The back four isn’t title winning quality

[City Raider]

I like Rodri but the biggest puzzle to me this season is the amount of time Ferna is spending on the bench. He’s been our heartbeat for years and today 2 of them were doing a job he was doing on his own for years.

 

[BertTrautmann'sParachute]

None of our defenders seem to be able to defend. Shocking today.

 

[handsofstone]

Hard not to agree

Yes Stones/Otamendi have been crucial to us in the past, but both has regressed (yes even Stones who despite being young has had his career torn apart by injuries)

Would rather Harwood-Bellis play, weare arguably without out best 2 CB of last season and it shows, our defense is awful

 

[Ban-jani]

And yet all of them have won it before.

We were collectively shit today. Draw a line under it and go again. It's a long season.

Bingo

 

[Gabriel]

The defending from the front and midfield isn’t any better. Watch how easily teams are playing around our forwards and how easily Norwich were able to travel from the halfway line to the eighteen-yard line for the corner that led to the opener. Much work to be done.

 

[eastmanc]

We’ve proved in three of our four title wins this decade that we can come from behind to win.

Pep has proved he is a serial title winner.

Today was abysmal from line-up to final whistle, but every team has a terrible game in them.

Very true, it’s early so let’s hope we can bounce back.

 

[Tommy_Catons_Perm]

Hard not to agree

Yes Stones/Otamendi have been crucial to us in the past, but both has regressed (yes even Stones who despite being young has had his career torn apart by injuries)

Would rather Harwood-Bellis play, weare arguably without out best 2 CB of last season and it shows, our defense is awful

Why have stones and otamendi regressed? I think they have too, but why? Not enough games and playing together is part of the reason? Plus injuries to stones... What are they doing tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday? I hope, that as they are being paid about 25k a day, they are on the trainng pitch and sorting things out. Then paying more matches and getting it right.

 

[davek1808]

In the past we've had one, two on a really bad day have shockers but this is the first time all four have been culpable.

 

[bondsman]

Otta has been fine until paired with Stones today. Neither is a leader and both need to play with a partner who takes command. Stones is not aggressive enough and Otta always has a gaff in him. Zin will have missed Laportes protection on the left as well. I think we may have cost ourselves dearly by not strengthening the left back and cb positions but we are where we are. Angelino played for the 23s today Cancelo yet to start. Mendy a waste of space. In reality we have world class players everywhere except in the defence. Bar Laporte our strength in depth does not exist there. Midfield and forward we have options and the level doesn’t drop if we rotate, that ain’t true of our defence imho. Worst bit for me is we have dropped 5 points in what were in reality easy games. Spurs should’ve been over at half time and Norwich are relegation fodder.

 

[wythenshaweblue£££]

I like Rodri but the biggest puzzle to me this season is the amount of time Ferna is spending on the bench. He’s been our heartbeat for years and today 2 of them were doing a job he was doing on his own for years.

I think Pep must be saving him for midweek champions league and wrapping him in cotton wool up until after tonight’s result he will definitely be back in our midfield next game we need.