What is wrong with our defence?

[Papercut]

Perhaps it's also the change in wingers? Perhaps it's too many changes, i.e. the left hand side used to be BAE and Bale - okay Bale didn't support BAE as much as Azza supports Walker but BAE knew his game. Our left has been Naughton and numerous others - that can't bode well surely?

 

[Joesh]

We have been lucky in many games not to concede alot more, Basle at home could have been 4 or 5 in the first half. Parker seems to be Modrics replacement at going deep and collecting the ball but through his poor technical skills often gets us into trouble by playing stupid passes to players who are being closely marked. I dont think Parker knows what his role is anymore, he just does a bit of everything. Walker and Naughton are poor defenders and when both play we are guaranteed to give away cheap chances. In many ways, Sandro and Dawson are the only players who love to defend and loves to tackle. Everyone else, even Verts seem more focused on attacking. But when we get defensive players like Corluka, everyone moans they cant attack but maybe we need more of a balance.

 

[P.D.]

Can't wait until Sandro returns, an absolute beast with his all round energy and reads the game so well. Used to get in so many good tackles and start off attacks. Will make a big difference next season.

 

[GrimsbyYid]

Do we want a 10-8 goals difference over 5 games winning one game 10 nil and losing the other 4 games 2-0?

2 goals scored in every game should mean we win all 5 games...but not with a leaky defence.

It's like you didn't read my post... I not disputing we need to stop leaking goals, I just saying that post was utterly departed.

 

[punk_is_back`]

Lack of protection from the DM and rotation of the LB have not helped.

 

[Rorschach]

Lack of protection from the DM and rotation of the LB have not helped.

This is it for me too. Law of averages states that the defenders will fudge up more if they are put under more pressure, and since Sandro has gone the attacks have been getting through too easily.

Joesh's comment about Parker not knowing his exact role is spot on. To me he is trying to be an everything type of midfielder. He is not playing to his strengths and that is failure of management in my eyes.

 

[punk_is_back`]

This is it for me too. Law of averages states that the defenders will fudge up more if they are put under more pressure, and since Sandro has gone the attacks have been getting through too easily.

Joesh's comment about Parker not knowing his exact role is spot on. To me he is trying to be an everything type of midfielder. He is not playing to his strengths and that is failure of management in my eyes.

Once the players are on the pitch the only way the manager can control them is from the touch line. Parker just lacks discipline that is all. He did the same under Redknapp, bombing forward like a poor man's Gerrard and letting modric hold.

 

[glorygloryeze]

Lack of cover from CM may definitely be an issue, but it doesn't explain some of the slack marking/closing down, especially at set-pieces that has dogged us for a while now

 

[Rorschach]

Once the players are on the pitch the only way the manager can control them is from the touch line. Parker just lacks discipline that is all. He did the same under Redknapp, bombing forward like a poor man's Gerrard and letting modric hold.

The implication is that he is not playing to the management's instructions which I can't believe. Any manager would cut a player if they were blatantly disregarding instruction. He is playing to the managers design which in my opinion is not playing to the strengths of the player, or at least not playing to his current strengths. He may have done the same under Redknapp but it wasn't as frequent. He got player of the year for the defensive aspect of his game and nothing else.

 

[metalgear]

AVB did say that he could train the players, but on the pitch its their decision making that counts.
Parker may have played to the manager's instructions and yet made poor decisions. I kinda believe thats the case as he's pretty much got his head down going around in circles with the ball at his feet.

 

[thejazzman]

We have been lucky in many games not to concede alot more, Basle at home could have been 4 or 5 in the first half. Parker seems to be Modrics replacement at going deep and collecting the ball but through his poor technical skills often gets us into trouble by playing stupid passes to players who are being closely marked. I dont think Parker knows what his role is anymore, he just does a bit of everything. Walker and Naughton are poor defenders and when both play we are guaranteed to give away cheap chances. In many ways, Sandro and Dawson are the only players who love to defend and loves to tackle. Everyone else, even Verts seem more focused on attacking. But when we get defensive players like Corluka, everyone moans they cant attack but maybe we need more of a balance.

Agree with most of this, but Parker looks to me as if he has been told to do things that he's not very good at, and he's also become worse at the things that he has previously been good at. Having a midfielder who takes so long on the ball, and/or gives it away regularly puts alot of pressure on a defence that isnt very well balanced. Assou-Ekotto seems to be escaping criticism on here, but I feel that most danger comes down his flank when he's playing - as much of a liability as Walker can be, his form in 2013 hasnt been that bad, as his pace and strength have won out against a number of opponents. Benny has been FAR to casual since he came back, and its been exposed now that we're not dominating central midfield.

As it happens, I reckon the major problem with our defence recently [if the problem can be considered major] is that our attack hasnt functioned properly, so we're not having as much possession as we need to make our strategy work. Lennon, anyone?

 

[Mosquito_Coasting]

Can't wait until Sandro returns, an absolute beast with his all round energy and reads the game so well. Used to get in so many good tackles and start off attacks. Will make a big difference next season.

Yeah and when he's won it he gives it quickly, does not perform a 720 degree turn. Will we get a full season out of him though?

 

[metalgear]

this deserves a lot more analysis...and a quick fix!

 

[Skinhead in a Suit]

^^

Sunday Pub league defending.

 

[Mumorn]

We're as static defending set pieces as we are offensively.

 

[Spursalot]

The guy at the front of the pack doesn't even bother running back. Just turns around and watches as his man gets his head on the ball.. Pathetic.

 

[scaramanga]

The implication is that he is not playing to the management's instructions which I can't believe. Any manager would cut a player if they were blatantly disregarding instruction. He is playing to the managers design which in my opinion is not playing to the strengths of the player, or at least not playing to his current strengths. He may have done the same under Redknapp but it wasn't as frequent. He got player of the year for the defensive aspect of his game and nothing else.

I wouldn't if the only available alternative was Livermore.

 

[braineclipse]

this deserves a lot more analysis...and a quick fix!

Bale standing around not tracking his man. Parker standing around doing nothing.

Any more analysis needed? Perhaps harsh on Parker as he might be just where he's supposed to be to clear away any low crosses, generally I think if dedicate a man just to stay ahead of the pack to clear those away he needs to be positioned closer to the pack and ready to move.

 

[Mumorn]

Surely it's not hard to stay with your man though? If you're a Spurs player unmarked and you're not marking anyone, why not go and mark and follow him? It's just lazy. Thing is like many have said before the Arsenal game we had a brilliant defensive record, we were scoring from set pieces, we weren't conceding an awful lot from them and it's just all changed.

 

[Charlie]

this deserves a lot more analysis...and a quick fix!

From the other angle, I could see it from miles away that the near post was vulnerable. Someone should yelled that out to Parker/Bale to watch the near post. Would that have been Lloris' job yell out instructions?