Right back options

Watched Sporting Lisbon v Porto the other evening, originally to watch the Sporting right backs. However, ended up being more impressed by Porto’s Alberto Costa. Rather bizarrely, Juventus only bought him from Vitoria de Guimaraes for €12m in January and sold him to Porto in July for €15m. He actually played against us in the CWC but was used then in right midfield. Anyway, he’s played 4 games for Porto at right-back this season and already has 4 assists. Still young, tall, and ridiculously quick. YouTube highlights of the game won’t post, sorry, but if you can find them, the bit really worth watching is his defensive recovery at about 40 seconds in. Don’t know, but sense he might just be one to keep an eye on.
 
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Dax777 said:
Our success or failure wouldn't turn on whether we have a right back.
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One of the biggest catalysts for our 17/18 season, was Pep recognising that we didn’t have full backs that were fit for purpose. He sorted it and voila, all of a sudden we were a different side. We also owe much of our 20/21 success to Cancelo, for his performances in the inverted full back role. I know you are a huge fan of Rico and therefore I expect you think he played a major role in our upturn of form in the 2nd half of the 22/23 season after he became a regular?

We don’t have a right back who is either good enough or consistent enough. Nunes has good games. Rico has good games. They’re still not good enough. Not even close and that is a major problem for a team, that begins every season with the goal of trying to win every available trophy.
 
John Wayne said:
We've won a league title on goal difference. Five out of our eight PL titles have been won on the final day of the season. These things can make material differences.
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I dont disagree with title being close. Bit unless i am imagining it. How many of our 6 titles dod we win with a "dedicated" Right and Left back?
 
Dax777 said:
1. Because it hasn't 8n the past in spite of all rhe teeth gnashing by fans and and 2. More importantly, full backs are just less important to success than most other positions the
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Not this nonsense again. Fullbacks are incredibly important in the modern game. Look at PSG, Klopps Liverpool, wengers best Arsenal sides, Fergiscum always had great fullbacks. When we had no left back we had quality everywhere else and especially in the rest of defence. We have lost that through age and injury and poor recruitment. You persistently stating Rico and Nunes are good enough is on par with the fella saying VAR has improved the game. You’ve claimed Nunes is better than walker was. That Isak is not as good as Newcastle’s new signings. You’re either a wind up merchant, have never played football at any level in your life, on drugs or all of those.
 
Bluearmy said:
Of course it would. We as a fan base should recognise this, considering how many titles we have won by the slenderest of margins!! Ridiculous we have no right back
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While not having dedicated fullbacks on most of those occasions and yet pipping team's who did to the title. Exactly my point.

Our stars are who are going to carry us to the titles we all so sorely wish for. Not the role players. Sure, they should be good, but they sre not the difference makers.

If we win the title it will be because:

Rodri: Balon dor winner was back to his best and stayed healthy.

Haaland: Best striker in the league, got back to his bully best.

Foden: PFA winner 2 years ago , found that level of consistency again .

Stones 2nd/3rd best CD in the league stayed healthy. Gvardiol showed his class.

Reinjders hit the heights as a box to box and Cherki turns that immense talent into production.

Donnarumma shows what a Courtois type keeper can do.

If those things happen, the rest and trophies will run along with it. Whether its Zinchencko, Delph, Lewis, Nunes, Akanji Danilo or Ake playing makeshift fullback or not.
 
bondsman said:
Not this nonsense again. Fullbacks are incredibly important in the modern game. Look at PSG, Klopps Liverpool, wengers best Arsenal sides, Fergiscum always had great fullbacks. When we had no left back we had quality everywhere else and especially in the rest of defence. We have lost that through age and injury and poor recruitment. You persistently stating Rico and Nunes are good enough is on par with the fella saying VAR has improved the game. You’ve claimed Nunes is better than walker was. That Isak is not as good as Newcastle’s new signings. You’re either a wind up merchant, have never played football at any level in your life, on drugs or all of those.
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I say enough stuff on my own that is controversial that you don't need to make shit up.

He is better than final season Walker. Yes. Not 2018 Walker at his peak.

You don't need to pretend i said what I did not say.

Windup merchant coz o think a City player is good. As some like to say, give your head a wobble
 
Dax777 said:
I dont disagree with title being close. Bit unless i am imagining it. How many of our 6 titles dod we win with a "dedicated" Right and Left back?
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Well we did it with a dedicated right back in Walker every time, and he was like having a bull playing there he was so strong and fast. He basically covered two positions because of his physical advantages.

As for Delph and Zinch, that was Pep pulling a miracle of coaching out of the fire. We can't just complacently expect him to solve complex riddles "because". We've gone from having one of the top players in that position, maybe the best one of his generation, to two average midfielders. It's very poor planning.
 
Dax777 said:
I dont disagree with title being close. Bit unless i am imagining it. How many of our 6 titles dod we win with a "dedicated" Right and Left back?
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How many did we win with the full-back positions being occupied for 90% of the games by players of the calibre of Lewis and Nunes?
 
Dax777 said:
I dont disagree with title being close. Bit unless i am imagining it. How many of our 6 titles dod we win with a "dedicated" Right and Left back?
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How many times have teams with dedicated full backs won the title?

How many times have teams with dedicated full backs won the CL

You talk as if full backs are not a requirement for a successful team. Maybe not for some examples but the overwhelming majority have dedicated full backs. You need to pull your head out of the pep tunnel and realise most successful sides in the history of football have dedicated defenders defending, dedicated midfielders midfielding and a fukin dedicated striker striking! It’s bizarre that you think it should be any other way! Especially when opponents have figured out your weaknesses and exploit them on the weekly!
 
When does the enquiry into this start? We need answers, where is our right back?

Who will be made accountable?
 
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