Left Footed Centre Back

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rice10

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26 Jun 2009
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474
There seems to be an obsession with us having to sign a left footed centre back which seems to have narrowed us down to Lescott or Upson. Now I understand the theory that it gives the team more natural balance at the back but it isnt the be all and end all that they have to be left footed!!

Look at the top 4's centre back pairings last season;

Scum - Ferdinand & Vidic
Liverpool - Carragher & Skyrtl
Chealsea - Terry & Carvalho
Arsenal - Toure & Gallas

now there is not one left footed centre back in that list in fact in there squads i can only think of Silvestre and Agger. What is apparant is that each of these teams has an out and out defender and a ball playing centre half and we have bought one of the ball playing centre backs off them.

I am not saying dont buy Lescott but i am just making the point that the fact that they need to be left footed shouldnt be the deciding factor.

Dunno what others think?
 
It's not about getting a left-footed centre back. It's about getting a centre back that can cover at left back. This is what we need to balance the defence out. It goes without saying that most left-backs are left-footed. Hence why i don't want us to get Upson, as he'd be sheet cover for Bridge in the event of him getting an injury. So again, to clarify... the criteria is NOT merely a left-footed centre back, it is a centre back who can play left-back.
 
So would you rather go for a decent centre half who can also play fullback or a world class specialist centre half? would you turn down a vidic to partner Toure for a left footed centre back who can cover left full back?
 
rice10 said:
So would you rather go for a decent centre half who can also play fullback or a world class specialist centre half? would you turn down a vidic to partner Toure for a left footed centre back who can cover left full back?
Click to expand...
I'm not saying what i would do, i'm saying what i think we ARE doing. Hughes has always said that above anything else, he wants a balanced squad, and a centre back who can also play left-back would certainly balance the squad. Hence why i think this is what Hughes' criteria is.
 
Tricky_Trev said:
rice10 said:
So would you rather go for a decent centre half who can also play fullback or a world class specialist centre half? would you turn down a vidic to partner Toure for a left footed centre back who can cover left full back?
Click to expand...
I'm not saying what i would do, i'm saying what i think we ARE doing. Hughes has always said that above anything else, he wants a balanced squad, and a centre back who can also play left-back would certainly balance the squad. Hence why i think this is what Hughes' criteria is.
Click to expand...

thats fair enough mate. i wasnt criticising your view just asking your opinion. personally I would rather we had a natural full back as cover and got the best possible CB regardless of which is his stronger foot!!
 
rice10 said:
There seems to be an obsession with us having to sign a left footed centre back which seems to have narrowed us down to Lescott or Upson. Now I understand the theory that it gives the team more natural balance at the back but it isnt the be all and end all that they have to be left footed!!

Look at the top 4's centre back pairings last season;

Scum - Ferdinand & Vidic
Liverpool - Carragher & Skyrtl
Chealsea - Terry & Carvalho
Arsenal - Toure & Gallas

now there is not one left footed centre back in that list in fact in there squads i can only think of Silvestre and Agger. What is apparant is that each of these teams has an out and out defender and a ball playing centre half and we have bought one of the ball playing centre backs off them.

I am not saying dont buy Lescott but i am just making the point that the fact that they need to be left footed shouldnt be the deciding factor.

Dunno what others think?
Click to expand...
at fucking last some common sense!!
it doesnt make a blind bit of difference if the two CB's are left or right footed.
if a proffessional footballer cannot use both feet to a very high standard they should be in a different job!
 
rice10 said:
There seems to be an obsession with us having to sign a left footed centre back which seems to have narrowed us down to Lescott or Upson. Now I understand the theory that it gives the team more natural balance at the back but it isnt the be all and end all that they have to be left footed!!

Look at the top 4's centre back pairings last season;

Scum - Ferdinand & Vidic
Liverpool - Carragher & Skyrtl
Chealsea - Terry & Carvalho
Arsenal - Toure & Gallas

now there is not one left footed centre back in that list in fact in there squads i can only think of Silvestre and Agger. What is apparant is that each of these teams has an out and out defender and a ball playing centre half and we have bought one of the ball playing centre backs off them.

I am not saying dont buy Lescott but i am just making the point that the fact that they need to be left footed shouldnt be the deciding factor.

Dunno what others think?
Click to expand...
I am sorry but can you not say top 4. You don't work on sky sports anymore
 
wrongun73 said:
rice10 said:
There seems to be an obsession with us having to sign a left footed centre back which seems to have narrowed us down to Lescott or Upson. Now I understand the theory that it gives the team more natural balance at the back but it isnt the be all and end all that they have to be left footed!!

Look at the top 4's centre back pairings last season;

Scum - Ferdinand & Vidic
Liverpool - Carragher & Skyrtl
Chealsea - Terry & Carvalho
Arsenal - Toure & Gallas

now there is not one left footed centre back in that list in fact in there squads i can only think of Silvestre and Agger. What is apparant is that each of these teams has an out and out defender and a ball playing centre half and we have bought one of the ball playing centre backs off them.

I am not saying dont buy Lescott but i am just making the point that the fact that they need to be left footed shouldnt be the deciding factor.

Dunno what others think?
Click to expand...
at fucking last some common sense!!
it doesnt make a blind bit of difference if the two CB's are left or right footed.
if a proffessional footballer cannot use both feet to a very high standard they should be in a different job!
Click to expand...
so how do you explain dunnes popularity then ?
 
A left sided defender who is dominant in the air is entirely necessary IMO.

Spurs have just played the Asia cup game against Hull with Corluka and Huddlestone at centre back. Before the game pundit Peter Taylor was asked if this is how they would line up for the first league match. It would be OK against a lone striker, he said, but any Premiership side would put two up front immediately against this pair and they would be in big trouble. "You need a dominant presence in the air and it's Redknapp's major priority with Dawson, King & Woodgate all out for a while."

I think it was our major weakness last season too. It really hurt us.

None of Onuoha, Dunne, Kompany Toure or Richards can give us this dimension. These last two have good vertical spring but are not in the same class as, say Hangelaand, when we need to win aerial duels. The missing left side defender is also important, especially with Robinho or Petrov on that side. Barry will help a lot in this respect but what happens if he gets injured by another flying TBH dropkick. We're missing cover there because it's likely Johnson won't be ready for a while.

To summarise we want Lescott & Alonso or similar.

Now about full back cover......
 
johnny crossan said:
A left sided defender who is dominant in the air is entirely necessary IMO.

Spurs have just played the Asia cup game against Hull with Corluka and Huddlestone at centre back. Before the game pundit Peter Taylor was asked if this is how they would line up for the first league match. It would be OK against a lone striker, he said, but any Premiership side would put two up front immediately against this pair and they would be in big trouble. "You need a dominant presence in the air and it's Redknapp's major priority with Dawson, King & Woodgate all out for a while."

I think it was our major weakness last season too. It really hurt us.

None of Onuoha, Dunne, Kompany Toure or Richards can give us this dimension. These last two have good vertical spring but are not in the same class as, say Hangelaand, when we need to win aerial duels. The missing left side defender is also important, especially with Robinho or Petrov on that side. Barry will help a lot in this respect but what happens if he gets injured by another flying TBH dropkick. We're missing cover there because it's likely Johnson won't be ready for a while.

To summarise we want Lescott & Alonso or similar.

Now about full back cover......
Click to expand...

Totally agree here. You are talking alot of sense. I feel it was not such a good idea to get Toure who isn't dominant in the air. We could get murdered on set pieces, considering we have alot of short players. I don't know how we are supposed to handle this problem. Is it enough with Lescott?
 
for me dunne is one of the best header of the balls in
the premier it's just a pity he crap with his feet
 
Watch Chellini's tackle for the Real Madris penalty last night - quality (not).
 
A left hooker will not be needed if the team are getting thier own road...once they are matched however then there will be a weakness to exploit. 'Simple Simon tackle'.
 
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