Paul Dummett

[AsprillasShinPad]

There's no place for him if we're playing 3 at the back like. He can't play wing back.

 

I agree. He's either a LB in a flat back four or not in at all.  Problem is, I don't think we have two wing backs at the club.  Gonna be tough trying to shoehorn Scharrrr in unless Lascelles gets dropped, which I don't think Benitez will do.

 

Dummett is our new Shola.  He's here forever.

[ToonArmy1892]

Is he available tomorrow?

[Shearergol]

Is he available tomorrow?

 

Yep

[shakey jake]

The caption on his new insta photo 

[tinoasprilla]

His injury record is pretty bad. Only one season over 40 games tends to miss 40% of the season. That on top of his inability on the ball means we are desperate for a left back. 

[Kanj]

Good point about his fitness record.

[triggs]

His injury record is pretty bad. Only one season over 40 games tends to miss 40% of the season. That on top of his inability on the ball means we are desperate for a left back.

Tbf over 40 games is a bit of a harsh barometer considering we barely play that many when we're in the PL considering our cup record

[AsprillasShinPad]

His injury record is pretty bad. Only one season over 40 games tends to miss 40% of the season. That on top of his inability on the ball means we are desperate for a left back.

Tbf over 40 games is a bit of a harsh barometer considering we barely play that many when we're in the PL considering our cup record

 

Agreed.  I would have  thought that a 40 game season was pretty normal for us, and at best maybe 42-43.  Pretty tough to get 40 games under those circumstances.

 

But fuck it, this is Paul Dummett we're on about.  Solid LBs are ten a penny in the PL, and we'll definitely get one in the next transfer window, so lets just get rid of the bastard...

[tinoasprilla]

Ok so he averages 20 to 25.  Meaning he misses a fair chunk every season (bar one).  Tends to be hamstring type injuries too every season

[The College Dropout]

Short of Enrique, he's been the best LB of the Ashley era. That's damning. And i've defended the lad a lot. I even think had he stayed fit for the last relegation season we would've got an extra 2 points to keep us up.

 

 

That's another thing. He's been first choice FB for 6 years. 5 pl seasons. He's not managed more than 25 starts in a campaign. The lads always injured for 2 months in a season. Only managed one 30+ game season once for us.

[Heron]

Dummett is a solid left back and one of the best defensive left backs in the league. Fact.

[Nobody]

Makes it even more ridiculous that he's been our only left back for absolutely ages.

[Heron]

The issue is not having an attacking LB as an alternative for games where we are expected to attack. Even so though, having competent wingers who take players on would equally resolve that issue. Instead, we have Richie who never goes past a man (whom I still rate), Kenedy (who on his day is our best winger but his day comes 1 in every 3) then Atsu who is thick as mince and Murphy who lacks quality. They're all top lads, but they are as much the issue as anything. I'm not a fan of this obsession that Left Backs are shut if they cannot attack. Defence is as much a part of the game as attack. This notion that a team attacking is 'the better team' i's occasionally ridiculous. Football is a game of strategy and like chess you can pull your opponent apart many ways. You play to your strengths and exploit your enemies weaknesses. Newcastle is currently at a defensive back 8 strategy because that's our level and that's our strength. I'd rather see us win 1-0 than draw 3-3 despite what those turnips at Sky tell everyone. Rant over

[Raconteur]

The issue is not having an attacking LB as an alternative for games where we are expected to attack. Even so though, having competent wingers who take players on would equally resolve that issue. Instead, we have Richie who never goes past a man (whom I still rate), Kenedy (who on his day is our best winger but his day comes 1 in every 3) then Atsu who is thick as mince and Murphy who lacks quality. They're all top lads, but they are as much the issue as anything. I'm not a fan of this obsession that Left Backs are shut if they cannot attack. Defence is as much a part of the game as attack. This notion that a team attacking is 'the better team' i's occasionally ridiculous. Football is a game of strategy and like chess you can pull your opponent apart many ways. You play to your strengths and exploit your enemies weaknesses. Newcastle is currently at a defensive back 8 strategy because that's our level and that's our strength. I'd rather see us win 1-0 than draw 3-3 despite what those turnips at Sky tell everyone. Rant over

 

I think that is what Lazaar was supposed to be...

[Guest]

The issue is not having an attacking LB as an alternative for games where we are expected to attack. Even so though, having competent wingers who take players on would equally resolve that issue. Instead, we have Richie who never goes past a man (whom I still rate), Kenedy (who on his day is our best winger but his day comes 1 in every 3) then Atsu who is thick as mince and Murphy who lacks quality. They're all top lads, but they are as much the issue as anything. I'm not a fan of this obsession that Left Backs are shut if they cannot attack. Defence is as much a part of the game as attack. This notion that a team attacking is 'the better team' i's occasionally ridiculous. Football is a game of strategy and like chess you can pull your opponent apart many ways. You play to your strengths and exploit your enemies weaknesses. Newcastle is currently at a defensive back 8 strategy because that's our level and that's our strength. I'd rather see us win 1-0 than draw 3-3 despite what those turnips at Sky tell everyone. Rant over

 

Left-backs are shit when they struggle to cross a ball, can't support their left-winger, or isn't comfortable on the ball. We don't want Roberto Carlos. Someone comfortable in possession though so we don't have to rely on the winger to do everything by himself would be good. It's all well and good that he can tackle or block a cross, etc, but when the ball keeps coming back at us because he's incapable of doing anything on the ball then it sort of cancels that out.

[Kanj]

There are plenty of cheapish LBs who are decently competent at both ends of the pitch but we spend fuck all on player

[AsprillasShinPad]

There are plenty of cheapish LBs who are decently competent at both ends of the pitch but we spend f*** all on player

 

How we miss the days of Jose and Jonas actually linking up.  We have no idea what our best left side pairing is at all.

[The College Dropout]

There are plenty of cheapish LBs who are decently competent at both ends of the pitch but we spend fuck all on player

 

I don’t think this is true.  In 15 years we’ve had 2 better leftbacks than PD. 

[AsprillasShinPad]

There are plenty of cheapish LBs who are decently competent at both ends of the pitch but we spend f*** all on player

 

I don’t think this is true.  In 15 years we’ve had 2 better leftbacks than PD.

 

Jose and Santon?

[TRon]

There are plenty of cheapish LBs who are decently competent at both ends of the pitch but we spend fuck all on player

 

I don’t think this is true.  In 15 years we’ve had 2 better leftbacks than PD. 

 

Says more about our signing policy than Dummett tbh. I've always maintained he's not a bad defender, but he's a liability to our passing game.

[The College Dropout]

Bernard and Jose. 

 

 

Wasn’t a fan of Santon at all. 

 

There are plenty of cheapish LBs who are decently competent at both ends of the pitch but we spend fuck all on player

 

I don’t think this is true.  In 15 years we’ve had 2 better leftbacks than PD. 

 

Says more about our signing policy than Dummett tbh. I've always maintained he's not a bad defender, but he's a liability to our passing game.

 

I’m sure this contributes massively.

 

But Man City and Man Utd play former central midfielders and wingers at left back often.  I don’t think it’s that easy to find them. 

 

 

[AsprillasShinPad]

Isn't there a bit of a thing where decent LBs tend to move to other positions?

 

Didn't Bale start off as a LB, then progressed to LW and then to LF?  Maybe that's a limit on how good a fullback can be?  Everyone raves about Roberto Carlos be the GOAT LB.  I mean, he was good, don't get me wrong,  but compared to GOATs in other positions, he wasn't that good.  He did those free kicks, but defensively he was a bit shaky.

 

Maybe it's a bit of a trade off between attacking and defensive ability?  Maybe Rafa like Dummett because he fits in with our team's ethos of being defensively solid.

 

How much would it actually cost to get a LB who can do both?  Unless we spend £30m+, I don't think we'll get an upgrade.  Money that desperately needs spending on our front 4/5.

 

I agree with the above that it's a sign of the times that we still have Dummett, but as long as the FCB is still here, 'adequate' is good enough, and Dummett is just that.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Roberto Carlos isn't the undisputed GOAT in that position anyway really. There are plenty of other contenders above Carlos, with others who were defensively solid while still contributing going forward, most notably Maldini and even the likes of Ashley Cole.

[Guest]

Isn't there a bit of a thing where decent LBs tend to move to other positions?

 

Didn't Bale start off as a LB, then progressed to LW and then to LF?  Maybe that's a limit on how good a fullback can be?  Everyone raves about Roberto Carlos be the GOAT LB.  I mean, he was good, don't get me wrong,  but compared to GOATs in other positions, he wasn't that good.  He did those free kicks, but defensively he was a bit shaky.

 

Maybe it's a bit of a trade off between attacking and defensive ability?  Maybe Rafa like Dummett because he fits in with our team's ethos of being defensively solid.

 

How much would it actually cost to get a LB who can do both?  Unless we spend £30m+, I don't think we'll get an upgrade.  Money that desperately needs spending on our front 4/5.

 

I agree with the above that it's a sign of the times that we still have Dummett, but as long as the FCB is still here, 'adequate' is good enough, and Dummett is just that.

 

Tagliafico was available for about £4m and we wouldn’t pay it. He’ll cost at least 2-3x that now from Ajax.

[AsprillasShinPad]

Roberto Carlos isn't the undisputed GOAT in that position anyway really. There are plenty of other contenders above Carlos, with others who were defensively solid while still contributing going forward, most notably Maldini and even the likes of Ashley Cole.

 

Big fan of Maldini.  I certainly rate him above RC.  How much would Maldini cost in today's market?!