Otamendi

[Sergio Picasso Aguero]

Zaba/Kompany back to their best + Otamendi/Sandro would be a great back 4

 

[Steve68]

I gather this display by Chelsea's defence is the kind of thing we are trying to emulate ? Fantastic play by Ivanovic & the way Terry & Co stopped that header ? Or not. Would we consider it an utter pile of tucking shite if it was City ? I wonder if that was the case & Mourinho was our manager, would he fix it by signing new players & putting them in the team, or would he instead, be a manager, & manage ?

Chelsea are a better defensive unit but if we get De B then I'll pit our midfield and attack against theirs any game. We can score more, if we can just cut back on the stupid points dropping goals we were conceding last term we can still win.

Mourno is a good defensive coach. But even so. Penalty and keeper off!

 

[Neville Kneville]

Chelsea are a better defensive unit but if we get De B then I'll pit our midfield and attack against theirs any game. We can score more, if we can just cut back on the stupid points dropping goals we were conceding last term we can still win.

Mourno is a good defensive coach. But even so. Penalty and keeper off!

Even so, the game should be over & it's a pure fluke that they are still in it.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

Our defence was barely any different to the season before, our attack was miles behind. If our attack scores 100 goals again we will most likely win the league. We failed to score at Burnley & home to Stoke. At home to Burnley, we should have been 6 up at half time. QPR away.

Just signing players is absolutely no guarantee of improving the defence.

Let's see how the attack goes with Sterling & maybe DeBruyne in the team.

Navas played a lot more last season and he hugged the touchline and left Yaya in the middle struggling too often instead of coming narrower when we didn't have the ball. I thought that was a huge area of difference with us defensively. To many times there was too much space in midfield and defenders had to come out of the line and try and win the ball and it left us vulnerable.

Okay this did happen the season before too (remember the Palace game at home) but it happened a lot more last season.

 

[LittleEgg]

Chelsea are a better defensive unit but if we get De B then I'll pit our midfield and attack against theirs any game. We can score more, if we can just cut back on the stupid points dropping goals we were conceding last term we can still win.

Mourno is a good defensive coach. But even so. Penalty and keeper off!

The trouble with that, generally, is that a midfield isn't what it can be without confidence in the guys behind you.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Navas played a lot more last season and he hugged the touchline and left Yaya in the middle struggling too often instead of coming narrower when we didn't have the ball. I thought that was a huge area of difference with us defensively. To many times there was too much space in midfield and defenders had to come out of the line and try and win the ball and it left us vulnerable.

Okay this did happen the season before too (remember the Palace game at home) but it happened a lot more last season.

There were so many things wrong.

I think we defended poorly as a team last season from front to back & also had both Zaba & VK having stinkers as individuals. A new defender thrown into that situation is going to struggle & is unlikely to make it better but fairly likely to make it worse. If we solve it though, then we don't need a new defender anyway. Catch 22.

If we are playing a pressing game, then Sterling, Delph, DeBruyne should make a difference. That's what I'm hoping anyhow.

 

[simon23]

buying new defenders isn't the answer (with he exception of someone to replace Kolorov who is a liability).


to make us more solid MP needs to sort out the midfield in front of the back 4, especially in the central area. Yes there were individual errors and players were a little below par at times last season HOWEVER no defenders (especially centre halves) like it when attackers have all the free space in front of them with which to run at the back 4..this is where our problems have stemmed from since MP took over and they will continue until he sorts out the correct balance in midfield.....yaya was a big part of that problem last year but so were the tactics which exposed his weaknesses and exposed our back 4 completely.

 

[greasedupdeafguy]

virgil van dijk would be a much cheaper and better option imo

 

[Steve68]

virgil van dijk would be a much cheaper and better option imo

Like people have said to me, the defence needs greater protection from the midfield and that does worry me a lot. However I would not mind experienced central defender options like this guy. I don't think we can gamble on both Kompany and Mangala recovering their form or an inexperienced lad instantly reaching the right level. Dem I see as a great player to have in reserve but he's not getting any quicker.

If we could afford it I would go for Stones but Dijk would be a cheap second choice.

In the end I'd be happier if we did not defend so high or have our full backs so out of position when attacks break down. It's just too vulnerable to counter attack sucker punches.

But who knows. Everything might click and our attacking play will build on it and we'll beat the record. For the time being I'm going to think positive. God knows I'm crap at predictions.

 

[Le Havre Oswald]

virgil van dijk would be a much cheaper and better option imo

Would rather have dick.