Is left back really a problem?

[JoshH7611]

I would keep Angelino. In a few years he could turn out to be a brilliant full back. He certainly has the ability going forward - it's just about the basics of defending. He's definitely young enough to learn.

Trent is not the best full back but because Van Dijk is next to him you rarely see his weaknesses.

 

[Keeper!]

LB is a big problem and has been for years. Angelino, Zinchenko, Mendy none of them close to the standard needed. A real quality LB would improve the team tremendously.

Finding one is another matter.

Other clubs seem to find them and without paying 50 m a pop.

 

[BimboBob]

Other clubs seem to find them and without paying 50 m a pop.

Other clubs have a system that doesn't expose their full backs.

 

[shak]

Reguilon is available on the cheap and is significantly better than any of our options. Yes Madrid will want a buy back but two years of quality left back is worth the money (and profit at the end) plus it gives us those two years to actually find someone who is good enough. It will also make Mendy sit up and take notice when he has some proper competition, either get back to his best or realise he must drop down a level or two.

Really hope that Zinchenko and Angelino are gone before the window shuts.

 

[Keeper!]

Other clubs have a system that doesn't expose their full backs.

Then maybe the world's greatest football manager should take a look.

 

[BimboBob]

Then maybe the world's greatest football manager should take a look.

I'm busy.

 

[Manc in London]

Yes of course it is. We havent signed a decent LB for decades. You could argue that Tarnat was our last decent proper left back.

He was okay but I'm struggling to think of a slower player.

I actually thought Kolarov was sufficient. Certainly not as bad as some suggest. Whilst Clichy was no use with the ball (apart from that assist at Wolves in 2012) he was a good defender.

 

[cucumberman]

It became a problem around after Kolarov left. He's by no means a pacy LB but he compensates that with a good footballing brain. Also, his long-range shots are lethal and his long-range through passes and diagonals are less predictable to crosses.

Zinchenko was a good candidate and we should have given him more chance to grow into the position as we have been with Foden.

 

[Anne’sCoats]

It became a problem around after Kolarov left. He's by no means a pacy LB but he compensates that with a good footballing brain. Also, his long-range shots are lethal and his long-range through passes and diagonals are less predictable to crosses.

Zinchenko was a good candidate and we should have given him more chance to grow into the position as we have been with Foden.

Kolarov was nothing special. Cost us numerous goals.

 

[cucumberman]

Kolarov was nothing special. Cost us numerous goals.

I wouldn't say numerous, but he did cost us a few. As did Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Stones more than others. On the flipside, like Kompany, Kolarov also pulled us out of losing situations. The equaliser against sunderland, the match-winning goal against Swansea in the dying seconds for 3 points, the first goal against Everton after clever play by I remembered Silva and Sterling to Kolarov. It would have been the winning goal too if not for Nasri scoring for 2-0 on the 89th. The other goals that added to our tally that more often than not gave us room to breathe in tight scoring matches. He also releases Sane at the right through a sharp diagonal pass from the left, a tactic that Pep continuously used to intentionally have Kolarov pulling in opposition players so Sane can do his explosive runs.

Kolarov is not a world class LB, above average at most. But class LBs are rare to find in the market, and until now we still haven't found one. But on the grand scheme of things, Kolarov contributed to the points table.