Fonte has been at Saints for 4 years. He has been their stand out centre half since he joined them. He hasn't stepped up at all, he's finally got a defensive partner who is on a par with him.
Probably. But there is never a way to know for sure. We are averaging 1 goal conceded per game, which is too high to be honest. Zouma looks a good prospect, Ivanovic can also play well in CB. But like you said, you want a settled partnership really. Who do you think are your best two CBs?
You don't think his performances this season have been an improvement on last season? Of course, having a decent CB beside him will not only improve Southamptons overall defence, but Fonte's personal performances as well.
Jones and Evans. Jones because he has demonstrated on numerous occasions that he has raw talent that needs to be refined. I don't understand why he is written off as **** at the age of 22 after a few injury ravaged seasons. Evans because he's proved over several seasons that he can contribute to title winning teams. Unfortunately he's also injury prone. I also think Smalling is decent and that McNair and Blackett have looked very promising. The issue has been that none of them have been able to establish a partnership for what seems like longer than half an hour. It's a very simple fact but one that doesn't suit the "United's defence are pony" campaign that a few ****wit pundits have got some coverage out of and many more clueless fans have latched on to.
Well I guess we wont know until all your defenders are back in action. I actually rate Jones, think he can become a very good defenders. Less so Evans and Smalling for me. McNair I haven't really seen enough to judge, likewise Blackett I seen him play twice, against Sunderland, when he looked very good, and against Leicester, when he looked terrible and was also sent off. My (admittedly blunt) statement of your defences frailties stem, not just from goals conceded, but the fact that your team seems to panic when oppositions attack. I dont see the assurance, not just in the defenders themselves, but in the rest of the team that your defence is up to it. And De Gea has looked frustrated at times. Like you say though, and I will concede, you haven't kept a partnership for long enough for a defensive duo to develop. Me personally, I get irritated as **** with injury prone players....really puts me off a player
Rafael has been a massive miss, against City Smalling got sent off with a stupid lunge on a player (Milner) who was in acres of space where Rafael would have been but Valencia wasn`t. City`s second goal came from a pass by Clichy who was in the same space.
I hope LVG looks back at some of the previous Arse -Utd matches at the Emirates. In one of those matches, I recall United were playing Arsenal who were leaders by a few points and had gone on a long unbeaten run. Fergie unashamedly played a counterattacking system. Wenger's team had most of the ball with about 65% possession. But each time, United had the ball they were a threat and scored 2 goals on counterattacks. The match ended 2-0. Could be a perfect time to do the same...
Merged matth's injury thread. As much as we love Carrick's groin, it doesn't really need a thread to itself. It's not like it's Fabio's hair or anything.
