What's Happened To Our Defence?

[jrb]

10 goals conceded in the last 4 games.

2 goals conceded in the last 10 minutes at the Etihad against Liverpool and Spurs.

What's happened to our once solid defence from last season?

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

It’s turned to shit.

 

[ID70]

Akanji isn't good enough to step out in to midfield, and Gvardiol is no left back.

 

[Middedon]

It’s not just the back line. We seem to lack control in the middle too.

 

[Blue Potato]

No Johnny Boulders.

 

[red 2 hats]

Akanji isn't good enough to step out in to midfield, and Gvardiol is no left back.

This 100% we sign one of the best young centre backs in the world, and stick him at left back, criminal.

 

[jrb]

Akanji isn't good enough to step out in to midfield, and Gvardiol is no left back.

Gvardiol is a centre half. He should be playing alongside Dias. Why Pep persist on playing him at left back doesn't make sense. Play Ake at left back.

 

[Evxlved]

rodri is left isolated in the midfield conceding loads of transitions alongside alvarez who isn't a midfielder and bernardo who is given the license roam everywhere on the pitch. Also gvardiol isn't a great 1v1 defender like ake and were missing stones( would like to see akanji and gvardiol swap positions as akanji was great last season defending wide areas)

 

[blueparrot]

Not much has happened to our defence, we have lost a bit of control up top and are being countered more. When we sort that out and we will the defence will take care of itself.

 

[jim tolmies perm]

Thing is he fucking solved it midweek then this....
I think we're going through stubborn Pep period , we seem to get one every season at varying points

 

[eversince 76]

It’s not just the back line. We seem to lack control in the middle too.

Agree. I go one step further to our front line. Doku couldn’t defend Spurs 1st goal. Haaland was losing his duel that led to Spurs 3rd goal.

 

[Damien10]

For me three things stand out.

The Akanji role.

Walker, he got dropped last season and we become a better team.

Alvarez I love the guy he’s a cracking player but I believe Foden or Grealish are better options for that 10 role.

 

[red 2 hats]

It’s not just the back line. We seem to lack control in the middle too.

We miss Gundo, he could control the game, apart from Rodri no one else in the middle holds there position leaving him over run, we badly need Kev back, too many square pegs in round holes and it's hurting us.

 

[bluemoon32]

Gvardiol is never a full back, should be played in the middle or not at all.

 

[Iassel]

For several years now Rodri has been a man mountain doing several players jobs, and right now he’s not in great form and really needs some help.

Akanji has done ok a few times stepping into midfield but he’s really not good enough to do that role. Walker has also been targeted several times now 1v1 and let himself down on the 3rd goal.

I would say go to a back 4 and an actual midfielder alongside Rodri after Villa but i have no idea what 4 that could really be

 

[Lavinda Past]

Headless chickens.

Akanji out of position in midfield, Gvardiol out of position at left back, Dias not as good as people seem to think he is. Ederson not controlling his back four, Walker not a leader.

No Stones, no quality.

 

[awest]

Walker being made captain. Simple.

 

[alexmcity]

We play with 4 forwards, that's a big part of the reason why we concede more goals. Pep's experimenting a bit, our high pressing is a bit risky.

Plus we are a bit unlucky right now that we concede from low-percentage situations.

 

[David Kloppesh]

Diaz got properly laid is what I'm guessing

 

[TFC]

It's a huge concern. I hate how soft our centre is.