Caulker should take the place of Gallas as soon as possible IMO the more games he gets the better he will become and his threat at corners is impressive.
Gallas has had some great games for us, even this season but I agree, he's too much of a disaster when not at his best. He's gone at the end of the season so time to get Caulker ahis last opportunity/opportunities of the season as Kaboul's coming back and neither will get a look in even if we get past Basel.
gallas has a great game about once in every 6 or 7 he plays. the rest of time time he's usually very poor. It's too much of a risk at this stage in the season, despite his experience.
Disagree. Inter at home, Lyon home & away, United away, Liverpool home and Southampton away were all good games for him for starters. I think the trouble is, then when he's not at the races he will cost us goals and cause us more problems than any opposition attacker. His composure on the ball is a great asset and considering his age, he's still got a bit of pace to him. Dawson and Vertonghen are both more consistent though and so's Caulker, although he doesn't reach as high standard.
I think,if Caulker is give a good run in the side,he will reach as high a standard,maybe higher,i think he is a great prospect
Wholly agree. You'd have to go a long way to see worse defensive performances than Chelsea Home, Basel Home and Inter away in your case. Dawson, Caulker both far better alternatives.
Whether Gallas's good game ratio is 1:6or7, or 1:4 (24 apps against YV's half a dozen games), I fail to see why we endure 18 bad games so we can pat him on the back for half a dozen games he's contributed positively to the result. Not sure any other top side would accept such a return.
We haven't accepted it as far as I'm concerned. Since Arsenal away he's been scarcely used, starting 9 out of 29 in all competitions. Those were just games where I recalled him playing well, I wasn't going to just start guessing, I've no recollection of how he played against Fulham for example. He had been in good form up until Inter away but after 2 **** games in a row I agree it's not worth persevering with him and I'd like to see Caulker come back into contention ahead of him. Anyway, I can see where this is going and I'm not trying to make an issue out of Gallas, if people think he's crap, that's fine. I just felt the suggestion he's been poor in the vast majority of his games, as I said, I felt the problem with him wasn't that but that when he doesn't have a good game, he has an absolute stinker and when you do that twice in a row(not for the first time) then you should be dropped.
Just a word on William Gallas. Although age is a great leveller in football, there are still far worse defenders plying their trade then Gallas. He has stepped in at times and pulled us out the fire, on occasion and after all is said and done, there is still no substitute for his achievements and his experience. I think hes shown some real professionalism and has been good for us in the pass and should not now be the subject of contemptuous mocking. Which is being aided and abetted by grudgeful Chelsea and Arse fans. COYS.
It wasn't going anywhere further than what you've put here mate. Gallas having good games and being a good player are two different things. I question why we should appreciate his experience for Basels 2nd goal. Ballwatching he got sucked in to the near post melee where there were enough already to deal with it, he basically vacated the space the lad headed through who got the flick on. Why did he not choose to stay alert for any 2nd ball flick on? didn't even look over his shoulder, just one example of far too many poor decisions resulting in danger. We all know what he is/was capable of, unfortunately because of his age we will only see it in small periods, to expect his top level everytime in bit parts at that age is an ask too much, just my opinion.
YV - Forgot to add to your Caulker comment. I'm not sure that favouring Gallas over him has been wise, with YK out for so long I'm sort of disappointed SC hasn't been used more, he had iffy moments I know, but he could have played through that, plus its to be expected with young defenders. He has to go through that learning curve and I'd have thought this season would have been the best one to do it in. Without YK he's our best in the air at both ends, and yet we persist with Gallas and JV who are suspect, none of our fullbacks are particularly brilliant either. One CB has to be consistantly strong aerially imo, both ideally, its no wonder we're conceding at set pieces and crosses.
Gallas was following his marker, had Vertonghen not got his head on it and Gallas stayed on the otherside of Friedel we'd have crucified him and rightly so. It was Naughton allowing the player to simply step away from him without him even realising, he should have his arm on his opponent so that he knows where he is whilst he's watching the ball. We weren't punished for the several errors Gallas made in that first half, in particular. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dEQACP2M3c - 1.32 As for Caulker, I would like to have seen more of him recently too. He's good in the air but the rest of his game isn't at the same level of Gallas, he's been better off when played alongside more commanding centre back like Dawson or Gallas. When Caulker and Jan played together against Leeds it was a disaster, the communication was appalling and a Championship side were able to pull them apart. I wouldn't have minded seeing us give it another go but that's more because I'd rather Vertonghen and Dawson were rested and I wasn't really bothered about the result so I'd want us to experiment. Vertonghen's okay in the air, he did really well to get anything on that corner and keep that giant Streller from getting to it, it was just unfortunate that Naughton didn't finish the job by clearing the ball.
I'd agree about the Caulker/Gallas situation. I can sort of understand AVB's thinking about experience, but it's pretty clear to me that Gallas is up to & past his sell by date. A bit like my old days playing fly half, the brain is saying one thing and the legs are saying, "look pal maybe ten years ago - right now?, forget it" As with Holtby, and hopefully Sigurdsson, Caulker is the future of the team. He has great potential, IMO. And now is the time to give him that chance.
He's opted for rear stick duty and ran past everyone!, following his marker maybe, but the twat still lost him anyway, look where Gallas finishes up, nearest to the kicker and where's the bloke he followed! WG did run with that bloke, but got sucked in ball watching halfway, there's one angle shows him fixated looking up, he hasn't a clue where the other bloke is, Ade, Bale, and JV were there and for me you have to trust your teammates and keep discipline, 4 players at the nearpost wasn't necessary, but having observed Naughtons part as you mention, and yes I agree there, 2 bits of **** defending! there's more aswell, Sig is drawn off the rear post, and Benny opts to run across and cover it intead of staying at the near, he clears it off the line if he does that...catalogue of errors!
I can't see AVB putting out a strong enough side to get the win needed here. It'll be any ol team and leave it to the football gods.
I posted a short while ago that we are scoring one goal a match less than we should or one more should have been scored and it's proved to be true in our last couple of matches. Basel and Everton were both one goal not enough. I'm hoping this might be the match to change all that. Fulham was one goal down as well. This cycle of one goal wins or defeats must stop with a two or three goal win for us. Not much time left.
It's getting to a point now with Spurs that if the managers are not interested in these European games (by their player selections),perhaps they would be nice and let the likes of West Ham,Fulham etc take their place. Seems like the only ones interested in winning are the fans! Looks like we may be missing out on the Champions League,again,which means we might be in the Europa again........more reserve games next season!
I agree with you entirely, Bajan. But there are more bad performances that outweigh the great ones, IMO. I just find him risky, when taking everything into consideration and would rather see Caulker play. His experience is worth its weight in gold, especially on the training pitch 4 days a week or whatever it is, but I just don't feel comfortable about him playing too often as you never know which gallas is going to turn up.
