Our best centre-back duo?

[super_city_si]

Stones is our best ball playing centre back, followed by Laporte, so they are a great partnership when we don’t expect much defending and breaking down of 10 behind the ball.

Ake seems to be the go to reserve left back if required.

It’s fine margins though. It’s not as if any of them are poor.

Akanji is also a great ball playing cb. His passes are far more aggressive/direct than stones and often break the lines. laporte is also good but strength is the diagonal to the opposite wing.

3 superb options.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Akanji is also a great ball playing cb. His passes are far more aggressive/direct than stones and often break the lines. laporte is also good but strength is the diagonal to the opposite wing.

3 superb options.

100%. It’s hard not to sound overly critical without meaning to be.

 

[Semper aggressus]

Akanji and Stones.

But all are good and any combination is top quality. Just depends on form, fitness, opposition’s strengths, etc.

 

[IOWBlue]

It shows how good our system is, that any two of the five mean no real drop off.

 

[Love_Each_Day]

In most games I don't think it matters. For toughest games we defend best by keeping the ball so I'd have Stones-Laporte. Also think it's our best partnership in the air so wouldn't buckle under the long ball like at Anfield.

Though they're both good players I think Dias-LaPorte might be the worst partnership. There doesn't seem to be much understanding between them and I've noticed them needling at each other after conceding. They both have some lapses in concentration, if they pair in a big game there's the risk of another Madrid incident.

 

[117 M34]

The range if answers shows how lucky we are to have such options.

Dias and Akanji for me.

 

[willgrego21]

manuel akanji, manuel akanji
he loves the fondu, he plays in sky blue
his heads fucking massive

 

[yeseye]

Ake & Bernie

 

[richards30]

Akanji and Dias

 

[mccity]

As long as Cancelo is at LB, you suspect it's Laporte + someone else.

Dias is the leader and probably our best defender with our backs against the wall, but he's possibly the least 'Pep' of the 5.

Stones is the most enigmatic. At his best, he's the best of the bunch. But anything less, and he's right near the bottom.

Akanji looks really promising to the point he could legitimately dispel Dias.

Ake has become extremely dependable. I just think Laporte is better.

So I'd say Dias + Laporte with Cancelo and Dias + Akanji with a left-footed LB.