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Steven Caulker

Lad needs to work a little on his clearances. That's twice recently he's fluffed a clearance and it's (sort of) led to a goal.


Though it looks like the defender in him is progressing.
 
Still, he looks fairly solid and composed already, and is only just turning 21 in a few weeks time.

The kid has impressed me massively - give him time, and he can turn out to be the next Ledley King.
 
Spursalot said:
Lad needs to work a little on his clearances. That's twice recently he's fluffed a clearance and it's (sort of) led to a goal.


Though it looks like the defender in him is progressing.
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It's not really working on his clearances that is necessarily the problem more that he isn't leaving it when Lloris calls for it. Needs to trust the goalies shouts.
 
I may be a lone voice, but I don't rate him.

He ball watches and is slow to turn, he gets caught out of position often and is slow to recover. His left foot is very weak and his passing out of defence is limited.

On the plus side, he is youngish and he can head the ball, but he doesn't dominate, maybe that will come in time. He's been a reasonable cover for Kaboul but nowhere near his ability or class, and won't ever be.
 
GGyid said:
I may be a lone voice, but I don't rate him.

He ball watches and is slow to turn, he gets caught out of position often and is slow to recover. His left foot is very weak and his passing out of defence is limited.

On the plus side, he is youngish and he can head the ball, but he doesn't dominate, maybe that will come in time. He's been a reasonable cover for Kaboul but nowhere near his ability or class, and won't ever be.
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Many did not rate Kaboul at all and was okay with him leaving to Portsmouth, and alot of people didn't rate him when he came back either. Give him some time, he's still better than Gallas.
 
P.D. said:
It's not really working on his clearances that is necessarily the problem more that he isn't leaving it when Lloris calls for it. Needs to trust the goalies shouts.
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I disagree. He is obviously not sure what the call is, if he hears it. When a defender is not sure the first course of action is to get rid of the ball as far as possible.
 
GGyid said:
I may be a lone voice, but I don't rate him.

He ball watches and is slow to turn, he gets caught out of position often and is slow to recover. His left foot is very weak and his passing out of defence is limited.

On the plus side, he is youngish and he can head the ball, but he doesn't dominate, maybe that will come in time. He's been a reasonable cover for Kaboul but nowhere near his ability or class, and won't ever be.
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Do you think Ledley was better aged 20?
 
GGyid said:
I may be a lone voice, but I don't rate him.

He ball watches and is slow to turn, he gets caught out of position often and is slow to recover. His left foot is very weak and his passing out of defence is limited.

On the plus side, he is youngish and he can head the ball, but he doesn't dominate, maybe that will come in time. He's been a reasonable cover for Kaboul but nowhere near his ability or class, and won't ever be.
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I would agree he's been decent so far this year. But for him to get player of the year and massive plaudits while out on various loans he must have some serious potential.
 
Push and Run said:
Undoubtedly. But that's unfair label to place on Caulker. I remember seeing King in his teens and marvelling how superb he was. By the time King was 21 he was in the top five centre halves in the Premiership.
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Sounds like euphoric recall to me. Personally I think Caulker is better at age 20 as I feel Ledley never really stepped it up until he hit 24~.
 
I haven't been bowled over by Caulker either, but then i think it's harsh to be judging him at the moment - what with our inconsistent line ups defensively and the fact he would more than likely not have been rushed in to the first team had everyone been fit.
 
Rossi22 said:
Sounds like euphoric recall to me. Personally I think Caulker is better at age 20 as I feel Ledley never really stepped it up until he hit 24~.
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I'm not sure how old he was but it wasn't until he had his season alongside Naybet that King turned in to the best CB in the Prem (maybe coincidence but it can't have hurt having the experience next to him). Before then he and Anthony Gardner were pretty much level pegging in terms of standard of performance (both pretty good, but nothing like the King we now remember).
 
Gazza Dazzla said:
I'm not sure how old he was but it wasn't until he had his season alongside Naybet that King turned in to the best CB in the Prem (maybe coincidence but it can't have hurt having the experience next to him). Before then he and Anthony Gardner were pretty much level pegging in terms of standard of performance (both pretty good, but nothing like the King we now remember).
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King was vastly superior to Gardner from the outset. King was also better than John Terry throughout their careers in my opinion. He also had a couple of games in midfield when he first started playing where he was the best player on the pitch! At least in a Spurs shirt. Not that he was up against much back then. But I remember other than the League Cup final how excellent King was in 01/02 for example. Absolutely superb and possibly our best player of the season. He topped that in 02/03 by definitely being our best player of the year despite only playing two thirds of the campaign.
 
Rossi22 said:
Sounds like euphoric recall to me. Personally I think Caulker is better at age 20 as I feel Ledley never really stepped it up until he hit 24~.
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Agree completely. At 20 I still thought Gardner was the better centre back. When Naybet came in 03 though, King upped his game completely. Caulker is definitely better than King was at his age. Thing with King, it was his reading of the game that was so good even at a young age. You can't really teach that.
 
Mumorn said:
Agree completely. At 20 I still thought Gardner was the better centre back. When Naybet came in 03 though, King upped his game completely. Caulker is definitely better than King was at his age. Thing with King, it was his reading of the game that was so good even at a young age. You can't really teach that.
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He was also a better tackler than Caulker, and a better header of the ball. He was also completely two footed, more comfortable on the ball (hence why he was comfortable in the centre of midfield) and very fast. King did have an awful 03/04 though, but that was on the back of two outstanding seasons.
 
Push and Run said:
He was also a better tackler than Caulker, and a better header of the ball. He was also completely two footed, more comfortable on the ball (hence why he was comfortable in the centre of midfield) and very fast. King did have an awful 03/04 though, but that was on the back of two outstanding seasons.
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Heading wise I'm not so sure. Caulker is one of the best in the air I have seen at a young age. He wins EVERYTHING in the air defensively and offensively. It's no surprise he should have about 4 or 5 goals already this year. I see no problems with either of Caulkers feet, I've seen him do some passes that Luka Modric would have been proud of this year with the outside of his boot from both feet. I don't think he is uncomfortable on the ball. Might not be on Kings level of comfort but he was a rare breed.

King would have made a much better defensive midfielder than a centre back in my eyes. But hey, I guess it's an unpopular opinion. Although saying that, I do remember him getting the absolute tinkle taken out of him by Riquelme when England played Argentina
 
An awful 03/04? I thought that's when he stepped up which lead to that brilliant performance at the Euros against France? I can't distinguish between each season but I was never overly impressed with him until he was around 24 like I said.
 
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