Sven Botman

[The Prophet]

He's our best defender by a distance. We simply have to find a  way to get him into the side.

[Myleftboot]

Long story short,there was a player who’s left the club now but was talking to a friend of a friend who asked who was the best player at the club and he replied Sven Botman by a country mile.

[Jewel]

Best Dutch defender in the league. He's better than Van Dijk and Van der Ven.

[The College Dropout]

9 hours ago, The Prophet said:

He's our best defender by a distance. We simply have to find a  way to get him into the side.

We don’t. We are fine without him. 
 

But I do agree he’s our best CB. Wouod play him RCB on the weekend and give Schar some extra time to heal his head. 

[alexf]

Yeah clearly our two form defenders at the minute are Burn and Botman. Just a shame they are both lefties. 

 

But great to see Sven coming through two games back to back with no problems. 

 

 

[1964]

23 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

We don’t. We are fine without him. 
 

But I do agree he’s our best CB. Wouod play him RCB on the weekend and give Schar some extra time to heal his head. 

Is Schar still out?  I thought it was a 10 day rule for concussion,  which rules him out

[The Prophet]

25 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

We don’t. We are fine without him. 
 

But I do agree he’s our best CB. Wouod play him RCB on the weekend and give Schar some extra time to heal his head. 

 

We're fine without him, but far better with him.

[The College Dropout]

3 minutes ago, 1964 said:

Is Schar still out?  I thought it was a 10 day rule for concussion,  which rules him out

He’s had so many head bumps and a previous concussion this year already give him a good rest man.  This is a man’s life. 
 

2 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

 

We're fine without him, but far better with him.

I dunno man. If everyone was fully fit playing a cup final tomorrow.  I start Burn and Schar. Burn has intangibles.  Schar is better as RCB.  Don’t want that back 3.  

[The Butcher]

As good as Schar and Burn have been over the last year, this guy is our best defender, and it's so important we keep him fit and get him tied down to a new deal.

[Optimistic Nut]

Just now, The Butcher said:

As good as Schar and Burn have been over the last year, this guy is our best defender, and it's so important we keep him fit and get him tied down to a new deal.

 

Him and Thiaw should be the first choice CBs from now.

 

Wouldn't be surprised in the least if we try to shoehorn Burn back into the LB spot now Tino could be out. 

[Erikse]

Only a few weeks ago people were almost giving up on him.. Oh, forum..

 

 

Edited September 28, 2025 by Erikse

[kenlau88210]

It seems to me he pretty much didn’t put a foot wrong the entire game but did lose the aerial duel against Merino which resulted in their first goal. That was slightly disappointing considering he has about 2 or 3 inches on him but got out jumped massively. He could have perhaps deflected the ball if he got close enough 

 

Might be slightly harsh on him considering Merino is very good in the air as we all know 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2025 by kenlau88210

[Mole]

59 minutes ago, kenlau88210 said:

It seems to me he pretty much didn’t put a foot wrong the entire game but did lose the aerial duel against Merino which resulted in their first goal. That was slightly disappointing considering he has about 2 or 3 inches on him but got out jumped massively. He could have perhaps deflected the ball if he got close enough 

 

Might be slightly harsh on him considering Merino is very good in the air as we all know 

 

 

 

He didn't really get outjumped, Merino was in between Botman and Lascelles. Pretty sure if Livramento doesn't go off hurt the goal doesn't happen as it was more of a positional error and I think it probably doesn't happen with Burn there instead of Lascelles.

[kenlau88210]

6 minutes ago, Mole said:

He didn't really get outjumped, Merino was in between Botman and Lascelles. Pretty sure if Livramento doesn't go off hurt the goal doesn't happen as it was more of a positional error and I think it probably doesn't happen with Burn there instead of Lascelles.

 

I just rewatched the goal. Nothing to do with Lascelles at all as he was marking Trossard and Botman got Merino as his assignment. There is no way Lascelles could head away the ball with the arc of that cross. It was very much 1v1 aerial duel between Merino and Botman and Merino timed his jump perfectly. Botman didn't anywhere near enough to block or deflect the header

[Pandamninator]

On 25/09/2025 at 04:06, Fak said:

 

It'd be less impressive for him not to be able to start two games in a couple of days because of his injury record. 

Yep - i'd be very concerned if at 25 we are at the Ledley King point of his career of not training and playing once every 7 days.

[Andy]

7 hours ago, kenlau88210 said:

It seems to me he pretty much didn’t put a foot wrong the entire game but did lose the aerial duel against Merino which resulted in their first goal. That was slightly disappointing considering he has about 2 or 3 inches on him but got out jumped massively. He could have perhaps deflected the ball if he got close enough 

 

Might be slightly harsh on him considering Merino is very good in the air as we all know 

 

 

 

 

Meh, defenders lose headers all the time, it happens when the delivery is excellent and the attacking team are very good aerially, it was just a very good goal IMO.

 

I'm more interested in his overall performance, which I thought was superb. 

[r0cafella]

1 minute ago, Andy said:

 

Meh, defenders lose headers all the time, it happens when the delivery is excellent and the attacking team are very good aerially, it was just a very good goal IMO.

 

I'm more interested in his overall performance, which I thought was superb. 

He looks back to his best which is really good. They need to renew his contract asap though especially as he's looking better fitness wise too. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Merino is almost the same height as him FWIW. Just over an inch in it. 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2025 by AyeDubbleYoo

[Hanshithispantz]

Merino looks taller than 6'2 like, maybe it's his build/posture.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2025 by Hanshithispantz

[Mole]

Again though this isn't a question of height as it is more a question of positioning as Merino is in between both CBs in question.

 

Botman would basically have had to go over the top significantly forward to get there, it's not as simple as just out jumping him.

 

But I agree with Andy regarding his overall performance, he and Thiaw were excellent and one of the few positives from the game.

[Lush Vlad]

He’s too good to not be a regular starter. But then again, Burn has been a colossus.
 

I don’t like the 3 at the back. But I expect to see more of it. Also as someone else said. Perhaps Burn shoehorned back in at left back. Which I really wouldn’t want to see too often. 

[Yorkie]

Aye sometimes you've just got to hold your hands up and say, great goal. He's a menace in the air, Merino, and it was a brilliant header. For him to deliver an un-saveable finish from that awkward position was superb. Looks like he's been a good signing for them.

 

The winner was obviously a disaster.

[jack j]

Can see him pushing for a move next summer. Cant see him taking a new contract 

 

Until then we have to start him, because he is our best centre half.

[Shays Given Tim Flowers]

2 hours ago, Yorkie said:

Aye sometimes you've just got to hold your hands up and say, great goal. He's a menace in the air, Merino, and it was a brilliant header. For him to deliver an un-saveable finish from that awkward position was superb. Looks like he's been a good signing for them.

 

The winner was obviously a disaster.

Merinos just flicked it on tbh 

[Smal]

yeah, wasn’t a jumping issue, Botman just wasn’t close enough to him. It’s a shame because he was flawless the rest of the game. Absolutely bullied Gyokeres.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2025 by Smal