Why 4 quality strikers and not 4 quality centre backs?

[Pearcey]

Savic and Kolo aren't good enough. Simple as that. The stats of % of games lost when Kolo Is on the pitch makes for damning reading.

Who could we bring in? I don't know. Although I wished we'd have kept Onouha. Better than both of them IMO.

 

[Pearcey]

Also I think Boyata is better than Savic.

 

[Dax777]

I think Martinez is overrated as a defender. Matter of fact, I am certain he is overrated PERIOD on Bluemoon. He is a very good player, don't get me wrong, but he is not special. Just very solid. A Spanish Micheal Carrick if you will.

So he will help with game flow and play, but I am worried at the amount of belief so many have in what he will bring. Which really is a slightly more technical, Carrick with slighly better heading ability and drive.

Should we get him if we can? Sure, he is a very good player, but he probably is less a necessity than many believe.

Now to the OP" We have made poor purchases at the CD position: Kolo, Lescott and Savic were all poor decisions. Lescott at 24 million was just disaster of a decision. Kolo at 15 ( and not 12 as the OP listed) was also a terrible decision. Paying 15 million for a player Arsenal was benching that season was just awful, and then Mancini shelling 7 million on a defender who isn't ready is just ridiculous.

These decisions are not unique, except in one regard: We have failed to keep trying at CD, like we have at forward.

I respect your comments re Martinez, but you did say the same thing about Mata when some were suggesting him for City.

In relation to another player, Pastore, yes I did. I still don't think Mata is as good as SIlva, however I was adamant once Pastore was not an option, that Mata was supremely preferable to Nasri. And if you remember, I joined you in trumpetting Mata's addition.

Not to mention getting slagged for thinking we missed a dime, getting Nasri instead of Mata.

But Martinez is a different fish entirely.

 

[Salar]

Re: Re: Why 4 quality strikers and not 4 quality centre backs?

Individual talent is more important in attack than in defence, where it is the effectiveness of the unit as a whole that matters more.

So if you want to rotate in attack without seriously weakening yourself, you need players all of a roughly similar ability. In defence, if you're well drilled you can get away with introducing slightly inferior players to your first choice, so your back-up doesn't have to be as good....provided the organisation is there.

Plus you're less likely to voluntarily rotate in central defence anyway, so your 2nd choices will get fewer games, top players won't sit on the bench.

So do you think we are getting it right? Are Toure and Savic adequate back up?

If everyone else is going for quality strikers as their priority wouldn't we be stealing a march on everyone else by getting a top quality defender? We already have enough quality in attack so why not use any proceeds from Tevez on a top notch centre half and add Guidetti to the squad?

I do think we are a well organised and well drilled unit when it comes to defending as a team but we are lacking that extra bit of quality and leadership at the back, and it shows.

-- Sat Mar 17, 2012 1:11 pm --

There are only about 5 defenders in the world who would justify a fee in excess of £20 million. Defenders are not worth as much as strikers.

Who are they?

How much will they cost?

What difference do they make to their current teams?

Hummels £25mill+
Thiago Silva £30mill
Vidic £25 mill +
Kompany £25 mill+
Sergio Ramos £25 mill
Pique £22 mill
Llahm £27 mill
All from top teams around Europe, and you should be able to recognise each of their talents. I have placed a value next to their names as a rough estimate of their worth.

Vidic wont be worth that his now going past his prime and is getting old

 

[Akira]

Bring Boyata back.

 

[SuperYaya]

We should have kept Boateng, he's decent at centre half.

Although I do think he wanted to leave.

 

[Matty]

Vertonghen from Ajax would be worth a look. He's already stated he won't be signign a new deal at Ajax, and he's out of contract Summer 2013 I believe so shouldn't cost the world. He fit in well alongside Kompany.

There's also a few young German centre-halves that might be worth consideration, Howedes from Schalke perhaps, Badstuber from Munich or Hummels from Dortmund.