The hot topic RB berth?

[Ted Hughes]

Zabaleta is more complete player imo but it has to be that Micah is finding his form again. He has been excellent so far.

I agree & I wouldn't change anything right now but I just felt that the other 3 defenders look a class above as footballers & if you're a manager with shitloads of money to spend looking at that, you'd be itching to see how a world class RB would look in that team. It's only a matter of time imo, unless Micah's football skills & speed of thought go up a gear, which is not impossible of course, as the defence settles.

[Beeks]

Zabaleta is more complete player imo but it has to be that Micah is finding his form again. He has been excellent so far.

I agree & I wouldn't change anything right now but I just felt that the other 3 defenders look a class above as footballers & if you're a manager with shitloads of money to spend looking at that, you'd be itching to see how a world class RB would look in that team. It's only a matter of time imo, unless Micah's football skills & speed of thought go up a gear, which is not impossible of course, as the defence settles.

Personally I think Richards will be gone next summer

[Fidel Castro]

Zabaleta without a doubt

[saulman]

Zabaleta without a doubt

Agreed.

I've seen enough of Richards this season to show me that he's picked up where he left off last season. That was a definate penalty last night in the last minute.

Zabba has done nothing to warrant being dropped, though I do understand using Richards for his height against certain teams.

[10.Goater_Legend]

I've gone for Zabba.

[BmoreBlue]

for me zabs has the higher floor and lower ceiling, whereas richards has the lower floor and higher ceiling - i think with the proper mentoring from toure and others, richards can develop into a fine right back. zabs is fantastic cover at RB and DM, but give me richards, as i think he has more to offer in the long run

[Abu Dhabi]

Atleast I've seen Zab giving decent crosses. Stopped a few too. He is long way better than Micah in all areas - bar aerial.

I am feeling for Pablo.
Micah would never be in the English squad for next year. Pablo have a chance for Argentina and he is seeing it slip away.

[Jammie Dodger]

Is anyone else thinking the same as me that Micah just doesn't look as fit as the rest of the team.
If he can't get up and down the line he's not going to make it as a top class full back. Perhaps then he should be kept just as a centre half or an emergency right back.

Going back to the original question, at the moment it has to be Zabba or Nedum and as Nedum isn't on the list of options...........

[Florida Blue]

Personally I want Zabs...but then i've never rated Richards and probably never will...possibly the clumsiest looking player i've ever seen on the ball

Umm yeah, Sun Ji-hai was a ballerina with the ball?

I agree, Richards was right choice last night with Moses' pace. But in a game against a team like Stoke or other tough sides, rather see Mad Zab for sure.

[Beeks]

Is anyone else thinking the same as me that Micah just doesn't look as fit as the rest of the team.

I've really noticed it...I was sitting in 109 lower East stand against Wolves and second half he was huffing and puffing badly...I don't know whether it is something to do with his physique...he looks as if he has buffed up even more since last year...looks more like a muscle mary than a footballer these days

[Blue in the face]

Not conceded a goal yet so no need to change.

Look back through all the teams that have won the league, the thing that links them all together is that their keeper and back four line were settled and constantly the same players throughout the campaign.

We've got teething problems for sure but let the current back line of Richards---Toure---Lescott---Bridge develop into a unit over the current campaign and see them become excellent together rather than chopping and changing.

PS: I love the Englishness to our defensive unit now :-)

I think it was the Irishness in our defence that kept us in the match last night.

[ant london]

Micah is the weak link in the chain...surely people can see this?

Seeing as you were one of the cheerleaders for one and are now one of the main detractors of another.....

I disagree. Dunne was the weakest link in our defensive chain.

Don't quite know what you have against Micah but it seems similar to how I felt against Richard Dunne. I actually don't think there's much between Micah and Zabba, both different styles of player. Both good IMO.

One of them will be going to the World Cup and that opne will be whoever plays most this season if you ask me

[FA cup winners 2006]

Why is'nt Ned an option, Played well there againist barca and he is unlucky to have lost his CB place. i'd go for ned at RB and let toure and lescott develop there understanding and if one of them need replacing then Ned can push across there and zab come in at rb.

i just feel it is easier to come in to a full back position from the bench rather than trying to come off the bench not having played in the last few games and try and get up to the pace of the game at CB.

also i think ned is our best RB, nothing againast Zabaleta or Richards, just how highly i rate NED

[Vhero]

Mad Zabba all the way for me Micah just can't cut it.

[Beeks]

Don't quite know what you have against Micah

He's clumsy on the ball...his passing selection is very poor and his positional skills are non existent...couple that onto his insistance at trying to be a wingback(which he blatantly isn't) and I think we are getting close to why I dislike him as a player

[john@staustell]

Unless there's some dramatic last minute twist it seems clear that Hughes is happy having Micah and Zabba as his 2 RB choices. Otherwise, no doubt at all, he would've bought a new one.

Personally I would go for Zabba but I suspect Les thinks Micah's power and pace can be channelled correctly and fits more into team he is trying to build. Sure he has a few issues, but my gut feeling is that Les wants another season from him to see if he can step up to it. It is also just possible that Zabba has a slight nagging injury somewhere(?) so he's not being thrown in.

I am sure both will get a decent amount of games, but if the RB berth continues as a hot topic I reckon we will buy one in January.

[mcfc1632]

All about opinions of course

I am guessing that Kolo is quickly finding out what Dunnie had to before him about covering the RB area as well

Not sure how people can vote for Micah based on the evidence of the last season - and also this season - fantastic we have not conceded a goal - but for anyone who has watched all three games it will / should be obvious that it was clean sheets in spite of Micah not because of him

I was in the Jack Walker stand for the Blackburn game so had a good chance to watch him closely - by far is best game for many a month and he made a couple of decent tackles - but I would guess an observer without rose tinted glasses pining for the Micah of 2 years ago would have given him 4/10 - best game by far for ages - but Championship level

we cannot keep getting away with it - Blackburn, followed by Wolves and then Palace all quickly sussed out where the weakness was and funnelled their attacks down our right

I am dismayed Hughes has put Micah before Zab - and it looks like he has decided to give him a run of 10 games or so to prove himself - that is a quarter of the season and not how we should be approaching our campaign - admirable loyalty, but...........

For me Zab should be in for Portsmouth to then gel with Toure for the Arsenal and scum games where Micah would get taken apart - ffs Micah could not even catch Giggs nowadays

The one blot on an otherwise massively positive start for the team

[mcfc1632]

Don't quite know what you have against Micah

He's clumsy on the ball...his passing selection is very poor and his positional skills are non existent...couple that onto his insistance at trying to be a wingback(which he blatantly isn't) and I think we are getting close to why I dislike him as a player

Stop being so sensitive IBHC!!


You mention:

1. poor positional skills
2. poor passing

you should add to that

3. Cannot get past players down the wing unless he is played into a couple of acres of pace
4. Cannot cross a ball - and I mean cannot - not just he is not very good
5. No football brain
6. Gets other players out of position because they do not know whether to move for the ball which he should be capable of making or hanging back to cover the opposition player who will be breaking when Micah inevitably makes a bad play

and of course

7. The lack of team ethic / is head being so far up his arse he simply jogs back or puts his arms in the air when a play breaks down when if he tried he could be putting pressure on the opposition player that is breaking - I am already sick this season of seeing him with his arms up looking for an offiside or to pass blame (wrongly) to a team mate when he could in fact tackle the player

I am annoyed at myself for having such strong negative views about one of our players - but he will be a big let down if continued with - not even 2nd choice for me

[Beeks]

Don't quite know what you have against Micah

He's clumsy on the ball...his passing selection is very poor and his positional skills are non existent...couple that onto his insistance at trying to be a wingback(which he blatantly isn't) and I think we are getting close to why I dislike him as a player

Stop being so sensitive IBHC!!


You mention:

1. poor positional skills
2. poor passing

you should add to that

3. Cannot get past players down the wing unless he is played into a couple of acres of pace
4. Cannot cross a ball - and I mean cannot - not just he is not very good
5. No football brain
6. Gets other players out of position because they do not know where to move for the ball which he should be capable of making or hanging back to cover the opposition player who will be breaking when Micah inevitably makes a bad play

and of course

7. The lack of team ethic / is head being so far up his arse he simply jogs back or puts his arms in the air when a play breaks down when if he tried he could be putting pressure on the opposition player that is breaking - I am already sick this season of seeing him with his arms up looking for an offiside or to pass blame (wrongly) to a team mate when he could in fact tackle the player

I am annoyed at myself for having such strong negative views about one of our players - but he will be a big let down if continued with - not even 2nd choice for me

^^^^^^^
This
(but said in a nicer lighthearted type of way)


;-)

[Beefymcfc]

Remember last season, when he was doing shit in the middle, he came out and stated that he wanted to play at RB for about 25 games to see if this was his best position, then in time move back to the CB spot. Strangely enough, the next game seen Micah at RB and Zab pushed in to the middle.

I honestly think the only reason he is getting another stab of it, is down to him being an Academy lad and I think Hughes is giving him a chance to prove himself (possibly 5 or 6 games) and if he doesn't show the neccesary qualities he will be sidelined with Zab taking the RB slot for his own. It's down to Micah to sort himself out (with the backing of the club) otherwise he'll find himself warming the bench, or even worse, playing for Stoke!