Aymeric Laporte

[Silva_Spell]

5 players naturally capable of playing CB seems a lot but having Kompany, Laporte, Otamendi, Denayer, Stones makes sense to me both for now (given Kompany's injuries especially) and the future if Denayer and Stones play quite a bit at RB and DM respectively. Only one would need to start on the bench and we could interchange between 3 and 4 at the back at will during a game - granted we sign the right LB

And If we were to sign a young LB we could have a very longterm back 4 to work with once Kompany retires/leaves

Kinda wish we had signed Luke Shaw tbh

 

[BigOscar]

Having 4 senior CB's and a young one in Denayer who really should be playing seems like absolute madness to me, it's far too much. We fuck about with chopping and changing too much already and we never get a settled partnership, so fuck knows how often we'd line up with the same pairing if we had 4 CB's all expecting to play. I'd hope we are only bringing in one, otherwise we really need to be getting rid of two from Kompany, Otamendi and Mangala, otherwise we're just vastly overstocked and will go back to a different pairing every bloody week and the shit that that brings.

 

[philiph20]

Seems like we are paying well over the odds as per usual. I haven't seen much of him in action so I will reserve judgement.

 

[richards30]

So if we sign stones and Laporte will vinny become a squad player? Or stones to right back and Laporte partners vinny?

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Another 40 million centre back great

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

Having 4 senior CB's and a young one in Denayer who really should be playing seems like absolute madness to me, it's far too much. We fuck about with chopping and changing too much already and we never get a settled partnership, so fuck knows how often we'd line up with the same pairing if we had 4 CB's all expecting to play. I'd hope we are only bringing in one, otherwise we really need to be getting rid of two from Kompany, Otamendi and Mangala, otherwise we're just vastly overstocked and will go back to a different pairing every bloody week and the shit that that brings.

this

 

[pudge]

I doubt any of the backline who played against Southampton will be here next season so we won't have 5 CBs.

 

[richards30]

One saving grace is that pep seems to like a more settled approach? Not as many changes in key positions?

 

[Fat Chance]

I do hope we are not shoehorning Denayer in at right back simply because he's homegrown?

He doesn't seem to have the raw pace and agile frame that a modern day full-back requires?

Stones' natural position was at right-back, so who knows?

I wanted Rose and Cresswell, but that ship looks long sailed.

Not sure about natural, his back is too long to make a real good fullback....bit like boateng

 

[FantasyIreland]

I doubt any of the backline who played against Southampton will be here next season so we won't have 5 CBs.

I agree,i cant see either of Mangala or Otamendi surviving the cull,while both have their attributes as defenders,they simply aren't footballers.