Ashley Williams

[Barnfred 55]

Gets exposed in a back 2 but very good in a back 3.

This.

Also when I've seen him and been impressed, both for Wales and Swansea, it's when they've been in a backs to the wall situation, and he cmes into his own putting his body on the line. We're not going to be in many situations like that. Even yesterday wasn't that type of game and hat's probably one of our hardest games in the calendar.

I wouldn't get rid, but we do need to bring in 2 new CBs in the summer to replace Mori and Jags.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Agree with the back 3 shout. Both him and Funes benefit from it but since Gueye came back Koeman has been dead set on playing him and Schnieds together with either of Davies/McCarthy/Barry and dropping the back 3, which is to their detriment even despite the presence of 2 DM's in front of them. Think Koeman needs to look a bit more carefully at the game he's prepping for and consider when the back 3 is more appropriate.

 

[mkrudden]

Can't be judged when he is playing CB with an amateur footballer.
I am not usually too scathing of our own but there was a moment in the second half when he tried a basic pass, Funes Mori, and he ended up kicking it out of play.
He's absolutely terrible.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

If he wasn't having to do the work of two men he'd have an easier time

In the back three he at least gets some help with Holgate

 

[Papa Shango]

I could make a case for Funes Mori being our best centre back currently.

This is in no way a compliment by the way.

 

[MickA]

Not good enough for me. Suited to a mid to below table side where defending is busy and use of the ball not so important. Purely a stop-gap.

We need two first class CB's in the summer without question.

 

[maccavennie]

what exactly did he do yesterday that has people saying he isn't good enough? I'm assuming it's the clumsy tackle in the 92nd minute because apart from that he was absolutely fine for the rest of the game bar getting on the wrong side of Kane on a free kick.

 

[MickA]

what exactly did he do yesterday that has people saying he isn't good enough? I'm assuming it's the clumsy tackle in the 92nd minute because apart from that he was absolutely fine for the rest of the game bar getting on the wrong side of Kane on a free kick.

For me it's his play all season and judging him on his career at Swansea. He's decent but no more and not what we need if we want to trouble the top 4.

 

[maccavennie]

For me it's his play all season and judging him on his career at Swansea. He's decent but no more and not what we need if we want to trouble the top 4.

I think he's been solid mate apart from a ropey November and exactly what we needed this season which was a no nonsense get stuck in cb after watching the last 2 seasons. There's definitely better out there mate no.doubt but I think in a couple of seasons time we'll be sitting here saying he was a decent signing for the money ( a lot like we did with the Distin signing )

 

[Lanolin]

what exactly did he do yesterday that has people saying he isn't good enough? I'm assuming it's the clumsy tackle in the 92nd minute because apart from that he was absolutely fine for the rest of the game bar getting on the wrong side of Kane on a free kick.

I thought he was really poor personally. From losing Kane at the free kick and fouling him to make up for it, to being absolutely nowhere near anyone on a number of occasions when they got through one on one, to being unaware of what was going on for their 2nd goal, to poor distribution, to totally needless fouls on a number of occasions, to being absolutely skinned by a centre half leading to a shot on goal from inside our box.

 

[MickA]

I think he's been solid mate apart from a ropey November and exactly what we needed this season which was a no nonsense get stuck in cb after watching the last 2 seasons. There's definitely better out there mate no.doubt but I think in a couple of seasons time we'll be sitting here saying he was a decent signing for the money ( a lot like we did with the Distin signing )

I do agree he's what was needed and probably the best option for the price and given Stones late departure. As I say though happy if a stop-gap but we need higher quality.

 

[maccavennie]

I thought he was really poor personally. From losing Kane at the free kick and fouling him to make up for it, to being absolutely nowhere near anyone on a number of occasions when they got through one on one, to being unaware of what was going on for their 2nd goal, to poor distribution, to totally needless fouls on a number of occasions, to being absolutely skinned by a centre half leading to a shot on goal from inside our box.

sorry mate I've just watched the game and I think he misplaced it 2/3 times at most. 2nd goal nothing to do with him, stupid pass by Morgan, stupid ball in the first place by Robles, Vertonghen skins him agreed, steps out once when he needed to step in to cover Mori who had gone walkabouts.

Certainly nothing from yesterday where I think "ffs he was useless today".

 

[Papa Shango]

He looks surprisingly small and lightweight for me.

I know he is only 6 foot boot i always saw him as a big grock who bullied defenders. Lacks presence.

 

[Lanolin]

sorry mate I've just watched the game and I think he misplaced it 2/3 times at most. 2nd goal nothing to do with him, stupid pass by Morgan, stupid ball in the first place by Robles, Vertonghen skins him agreed, steps out once when he needed to step in to cover Mori who had gone walkabouts.

Certainly nothing from yesterday where I think "ffs he was useless today".

Similarly I didn't see anything from him where I think, "well done Ash, you've had yourself a good game there".

Distribution is about more than just completing your pass. It's about playing sensible balls to the right people at the right times and he's not very good at that. There were numerous occasions yesterday where he hit hail mary balls to Lukaku, and others where he played square balls to other defenders and put them in tight spots. The second goal - if that's Stones, people are going mad. He's switched off, not realised that Schneiderlin has come to get the ball. He should have been a)instructing Robles, he's supposed to be a leader b) Manouvering himself into a position to get the ball off Schneiderlin and get rid. He wasn't most culpable, but he certainly wasn't blameless.

Mori went walkabouts because he's rubbish, but Vertonghen was running at the right side of our defence - Williams's side. He didn't need to cover anyone, he needed to tackle the bloke running at him, and he failed.

 

[maccavennie]

Similarly I didn't see anything from him where I think, "well done Ash, you've had yourself a good game there".

Distribution is about more than just completing your pass. It's about playing sensible balls to the right people at the right times and he's not very good at that. There were numerous occasions yesterday where he hit hail mary balls to Lukaku, and others where he played square balls to other defenders and put them in tight spots. The second goal - if that's Stones, people are going mad. He's switched off, not realised that Schneiderlin has come to get the ball. He should have been a)instructing Robles, he's supposed to be a leader b) Manouvering himself into a position to get the ball off Schneiderlin and get rid. He wasn't most culpable, but he certainly wasn't blameless.

Mori went walkabouts because he's rubbish, but Vertonghen was running at the right side of our defence - Williams's side. He didn't need to cover anyone, he needed to tackle the bloke running at him, and he failed.

I was talking about him covering Mori on a different situation to the Vertonghen one mate, like I said he got skinned by Vertonghen and that was on his side. I think he's been decent mate, certainly not his best game yesterday but I felt others were far more culpable in helping us lose yesterday. All about opinions though and how we view the game and players differently at different times.