Simpson at CB.....Why???

A lot of fans views and an article in the mirror today are suggesting we will play Simmo at CB and bring in Santon at RB. Am I alone in thinking this makes no sense at all and could rock the stability of the team even more. Simpson has never played CB and Santon has so why would we move a player to a position he has never played when we have a player that can play there.

Surely Pards must go with:

Simmo---Santon----Perch/Kadar-----Raylor


This would keep the stability with the Full backs at least.

 

Simpson HAS played CB before and Santon hasnt played there higher than U21 level, where he is one of the best players in the team. He has also made just two apps in England to date, and you'd throw him in against strikers as physical as Norwich's?

 

Santon is a bit strong lad,the opposite of Simpson, so yes I would. Simpson has played there twice at Championship level and we were beaten twice. He is a RB and a Rb only. Nuff said!!!

 

It's not though, Santon is reportedly poor in the air for a guy his size and he doesnt know English football. Look at Mertesacker at Arsenal, he's an absolute beast but he hasnt adapted yet and get's beaten by smaller players (including against Norwich actually). Putting Santon out of position on his full league debut is just asking for trouble, play him where he's comfortable while he's still adapting.

 

If Simmo is going to play centre-back, then Santon should go on left and bring Raylor back onto the right.

 

I think ita agree to disagree on this one. Simpson is a total liability in the air and loses his many in aerial challanges countless times. Morison and/or Holt will kill him in the air. We could always go with the Old "Chris Sutton/John Hartson" back up plan. Shola at CB anyone???

 

Simpson is not weak. He's not easy to shove over and has good balance.

My only worry is that he sometimes loses whoever he's marking too easily.

Whoever we play, it will be tough.

 

I think we'll have to. Perch and Simpson are quick for centre backs though, could try playing a high line.

 

im a bit surprised gosling hasn't been mentioned yet. I'd stick gosling on the right wing to help defend, he's played rb from time to time at everton, much like Coleman. I heard somewhere Jonas was a doubt too for norwich?

We got totally outdone on Saturday cause Jonas wasnt there to cover Raylor, simple as. Simpson will go cb and i wouldnt be surprised to see Gosling go right back. Santon clearly isn't ready yet.

 

I thought this but then Gutierrez would have to go to RM as he has helped Raylor out a lot this season and can you imagine Raylor with Obertan helping him out....scary thought!

 

Saw that enough under Hughton to scare the ****e out of me. At the end of the day,whatever we do will be trial and error and may have to be tinkered with. If only we had of got Ridgewell on deadline day,it could have been in a slightly more fortunate position!!

 

Santon Simpson Perch Raylor
Gosling Guthrie Cabaye Jonas

?

 

Thats wonrrying we even signed him if thats the case. Pardew knew we were short at the back and needed/need someone who was ready immediately. Im all for looking to the future but it looks like a poor decision given our current predicament!!

 

At 5ft 9, Simpson just isn't big enough to compete with centre forwards in the air. Perch is only 5ft 10 or 5ft 11, and is not great with his head so it would be madness to play the two of them together as centre backs.

 

Good point. Not sure sure how Obertan would do on the left though.

Ba
Ben Arfa
??? - Cabaye - Guthrie/Tiote- Jonas
Santon - Perch - Simmo - Raylor​

 

Without Colo to organise? No chance at all, we'd get ripped to shreds. I agree with Tash (really!), Simpson drifts off his man at full back, at centre half with no one to help out that's goals goals goals for Grant Holt. Try to stay as consistent as possible, Simpson and Raylor as normal, Perchy plus Kadar/Santon in the middle, then hope Tiotes back...

 

Is Santon not ready or is it that Pardew doesn't like to mess with a winning side (well we have lost 2 now but we are doing well). I think that Raylor has only stayed in the team as he's scored a few goals for us. If he hadn't he would have been dropped as his defending is piss poor. Santon plays CB for the Italian U21 side so I would put him there against Norwich as we have no other cover. As soon as Collo is fit I would stick Santon at LB and partner Collo with Perch (until Williamson is fit).

 

Thats exactly how I would do too. Keep the stability and Hopefully watch Santon play brilliantly and give Pardew a selection headache rather that a selection problem.

 

Am I the only one who thinks that Simpson will be better at centre back than he is at right back, he'll still be poor though. He doesn't have to win his headers, it is all about winning the second ball on Saturday and he has the pace to do this. He won't have people running at him, so his main defensive problem of backing off will not be there. You can't just shove Santon at centre back...he needs to play somewhere that he is familiar with! Also, he appears to me to be very weak for hie height.

 

Santons barely played in the PL, to throw him in the deep end out of position wouldn't be smart thinking. Imagine if we (hopefully not) take a tonking as a result of it? Would be horrible for his confidence.