Not sure on this one, he’s been great for us overall but with his limited mobility I don’t think he should be starting over Sanchez or Verts now, let alone in 12 months and beyond.
He’s still much better than Sanchez for me. Vertonghen is the most consistent. Sanchez didn’t kick on last season. Even with his lack of pace he’s a better defender than Sanchez.
Agree but we also need a new, dominant centre half, Toby is not as good as he was two season’s ago. Verts is very good but ageing and there is clearly something up between him and Poch. Tanganga, Sanchez and Foyth have great potential but are still developing. For me it is a priority area.Our defence remains the big question mark as to whether we can mount a sustained title challenge in my opinion. We will always score goals but we were far too open and need a proper first choice RB.
This. Sanchez Still makes basic errors such as letting the ball bounce and for a big unit, he gets out muscled all the time.
Not if they take up big wages and stop us bringing in someone new who could command the position going forward. We are hardly watertight with the two of them these days.Alder and Verts are still our best pairing IMO, though both are certainly pushing on. Keeping both around for a few more seasons just gives us breathing space to transition in Sanchez and Foyth over a longer period. Toby and Vertonghen signing extensions to their deals makes perfect sense to me.
They are worth it IMHO and we already have their heirs waiting in the wings. We don't need to buy any new CBs if these two sign up.Not if they take up big wages and stop us bringing in someone new who could command the position going forward. We are hardly watertight with the two of them these days.
On the wider point of our poorer defensive record, yes we are leaky, but I would apportion most of the blame for that to the midfield protection or lack thereof. That is a different discussion.
Sure they have dropped off a little. I just think our midfield cover is more a problem.Imho it's a combination of both. The protection in front is not as good but the Centre backs themselves have also dropped a level. It's too easy just to blame the midfield, our defence has not stepped up.
Sanchez is still making elementary mistakes. I guess we have to go through this stage with him.
Thing that worries me is he’s regressed. In his first season he looked solid, but too often now he looks shaky as hell, this isn’t just about today’s performance - he has looked dodgy for some time. Maybe it was because in his first season he was one of three CBs a lot of them time and was being marshalled by Verts/Toby? He is still young blah blah but he needs to liven up. Sanchez and Foyth were meant to be the ones coming through when Toby and Verts left. Considering it looks like Toby and Verts arent far off leaving, that is a very worrying thought....Sanchez is still making elementary mistakes. I guess we have to go through this stage with him.