Centre back pairings

[derfblade.3]

Just looked at our 2 centre backs that started our hammering at home to Bristol City last season. Bindon and Norrington Davies.
Played 4-4-2 and got torn a gud un.
Not sure what we are starting with but getting this right must be our priority.

 

[SwissBlade]

Just looked at our 2 centre backs that started our hammering at home to Bristol City last season. Bindon and Norrington Davies.
Played 4-4-2 and got torn a gud un.
Not sure what we are starting with but getting this right must be our priority.

It can’t be much worse than that.

Tanganga and McGuinness/ Baptiste should be better…

 

[Aston max]

Just looked at our 2 centre backs that started our hammering at home to Bristol City last season. Bindon and Norrington Davies.
Played 4-4-2 and got torn a gud un.
Not sure what we are starting with but getting this right must be our priority.

My old gaffer used to say solid back four puts you in place before anything !!
But we need to get the " prima donna fucking forwards to do some actual defensive work "

 

[ckpe147]

Just looked at our 2 centre backs that started our hammering at home to Bristol City last season. Bindon and Norrington Davies.
Played 4-4-2 and got torn a gud un.
Not sure what we are starting with but getting this right must be our priority.

What planet do you see we played 4-4-2?
It was 433 with Hamer and O'Hare either side of a very lonely Peck.

 

[TopBoy]

Back 4 is already looking better than the start of last season. Keep a clean sheet in every game, and you stay up. Score 1 or 2 in every game and you go up. Wilder is keeping it simple.

 

[pollster]

What planet do you see we played 4-4-2?
It was 433 with Hamer and O'Hare either side of a very lonely Peck.

Exactly right
The ONLY difference Wilder made from Selles was to play a second actual midfielder
and adjust to a 2-3-1 rather than effectively 1-2-3
Jack Charlton and Bobby Moore would have been ****** with that shambles in front of them
He also had the advantage of having some players to select from.

The mistakes of BOTH imbecile managers were
TWO centre backs despite two wing backs
Pissing about in their 6 yard box with the keeper and two centre backs from goal kicks and free kicks
(The best one Anel leaving before the first game!)
How you can say that your main method of ATTACK is a high press and invite a high press is beyond me.The height of insanity
Inverted wingers destroying danger in your attack and weakening defensive support
THAT is why BOTH ****** up our season
DESPITE it being by far the worse ever second division
and us having TWO of the best attackers in the division Hamer and Brooks
Both played out of position by these two imbeciles.

The incident with Tanganga and him asleep with the attacker running free at the start of the second half on Sunday from a straight forward forward ball embodies everything that is wrong with Captain Clown
HE CANNOT GRASP THE CONCEPT OF MARKING
which is fairly key to any defender.
McGuiness and Baptiste are clearly better players based on viewing this season
RND will be now he is getting fit and despite small size is BIGGER than Tanganga!
How Zatterstrom (who has looked chubby to me ) can be WORSE than Tanganga who offers only disasters
is beyond me but the vindictive imbecile refuses to help him get fit placing apparently unfit Baptiste on the bench rather than him.
This is not ludicrous, pathetic or infantile.
This is evil.
An abuse of power.



I'd start McGuiness Baptiste and RND on Saturday but I acknowledge I'd probably have to put Captain Clown on at some stage on the right and shift the others over.
An expected expensive but stupid 'back four' of Docherty Tanganga Souttar and McCallum will be no better than last year
Except when Sooty gets his head on the ball based on his height barring the imbecilic tactics of two years ago which PREVENTED him attacking the ball in both boxes.

 

[Silent Blade]

Exactly right
The ONLY difference Wilder made from Selles was to play a second actual midfielder
and adjust to a 2-3-1 rather than effectively 1-2-3
Jack Charlton and Bobby Moore would have been ****** with that shambles in front of them
He also had the advantage of having some players to select from.

The mistakes of BOTH imbecile managers were
TWO centre backs despite two wing backs
Pissing about in their 6 yard box with the keeper and two centre backs from goal kicks and free kicks
(The best one Anel leaving before the first game!)
How you can say that your main method of ATTACK is a high press and invite a high press is beyond me.The height of insanity
Inverted wingers destroying danger in your attack and weakening defensive support
THAT is why BOTH ****** up our season
DESPITE it being by far the worse ever second division
and us having TWO of the best attackers in the division Hamer and Brooks
Both played out of position by these two imbeciles.

The incident with Tanganga and him asleep with the attacker running free at the start of the second half on Sunday from a straight forward forward ball embodies everything that is wrong with Captain Clown
HE CANNOT GRASP THE CONCEPT OF MARKING
which is fairly key to any defender.
McGuiness and Baptiste are clearly better players based on viewing this season
RND will be now he is getting fit and despite small size is BIGGER than Tanganga!
How Zatterstrom (who has looked chubby to me ) can be WORSE than Tanganga who offers only disasters
is beyond me but the vindictive imbecile refuses to help him get fit placing apparently unfit Baptiste on the bench rather than him.
This is not ludicrous, pathetic or infantile.
This is evil.
An abuse of power.

View attachment 241905

I'd start McGuiness Baptiste and RND on Saturday but I acknowledge I'd probably have to put Captain Clown on at some stage on the right and shift the others over.
An expected expensive but stupid 'back four' of Docherty Tanganga Souttar and McCallum will be no better than last year
Except when Sooty gets his head on the ball based on his height barring the imbecilic tactics of two years ago which PREVENTED him attacking the ball in both boxes.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Exactly right
The ONLY difference Wilder made from Selles was to play a second actual midfielder
and adjust to a 2-3-1 rather than effectively 1-2-3
Jack Charlton and Bobby Moore would have been ****** with that shambles in front of them
He also had the advantage of having some players to select from.

The mistakes of BOTH imbecile managers were
TWO centre backs despite two wing backs
Pissing about in their 6 yard box with the keeper and two centre backs from goal kicks and free kicks
(The best one Anel leaving before the first game!)
How you can say that your main method of ATTACK is a high press and invite a high press is beyond me.The height of insanity
Inverted wingers destroying danger in your attack and weakening defensive support
THAT is why BOTH ****** up our season
DESPITE it being by far the worse ever second division
and us having TWO of the best attackers in the division Hamer and Brooks
Both played out of position by these two imbeciles.

The incident with Tanganga and him asleep with the attacker running free at the start of the second half on Sunday from a straight forward forward ball embodies everything that is wrong with Captain Clown
HE CANNOT GRASP THE CONCEPT OF MARKING
which is fairly key to any defender.
McGuiness and Baptiste are clearly better players based on viewing this season
RND will be now he is getting fit and despite small size is BIGGER than Tanganga!
How Zatterstrom (who has looked chubby to me ) can be WORSE than Tanganga who offers only disasters
is beyond me but the vindictive imbecile refuses to help him get fit placing apparently unfit Baptiste on the bench rather than him.
This is not ludicrous, pathetic or infantile.
This is evil.
An abuse of power.

View attachment 241905

I'd start McGuiness Baptiste and RND on Saturday but I acknowledge I'd probably have to put Captain Clown on at some stage on the right and shift the others over.
An expected expensive but stupid 'back four' of Docherty Tanganga Souttar and McCallum will be no better than last year
Except when Sooty gets his head on the ball based on his height barring the imbecilic tactics of two years ago which PREVENTED him attacking the ball in both boxes.

You've stopped taking your tablets again haven't you.

 

[Nagima]

Exactly right
The ONLY difference Wilder made from Selles was to play a second actual midfielder
and adjust to a 2-3-1 rather than effectively 1-2-3
Jack Charlton and Bobby Moore would have been ****** with that shambles in front of them
He also had the advantage of having some players to select from.

The mistakes of BOTH imbecile managers were
TWO centre backs despite two wing backs
Pissing about in their 6 yard box with the keeper and two centre backs from goal kicks and free kicks
(The best one Anel leaving before the first game!)
How you can say that your main method of ATTACK is a high press and invite a high press is beyond me.The height of insanity
Inverted wingers destroying danger in your attack and weakening defensive support
THAT is why BOTH ****** up our season
DESPITE it being by far the worse ever second division
and us having TWO of the best attackers in the division Hamer and Brooks
Both played out of position by these two imbeciles.

The incident with Tanganga and him asleep with the attacker running free at the start of the second half on Sunday from a straight forward forward ball embodies everything that is wrong with Captain Clown
HE CANNOT GRASP THE CONCEPT OF MARKING
which is fairly key to any defender.
McGuiness and Baptiste are clearly better players based on viewing this season
RND will be now he is getting fit and despite small size is BIGGER than Tanganga!
How Zatterstrom (who has looked chubby to me ) can be WORSE than Tanganga who offers only disasters
is beyond me but the vindictive imbecile refuses to help him get fit placing apparently unfit Baptiste on the bench rather than him.
This is not ludicrous, pathetic or infantile.
This is evil.
An abuse of power.

View attachment 241905

I'd start McGuiness Baptiste and RND on Saturday but I acknowledge I'd probably have to put Captain Clown on at some stage on the right and shift the others over.
An expected expensive but stupid 'back four' of Docherty Tanganga Souttar and McCallum will be no better than last year
Except when Sooty gets his head on the ball based on his height barring the imbecilic tactics of two years ago which PREVENTED him attacking the ball in both boxes.

I appreciate that last seasons fiasco at the back and that it is frustrating. But calling a player "captain clown" and both managers "imbiciles" just detracts from the points you are trying to make which have some validity.

There are a number issues that need to be addressed this season.
1. Souttar has to be the man dictating the organising the defence. Tanganga is not a good or organiser. Souttar can get caught on the turn now and then. But in general is brave and defensively solid.
Tanganga is good at recovery tackles and holds his own in the air. McGuinness is a poor judge of a long ball and tends to go out and under it, taking himself out of the game.

2. Under Selles the 433 was a disaster. With a porus midfield and the wingers not getting back. At that time we didnt have the players for 433 and that was Selles' downfall. I got the impression from speaking to MGuinness and later Tanganga that they were glad to get the season over with as they felt exposed all season in counter attacks. The problem for the CBs was that the full backs were expected to attack like wingbacks leaving reduced cover in defence.

3. Under both Selles and Wilder, our defenive shape of the back 4 was all wrong. When the full backs did get back they started their defending inside the box. Vacating the space out to the sideline and leaving the opposition wingers time to take the ball down without any pressure. The winger then has more options and liberty, because if you are defending in the box you have to be very careful when tackling or you give away a penalty. You end up with full backs defending passively.

4. Vinni Souza was a big loss to the team last season. The previous season he covered ground very quickly and snuffed out danger on counter attacks. Phillips has the strength and ability to play a similar role this season. That will help a lot.

5. This season we need our back 4 playing deeper with the full backs 5 yards wider on the pitch. This is a worry as I haven't seen any evidence that the defensive unit had any coaching last season. Not only that both managers and players could not see and adjust to what was happening. The example that highlighted this most was Mansfield at home in the cup. Mansfield took a corner which was headed out but they had two players left and right just outside the box. With Chong sticking in the middle and not getting out to pressure the shot which went into the Kop. The next 2 corners went into the back of the net from identical scenarios. That hopefully will be eliminated with Souttar.

 

[Weasel]

I appreciate that last seasons fiasco at the back and that it is frustrating. But calling a player "captain clown" and both managers "imbiciles" just detracts from the points you are trying to make which have some validity.

There are a number issues that need to be addressed this season.
1. Souttar has to be the man dictating the organising the defence. Tanganga is not a good or organiser. Souttar can get caught on the turn now and then. But in general is brave and defensively solid.
Tanganga is good at recovery tackles and holds his own in the air. McGuinness is a poor judge of a long ball and tends to go out and under it, taking himself out of the game.

2. Under Selles the 433 was a disaster. With a porus midfield and the wingers not getting back. At that time we didnt have the players for 433 and that was Selles' downfall. I got the impression from speaking to MGuinness and later Tanganga that they were glad to get the season over with as they felt exposed all season in counter attacks. The problem for the CBs was that the full backs were expected to attack like wingbacks leaving reduced cover in defence.

3. Under both Selles and Wilder, our defenive shape of the back 4 was all wrong. When the full backs did get back they started their defending inside the box. Vacating the space out to the sideline and leaving the opposition wingers time to take the ball down without any pressure. The winger then has more options and liberty, because if you are defending in the box you have to be very careful when tackling or you give away a penalty. You end up with full backs defending passively.

4. Vinni Souza was a big loss to the team last season. The previous season he covered ground very quickly and snuffed out danger on counter attacks. Phillips has the strength and ability to play a similar role this season. That will help a lot.

5. This season we need our back 4 playing deeper with the full backs 5 yards wider on the pitch. This is a worry as I haven't seen any evidence that the defensive unit had any coaching last season. Not only that both managers and players could not see and adjust to what was happening. The example that highlighted this most was Mansfield at home in the cup. Mansfield took a corner which was headed out but they had two players left and right just outside the box. With Chong sticking in the middle and not getting out to pressure the shot which went into the Kop. The next 2 corners went into the back of the net from identical scenarios. That hopefully will be eliminated with Souttar.

Those two goals for Mansfield last season which both came from half cleared corners, were laughably bad. Everyone could see it coming and were saying put a player or two on the edge of the box to mark up...

The fact nothing happened, and nothing was learnt, from our players and management team was simply alarming. Even if CW or AK had told em to not mark up, if i was a player id have told someone best placed to go there and ignored the management. Might gave got hooked for it, but players should be able to think for themselves too. But then id also always leave at least one player up top when defending corners, to try and hold it up or at least be a nuisance to the opposition if we cleared the set piece. Old school thinking obviously. That day just told me we have a too stubborn management team, and sheep for players.

 

[Kabba Kabba Doo]

Those two goals for Mansfield last season which both came from half cleared corners, were laughably bad. Everyone could see it coming and were saying put a player or two on the edge of the box to mark up...

The fact nothing happened, and nothing was learnt, from our players and management team was simply alarming. Even if CW or AK had told em to not mark up, if i was a player id have told someone best placed to go there and ignored the management. Might gave got hooked for it, but players should be able to think for themselves too. But then id also always leave at least one player up top when defending corners, to try and hold it up or at least be a nuisance to the opposition if we cleared the set piece. Old school thinking obviously. That day just told me we have a too stubborn management team, and sheep for players.

Our setup for defending corners was laughably bad all year, we had 4 men in a straight line across the 6yd box, all of whom were men you'd usually want marking opposition's best headers, we basically made Carlton Morris look like Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the Lane purely because he was being marked by Sydie Peck or maybe even Burrows, a complete mismatch!

 

[Snowflake]

What planet do you see we played 4-4-2?
It was 433 with Hamer and O'Hare either side of a very lonely Peck.

Uranus ?

 

[theoneandonly36]

I appreciate that last seasons fiasco at the back and that it is frustrating. But calling a player "captain clown" and both managers "imbiciles" just detracts from the points you are trying to make which have some validity.

There are a number issues that need to be addressed this season.
1. Souttar has to be the man dictating the organising the defence. Tanganga is not a good or organiser. Souttar can get caught on the turn now and then. But in general is brave and defensively solid.
Tanganga is good at recovery tackles and holds his own in the air. McGuinness is a poor judge of a long ball and tends to go out and under it, taking himself out of the game.

2. Under Selles the 433 was a disaster. With a porus midfield and the wingers not getting back. At that time we didnt have the players for 433 and that was Selles' downfall. I got the impression from speaking to MGuinness and later Tanganga that they were glad to get the season over with as they felt exposed all season in counter attacks. The problem for the CBs was that the full backs were expected to attack like wingbacks leaving reduced cover in defence.

3. Under both Selles and Wilder, our defenive shape of the back 4 was all wrong. When the full backs did get back they started their defending inside the box. Vacating the space out to the sideline and leaving the opposition wingers time to take the ball down without any pressure. The winger then has more options and liberty, because if you are defending in the box you have to be very careful when tackling or you give away a penalty. You end up with full backs defending passively.

4. Vinni Souza was a big loss to the team last season. The previous season he covered ground very quickly and snuffed out danger on counter attacks. Phillips has the strength and ability to play a similar role this season. That will help a lot.

5. This season we need our back 4 playing deeper with the full backs 5 yards wider on the pitch. This is a worry as I haven't seen any evidence that the defensive unit had any coaching last season. Not only that both managers and players could not see and adjust to what was happening. The example that highlighted this most was Mansfield at home in the cup. Mansfield took a corner which was headed out but they had two players left and right just outside the box. With Chong sticking in the middle and not getting out to pressure the shot which went into the Kop. The next 2 corners went into the back of the net from identical scenarios. That hopefully will be eliminated with Souttar.

I appreciate that last seasons fiasco at the back and that it is frustrating. But calling a player "captain clown" and both managers "imbiciles" just detracts from the points you are trying to make which have some validity.

There are a number issues that need to be addressed this season.
1. Souttar has to be the man dictating the organising the defence. Tanganga is not a good or organiser. Souttar can get caught on the turn now and then. But in general is brave and defensively solid.
Tanganga is good at recovery tackles and holds his own in the air. McGuinness is a poor judge of a long ball and tends to go out and under it, taking himself out of the game.

2. Under Selles the 433 was a disaster. With a porus midfield and the wingers not getting back. At that time we didnt have the players for 433 and that was Selles' downfall. I got the impression from speaking to MGuinness and later Tanganga that they were glad to get the season over with as they felt exposed all season in counter attacks. The problem for the CBs was that the full backs were expected to attack like wingbacks leaving reduced cover in defence.

3. Under both Selles and Wilder, our defenive shape of the back 4 was all wrong. When the full backs did get back they started their defending inside the box. Vacating the space out to the sideline and leaving the opposition wingers time to take the ball down without any pressure. The winger then has more options and liberty, because if you are defending in the box you have to be very careful when tackling or you give away a penalty. You end up with full backs defending passively.

4. Vinni Souza was a big loss to the team last season. The previous season he covered ground very quickly and snuffed out danger on counter attacks. Phillips has the strength and ability to play a similar role this season. That will help a lot.

5. This season we need our back 4 playing deeper with the full backs 5 yards wider on the pitch. This is a worry as I haven't seen any evidence that the defensive unit had any coaching last season. Not only that both managers and players could not see and adjust to what was happening. The example that highlighted this most was Mansfield at home in the cup. Mansfield took a corner which was headed out but they had two players left and right just outside the box. With Chong sticking in the middle and not getting out to pressure the shot which went into the Kop. The next 2 corners went into the back of the net from identical scenarios. That hopefully will be eliminated with Souttar.

I also noticed how both full backs played narrow and wingers could get “in their stride” at pace before they were challenged. I also noticed how the lack of marking on the edge of the box (not just from corners) led to so many goals.
Was it a tactic to bottle up the middle because of lack of belief in our central defenders?
If playing overlapping full backs surely 5 at the back is necessary!
Although Tanganga was good in the air and liked a tackle that looked good, his marking was sometimes off and many a goal was conceded by someone dodging in and making a bit of space. This wasn’t always to do with quick counter attacks.
With a pre-season and tactical marking being drilled in I expect to see much improvement, but we desperately need centre half reinforcement.

 

[Nagima]

Those two goals for Mansfield last season which both came from half cleared corners, were laughably bad. Everyone could see it coming and were saying put a player or two on the edge of the box to mark up...

The fact nothing happened, and nothing was learnt, from our players and management team was simply alarming. Even if CW or AK had told em to not mark up, if i was a player id have told someone best placed to go there and ignored the management. Might gave got hooked for it, but players should be able to think for themselves too. But then id also always leave at least one player up top when defending corners, to try and hold it up or at least be a nuisance to the opposition if we cleared the set piece. Old school thinking obviously. That day just told me we have a too stubborn management team, and sheep for players.

I totally agree.

 

[Back post bob]

There's a lot of excellent points above about defending I would presume that Wilder could see this and perhaps the reason why we have recruited Phil Jones and promoted a new assistant manager from the academy.

 

[JohnDenver]

Just looked at our 2 centre backs that started our hammering at home to Bristol City last season. Bindon and Norrington Davies.

You’re giving me flashbacks.

For a professional outfit to start the prem season with the makeshift team we put out, then two years later start the critical final parachute season with that setup…. Dear God.

For all the Wilder critiques, I’m comfortable in the knowledge he wouldn’t allow quite that level of omnishambles.

 

[Nagima]

I also noticed how both full backs played narrow and wingers could get “in their stride” at pace before they were challenged. I also noticed how the lack of marking on the edge of the box (not just from corners) led to so many goals.
Was it a tactic to bottle up the middle because of lack of belief in our central defenders?
If playing overlapping full backs surely 5 at the back is necessary!
Although Tanganga was good in the air and liked a tackle that looked good, his marking was sometimes off and many a goal was conceded by someone dodging in and making a bit of space. This wasn’t always to do with quick counter attacks.
With a pre-season and tactical marking being drilled in I expect to see much improvement, but we desperately need centre half reinforcement.

It seems to me to be a coaching issue of how they are told to defend. Under Selles away at Middlesborough who had wing backs we gave them so much time on the ball out wide. While under Wilder the 4231 provided a bit more cover as on the right Ogbene or Brooks did get back to help out. But Seriki, McCallum and Burrows still ran back into the box, so it defintely was coaching plan and possibly for the reason you mentioned.

Part of the problem at corners under Wilder early in the season was that they had a specific zonal formation. At a corner from the right handside 3 players took up positions facing the ball in a triangle. O'Hare on the point and Peck and Seriki less than 10 yards apart at the base which was 5 yards ahead of the front post. It didn't matter whether or not any opposition player was in that area. Most of the time there was none. So taking a corner you just floated it over those 3 taking them out of the game.

The opposition team recognised this and adjusted for it. Hopefully Souttar will bring some Football IQ so we adapt on the go as we see whats happening. Hopefully Phillips is able to do the Vinni Job of providing defensive cover.

But I would also like my fullbacks to sit back a bit more, when they didn't it meant Tanganga and McGuiness/Bindon were too far apart. Add to that that Tanganga plays to running back to tackle, when McGuinness/Bindon are holding the line or even pushing out. There were many occasions last season where he could have stepped out and caught wingers offside, that were on the break out wide with our fullbacks out of position, instead he played them all on and we gave away goals.

 

[Nagima]

There's a lot of excellent points above about defending I would presume that Wilder could see this and perhaps the reason why we have recruited Phil Jones and promoted a new assistant manager from the academy.

The only question is did Wilder see it? And if he did why wait until this season to fix it? Hope fully the new coaches have the solutions we need.

 

[Badger Blade]

Having a proper defensive midfielder on the field for the full 90+ is key for me, rather than having someone like Peck have to do the job. The difference when Jairo was on vs when he wasn't was quite stark so the Phillips signing makes sense where, hopefully, we'll always have someone around doing the mucky work.

It'll helps out the centre backs out in transition while giving the full backs a bit of freedom to go and support the attack.

Mansfield was a souped up friendly in reality but we kept a clean sheet and won comfortably against a side who are meant to be one of the better ones in League One so it at least gives a confidence boost before the real fun begins at the weekend.

Souttar is the missing link at the back. If we can get 35 games out of him and pick up maybe 3 more decent players (not a dozen shit ones picked at random like last year) then we could be in with a squeak of the top 8.

 

[Weasel]

Souttar is the missing link..

Well, he may not be Mr Handsome, i suppose, but that is very harsh...

 

[ATL Recs]

I appreciate that last seasons fiasco at the back and that it is frustrating. But calling a player "captain clown" and both managers "imbiciles" just detracts from the points you are trying to make which have some validity.

There are a number issues that need to be addressed this season.
1. Souttar has to be the man dictating the organising the defence. Tanganga is not a good or organiser. Souttar can get caught on the turn now and then. But in general is brave and defensively solid.
Tanganga is good at recovery tackles and holds his own in the air. McGuinness is a poor judge of a long ball and tends to go out and under it, taking himself out of the game.

2. Under Selles the 433 was a disaster. With a porus midfield and the wingers not getting back. At that time we didnt have the players for 433 and that was Selles' downfall. I got the impression from speaking to MGuinness and later Tanganga that they were glad to get the season over with as they felt exposed all season in counter attacks. The problem for the CBs was that the full backs were expected to attack like wingbacks leaving reduced cover in defence.

3. Under both Selles and Wilder, our defenive shape of the back 4 was all wrong. When the full backs did get back they started their defending inside the box. Vacating the space out to the sideline and leaving the opposition wingers time to take the ball down without any pressure. The winger then has more options and liberty, because if you are defending in the box you have to be very careful when tackling or you give away a penalty. You end up with full backs defending passively.

4. Vinni Souza was a big loss to the team last season. The previous season he covered ground very quickly and snuffed out danger on counter attacks. Phillips has the strength and ability to play a similar role this season. That will help a lot.

5. This season we need our back 4 playing deeper with the full backs 5 yards wider on the pitch. This is a worry as I haven't seen any evidence that the defensive unit had any coaching last season. Not only that both managers and players could not see and adjust to what was happening. The example that highlighted this most was Mansfield at home in the cup. Mansfield took a corner which was headed out but they had two players left and right just outside the box. With Chong sticking in the middle and not getting out to pressure the shot which went into the Kop. The next 2 corners went into the back of the net from identical scenarios. That hopefully will be eliminated with Souttar.

Point 5 - it happened at every corner that Mansfield had last weekend as well ..worrying

 

[bonobo]

I am always open about how much players can turn things around and small shifts in set up and attitudes, can make a big difference. So I am not saying we will struggle at the back. But you can see there is a big unknown and real risk on Saturday for sure. Again, I accept there a higher pedigree in Tanganga than we have seen at Utd, but despite his age, he still has only 2 full seasons under his belt, which is not a lot for a central defender if they are expected to be a leader. We also cant say what is the norm for him, his form at Millwall or his form for us....which was largely poor in the 2nd half of last season. Baptiste showed promise at a lower level and in pre-season, but I dont think has ever played a game at this level. Seriki is great, but we accept at this stage the defensive side of his game is still very much developing. McCallum we saw is very committed and a great athlete, but would not say his reading of the games or positioning is a strength. If Rothwell starts, they dont have that protection in front of them and we dont know if his surgery means that Cooper will be back to the form of 2 years ago. Best case scenario, we have 4 fast dynamic and athletic defenders who can shut down play and allow us to get more bodies forward ( a weakness from last season), worst case we have 4 players who cant read the game and have no protection.

 

[Nagima]

I am always open about how much players can turn things around and small shifts in set up and attitudes, can make a big difference. So I am not saying we will struggle at the back. But you can see there is a big unknown and real risk on Saturday for sure. Again, I accept there a higher pedigree in Tanganga than we have seen at Utd, but despite his age, he still has only 2 full seasons under his belt, which is not a lot for a central defender if they are expected to be a leader. We also cant say what is the norm for him, his form at Millwall or his form for us....which was largely poor in the 2nd half of last season. Baptiste showed promise at a lower level and in pre-season, but I dont think has ever played a game at this level. Seriki is great, but we accept at this stage the defensive side of his game is still very much developing. McCallum we saw is very committed and a great athlete, but would not say his reading of the games or positioning is a strength. If Rothwell starts, they dont have that protection in front of them and we dont know if his surgery means that Cooper will be back to the form of 2 years ago. Best case scenario, we have 4 fast dynamic and athletic defenders who can shut down play and allow us to get more bodies forward ( a weakness from last season), worst case we have 4 players who cant read the game and have no protection.

Cooper was played too long after picking up an injury last season, so hopefully he will be back to his best. Davies was poor in his first few games but then found is feet and did ok.

You are spot on about small shifts in set up and attitudes. Well organised, with confident players gives the whole team performance a lift. Positivity drives unity. Good readers of the game snuff out chances because they react first.

We can all recall centre backs who were bang average like Steve Bruce for example, but if they are consistent and their strengths and weaknesses understood then all the players around them know when to react. Which if we take it to forward players just highlights that Cannon is on a totally different planet to the rest of the team. He is running for the type of passes we don't give and is static for the ones we fo.

 

[VictoryBlade]

Apparently on the Leicester website, deal done for Soutter, if so good news as long as he stays fit!