Riise Defending is a Problem

Time and time again this season J.A Riise has gone missing in defense.
I don't normally like picking out individual players to have a go at, as it is a team game...but...

The amount of times he has been out of position this season, has cause us to lose numerous goals,
Hangeland has to come over to cover leaving only Senderos in the middle trying to mark
on rushing players if Hangeland is beaten.
For instance, he went rushing out to tackle for the Villa goal, missed, and then our defense was all over the place
trying to compensate.
I think Dempsey is his back up player, but because he has a roaming role, Riise needs to be a defender
first and foremost. And he's not doing it for me.

I think we need to sort out both the left and right back slots during this summer.

 

Riise
A complete wasted acquisition,on Jols part

 

He has impressed me recently, especially in the Wolves game but yes yesterday he was awful along with 10 other players. Is Jol going to want to lose face on one of his signings this soon though? I can't see us bringing in another left back this summer, especially when we have Briggs in reserve.

 

Jol needs to be a bit more ruthless and sub them even before half time.

 

I don't agree, there can be nothing more of a confidence killer than to do that with someone. If the player is on a yellow card and looking like getting another then fair enough, but players have been known to buck up their ideas after a half time team talk and play far better in the second half.

 

Love Riise. But he was never a great defender.

Has he given you much going forward?

 

About a gazillion efforts on goal that all have power and no accuracy.

 

Riise's best days are long gone. We were chasing the game I can't blame him but I'm not sure he's added more than Konch...i'm just saying....

 

Humm. Maybe his days are up, which is a shame as he's one of my fav Liverpool players of the last decade.

But sentiment shouldn't get in the way.

Not sure you would sell him for much thouhgh.

 

I thought the same until I watched Konchesky playing against Brighton and he was awful. Not suitable for Championship these days!!

 

Such a strange turn of events, I was sure he'd be a safe bet but he's been far from solid.

 

Always liked Riise from his days at Liverpool with that thunderous left foot shot! Shame to see he seems to have lost it. Out of interest, is his brother still at Fulham?

 

Agreed. Looking at how he'd played for his last two clubs (Liverpool and Roma) he did seem guaranteed to at least be a 'solid' purchase for us. It's gotten to the point now that whenever he gets the ball 25 yards out I'm screaming at him to pass it instead of hammering yet another left footed rocket into the stands.