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In defence of our Fullbacks

superfaisty

superfaisty

Nico Claesen
I feel compelled to write this as I'm sick and tired of people slagging off our full backs.

Some of it may be deserved, but no footballer is an automaton, they are fallible, they will make mistakes.

Kyle W always seems to get pelters on here and it does seem that he is not the same player he seemed to be 12 months ago, but let's be fair to the lad, he is only 22 and learning his trade. And his trade has changed from last year in as much as the teams formation and tactics have changed significantly from last year.

And this is the key for me for all our full backs, the system we are currently playing is much more narrow, especially when Lennon is injured and bale is injured, and their not getting the protection or support they need. AVB is also looking for our full backs to provide width going forward, and to be fair only Kyle W has that ability to bomb on down the wing and still get back to dfend.

Kyle N is not as naturally attackng as Kyle W- he reminds me a bit of a more mobile Corluka without the years of experience at the top level. Playing a right footed kid at left back with a righ footed attacker ahead of him is a recipe for disaster and so its proved.

BAE was brilliant last year but he also doesn't seem the same player from last year, but last year he was most effective dovetailing with Bale who played wider last year and worked hard helping protect BAE.

What we need to do is defend better as a team from front to back, but that doesn't always happen, but it will be something that comes in time with the right players in the right place.

Compared to some teams in the league we have got good full back coverage, but it is still a young unit.

Rant over _ COYS
 
We're actively looking for a new left back so hopefully we'll have that sorted out next season.
Walker is fine.
 
superfaisty said:
I feel compelled to write this as I'm sick and tired of people slagging off our full backs.

Some of it may be deserved, but no footballer is an automaton, they are fallible, they will make mistakes.

Kyle W always seems to get pelters on here and it does seem that he is not the same player he seemed to be 12 months ago, but let's be fair to the lad, he is only 22 and learning his trade. And his trade has changed from last year in as much as the teams formation and tactics have changed significantly from last year.

And this is the key for me for all our full backs, the system we are currently playing is much more narrow, especially when Lennon is injured and bale is injured, and their not getting the protection or support they need. AVB is also looking for our full backs to provide width going forward, and to be fair only Kyle W has that ability to bomb on down the wing and still get back to dfend.

Kyle N is not as naturally attackng as Kyle W- he reminds me a bit of a more mobile Corluka without the years of experience at the top level. Playing a right footed kid at left back with a righ footed attacker ahead of him is a recipe for disaster and so its proved.

BAE was brilliant last year but he also doesn't seem the same player from last year, but last year he was most effective dovetailing with Bale who played wider last year and worked hard helping protect BAE.

What we need to do is defend better as a team from front to back, but that doesn't always happen, but it will be something that comes in time with the right players in the right place.

Compared to some teams in the league we have got good full back coverage, but it is still a young unit.

Rant over _ COYS
Click to expand...

The full backs haven't been great this season. You're right about defending better as a team, however...... the 'pelters' are deserved because: Kyle Walker switches off and Kyle Naughton is shaky on the ball.

A lot of chances conceded come from crosses from the Naughton side to a position where Walker is having to turn, unsure where either the ball or his man is. Naughton should deal with the cross by getting closer to the man and forcing a pass inside or back, not allowing the cross. Walker should know where his man is before the ball comes in, he should be in a position where he can guard the man and see the cross - not be turning as the ball is in mid air.

I do accept the system is new this season, as it has been to pretty much every player in the team but I think it's clear that some players are struggling more than others - Walker, I think, is finding it hard to learn all of his new instructions. I also accept that as they both have different players in front of them it may be tough to establish a partnership. But we're talking about defensive moves here. Walker being caught by a cross isn't to do with cover, Naughton not pushing out to a player may be but did Bale do that for BAE anyway? Pretty sure BAE would get close first of all and Bale would always be on hand for the out ball. Walker needs to be more aware, that's all.

http://www.squawka.com/players/kyle-walker - Walker, 4 defensive errors. Otherwise not so bad.

Also, having Lloris calling and claiming the ball makes a HUGE difference.

Having a right footed full back isn't 'a recipe for disaster' at all. It just depends on the players involved. Playing a full back on his unfavoured side is useful when matched against a wide midfielder who cuts inside - say Robben playing on the right and cutting in to use his left foot. It also can be better when attacking because the full back cuts inside and goes past players on his strongest/their weakest side. Depends entirely on the player. If Naughton is cutting in to go past players, then it means Lennon is free outside of him. That should be a nice interchange and open up some space.

http://www.squawka.com/players/kyle-naughton - Naughton, 0 defensive errors. Apart from that, similar to Walker. I suppose you'd expect that, same position really.

You can click on each box to show the break down. I am not sure on the 'performance score' part but the rest shows how each movement contributes to the game.

I'd prefer BAE to play. Definitely. Just think he is a better player, shame he doesn't seem to be automatic first choice this season.

The real problem going forward has been the lack of proper forwards. Adebayor has been pretty poor and Defoe has been good in streaks, as usual. Bale gets moved, the midfield reshuffled. Lennon gets injured, reshuffle. Bale injured, reshuffle. So many changes. Not being a particularly high scoring team, especially if Bale isn't playing, puts pressure on the defence. If the team is only going to score 1, maybe 2, then conceding 1 is a huge deal. I also think that without Sandro the centre midfield is quite slow. Parker turns round in a circle before doing anything, Dembele takes a couple of touches before doing anything and his sideways passes always seem like the last option - sometimes they are quite sloppy, too.

I liked Holtby in that position on Thursday, instead of Parker perhaps. Otherwise we just have to ride it out until the summer, hope for some players to return to fitness in time to make an impact.
 
Modric THFC said:
We're actively looking for a new left back so hopefully we'll have that sorted out next season.
Walker is fine.
Click to expand...

How do you know we are? Don't see how anyone can unless they know AVB or some other members of the management or scouting team
 
In terms of our first choice full backs, Walker and Benny, I really don't see how we can get too much better unless we spend close to or more than £10m. And we have far greater calls on our cash this summer, given the desperate need for a proper CF, potentially another forward and a CM

re Benny - he was great last year but not having the best of times this year. As per my comment above, we're have to spend a lot to get better
re Walker - young, fast, tall, good stamina, strong and strikes the ball cleanly. The main things he needs are experience and coaching

Personally I would use Walker and Naughton as RBs next year with Benny and Rose as the LB options and loan out Smith and Fryers.

Verts and Kaboul will be 2 of only 4 CBs next year so will be needed centrally a lot and therefore shouldn't be counted on as full backs options
 
I do think our fullbacks gets a lot of criticism on here, sometimes unfairly so.

What I don't quite get is that Spurs fans have watched opposing full backs be ripped apart by Bale and Lennon quite frequently in recent years. Yet we can play someone with a decent winger, get counter attacked on a couple of times and a full back gets beaten once or twice one on one and then people are saying that our full back was having a terrible game. It's not easy one on one as a full back and even the very best full backs in the world get beaten in those situations fairly regularly when up against good players.

Similar things can be said about "not letting crosses in". It's a lot easier to stop a cross when you're getting help from the winger and the team is organized (what we face a lot of the time) than when you're being counter attacked on and the winger is one on one with the full back.
 
Naughton, 0 defensive errors.

How about liverpool (or am I confusing him with Walker?) I can certainly remember Naughton doing a horrendous back pass that the opposition scored from.
 
i dunno whats gone on with Benni, he seems to have gone back 5 years in the last 5 weeks, maybe its just his age catching up with him
 
To all those proclaiming Benny was great last year, he wasn't. Benny cost us quite a few goals last season from lapses in concentration and moments of plain stupidity, his link up play with Bale being the only real area in his game that shone. It looks fantastic when he nutmegs the opposition in or around our own box but as a defender the guy is far too prone to error in the key areas that matter.

Walker will hopefully continue to develop and provide more consistent performances. He has already shown that he is capable of quality performances, he just needs more coaching and experience to remove the kinks and improve his all round game.

Naughton at present is solid enough, but is not yet and may never be of the quality required of a team pushing for CL. He struggles at left back which is where most of his appearances have been so until I've seen him get a run at right back the jury is out for me. Hopefully with a season under his belt with the first team he'll push on and his confidence increase.
 
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