The Defence

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Dylan

Dylan

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On watching tonights highlights, combined with our previous games, our defense is awesome. With Yobo and Jags in the middle and Lescott at left-back, we are 3/4 to the way to the perfect back-four. I feel sorry for a couple of our defenders, Baines and Hibbert being the two in my mind. With Jags doing the business in the middle and Lescott more than accomplished at left-back that leaves Baines in the lurch.

Right-back I see as a place to upgrade on. We need to clone a right-footed Lescott to fill in there. Either that or somehow meld Hibbert and Baines into one super-full-back. The attacking qualities of Baines and the defensive hard-crunching tackling of Hibbert.

I am sure Moyes recognizes the need to upgrade the RB position. Hopefully he does in the summer, which will give us an amazing starting line-up and a sweet back-up force.

Thoughts anyone?
 
I was gonna start a new thread but I'll just post it in here.

Poor Leighton Baines.

I know he's the future but based on the current form of the defense, I just don't see him cracking the starting 11 anytime soon.

Now, if you put Lescott on the right, then he would but we all know Moyes won't do that so for now, Baines is probably gonna have to wait for someone to get nicked before he can get a run of games.

As is stands, I wouldn't mind seeing a defense looking like this next year:

Lescott........Yobo.........Jags..........Baines
 
Maybe Moyes can find that right back in the same place he found Jagielka amongst the relegated clubs. Someone like Chris Baird at Fulham might fit the bill. I'd like to see how he could do at a stable club with competent coaching.

This being said, Jagielka was one of those players who stood out to me at Sheffield United (Always seemed to be in the right place at the right time to cover his responsibilities.). Baird hasn't really been on that same level at Fulham, perhaps due to the adjustment of moving up a division at a new club.
 

Bruce Wayne said:
Who'd have thought Jags would become an 'untouchable' at the start of the season.
Click to expand...

Not me for one but I recall Dom and cal saying he was better in the middle and boy were they right. I now see him as a future skipper, within the next two years, he has been awesome lately even managing to put Lescott in the shade and that takes some doing!

Capello, that was our lad last night, braver and twice as quick as the lumbering Ferdinand, pick him!(y)(y)(y)(y)
 
For me, that was Jagielka's best game for us last night.His standards of late have beem very high, but last night was simply impeccable.His performance seemed to reassure and inspire the likes of Hibbo,who was superb against Petrov.Pip and Cars did an excellent job, but their workload was lightened by the sublime and rock solid contributions of Jags, Lescott, Yobo and Hibbert.
 
Dylan said:
On watching tonights highlights, combined with our previous games, our defense is awesome. With Yobo and Jags in the middle and Lescott at left-back, we are 3/4 to the way to the perfect back-four. I feel sorry for a couple of our defenders, Baines and Hibbert being the two in my mind. With Jags doing the business in the middle and Lescott more than accomplished at left-back that leaves Baines in the lurch.

Right-back I see as a place to upgrade on. We need to clone a right-footed Lescott to fill in there. Either that or somehow meld Hibbert and Baines into one super-full-back. The attacking qualities of Baines and the defensive hard-crunching tackling of Hibbert.

I am sure Moyes recognizes the need to upgrade the RB position. Hopefully he does in the summer, which will give us an amazing starting line-up and a sweet back-up force.

Thoughts anyone?
Click to expand...

hehe I enjoyed reading that post :)

We already have the answer in our ranks though. Dan Gosling.
 
Good post dylan, which foot does lescott prefer to use, I've seen him use both to a decent standard would it be possible to adapt him into a right back like TX has suggested that looks like a tasty defence.

Lescott, Yobo, Jagielka, Baines.
 

Yeah the defense is doing superb. I actually got a chance to see the game yesterday and I loved it when first Howard had a good save from Castillo (I think) and then Jags blocking Benjani. After the ball went out for a City corner, Howard jumped up to show his satifaction at the commitment shown by Jags. Excellent stuff!!
What really is good about the defense is that they're not giving any freekicks away at all.
- Yobo had Benjani in his pocket all night - did he have a shot on goal at all
- Petrov being sent off was a testement to how Hibbert had dealt with him.
- Lescott easily won the battle for Best-Young-England-Defender with Richards - not once did he get past him.

Baines is not going to get into this side if they continue to play like this.
 
Has anybody noticed recently that when somebody does score against us, it isn't because we were unlocked by some beautiful play, it is because our still-young-but-talented-defence make an occasional mistake and let one in. It really speaks volumes that even the fancy teams have to pick up sloppy goals against us.
 
Hello Gents...

Has it not been a pleasure watching the lads of late...They've got this "arrogant" look about them saying that we can beat anyone & I LIKE IT! It is by time that we have that no-nonsense approach, rock solid back 4. Watching the game last night it felt as if the boys were saying to City, give it your best and see if you can crack us...and the result, especially in the 1st half, looked like it was school boys playing against real men! I think the real solution for right back would be a wing-back. Similar to the role that Lescott performs on the left...what u guys think?

I have this crazy thought though that Chelsea better watch out. I remember not so long ago it seemed impossible to catch up to them. Even though they have a game in hand, they currently only lead us by 5 points with 33 points up for grabs till season end. Imagine that...EFC in 3rd, Chelsea in 4th & LFC in ... who cares where...:P
 

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