearman have neither.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

We play 3 at the back. This is why we don't keep clean sheets. Baldock and Stevens are basically playing in midfield.

I don't agree. We play 3 defenders who know how to play CB & 2 WB's that are converted full backs. When we attack it's a 3 and a defensive midfielder, when we defend we've got a 5, and a defensive midfielder. Plenty of players to defend what we come up against this season. We don't keep clean sheets because we seem to fail to do the basics correctly and are either switching off or making bad decisions. The defending for Birmingham's 1st goal yesterday was straight off a sunday league game. The defending for Millwall's equaliser last saturday was shocking. Every single corner that Millwall had they looked dangerous.

Regarding the leadership role, there has to be one dominant voice at the back, taking the lead in directing team mates positions and collective movement. Morganesque. In our system it's vital that the gaps between wide CB & WB aren't exploited as well as between the central CB and wide CB. It's also important that a CF doesn't get up against our WB's aerially. Usually a good vocal CB is the captain. Every great/good team has a great/good captain, we've got Leon Clarke.

Regarding next season, we need pace up front and we need a mobile box to box midfielder. CW & the team need to address the speed of transition between defence and attack, we are currently to slow and too choreographed. It ties in with the style of our play and it needs tinkering with. Millwall was a classic example, whenever they lost possession they quickly got back into a compact 4-4-2 and let us play slowly about in front of them in a short passing game. They didn't get that luxury against Fulham the other night. Also, if we are going to stick with the 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 formation, we need to view the wing backs are defensive wingers as opposed attacking full backs, because that is where our creativity, pace & dynamism needs to be. The vigour has to be somewhere in the team, especially if we are playing a slow, ball playing, flatish midfield 3.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

There's also an argument for a ball playing mobile CB/Sweeper. I've been impressed by Conor Coady at Wolves and how they initiate their attacks. Recently, we seem to drop Evans back to replicate it, but has the effect of dragging another midfield player the wrong side of the ball. Obviously, Basham has taken the ball and moved it forward in the past, but it always seems slightly uncontrolled & like a final doomed cavalry charge.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

The defensive issue is more about the way we play than it is about personnel. We have three good centre backs and fairly good balance in the midfield and wide areas.

Unless we have a £10m budget for 2-3 players, the first think I would look at is the tactical balance and how we press.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Genuine question because this has intrigued me for a while, what does ‘we need a leader at the back’ actually mean, when Basham, Stearman and O’Connell are all what I’d class as leaders?

I'll have a go at a genuine answer - any team needs a respected figure in the team as a leader. He has to be a player that plays virtually every game and comes straight back in (regardless) after injury or suspension. He has to be able to talk to players (not like Collins) and just as a manger does, bollock them or put an arm round them as he understands what is needed. He needs to be able to play consistently and not let his form dip in any way whilst being captain. In the ideal world, he is a central defender as the whole game is normally in front of him. From a footballing sense, he needs to read the game (Bobby Moore, prime example - not quick, but read the game) and to do the greater majority of task properly on the pitch. Great if he can chip in with goals. For Sheff United it is generally accepted that Chris Morgan had a lot of these qualities which may be why a lot of our fans want a similar figure.

Now, for me, we don't have that player in Basham/Stearman or JOC in our defence. ok as all 3 are, to progress then Basham and Stearman need changing with JOC retained as there still might be improvement in him. If it's 2 or 3 central defenders doesn't bother me at all and for as much as respect goes for those 3 players, it's the team that counts and to finish top 6, then we need at least 1 leader in central defence - even if that means he isn't captain on the pitch.

Mertersacker at Arsenal is a prime example - not the best player but the glue that held the team together.

UTB