Is left back really a problem?

RayCTID said:
As long as Pep is at the club he will always favours the more attacking full back
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Let's face it though, he isn't crossing like he did pre injuries. He isn't bursting past players either, he's just decent at attacking now and decent at defending. Shame because his assists pre injury were brilliant, every cross put defenders in a panic. Is it just technique that he can regain or has his body mechanics changed and stop him whipping low crosses in with venom. Who knows, but it looks like this is his peak level now.
 
Sir Joe Aguero said:
Depends how Ake fares (if he ever plays there) but Mendy still gets rinsed defensively and we don't have the height for his crosses to be useful. Still our weak link.
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Ake has only played left back 5 times in the last few years, twice last season, losing by 3 goals on both occasions, and 3 times the season before.
(On Monday he seemed to be holding the back of his thigh around his hamstring area, last season he missed about a month with a hamstring injury)
 
Plain Speaking said:
Ake has only played left back 5 times in the last few years, twice last season, losing by 3 goals on both occasions, and 3 times the season before.
(On Monday he seemed to be holding the back of his thigh around his hamstring area, last season he missed about a month with a hamstring injury)
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It's warmed up for a bit then sat back down. Suggesting one of Ake or Stones git tight. It seems it was Ake. Hope it's not a major issue during the season
 
Plain Speaking said:
Ake has only played left back 5 times in the last few years, twice last season, losing by 3 goals on both occasions, and 3 times the season before.
(On Monday he seemed to be holding the back of his thigh around his hamstring area, last season he missed about a month with a hamstring injury)
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He played there for the Netherlands and looked okay. Nothing more. He isn't going to be an attacking threat, but then Walker isn't on the right. He rarely does anything other than pass back/sideways and threaten to burst forwards before checking back.

Ultimately it's a problem position we can probably manage without reinforcements. Cancelo, Mendy and Ake can all play there and we can win games. We've seen Laporte play there before and we've managed. But if we want to become a CL winning team you do want to have the balance across the pitch without glaring weaknesses. The best teams will target our weak spots. Lyon did it last season and our manager was so concerned by them doing so he sacrificed the team's strengths to try and solve it.

Early days though, Mendy shouldn't really be judged until he's played 10 games this season. He's coming back from long spells out with injury and it will take time to get up to the pace of things again and develop. He's coming into the prime age for a full back, let's hope we get the best out of him.
 
supercity88 said:
He played there for the Netherlands and looked okay. Nothing more. He isn't going to be an attacking threat, but then Walker isn't on the right. He rarely does anything other than pass back/sideways and threaten to burst forwards before checking back.

Ultimately it's a problem position we can probably manage without reinforcements. Cancelo, Mendy and Ake can all play there and we can win games. We've seen Laporte play there before and we've managed. But if we want to become a CL winning team you do want to have the balance across the pitch without glaring weaknesses. The best teams will target our weak spots. Lyon did it last season and our manager was so concerned by them doing so he sacrificed the team's strengths to try and solve it.

Early days though, Mendy shouldn't really be judged until he's played 10 games this season. He's coming back from long spells out with injury and it will take time to get up to the pace of things again and develop. He's coming into the prime age for a full back, let's hope we get the best out of him.
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Mendy isn't going to get quicker. Cancelo at the end of last season bucked up a lot.
 
Marvin said:
Mendy isn't going to get quicker. Cancelo at the end of last season bucked up a lot.
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Agreed. Mendy’s pace is gone and Isn’t going to suddenly come back. To be fair he was never fast over the first 10 yards but now that recovery pace or ability to burst past defenders once he got going is a thing of the past. With that his attacking threat is limited and his defensive side to his game is very average.
 
Craig said:
Agreed. Mendy’s pace is gone and Isn’t going to suddenly come back. To be fair he was never fast over the first 10 yards but now that recovery pace or ability to burst past defenders once he got going is a thing of the past. With that his attacking threat is limited and his defensive side to his game is very average.
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He's still 26 though and he'll be with us until 2022. I'm still hoping that it's just a fitness issue.
 
Mendy, bless him, isn't even particularly good going forward anymore and you can tell isnt as mobile or atheltic anymore because of the injury. almost looks like he’s protecting the dodgy knee by not turning too quickly.

that lad on monday skinned him with one quick drop of the shoulder and just glided past
 
Up until the booking Mendy was coping with Traore and if its not Mendy as first choice it would be Cancelo.
 
Marvin said:
Mendy isn't going to get quicker. Cancelo at the end of last season bucked up a lot.
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Agree Cancelo got better in that position. He's probably the best full back in his all round game. Better than Walker going forwards and a decent defender but not as good as Walker simply because of his speed to recover positions. However, there's a good video on youtube that shows Foden tracking back when Walker ventures forward to press in a central attacking area and slips. Foden's pace to recover position leads to Wolves having to check back and Walker recovering his position. You get that from Sterling on the left too and it means the left back has a lot more cover and the CB's have a lot less exposure.

In terms of Mendy's pace it's worth noting that he was up against one of the quickest in the league on Monday. He might have lost some but it will be less telling against other teams.
 
supercity88 said:
Agree Cancelo got better in that position. He's probably the best full back in his all round game. Better than Walker going forwards and a decent defender but not as good as Walker simply because of his speed to recover positions. However, there's a good video on youtube that shows Foden tracking back when Walker ventures forward to press in a central attacking area and slips. Foden's pace to recover position leads to Wolves having to check back and Walker recovering his position. You get that from Sterling on the left too and it means the left back has a lot more cover and the CB's have a lot less exposure.

In terms of Mendy's pace it's worth noting that he was up against one of the quickest in the league on Monday. He might have lost some but it will be less telling against other teams.
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Yeah nobody is keeping up with him but another Wolves player absolutely pissed past him and luckily they missed a sitter
 
Yeah but we'll see how Cancelo and Ake do. Mendy can't be our first choice LB. He's lost his pace, defensively all over the place and offensively his output has totally plummeted.
 
itisrising said:
Yeah but we'll see how Cancelo and Ake do. Mendy can't be our first choice LB. He's lost his pace, defensively all over the place and offensively his output has totally plummeted.
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If Mendy can't be our first choice LB then we need to go and buy one. Not a RB who can also play as LB, not a CB who can also play as LB and not a midfielder who can also play as LB. An actual LB. We've been playing players out of position there for far too long now. It's a specialised position and if we want to challenge at the very top then we need someone who is at their best playing there.
 
Mon Autre said:
If Mendy can't be our first choice LB then we need to go and buy one. Not a RB who can also play as LB, not a CB who can also play as LB and not a midfielder who can also play as LB. An actual LB. We've been playing players out of position there for far too long now. It's a specialised position and if we want to challenge at the very top then we need someone who is at their best playing there.
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Exactly, it's a position we get very little impact from, offensively or defensively. Walker is very consistent at RB and is often in our best 3 or 4 players on the pitch, how often can we say that for whoever plays LB over the last year or two?
 
yes it is a problem! the bigger one who actually improves that position who is available and would come? Alaba wants a fortune and wants to move to spain?
 
Shame we are not interested in Lucas Digne from Everton. He could do a decent job.
 
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