Our Defence

[schfc6]

Them keeping the ball isn't defending though is it? We are talking their team picking the ball up and running at us and causing us problems. A lot of the times they tend to do which is why despite having limited opportunities to it is looked at that we can be got at. You are massively mistaking possession and defending.

I think describing Chelsea as a masterclass probably shows the differing opinions. If you have a team that aren't bothered about crossing the half way line I wouldn't say we was defensively amazing.

I don't think we are weak at the back or even dodgy but again we are talking defending. If a team breaks fast, in numbers and running at our defenders then no I don't think we are the most solid. We don't have your old fashioned centre halves etc but AGAIN that's not a bad thing either.

If any team anywhere is broken on fast in numbers running at a defence it will be weak. Gary Neville has referenced our clever tactical defending several times in the last week. Any defensive unit facing 'a team breaking fast in numbers and running directly at defence' will be caused problems.

Ways to prevent or stop this.

Italians/Argentinans used to pull you to the ground or body check you in this instance. Or they'd pack the middle of the park and edge of the box. They even used a sweeper, who played behind a defensive midfielder.

Germans used to deploy deep laying defences with pacey counter attacking and transitions based on their physicality.

Us English used the kick n rush and we've been shit since 1970.

The Spanish & the Brazilians used possession and positioning to counter this.

Guardiola uses 5 methods of defending.

1, keep the ball.
2, press high.
3, block the space needed for the counter attack. This is why he inverts his full back/s when we are attacking.
3.1 tactical fouling/blocking.
4, play a high line with an aggressive sweeper keeper.

You could line up late 80's Milan or early 2000's Italy and if they were isolated 4 on 3 against attacks like ours or Madrid's or Barcelona they'd be ripped to shreds.

If you think any defenders EVER are comfortable and not considered 'suspect' or 'to be got at' when 1vs1 at pace, then I don't think you've watched much football.

We are 8 months into a totally new system, new keeper and yet to use our first choice left back, we are miles ahead of anything in this country offensively & defensively.

There is no defence or defender that can't be 'got at'. All you can do is limit that chance. We do it just about as well as anyone and are getting better at it.

 

[daztrueblue91]

Them keeping the ball isn't defending though is it? We are talking their team picking the ball up and running at us and causing us problems. A lot of the times they tend to do which is why despite having limited opportunities to it is looked at that we can be got at. You are massively mistaking possession and defending.

I think describing Chelsea as a masterclass probably shows the differing opinions. If you have a team that aren't bothered about crossing the half way line I wouldn't say we was defensively amazing.

I don't think we are weak at the back or even dodgy but again we are talking defending. If a team breaks fast, in numbers and running at our defenders then no I don't think we are the most solid. We don't have your old fashioned centre halves etc but AGAIN that's not a bad thing either.

Defending is all about stopping the opposition from attacking and keeping possession does that.

For all the talk of Chelsea being poor, we forced them to hit the ball long due to our pressing and positional play. It's funny how so many of the top teams in the PL seem to have an off day when they play us. Even United at Old Trafford couldn't get out of their half at times.

Some people just need to accept that we have put a fear factor into teams and we force them to adapt their style and make mistakes.

Every team who attacks in world football is susceptible to a counter-attack. That's the nature of the beast and no team will ever be able to eradicate that threat without defending deeper and dropping their attacking instincts.

The fact that we have conceded the least amount of shots shows how good our defensive system is. By contrast, United's system shows how dependent they are on a world class goalkeeper.

 

[inchy14]

Your reasoning is the exact reason why pundits still call out our defence.

However, what you and the likes of Merson seem to fail to grasp is that having the ball 3/4s of the time is good defensive play. Our CBS and Keeper are vital to us keeping the ball.

Just because Otamendi and Laporte aren't doing last ditch tackles doesn't mean they aren't defending well.

The Chelsea game was a masterclass in defensive positional play. Time and again Chelsea were forced into hoofing it long and Ota and Eric got into positions to easily sniff out any danger. That for me is top class defending.

Wasting your breathe mate as proven further down the page.

If any team anywhere is broken on fast in numbers running at a defence it will be weak. Gary Neville has referenced our clever tactical defending several times in the last week. Any defensive unit facing 'a team breaking fast in numbers and running directly at defence' will be caused problems.

Ways to prevent or stop this.

Italians/Argentinans used to pull you to the ground or body check you in this instance. Or they'd pack the middle of the park and edge of the box. They even used a sweeper, who played behind a defensive midfielder.

Germans used to deploy deep laying defences with pacey counter attacking and transitions based on their physicality.

Us English used the kick n rush and we've been shit since 1970.

The Spanish & the Brazilians used possession and positioning to counter this.

Guardiola uses 5 methods of defending.

1, keep the ball.
2, press high.
3, block the space needed for the counter attack. This is why he inverts his full back/s when we are attacking.
3.1 tactical fouling/blocking.
4, play a high line with an aggressive sweeper keeper.

You could line up late 80's Milan or early 2000's Italy and if they were isolated 4 on 3 against attacks like ours or Madrid's or Barcelona they'd be ripped to shreds.

If you think any defenders EVER are comfortable and not considered 'suspect' or 'to be got at' when 1vs1 at pace, then I don't think you've watched much football.

We are 8 months into a totally new system, new keeper and yet to use our first choice left back, we are miles ahead of anything in this country offensively & defensively.

There is no defence or defender that can't be 'got at'. All you can do is limit that chance. We do it just about as well as anyone and are getting better at it.

Nail in head.

Defending is all about stopping the opposition from attacking and keeping possession does that.

For all the talk of Chelsea being poor, we forced them to hit the ball long due to our pressing and positional play. It's funny how so many of the top teams in the PL seem to have an off day when they play us. Even United at Old Trafford couldn't get out of their half at times.

Some people just need to accept that we have put a fear factor into teams and we force them to adapt their style and make mistakes.

Every team who attacks in world football is susceptible to a counter-attack. That's the nature of the beast and no team will ever be able to eradicate that threat without defending deeper and dropping their attacking instincts.

The fact that we have conceded the least amount of shots shows how good our defensive system is. By contrast, United's system shows how dependent they are on a world class goalkeeper.

Think it was Maldini who said it best. “The minute I’m having to tackle, I’ve made a mistake already” or something similar.

 

[schfc6]

Think it was Maldini who said it best. “The minute I’m having to tackle, I’ve made a mistake already” or something similar.[/QUOTE]

I think he said it, camel gob said it too. You only tackle in the event of a mistake. Many a top defender said similar.

 

[Damocles]

 

[MarsLlama]

He actually is less-prone to missed passes. It's quite mind boggling how people come up with opinions that are the absolute opposite of the truth :(

He's not from Stockport, to some people that means he's not worthy of our support.

 

[Paladin]

Haha. On 55 seconds Pep says "Sometimes Chelsea play 3-4-1, sometimes they play 5-4-2." No wonder they're hard to set up against.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Our defence can be got at, if they can get the ball....

Peps system will leave us vulnerable to a side that can either win the ball off us high up as Liverpool managed and so did Palace away to a lesser extent, or can to toe to toe with us in terms of ball retention and beating our press which we've yet to see any side manage. Regardless of who weve got at thr back, that's never going to change and is simply and consequence of the system. The main reason why we are better this season is because we have more capable players now both on and off the ball and players have had the time to fully understand the details of the system.

 

[BerkshireBlue]

He's 2 behind, Bravo gets the clean sheet for the home game against Liverpool.

no one got the clean sheet for the Liverpool game due to not playing enough minutes. rather bizarre really

 

[The Riot Club]

We've conceded the fewest goals in the league.

If these pundits are criticising our defence, whose do they hold up as the best? A team that's conceded more, it must be. Strange logic these 'experts' use.