The weakest link.....

[Darth Plagueis]

The point is Tash we need strength in depth... you've flagged he's not a great player but there's nothing wrong with replacing him with better.
Personally I think he is genuinely woeful and get's exposed time and time again.
He might be a nice guy with a cool haircut but I want an ugly CB who will come in and do us a job if our first choice CB's are out.
Given we will never have a large squad he will most likely have to play a stretch of games.. which is where he will come up short.

How many teams have great cover in their defence though?

Man City -

Kompany and Lescott first choice - Savic and K.Toure cover. Hardly brilliant.

Man Utd - Vidic (Injury prone) Ferdinand - Smalling and Jones - Fair enough, good.

Arsenal - Mertersaker, Vermalen, Koscielny, Djourou...

Chelski - Terry, Luiz, Cahill, Ivanovic.

After these teams you can see that most good teams have maybe 3 quality options then average cover.

Williamson is good enough to be a 4/5th choice IMO, especially since we're not in that top bracket. If you look at the other sides that will be pushing in the top 10 next season, their squad depth isn't that great.

We wont be in Europe next season which means he'll get a cup games and maybe a few PL games at the most. I say keep him.

 

[Albert's Chip Shop]

How many teams have great cover in their defence though?

Man City -

Kompany and Lescott first choice - Savic and K.Toure cover. Hardly brilliant.

Man Utd - Vidic (Injury prone) Ferdinand - Smalling and Jones - Fair enough, good.

Arsenal - Mertersaker, Vermalen, Koscielny, Djourou...

Chelski - Terry, Luiz, Cahill, Ivanovic.

After these teams you can see that most good teams have maybe 3 quality options then average cover.

Williamson is good enough to be a 4/5th choice IMO, especially since we're not in that top bracket. If you look at the other sides that will be pushing in the top 10 next season, their squad depth isn't that great.

We wont be in Europe next season which means he'll get a cup games and maybe a few PL games at the most. I say keep him.

We want to improve with a view to dining at the top table (5th last year proves it can be done) so we need to build strength in depth like they do (doesn't have to cost a fortune).
It will be a gradual thing but bit by bit we must aspire to that and part of that process, as Pardew has said may times is replacing weaker players with better quality.

One things for sure, the summer will be very interesting indeed.

 

[Darth Plagueis]

We want to improve with a view to dining at the top table (5th last year proves it can be done) so we need to build strength in depth like they do (doesn't have to cost a fortune).
It will be a gradual thing but bit by bit we must aspire to that and part of that process, as Pardew has said may times is replacing weaker players with better quality.

One things for sure, the summer will be very interesting indeed.

I agree. Get better in if we can, but some people are just like "sell him". There's no point in selling unless we get a repalcement.

I'd rather have Willo than nothing. Only sell if we can get a decent one in, preferably a youngun with decent potential that can hold his own.

 

[Warmir Pouchov]

Willo is not a weak link and I'm tired of people giving him grief. Apart from a few off games, he's been very good for us this season.

He's dealt with the likes of Pogbrebnyak and Fellaini very well, and has had to step in and fill big shoes.

He's not a great player, but we don't need to get rid of him. He's a covering CB, and can do a job when asked.

You can't call a 4/5th choice player grief for not being immense. He shouldn't be relied upon to play 10-20 games in a row. He will play well 75% of the time, but his weaknesses will show if he has to play a stretch of games.

It's not his fault that we didn't sign the right players.

Keep him as a covering CB. The lad never complains and just gets his head down and does a job.

Willo is a weak link for me. Struggles at the level and needs replaced. I want him replaced regardless this summer. If Colo goes too we'll need 2. I'd prefer that was one class act and a younger lad we can develop. If we want to improve we have to keep evolving. That means weeding out the weaker elements of the squad and replacing them. He is our weakest defender.