Starting XI v Villa in August

[The Fat el Hombre]

Hart, Corluka, Ben Haim, Richards, Garrido, Etuhu, Johnson, Fernandes, Petrov, Elano, Evans

Amazing how much are team has changed this season. You can't argue that Hughes has done a good job in getting players in. No wonder we got dicked in this game with this team...

Wow, I;m quite shocked at that tbh. Just shows how much we were relying on our academy - there's 5 of them in there and I do't think one of them was over 20. It will be interesting to compare the team at the start of next season to the team at the start of this

 

[mpenza92]

Can't believe Ireland was on the bench for that game

 

[eastlands oasis]

I'm not blaming our defensive form on this by any stretch, but I've got to say that our back-four hasn't been the same since Ćorluka left for Spurs. I know his form at Spurs hasn't been dazzling, butI still wish Hughes had hung onto him.

zabaleta has been a lot better than corluka, plus he did'nt want to play for us so why would hughes want to hang on to him

Alright I'll rephrase that, I wish Hughes COULD have hung on to him, or that he hadn't have decided to go, I'm just sayin' that he was a real asset to the back four and was the kind of player you could utilise pretty much anywhere on the park. We've missed him and his form at Spurs has been nowhere near as good. But you're right, he didn't want to play for us anymore so fuck him!

Corluka hasn't looked a shadow of the player he was for us with spuds this season,perhaps he is regretting his impetous decision to ask for a transfer to them.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

I'm not blaming our defensive form on this by any stretch, but I've got to say that our back-four hasn't been the same since Ćorluka left for Spurs.

You have got to be joking me

 

[dancity19]

I'm not blaming our defensive form on this by any stretch, but I've got to say that our back-four hasn't been the same since Ćorluka left for Spurs.

You have got to be joking me

I agree with that in a way TBH. I think that perhaps he had a 'calming' effect on the defence. He was a footballing defender with a cool head, similar to Ferdinand in that respect. He didn't make rash decisions like some of our defenders tend to. That being said I am happy how things are now, and thought Micah had his best game in a while at RB at Anfield....and I think Zaba will be a top class midfielder if he keeps paying the way he is.

 

[mockingchicken]

We did not get dicked in that game we could have won it. The score it not a true reflection of the game unless it is the MOTD game you were looking at

Bollocks we got dicked and anyone who was there will tell you the same

yeah ok, dicked was the wrong word to use...dicked for ten minutes would've been better...

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

I'm not blaming our defensive form on this by any stretch, but I've got to say that our back-four hasn't been the same since Ćorluka left for Spurs.

You have got to be joking me

I agree with that in a way TBH. I think that perhaps he had a 'calming' effect on the defence.

Was that because of the way he calmly trotted back at his own pace after being skinned by a winger?

 

[mockingchicken]

I'm not blaming our defensive form on this by any stretch, but I've got to say that our back-four hasn't been the same since Ćorluka left for Spurs.

You have got to be joking me

I agree with that in a way TBH. I think that perhaps he had a 'calming' effect on the defence.

Was that because of the way he calmly trotted back at his own pace after being skinned by a winger?

Agree completely, as much as i liked Corluka he was slow. I think one of the reasons that our back four hasn't been the same this season is that with injuries and suspensions, Hughes has only just been able to settle on a solid back four. But now with Kompany and De Jong in front of them and Given at the back, I think we'll see a major improvement defensively.

 

[Sleeping_Easy]

You have got to be joking me

I agree with that in a way TBH. I think that perhaps he had a 'calming' effect on the defence.

Was that because of the way he calmly trotted back at his own pace after being skinned by a winger?

Agree completely, as much as i liked Corluka he was slow. I think one of the reasons that our back four hasn't been the same this season is that with injuries and suspensions, Hughes has only just been able to settle on a solid back four. But now with Kompany and De Jong in front of them and Given at the back, I think we'll see a major improvement defensively.

I agree i think hughes needs to consistantley play the same back four week in week out and we will see an improvement in defensive performances. I think also with the return of petrov he may also give bridge at least some cover which is more than can be said of robi. But if petrov comes back who gets dropped ? gotta admit though its a good choice to have to make

 

[Inverness_MCFC]

I'm not blaming our defensive form on this by any stretch, but I've got to say that our back-four hasn't been the same since Ćorluka left for Spurs. I know his form at Spurs hasn't been dazzling, butI still wish Hughes had hung onto him.

zabaleta has been a lot better than corluka, plus he did'nt want to play for us so why would hughes want to hang on to him

Alright I'll rephrase that, I wish Hughes COULD have hung on to him, or that he hadn't have decided to go, I'm just sayin' that he was a real asset to the back four and was the kind of player you could utilise pretty much anywhere on the park. We've missed him and his form at Spurs has been nowhere near as good. But you're right, he didn't want to play for us anymore so fuck him!

Utilitise?
and zab isn't?