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Priority must be to sort out the defence


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Once again the "worst defense in the league" has finished in the top half of the defensive stats table despite being decimated by injury for the majority of the season. As we all know, all the players are the worst in the league in their positions (apart from one-man defensive hero Taylor of course), I guess it must have just been down to good management.  ???

 

If only we had a defense as good and well organised as Spurs, Bolton or Blackburn we could be in Europe next year  :'(

 

This Summer the defense HAS to be a PRIORITY!!!!11!!!!111

 

	Team			Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GD	GFA	GAA	 PpG	Pts

1	Chelsea (2)		38	24	11	3	64	24	40	1.68	0.63	2.18	83
2	Manchester United (1)	38	28	5	5	83	27	56	2.18	0.71	2.34	89
3	Liverp[code]ool (3)	38	20	8	10	57	27	30	1.50	0.71	1.78	68
4	Arsenal (4)		38	19	11	8	63	35	28	1.65	0.92	1.78	68
5	Everton (6)		38	15	13	10	52	36	16	1.36	0.94	1.52	58
6	Aston Villa (11)	38	11	17	10	43	41	2	1.13	1.07	1.31	50
7	Portsmouth (9)		38	14	12	12	45	42	3	1.18	1.10	1.42	54
8	Manchester City (14)	38	11	9	18	29	44	-15	0.76	1.15	1.10	42
9	Reading (8)		38	16	7	15	52	47	5	1.36	1.23	1.44	55
10	Newcastle United (13)	38	11	10	17	38	47	-9	1.00	1.23	1.13	43
11	Middlesbrough (12)	38	12	10	16	44	49	-5	1.15	1.28	1.21	46
12	Bolton Wanderers (7)	38	16	8	14	47	52	-5	1.23	1.36	1.47	56
13	Tottenham Hotspur (5)	38	17	9	12	57	54	3	1.50	1.42	1.57	60
14	Blackburn Rovers (10)	38	15	7	16	52	54	-2	1.36	1.42	1.36	52
15	Sheffield United (18)	38	10	8	20	32	55	-23	0.84	1.44	1.00	38
16	West Ham United (15)	38	12	5	21	35	59	-24	0.92	1.55	1.07	41
17	Wigan Athletic (17)	38	10	8	20	37	59	-22	0.97	1.55	1.00	38
18	Watford (20)		38	5	13	20	29	59	-30	0.76	1.55	0.73	28
19	Fulham (16)		38	8	15	15	38	60	-22	1.00	1.57	1.02	39
20	Charlton Athletic (19)	38	8	10	20	34	60	-26	0.89	1.57	0.89	34

[/code]

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Once again it's down to the woodwork being the best defender on the pitch for the majority of games and our keepers pulling off some miracles to keep us in games. 

 

Furthermore a better defense allows a better transition game which allows more end product from the attacking third.

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We haven't taken any real kickings in the league this season, 3-0 Everton was the biggest margin and goals against, this has made it imo look better than what it should be.

 

The defense here will always be over critisised by media and fans, its the done thing, but it wasn't good enough this season or last, and at we'll probably be losing 3 more central defenders in Moore, Bramble & Gooch, while the injury records of Carr & Babayaro simply cannot be trusted to be relied on next season.

 

Its a funny one, but those stats flatter to deceive imo.

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We've been playing cautious and defensive football. That's why we don't score goals. It's also why we haven't conceded more. Also, we've probably been playing cautious and defensive football because our defence is shit and can't be left unprotected.

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Haven't took the poll because i am caught up between two sections.

 

Where as i believe our defence needs a complete re structure, i also think that our attack needs organised.

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Guest posadageordie

The priority this Summer must be to sort out the defense

Definately, all the papers and TV pundits agree

Of course, every online poll confirms it

No question about it. I've seen our players make defensive mistakes. Get rid of the lot of them

Actually, having the best defense in the league wont get us in the top 6 if we can't even create a chance to score

 

Who comes up with this shit?

It's like something from the programme, or the Chronicle, or a 15 year old media GCSE students homework diary.

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The priority this Summer must be to sort out the defense

Definately, all the papers and TV pundits agree

Of course, every online poll confirms it

No question about it. I've seen our players make defensive mistakes. Get rid of the lot of them

Actually, having the best defense in the league wont get us in the top 6 if we can't even create a chance to score

 

Who comes up with this shit?

It's like something from the programme, or the Chronicle, or a 15 year old media GCSE students homework diary.

 

:lol:

 

It's a yes or no question - with three yes options :lol:

 

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My friend is a big Man City fan and he says that Distin has been playing Really well this season.

 

I cant comment on that as i haven't seen him that much this season, but what i have seen of him he has been playing well..

 

As he's on a free i would not mind him here with Ben Haim also on a free..

That would give us some money over for other positions

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The priority this Summer must be to sort out the defense

Definately, all the papers and TV pundits agree

Of course, every online poll confirms it

No question about it. I've seen our players make defensive mistakes. Get rid of the lot of them

Actually, having the best defense in the league wont get us in the top 6 if we can't even create a chance to score

 

Who comes up with this s***?

It's like something from the programme, or the Chronicle, or a 15 year old media GCSE students homework diary.

 

:lol:

 

It's a yes or no question - with three yes options :lol:

 

 

:lol: I apologise. I realise now anyone voting yes would struggle with having to actually explain why.  :crazy2:

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The real problem has been discussed many times. It is a lack of creativity, goal scoring threat and the ability to control and dictate the game. It's not specific to the defence or the 4 defenders, it's to do with how the entire team plays.

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The real problem has been discussed many times. It is a lack of creativity, goal scoring threat and the ability to control and dictate the game. It's not specific to the defence or the 4 defenders, it's to do with how the entire team plays.

Some truth in that. However, we dont have one decent fullback or one decent centre half with any level of experience.

 

Bobby, sensibly, noted on several occasions about the importance of fullbacks in attacking situations. Ours arent capable of it and they do little to press opposition back in the way Eboue, Evra, Cole, Bridge, Finnan (yes, him - he has had a very good season or two) do. They dont link play with our midfielders effectively, mainly because they are incapable. Nobby isnt bad at it but his legs arent what they were. I worry about him there next season.

 

Our centre halves are far too prone to clangers and I include Taylor in that as he is far from the finished article. We always look likely to concede. Defending isnt the exclusive concern of defenders . It does help if they have a brain, athleticism and a bit of talent. We dont have any who combine those attributes with sufficient quality at present.

 

So yes, our attacking options arent great but they are far more talented than our defensive options. That in itself tells you all you need to know about the fellas employed at our club lately - that includes managers and players. The bloke who employed them isnt without blame either. Despite the fact that we had worse in 1978 etc.

 

Despite what you say, and I agree with it to some extent, we have pressing needs at the back.

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Once again the "worst defense in the league" has finished in the top half of the defensive stats table despite being decimated by injury for the majority of the season. As we all know, all the players are the worst in the league in their positions (apart from one-man defensive hero Taylor of course), I guess it must have just been down to good management.  ???

 

If only we had a defense as good and well organised as Spurs, Bolton or Blackburn we could be in Europe next year  :'(

 

This Summer the defense HAS to be a PRIORITY!!!!11!!!!111

 

	Team			Pld	W	D	L	F	A	GD	GFA	GAA	 PpG	Pts

1	Chelsea (2)		38	24	11	3	64	24	40	1.68	0.63	2.18	83
2	Manchester United (1)	38	28	5	5	83	27	56	2.18	0.71	2.34	89
3	Liverp[code]ool (3)	38	20	8	10	57	27	30	1.50	0.71	1.78	68
4	Arsenal (4)		38	19	11	8	63	35	28	1.65	0.92	1.78	68
5	Everton (6)		38	15	13	10	52	36	16	1.36	0.94	1.52	58
6	Aston Villa (11)	38	11	17	10	43	41	2	1.13	1.07	1.31	50
7	Portsmouth (9)		38	14	12	12	45	42	3	1.18	1.10	1.42	54
8	Manchester City (14)	38	11	9	18	29	44	-15	0.76	1.15	1.10	42
9	Reading (8)		38	16	7	15	52	47	5	1.36	1.23	1.44	55
10	Newcastle United (13)	38	11	10	17	38	47	-9	1.00	1.23	1.13	43
11	Middlesbrough (12)	38	12	10	16	44	49	-5	1.15	1.28	1.21	46
12	Bolton Wanderers (7)	38	16	8	14	47	52	-5	1.23	1.36	1.47	56
13	Tottenham Hotspur (5)	38	17	9	12	57	54	3	1.50	1.42	1.57	60
14	Blackburn Rovers (10)	38	15	7	16	52	54	-2	1.36	1.42	1.36	52
15	Sheffield United (18)	38	10	8	20	32	55	-23	0.84	1.44	1.00	38
16	West Ham United (15)	38	12	5	21	35	59	-24	0.92	1.55	1.07	41
17	Wigan Athletic (17)	38	10	8	20	37	59	-22	0.97	1.55	1.00	38
18	Watford (20)		38	5	13	20	29	59	-30	0.76	1.55	0.73	28
19	Fulham (16)		38	8	15	15	38	60	-22	1.00	1.57	1.02	39
20	Charlton Athletic (19)	38	8	10	20	34	60	-26	0.89	1.57	0.89	34

[/code]

 

spot on mate. If we had a good left back we wouldn't have scored nil goals at home since February.

 

 

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Works both ways. If we had better wing-backs we'd be a better attacking team anyway. We've been largely mediocre down the wings this year, Milner aside - and even his crossing is very, very erratic.

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Guest Guinness

At this moment in time Ramage will be a first choice centre back and Carr will be a first choice left back next season, we need defenders!

 

A truely depressing thought!

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What is the point of this thread exactly?

 

The squad needs a left back, a right back (Solano is getting on) and either one or two centre-halves.  I don't think there is anyone that would disagree with that.  Whether you think the defence is atrocious or just poor doesn't matter when it's probably going to be rebuilt this summer anyway.

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Guest SeattleToon

I think there's a lot more to it than simply looking at how many goals we conceded. For example, in addition to our often shambolic defending, our distribution out of the back is very poor, thus making it all the more difficult for us to generate attacking momentum. Because we lack confidence in our defenders, our midfielders have to focus more on defending, thus limiting their ability to join in the attack.

 

The back four is the foundation of any team. Unless it is solid, the rest of the team will also struggle. You could argue that the reason we struggled so much in attack this year was because our midfielder shad to spend too much time and energy helping out the back four and therefore were less involved in the attack. That's why it's important to rebuild our defense, not just because it allowed x number of goals.

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I'm being less serious here.

 

but go to Shakhtar Donetsk/Dynamo Kiev/one of the umpteen Moscow clubs.

 

 

Get two 6 foot 5 centre halves built like brick shithouses (with some pace).

 

They'll put little cheeky fuckers like Bellamy out of the game.

 

 

- an alternative idea.

 

Thought I'd say that because its obvious the defence needs sorting, and just about every name under the sun has been mentioned and I've become tired of it.  Just get two lads in there that are better than what we have at the minute and I'll be happy. I don't care who.

 

 

 

 

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:sigh:

 

We need to improve all over the place. How Souness added £50m worth of players to a 5th placed team and turned it into this rubbish I just don't know, but he managed it somehow.

 

The point is, given that we need to improve all over the field the thing to do is to target players for all positions that require to be changed and then sign quality players for those positions who become available, who are prepared to move to Newcastle and to do it within the spending budget. That probably won't be all of the positions that need to be improved on.

 

If that turns out to be another striker to partner Owen, a quality CM to replace Parker, 1 LB and 1 experienced CB I'll be happy enough. It's summer now, I don't really care which order they're signed in just so long as the club does strengthen where possible and with the right quality.

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:sigh:

 

We need to improve all over the place. How Souness added £50m worth of players to a 5th placed team and turned it into this rubbish I just don't know, but he managed it somehow.

 

The point is, given that we need to improve all over the field the thing to do is to target players for all positions that require to be changed and then sign quality players for those positions who become available, who are prepared to move to Newcastle and to do it within the spending budget.

 

If that turns out to be another striker to partner Owen, a quality CM to replace Parker, 1 LB and 1 experienced CB I'll be happy enough. It's summer now, I don't really care which order they're signed in just so long as the club does strengthen where possible and with the right quality.

 

:nods:

 

It's never as black and white as just signing players for one position and expecting everything to come good.

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