back 3 yes, but I think we will use 3 and 4 at the back. I think we could get VVD, but we don't seem convinced as a club that it is a priority.
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Centre back options
- Thread starter Tugay One Cup
- Start date
City_Sean
Well-Known Member
I'd have thought he'd walk into the team tbh.
Only Stones has looked comfortable defensively in the back 3 system to me.
Agree. In some ways whilst it's not going to happen I'd much rather see us spend another £100m on the CB and DM issue that we have.
Whilst it's great having such an array of attacking talent, being susceptible on the break as we are, and having a real lack of quality in DM and CB will kill off any potential title challenge.
Neville Kneville
Well-Known Member
back 3 yes, but I think we will use 3 and 4 at the back. I think we could get VVD, but we don't seem convinced as a club that it is a priority.
According to the 'connected' journos, he was the player we wanted, but we walked away due to the fee being too high.
I don't get that stance now, because we have paid 50 mil twice for fullbacks. Usually cbs go for more, so the fee would now be right.
Neville Kneville
Well-Known Member
Agree. In some ways whilst it's not going to happen I'd much rather see us spend another £100m on the CB and DM issue that we have.
Whilst it's great having such an array of attacking talent, being susceptible on the break as we are, and having a real lack of quality in DM and CB will kill off any potential title challenge.
For me, the amount of guile, skill, subterfuge, call it whatever, it takes to score a goal v City, is as bad as I can ever remember. Literally anyone, doing anything, could create something on any given day.
It's almost like watching the relegation teams back in the bad days, where you knew, if the ball was near our defence, a goal or chance may ensue, even when there was zero danger. You couldn't see it coming, as there was no problem, but you knew it was coming, somehow & once it did come, you knew it could happen again.
With a decent defence, we'd be on our 6th or 7th title now.
City_Sean
Well-Known Member
For me, the amount of guile, skill, subterfuge, call it whatever, it takes to score a goal v City, is as bad as I can ever remember. Literally anyone, doing anything, could create something on any given day.
It's almost like watching the relegation teams back in the bad days, where you knew, if the ball was near our defence, a goal or chance may ensue, even when there was zero danger. You couldn't see it coming, as there was no problem, but you knew it was coming, somehow & once it did come, you knew it could happen again.
With a decent defence, we'd be on our 6th or 7th title now.
Agree with this. The worry is that we're persisting with the back three, I know we'll change dependent on the opposition, but it's such a weak array of options. I don't think our current CB options are particularly better than any other side in the top 6, so how can we aim to win the PL and CL?
Neville Kneville
Well-Known Member
Agree with this. The worry is that we're persisting with the back three, I know we'll change dependent on the opposition, but it's such a weak array of options. I don't think our current CB options are particularly better than any other side in the top 6, so how can we aim to win the PL and CL?
Well that's simple enough, he's relying on us being so good going forward & having so much of the ball, pressing when we do lose it, that any bunch of cowboys at centre back, will look like worldbeaters come May.
And if you look at some of the defenders he's used at Barca/Bayern, he can pull it off.
My question is: why take the risk ? Let's have a defence, as good as the attack, then we win everything.
City_Sean
Well-Known Member
Well that's simple enough, he's relying on us being so good going forward & having so much of the ball, pressing when we do lose it, that any bunch of cowboys at centre back, will look like worldbeaters come May.
And if you look at some of the defenders he's used at Barca/Bayern, he can pull it off.
My question is: why take the risk ? Let's have a defence, as good as the attack, then we win everything.
Exactly. I appreciate Pep has far more footballing knowledge than I do, but it's simply baffling to think Stones, Otamendi and Kompany can win you a CL. He won the CL with Pique, Puyol and Busquets as an anchor in midfield. Our options aren't even in the same stratosphere.
Zin 'messiah' Zimmer
Well-Known Member
Well that's simple enough, he's relying on us being so good going forward & having so much of the ball, pressing when we do lose it, that any bunch of cowboys at centre back, will look like worldbeaters come May.
And if you look at some of the defenders he's used at Barca/Bayern, he can pull it off.
My question is: why take the risk ? Let's have a defence, as good as the attack, then we win everything.
The reward outweighs the risk....
There was a glimpse in preseason of a variable to the system, with stones switching quite comfortably in to the midfield and yaya playing a defensive role, I think this will be nurtured further...
We will always look vulnerable at the back in a Pep side, that's what makes it exciting and less of the machine we are use to...... the addition of ederson helps no end by the way, he'll sweep up the mistakes that looked like tidal waves last season!!
Neville Kneville
Well-Known Member
The reward outweighs the risk....
There was a glimpse in preseason of a variable to the system, with stones switching quite comfortably in to the midfield and yaya playing a defensive role, I think this will be nurtured further...
We will always look vulnerable at the back in a Pep side, that's what makes it exciting and less of the machine we are use to...... the addition of ederson helps no end by the way, he'll sweep up the mistakes that looked like tidal waves last season!!
Stones looked fine in the system after a shocking start, but Vinny looked iffy defensively when dragged out of position & Otamendi was just terrible.
The keeper was the reason we won, v anybody. He made key saves when the score was close, in all the games.
Imo, if we're playing a back 3, the first thing we should be doing is getting someone in there who can actually run & cover, when it goes to shit. Otta was doing his arse thing & VK was having to stretch like fuck, which will havethe inevitable consequence once the tension is increased & the pace ramped up.
Agree with this. The worry is that we're persisting with the back three, I know we'll change dependent on the opposition, but it's such a weak array of options. I don't think our current CB options are particularly better than any other side in the top 6, so how can we aim to win the PL and CL?
Chelsea won the league with Cahill, Luiz and Azpiliqueta in defence. Our back three is better than theirs on paper.
People are going on like we have Demichelis and Bramble as our centre back options ffs.
Our centre backs wasn't the problem last season, it was the fullbacks. We've now bought quality fullbacks so we should be in a better position to win the league - with the centre backs that we have now.