Our Defence

[The Original Special One]

I was talking to my brother, a Liverpool fan, last night who was naturally hoping that we'd win, and I told him that he should expect a high-scoring game, and that my main concerns were our two full backs, although I've never been completely convinced by Lescott.

Sad to say, despite the MOTM efforts of their best player, Atkinson,....which even by ManUre 12th man standards I couldn't have predicted (but will he be dropped for this performance???),....things developed entirely as I predicted,....right down to the high score.

To be fair Bridge improved a lot in the second half, and indeed he even rescued Lescott on occasion, but how much longer are we going to have to put up with Richards?
Kolo Toure, who was by some distance our most accomplished defender,- although not entirely blameless, - tried manfully and must have despaired of the number of times he had to cover for Richards, but I've got a picture permanently imprinted in my mind of any number of ManUre players waltzing unopposed down our right flank in the second half, with Richards either AWOL, or floundering.
Bridge, who must have played at least 20 games for us by now was awful for the first 10 minutes but to be fair to him he knuckled down and gradually got into the game.
Despite my reservations about Lescott I'm willing to 'cut him some slack'.

I notice another 'big interview' with Richards on one of the online papers today where he talked about how he's gradually turned his game around since being reverted to his 'favourite' position: as far as I'm concerned his 'best' position is on the bench, 'Glauber Berti style'.
Mark Hughes needs to recognise this, pronto, or his job is in serious danger

[Moonchesteri]

There has been an improvement in Micah's form.. But today wasn't his day. He seems to lose concentration at times and it has, and will continue to hurt us.
I don't get it why Zaba won't get a chance?

[10.Goater_Legend]

There has been an improvement in Micah's form.. But today wasn't his day. He seems to lose concentration at times and it has, and will continue to hurt us.
I don't get it why Zaba won't get a chance?

I'm sure it's just a matter of time till Pablo gets a start pal maybe even Fulham on Wednesday night.

[The Original Special One]

There has been an improvement in Micah's form.. But today wasn't his day. He seems to lose concentration at times and it has, and will continue to hurt us.
I don't get it why Zaba won't get a chance?

to be fair he wouldn't have been put under much pressure for at least the first three games, and then SWP has done a lot of covering for him.
Unfortunately Zaba isn't the ideal solution: his lack of defensive awareness can be shocking at times, although he gives his all

[Ted Hughes]

Defences take time to come together, often several seasons. It wasn't just the fullbacks. No one was blameless today but if Adebayor had played our set piece defending would've been better & the rags wouldn't have had so much pressure in the 1st place. We were outnumbered height wise; too many for 3 blokes who can head a ball to pick up. Teams with too many shortarses don't succeed in the PL end of story. We almost got away with it. Lets see how the rags do when the tables are turned.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Got to agree with most of this post. Bridge started so poorly and looking nervous it was scary but he improved and overall had a decent game. Not sure yet about Lescott. He isn't as dominating in the air as I would have hoped but let's see how he settles after afew more games.
Toure did some very good stuff and has been very very good so far but even he today wasn't blameless. Maybe on 2 of the goals he wasnt blameless. Micah is a bit of a worry. He was fine in the first half where he wasn't really facing a wide player most of the time and he sits in quite well with the centrebacks but in the 2nd half he was poor and given a hard time by Giggs.

That last goal is so annoying when you watch the replays. Micah did lose owen but what the hell were Ireland and SWP doing wandering around marking nobody and covering no space when there were just seconds left. It amazed me to see such lack of common sense and discipline.

So a defence which hadn't let a goal in for a bunch of games has suddenly opened up against 2 of the best teams in Europe. Plenty of work to do for sure but let's not go overboard. Having said that I would think Zabba has a good chance of a game soon.

[The Original Special One]

That last goal is so annoying when you watch the replays. Micah did lose owen but what the hell were Ireland and SWP doing wandering around marking nobody and covering no space when there were just seconds left. It amazed me to see such lack of common sense and discipline.

.

Good point: Owen did seem to have acres of space to work in and he was brought on to finish off the kind of opportunities Berbatov had spurned

[Ted Hughes]

Got to agree with most of this post. Bridge started so poorly and looking nervous it was scary but he improved and overall had a decent game. Not sure yet about Lescott. He isn't as dominating in the air as I would have hoped but let's see how he settles after afew more games.
Toure did some very good stuff and has been very very good so far but even he today wasn't blameless. Maybe on 2 of the goals he wasnt blameless. Micah is a bit of a worry. He was fine in the first half where he wasn't really facing a wide player most of the time and he sits in quite well with the centrebacks but in the 2nd half he was poor and given a hard time by Giggs.

That last goal is so annoying when you watch the replays. Micah did lose owen but what the hell were Ireland and SWP doing wandering around marking nobody and covering no space when there were just seconds left. It amazed me to see such lack of common sense and discipline.

So a defence which hadn't let a goal in for a bunch of games has suddenly opened up against 2 of the best teams in Europe. Plenty of work to do for sure but let's not go overboard. Having said that I would think Zabba has a good chance of a game soon.

We've also scored 7 goals against two of the best teams in Europe & shown that we can stay in a game against both, even when they're playing at their best. That answers a few questions positively imo. Not bad at all for a brand new team which can get much much better. I'm just starting to think we may be in this season's battle as genuine contenders.

[The Original Special One]

Got to agree with most of this post. Bridge started so poorly and looking nervous it was scary but he improved and overall had a decent game. Not sure yet about Lescott. He isn't as dominating in the air as I would have hoped but let's see how he settles after afew more games.
Toure did some very good stuff and has been very very good so far but even he today wasn't blameless. Maybe on 2 of the goals he wasnt blameless. Micah is a bit of a worry. He was fine in the first half where he wasn't really facing a wide player most of the time and he sits in quite well with the centrebacks but in the 2nd half he was poor and given a hard time by Giggs.

That last goal is so annoying when you watch the replays. Micah did lose owen but what the hell were Ireland and SWP doing wandering around marking nobody and covering no space when there were just seconds left. It amazed me to see such lack of common sense and discipline.

So a defence which hadn't let a goal in for a bunch of games has suddenly opened up against 2 of the best teams in Europe. Plenty of work to do for sure but let's not go overboard. Having said that I would think Zabba has a good chance of a game soon.

We've also scored 7 goals against two of the best teams in Europe & shown that we can stay in a game against both, even when they're playing at their best. That answers a few questions positively imo. Not bad at all for a brand new team which can get much much better. I'm just starting to think we may be in this season's battle as genuine contenders.

no way with that starting defence!

[petrov]

Got to agree with most of this post. Bridge started so poorly and looking nervous it was scary but he improved and overall had a decent game. Not sure yet about Lescott. He isn't as dominating in the air as I would have hoped but let's see how he settles after afew more games.
Toure did some very good stuff and has been very very good so far but even he today wasn't blameless. Maybe on 2 of the goals he wasnt blameless. Micah is a bit of a worry. He was fine in the first half where he wasn't really facing a wide player most of the time and he sits in quite well with the centrebacks but in the 2nd half he was poor and given a hard time by Giggs.

That last goal is so annoying when you watch the replays. Micah did lose owen but what the hell were Ireland and SWP doing wandering around marking nobody and covering no space when there were just seconds left. It amazed me to see such lack of common sense and discipline.

So a defence which hadn't let a goal in for a bunch of games has suddenly opened up against 2 of the best teams in Europe. Plenty of work to do for sure but let's not go overboard. Having said that I would think Zabba has a good chance of a game soon.

We've also scored 7 goals against two of the best teams in Europe & shown that we can stay in a game against both, even when they're playing at their best. That answers a few questions positively imo. Not bad at all for a brand new team which can get much much better. I'm just starting to think we may be in this season's battle as genuine contenders.

no way with that starting defence!

we hadn[t conceded a goal till arsenal... yes we've let in 6 in the last 2 games but its a new defence and was facing two of europes top attacking teams.

[Citeh&Crew]

And I just don't understand how he is starting over the more cultured, Pablo Zabaleta. Micah is a better athlete, but that is it. This isn't American football, where athleticism rules the day. Our backs should have some modicum of skill, vision, endurance and brains. Micah is STILL undisciplined and thus prone to aggregious defensive lapses. Your comment:

"...any number of ManUre players waltzing unopposed down our right flank in the second half, with Richards either AWOL, or floundering."

is so remeniscent of last year, that it hurts. The frustration hurts.

I'm not so down on Wayne Bridge or Lescott. The fact is that mistakes will happen during a game, but in my opinion, the mistakes should be evaluated in context of the particular player, and immediate situation. If Lescott, Bridge, or anyone else is out of position to cover for a marauding Richards, who is trotting back casually.. well.. it's not their fault.

And FWIW, I could give a damn about Richards scoring a header, or setting up with the cross, especially in games that are essentially decided. His worth, to me, is primarily how well he locks down his man, reads the field to help his teammates in defense. If he gets beat one-on-one with a great move by Rooney (for example), that's ok. At least he was THERE to get beat.

Heck, we have better defenders in MLS, than Richards, albeit not as physically gifted. (Seriously)

[The Original Special One]

Got to agree with most of this post. Bridge started so poorly and looking nervous it was scary but he improved and overall had a decent game. Not sure yet about Lescott. He isn't as dominating in the air as I would have hoped but let's see how he settles after afew more games.
Toure did some very good stuff and has been very very good so far but even he today wasn't blameless. Maybe on 2 of the goals he wasnt blameless. Micah is a bit of a worry. He was fine in the first half where he wasn't really facing a wide player most of the time and he sits in quite well with the centrebacks but in the 2nd half he was poor and given a hard time by Giggs.

That last goal is so annoying when you watch the replays. Micah did lose owen but what the hell were Ireland and SWP doing wandering around marking nobody and covering no space when there were just seconds left. It amazed me to see such lack of common sense and discipline.

So a defence which hadn't let a goal in for a bunch of games has suddenly opened up against 2 of the best teams in Europe. Plenty of work to do for sure but let's not go overboard. Having said that I would think Zabba has a good chance of a game soon.

We've also scored 7 goals against two of the best teams in Europe & shown that we can stay in a game against both, even when they're playing at their best. That answers a few questions positively imo. Not bad at all for a brand new team which can get much much better. I'm just starting to think we may be in this season's battle as genuine contenders.

no way with that starting defence!

we hadn[t conceded a goal till arsenal... yes we've let in 6 in the last 2 games but its a new defence and was facing two of europes top attacking teams.

we only played relegation candidates prior to playing Arsenal: and they were more concerned with getting at Ade, than making a fool of Richards

[The Original Special One]

And I just don't understand how he is starting over the more cultured, Pablo Zabaleta. Micah is a better athlete, but that is it. This isn't American football, where athleticism rules the day. Our backs should have some modicum of skill, vision, endurance and brains. Micah is STILL undisciplined and thus prone to aggregious defensive lapses. Your comment:

"...any number of ManUre players waltzing unopposed down our right flank in the second half, with Richards either AWOL, or floundering."

is so remeniscent of last year, that it hurts. The frustration hurts.

I'm not so down on Wayne Bridge or Lescott. The fact is that mistakes will happen during a game, but in my opinion, the mistakes should be evaluated in context of the particular player, and immediate situation. If Lescott, Bridge, or anyone else is out of position to cover for a marauding Richards, who is trotting back casually.. well.. it's not their fault.

And FWIW, I could give a damn about Richards scoring a header, or setting up with the cross, especially in games that are essentially decided. His worth, to me, is primarily how well he locks down his man, reads the field to help his teammates in defense. If he gets beat one-on-one with a great move by Rooney (for example), that's ok. At least he was THERE to get beat.

Heck, we have better defenders in MLS, than Richards, albeit not as physically gifted. (Seriously)

My granny could defend better than Richards
(see my poll question)

Spot on about Richards primary respnsibility: and its even meant that SWP has been drawn into covering for him.
So we're effectively short two players
(without mentioning Toure)
And I can see Toure and Richards coming to blows before long; if not having serious words on the pitch.

[Longball]

can i now say that Micah is shit- hes dive towards the end of the match was pathetic