Our glaring weakness at LB, will it be fixed?

Anybody who can play would be a better player then kolarov, he's horrible. Clichy is a decent back up
 
Neither Kolarov or Clichy is last 4 of the Champions League quality. That is where we are striving to be. Thus both need to go or we'll find ourselves once again going out in the first knockout round post group stage.
 
I can't believe Kolarov and Clichy have both been around this long.

Every year, they both drop clanger and clanger and they go completely unnoticed. Instead, the centre-back on that left hand side picks up the pieces and takes the flack.

You would think after the endless rotation that alarms might have been ringing over the years for both Mancini and Pellegrini.

Kolarov is certainly a complete fraud. I can only think he subsequently gets a free pass because of his free kicks. He would fit right in at Tottenham, it's just about his level.
 
Clichy's main advantage is his HG status, but he disappoints me more than Kolarov tbh. Kolarov has been steady at around the same level since we signed him - good going forward, patchy defensively. Clichy had one really good season in 11/12 but since then has been nowhere near that level and the last few seasons should have seen him at his peak - in that regard he isn't too different from Nasri, he's shown what level he's capable of but can't reproduce it consistently enough.

Neither are really good enough for a prospective CL winning team but equally they're not as bad as some make out.
 
Kinkladze 1 said:
Neither Kolarov or Clichy is last 4 of the Champions League quality. That is where we are striving to be. Thus both need to go or we'll find ourselves once again going out in the first knockout round post group stage.
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Kolarov will be hard to shift due to his salary and as Clichy is HG, he won't be going anywhere. Not sure our exits from the CL can be primarily blamed on our left backs though it is a position that we should strengthen if we can find a buyer for Kolarov.
 
KnaresboroughBlue said:
Kolarov will be hard to shift due to his salary and as Clichy is HG, he won't be going anywhere. Not sure our exits from the CL can be primarily blamed on our left backs though it is a position that we should strengthen if we can find a buyer for Kolarov.
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In 2014 Barça attacked us down our left all game. The second goal Alves scored was a blunder read by Clichy.
 
MeatnSpudsMCFC said:
I can't believe Kolarov and Clichy have both been around this long.

Every year, they both drop clanger and clanger and they go completely unnoticed. Instead, the centre-back on that left hand side picks up the pieces and takes the flack.

You would think after the endless rotation that alarms might have been ringing over the years for both Mancini and Pellegrini.

Kolarov is certainly a complete fraud. I can only think he subsequently gets a free pass because of his free kicks. He would fit right in at Tottenham, it's just about his level.
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Left back has been a problem for as long as I can remember. Jensen and Tarnat were short term solutions but we need to ensure we bring the best one in. I'm just glad it's not my job to find them...
 
peoffrey said:
Left back has been a problem for as long as I can remember. Jensen and Tarnat were short term solutions but we need to ensure we bring the best one in. I'm just glad it's not my job to find them...
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Agree - for me we have not had a quality left back - one that is equally good going forward as in defending - since Paul Power - I recall the sight of him getting the ball from the keeper and bombing forward yet always getting back to make important tackles. Kolarov for all those who say he is great going forward seems to hit the first defender on his crosses at least three times out of four. Clichy is too up and down for me, when he is good he is close to what we need but he has really poor moments as well. Unfortunately I'm not sure about Angelino either. Needs addressing.
 
As bad as our left back situation is it won't hold us back in the PL, obviously in Europe it will.

I don't watch much Euro football so can't comment on how good the likes of Sandro, Gaya, Rodriguez and Kurzawa are (Just names I continue to read about) Those lads would also surely cost £20-30m which is a lot on a left back.
 
SebastianBlue said:
I seem to recall ours was fairly good, as well.
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It was if you look at the big picture but this was glossed over by the end of the season when it was much better - mainly due to Pellegrini finally accepting that we are better with just Aguero up front.

Kompany was average at best, the two left backs shaky at times, Mangala poor for the first 3/4 months and even Zabaleta was off his game for much of the season. It needs to be much better this season if we are to have a chance of winning the title. The we will score more goals than you approach needs tweaking and more emphasis placed on defending as a team.
 
baildon blue said:
Kolarov very temperamental player .
On his day he can be very good .
I do wonder how bothered he will be if Dzeko goes .
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That's been an problem with us, we still have a couple more players like that who have a strop off things don't go well. We need players who are trustworthy, give 100% and be positive when things ain't going our way.
 
Mr HJ said:
Agree - for me we have not had a quality left back - one that is equally good going forward as in defending - since Paul Power - I recall the sight of him getting the ball from the keeper and bombing forward yet always getting back to make important tackles. Kolarov for all those who say he is great going forward seems to hit the first defender on his crosses at least three times out of four. Clichy is too up and down for me, when he is good he is close to what we need but he has really poor moments as well. Unfortunately I'm not sure about Angelino either. Needs addressing.
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Paul Power is slightly before my time but I know more than enough Blues who rave about him.

I can't see Bayern Munich letting Alaba go and Baines doesn't particularly excite either...
 
Right back was also showing signs of becoming a problem last year too. Hopefully Zab will come back and have a better season this year. Sagna adds nothing for me.
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
It was if you look at the big picture but this was glossed over by the end of the season when it was much better - mainly due to Pellegrini finally accepting that we are better with just Aguero up front.

Kompany was average at best, the two left backs shaky at times, Mangala poor for the first 3/4 months and even Zabaleta was off his game for much of the season. It needs to be much better this season if we are to have a chance of winning the title. The we will score more goals than you approach needs tweaking and more emphasis placed on defending as a team.
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Although I agree Kompany was less than himself last season, I still think we were better than many believe and that perhaps expectations have risen to a level of absurdity.

I am more of the old guard than the new, of course, but I think this perfection—seemingly demanding 38 clean sheets a season—everyone seems to be seeking now is folly. We could improve at left back and our midfield could be strengthened but for the most part we were actually fairly level with the eventual winners.

Very, very, very few teams in the annals of history have ever been perfectly balanced and strong in both attack and defense—and the modern game generally demands an attacking disposition, which means defending will nearly always be the lesser pursuit. I am personally completely fine with that, even being a defensive midfielder myself, as I'd rather watch 100 high scoring matches than 100 Mourinho-esque 11' goal and park the bus 1-0 wins.

Just my ambling thoughts, though.
 
SebastianBlue said:
Although I agree Kompany was less than himself last season, I still think we were better than many believe and that perhaps expectations have risen to a level of absurdity.

I am more of the old guard than the new, of course, but I think this perfection—seemingly demanding 38 clean sheets a season—everyone seems to be seeking now is folly. We could improve at left back and our midfield could be strengthened but for the most part we were actually fairly level with the eventual winners.

Very, very, very few teams in the annals of history have ever been perfectly balanced and strong in both attack and defense—and the modern game generally demands an attacking disposition, which means defending will nearly always be the lesser pursuit. I am personally completely fine with that, even being a defensive midfielder myself, as I'd rather watch 100 high scoring matches than 100 Mourinho-esque 11' goal and park the bus 1-0 wins.

Just my ambling thoughts, though.
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See where you are coming from and I don't mind high scoring games as long as we win! I just don't think we looked in control of games last season like we did the season before. Even games against the likes of Villa and Leicester at home were nail biters until the end. A lot of this was down to the managers tactics as well as individual defending.

The odd bit of good solid defending wouldn't go a miss though. Going 1-0 up at the swamp and then conceding four for example is not the kind of high scoring game I like!
 
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