MITO, there is no team in the Premiership who constantly field a truly impressive defensive squad so all this top 10 or top 4 stuff is merely misleading. As for your analysis of our players, I think you're truly well off the mark! Mingolet is a far better keeper than you are prepared to give him credit for. So come on who and where are these better shot-stoppers and distributors and how much will they cost? Both Sakho and Skertl are on a par with any CBs in the Prem. Your meh is way off beam! How many games has Manquillo played in this country? He's young, he's learning and has shown already that he has more than a liitle skill. Lovren needs to play with a more settled back line - it's as simple as that!
Carragher and Neville on Lovren: [video=youtube;zEpoLdEeNE0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEpoLdEeNE0[/video]
so city's back line are not all top 4... dimichelas is a question in my mind. Neither is Cheslea's back line (all 4 atre top 4 IMO) or arsenals CBs If you mean by constantly to include the top 4s reserves as well thats ok but we are tlaking our first 11 and us trying to get quality in surely? Mingolet............. he is average enough.... I'll give you 5 names in the prem alone.... quite easy this. Lloris is every obvious. he's the best in the prem let alone best outside the top 4. Tim howard is not too shabby.... obviosu but there you go. Begovic has reach a level of consistency thats impressive, speroni looks decent as well. cach is now a reserve at cheslea..... sahko and skertl.. my meh is i can't pick between them as a clear favorite but on a par with everyone? they aint delivering it right now my comment on manquillo.... READ BACK.... comment 56....
Carragher also admitted he'd only seen Lovren for roughly 6 games. And you also have to remember that Lovren had Wanyama and Schneiderlin ahead of him - two of the strongest midfielders in the league. I'm willing to give Lovren time because I think he can improve and lead the line, but only if we have a settled back line.
To me all the talk of individuals (other than the keeper) is pointless, a good defence is built on a system and an understanding between the players and that is what we lack at the moment. The issue of protection for the back 4 is also relevant. Imo if we can keep that back 4 constant they will build an understanding as individually they are all good players.
My opinion on Migs has changed drastically - he's a good shot stopper but does make mistakes in this regard sometimes. His distribution is pretty poor but the worse thing is his indecisiveness - he moves of his line a couple of yards but then goes back to it. How are the defenders in front of him ever going to understand what Migs is gonna do? It instills no confidence. On the flipside, I don't think Migs has any confidence in those in front of him, and the CB's have no confidence in the DM in front of them.
probably right. now some individuals like kompany are amazing but yesterday sometime i threw out pulis' name saying he would organize these lads in 2 weeks. now it was a jest of course but a jest that lends towards the fact that the right system and training can take most sets of players can eliminate te issue. for examply when we scored v palace from set piece is was their first goal for months and months from that last year i think yeah pick the same lads BUT i do have to wonder what the f is going on when lads are getting free headers and such consistently and do we work enough. i don't know but if it continues the inevitable questions end up at rodgers door on it
Agreed and again I think our inability to defend set pieces is down to the system or lack of it, we seem to defend as individuals other than everyone knowing where they should be and who they should be picking up. IMO this is where the zonal system is by far the better system. I would love us to change to a zonal system but of course the manager and coaches need to understand and trust that system.
Shaw has a lot of potential, we sold at just the right for us at a huge price (£30mn) - as no one has any idea if that potential will be realised. Chambers wasn't even the first choice right-back at Saints (that was Clyne, though they were rotated), let alone a CB where he's being played at Arsenal - if it works, good luck to him but £16mn for a player without even a single full season in the Prem was, again, a good deal for Saints.
it looks that way now, the question is what will it look like with a bit of stability and work. we have seen too many early issues and players then being handed off to others... that worries me. an example can be seen of that in last two games. balotelli was on senderos then suddenly its lovern. that indicated for example at least two players handing off their men to others to allow balotelli off this guy.... most managers would have this down pregame to perfection. i don't know why we are seeing this in this regard and the cause.... time will tell. i personally am not pushed on zonal systems
What is clear is that there is no leader or organisation. Migs is not that type of keeper. Lovren was brought in because he's vocal which somehow translate to leadership, Skrtel has never been a leader, Sakho appears to be lacking confidence and a consistent run of games.
You can forgive mistakes if players get the basics right - Mignolet hasn't got the basics down at all. It used to be said that the best teams had a great keeper and a great CF - we don't have either!
At least here at Saints, Boruc organised the defence in front of him & Fonte was the leader - he's a good CB, but neither organising nor leading is his strength.
I know you keep going on about Lovren's lack of leadership and because I don't really know too much about it, following on from your comments I've been researching Youtube and Saints fans websites and the general feeling goes against you! The vid I posted was just the first one that came up and I saw no need to keep posting links but honestly, before he was linked to us your fans were saying what an incredible player he was. I understand the bad feeling surrounding his departure but it seems you're trying to re-write history.
Saints rightly hate Lovren for the way he forced his move. I didn't want us to sign him because of those actions but I can see he's a decent player.
I think the reaction is way over the top for a player they had for one year! I fully understand the anger, players angling for a move away, brings out in the fans we've had it happen to us lots of times but the energy being put into this from saints fans is odd to say the least. I think fans only do that to players they really liked and wanted to stay and from what I've been reading it seems Lovren and Fonte were a strong pairing, no fan likes to see that broke up but you have to move on he was only there a very short time.
Yes, I agree he was an incredible player for us - He's just not a leader. When we signed him from Lyon, their fans didn't mind losing him too much. Did you read the link at I posted earlier where he says in an interview himself he's not been a leader before? Here it is again: http://www.thenational.ae/sport/cha...art-says-with-time-and-the-games-it-will-come I'm not making stuff up, it's come from his own mouth: "“It is not so easy to lead all the time. I was used to other players leading before" (from that link, after he's joined you guys). The fact that Jose Fonte - his CB partner, has been made captain is what leads me to belive he's no leader along with that interview. Boruc was commanding in goal and we had great DMs too; Lovren had commanding & steady heads around him here - we bought out the best in him. From what I've read on this board, you don't have all of that in your defence.
