Is left back really a problem?

[chesterbells]

A back four of Walker; Dias; Laporte; Ake would make us really solid at the back. With them we could afford to put in a really offensive midfield and attack.

How many matches so far this season have we played with that back 4?

 

[Blue Bogey]

How many matches so far this season have we played with that back 4?

None, but that doesn’t equate to not being a solid back four. Ake has pace as does Walker.

Cancelo is not a natural left footer and sometimes that shows on the left of defence. Mendy is a liability and Zinchenko is a bit too slow getting back sometimes. Which Zinchenko realises hence he doesn’t venture forward too much.

Ake has impressed me this season at CB but I think Pep will persist with Laporte and Dias as a partnership. Pep could utilise Ake’s defensive qualities by playing him at left back, and that in turn would make us solid at the back. Then we shouldn’t need to have a midfield that contains both Rodri and Gundog.

 

[WallyA]

None, but that doesn’t equate to not being a solid back four. Ake has pace as does Walker.

Cancelo is not a natural left footer and sometimes that shows on the left of defence. Mendy is a liability and Zinchenko is a bit too slow getting back sometimes. Which Zinchenko realises hence he doesn’t venture forward too much.

Ake has impressed me this season at CB but I think Pep will persist with Laporte and Dias as a partnership. Pep could utilise Ake’s defensive qualities by playing him at left back, and that in turn would make us solid at the back. Then we shouldn’t need to have a midfield that contains both Rodri and Gundog.

If Ake plays LB, then I agree that I think Foden and Kevin can possible play together as losing Cancelo's attacking ability is made up for by the other attacking midfielder.

That being said, it sounds like LB is not a problem then (Cancelo, Ake, Mendy or Zinny), pretty much making this thread mute. RB is the bigger issue.

 

[chesterbells]

None, but that doesn’t equate to not being a solid back four. Ake has pace as does Walker.

Cancelo is not a natural left footer and sometimes that shows on the left of defence. Mendy is a liability and Zinchenko is a bit too slow getting back sometimes. Which Zinchenko realises hence he doesn’t venture forward too much.

Ake has impressed me this season at CB but I think Pep will persist with Laporte and Dias as a partnership. Pep could utilise Ake’s defensive qualities by playing him at left back, and that in turn would make us solid at the back. Then we shouldn’t need to have a midfield that contains both Rodri and Gundog.

Mate, think you’ve mistaken my drift - I agree with you 100% - it was a genuine question as I couldn’t remember the line ups.
I’d certainly like to see us try that line up out ASAP. I know Cancelo has had some good reviews from Sunday, but I’ve still mixed feelings on him, whereas I don’t think Ake has put a foot wrong.
Dias-Ake-Laporte as a back 3 is another option maybe

 

[Blue Bogey]

Mate, think you’ve mistaken my drift - I agree with you 100% - it was a genuine question as I couldn’t remember the line ups.
I’d certainly like to see us try that line up out ASAP. I know Cancelo has had some good reviews from Sunday, but I’ve still mixed feelings on him, whereas I don’t think Ake has put a foot wrong.
Dias-Ake-Laporte as a back 3 is another option maybe

Yes I did mistake your drift, lol, thanks for putting me right.

I think the 3 at the back as suggested could work really well but I think a lot of us fans have bad memories of the CL QF against Lyon in which we started the game with 3 at the back. Although that was really down to poor execution of the tactics. With Ake starting at LB it could mean during games we can transition to a back three.

 

[Zabbasbeard]

Cancelo is good enough at left back. He can use both feet and is excellent going forward and better defensively than most left backs.

 

[ScottSinclair]

Cancelo is good enough at left back. He can use both feet and is excellent going forward and better defensively than most left backs.

So glad he has turned it around. One of those players we have signed I just fell in love with for the way he plays football despite early doors he looked like he might not cut it in England

 

[GBrannan]

If Ake plays LB, then I agree that I think Foden and Kevin can possible play together as losing Cancelo's attacking ability is made up for by the other attacking midfielder.

That being said, it sounds like LB is not a problem then (Cancelo, Ake, Mendy or Zinny), pretty much making this thread mute. RB is the bigger issue.

RB would only be an issue because we’re having to play our rotation option there. Our RB depth is excellent, with the added bonus one or both are always fit.

Ake, Zinchenko and Cancelo are all short term rotation options that should help ease the workload on our main left back. The problem is though our main left back can’t either stay fit or put a consistent run of form together. So we’re constantly having to compromise on this position and have done for years.

It’s baffling why we’ve not addressed this. Sort this position out, and with Dias looking so assured, we will have a very good back four and keeper which will keep us in games and hopefully mean we mostly only need to score 1 to win rather than 2, 3 or 4 like last season.

We can then turn our attention to central midfield and attack where we need 2 or 3 significant signings to get our dynamism, goal threat and pace back.

 

[decmancity]

Whilst we are tied into Mendy and Zinchenko we wont be making a move for LB, Cancelo is earning trust with Pep and hopefully that continues.

 

[WallyA]

RB would only be an issue because we’re having to play our rotation option there. Our RB depth is excellent, with the added bonus one or both are always fit.

Ake, Zinchenko and Cancelo are all short term rotation options that should help ease the workload on our main left back. The problem is though our main left back can’t either stay fit or put a consistent run of form together. So we’re constantly having to compromise on this position and have done for years.

It’s baffling why we’ve not addressed this. Sort this position out, and with Dias looking so assured, we will have a very good back four and keeper which will keep us in games and hopefully mean we mostly only need to score 1 to win rather than 2, 3 or 4 like last season.

We can then turn our attention to central midfield and attack where we need 2 or 3 significant signings to get our dynamism, goal threat and pace back.

Even when Mendy is fit again, Cancelo has earned the starting spot over him (Mendy will get injured again we all know it).

So for me LB is still not an issue. The way I see it we have a starting LB and RB, but 3 players of depth for LB but none for RB.