Centre back options

[Maldeika]

Barca are activity trying to sell vermaelan, hernarndez will most likely be used as a full back as will azpilecuta if everyone is fit. No club has 4 out and out CBS bar maybe Bayern but I think Martinez will move to cm. If we sign a CB he will have to be able to cover another position.

No. He will not. We have the midfield packed, too. Vidal, Thiago, Tolisso, Rudy, Sanches for two places. Ancelotti was just asked that in the presser today. 4 central defenders is not a luxury after the last two seasons. We played the last match in Bundesliga again with a defense made of Kimmich and Alaba...

 

[Marvin]

1. I didn't think they were great, I just disagree that they were 'horrible'. They often were fantastic. Albeit, every now and then they sometimes had off games. Just like Kompany would if he played enough.

2. Your ascribltion of 3rd and QF loser to the CBs is interesting. Unfortunately for you, Pep and the front office concluded, just like I did way back when this disagreement started, that the fullbacks, the goalie, and a failure to convert chances were the main reasons why we did not succeed.

As you can see from our purchases so far, and our continued profligacy in front of goal I think I was on the money.

We'll see if Kompany gets injured. No doubt a stronger keeper and quality full backs protect the central defenders, but I still think we're overly reliant of Kompany. I'll hold that position until proven otherwise, i.e. until I see Stones and Otamendi together. I hope I don't see that but it's bound to happen. Stones has had a great pre-season. I hope he continues to grow as a player. He has the potential to be a defensive lynch-pin in absence of Kompany, but it's just potential at the moment. I think we can carry one or two weaknesses in the squad. I would have tried to buy a central defender and left Sanchez alone, but when I watched the Spurs game and it was 1-0 I was thinking Alexis would have buried that. Just one game though. I think Jesus will click as will Sane. And Sterling made two good finishes in USA. Maybe he will improve in that regard. I bet he's been working on that.

 

[Dax777]

Sadly we didn't make the QF of the champions league and in my view that was very much down to the defending. I absolutely assumed that Pep wouldn't be bothered about the cb situation this summer because I realise he's of the view that our main problem last season was missing chances. No doubt missing chances was a problem but personally I find it impossible to agree that it was our main problem. We were terrible at both ends of the pitch imo and trying to prove that one end was worse than the other is pointless. We want to win leagues and genuinely challenge for the cl. If you think partnerships of Stones and otamendi or stones and kolarov were good enough last season to achieve that I think you're nuts. And if pep thinks it then I think he is too.

Your analysis of why we were terrible on the defensive end is what's problematic. You think the CBs absent Kompany was the problem. This is a static view that presumes what the problem is before viewing it.

On the other hand I thought aged fullbacks and a poor keeper were the main issues at the back. We lacked speed and energy at fullback. And sure our CBs aren't quixk. But then again, neither are Airderwareld and Vertonghen. But the speed of their fullbacks and the power of Wanyama and Dier kept them fairly comfortable.

Put any of our CBs on that team and they stillfinish with the best defense. But our team had a goalie who saved 2 of 18 shots on goal at one point. Blaming CBs for such poor return rates is a putting the cart before the horse.

Its seems management and Pep also think that's the case. And rightly so. I mean you probably do too if you weren't so caught up in the CB thingy

 

[Cityfan]

Barca are activity trying to sell vermaelan, hernarndez will most likely be used as a full back as will azpilecuta if everyone is fit. No club has 4 out and out CBS bar maybe Bayern but I think Martinez will move to cm. If we sign a CB he will have to be able to cover another position.

I think Pep would love any player to be able to cover other positions and often sees the possibilities where others don't. But the idea that we don't need another centre back and won't get one is I think a little unrealistic unless Mangala is thought capable which is unlikely. We have played most pre-season matches with a back three We do not have back up to those three of a sufficient standard and one of them is injury prone . Pep has stated that he will use both a back four and back three through the season . We hopefully will have a lot of games and will need to rotate players and probably cover injuries. A further centre back is essential in my view.

 

[@BluePhil8]

We need a fast left footed centre half, the obvious choice is Sane.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Again, this sounds like fake news to me. 1 the report was VVD was never a priority. And the moment he was priced so highly we stopped being interested.

Your B is just the reporters saying what they think is going on based off of what 'they believed" was required.

Like I said from the beginning and has now played itself out. Fullbacks and goalie were the 3 priorities. CB never was. Its just that English mentality of fantasy about commanding CBs and "back 4 protecting DMs" that always led folks to conclude incorrectly that these 2 positions were priorities.

The most rudimentary examination of the facts suggested otherwise.

Pep suggested otherwise.

The recent stuff about Van Dijk & Pep on Kompany seems to be coming from well connected writers so I have no reason to doubt it.

And that's what the press have said yes, the price ruled us out of signing Van Dijk.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Your analysis of why we were terrible on the defensive end is what's problematic. You think the CBs absent Kompany was the problem. This is a static view that presumes what the problem is before viewing it.

On the other hand I thought aged fullbacks and a poor keeper were the main issues at the back. We lacked speed and energy at fullback. And sure our CBs aren't quixk. But then again, neither are Airderwareld and Vertonghen. But the speed of their fullbacks and the power of Wanyama and Dier kept them fairly comfortable.

Put any of our CBs on that team and they stillfinish with the best defense. But our team had a goalie who saved 2 of 18 shots on goal at one point. Blaming CBs for such poor return rates is a putting the cart before the horse.

Its seems management and Pep also think that's the case. And rightly so. I mean you probably do too if you weren't so caught up in the CB thingy

Yesterday both problems were evident.

We missed chances & several players ran away from Otamendi.

Jesus will not miss many chances like that, but plenty of people will run away from Otamendi.

Hopefully the incease in scoring will make up for the inevitable hole in the centre.

 

[Dax777]

We'll see if Kompany gets injured. No doubt a stronger keeper and quality full backs protect the central defenders, but I still think we're overly reliant of Kompany. I'll hold that position until proven otherwise, i.e. until I see Stones and Otamendi together. I hope I don't see that but it's bound to happen. Stones has had a great pre-season. I hope he continues to grow as a player. He has the potential to be a defensive lynch-pin in absence of Kompany, but it's just potential at the moment. I think we can carry one or two weaknesses in the squad. I would have tried to buy a central defender and left Sanchez alone, but when I watched the Spurs game and it was 1-0 I was thinking Alexis would have buried that. Just one game though. I think Jesus will click as will Sane. And Sterling made two good finishes in USA. Maybe he will improve in that regard. I bet he's been working on that.

Fair enough. I don't think we are dependent on Kompany at all. Sure, he may be the best of the 3 CBS, but the other 2 are comfortably quality in their own rights.

I'm going to go ahead and predict we will finish #1 on defense with or without Kompany. This is not a slight on Komps, he is great in his own right. But energetic fullbacks and improves play at goalie is why we'll be good on defense.

Even now with Kompany playing we are Stil getting beat every now and then. But Ederson is doing his part. Last year we had full backs who couldn't keep possession and a keeper who was badly in a funk.

 

[dachoosen1]

I think Pep would love any player to be able to cover other positions and often sees the possibilities where others don't. But the idea that we don't need another centre back and won't get one is I think a little unrealistic unless Mangala is thought capable which is unlikely. We have played most pre-season matches with a back three We do not have back up to those three of a sufficient standard and one of them is injury prone . Pep has stated that he will use both a back four and back three through the season . We hopefully will have a lot of games and will need to rotate players and probably cover injuries. A further centre back is essential in my view.

You see I think thats a problem if we play a back 3 we definitely need another cb as cover but if we play a back 4 then its kind of a wasted spot.

 

[Cityfan]

You see I think thats a problem if we play a back 3 we definitely need another cb as cover but if we play a back 4 then its kind of a wasted spot.

Pep has stated we will play both as opponents vary. If we stick to a back four it is maybe not as crucial but one medium to long term injury will still leave us struggling with any further short term injury / suspension . Though Kompany has now been fit for the longest consecutive period for a few years there is still obviously a degree of risk there that is higher than for most.