Our defence.

[leewonpen]

Our defence seems no where near as tight as last season. I know mancini is playing a more attacking formation,but we need stop conceding silly goals. In my opinion having dejong back will give the defence confidence. Also with the formation were playing no one seems to be taking responsibility for tracking back.if we were playing 442 the wingers would know who they were picking up. Do we change formation or do we stay as were are? The rags don't play 442 but there players revert to 2 banks of 4 when defending.also they get width which we don't. Our season has started but wish our defence was as tight as last season.

[john@staustell]

As Lescott said this week - and I have before - the formation is exactly the same, just that the forward players are better.

The main problem is no Nigel Dejong. Another problem is that same Jolene letting in the first 3 goals we conceded (at least) by losing one-on-ones with his player.

Hoping Hargreaves can get up to it.

[Slim]

The problem with the defence is in two parts.

Our back four is prone to lapses in concentration and what almost comes across as panic at times, when we are under the pump I have seen both Lescott and Kompany make the wrong choices in clearing a ball or covering a player running off the ball. I think Kolo coming back in will help if not to replace one of the two, at least to provide competition for the places and make them perform how we know they can.

The second part is the defensive screen. We aren't in exactly the same formation as last season are we? Last season we had 3 central midfielders and this season that third midfielder is playing right behind the striker as a "second striker"(urgh). While Yaya played as the most forward of the three central midfielders last season, he provided a huge physical presence when it came to defending and when he wasn't lying on the floor having a rest or trotting back from 30 yards offside, he dropped back into the midfield choking the space. This season with only two players playing in front of the back four we have the issue that both Barry and Yaya are as slow as shite over the first 3 yards meaning when something needs to be reacted to and closed down quickly they aren't quite getting there. de Jong is the obvious solution and it will be interesting to see how Hargreaves looks after a couple of games.

I can certainly see why Mancini claimed we were a player short in the middle, maybe not just a player but a quicker well rounded central midfielder.

[Green & Blue]

As Lescott said this week - and I have before - the formation is exactly the same, just that the forward players are better.

The main problem is no Nigel Dejong. Another problem is that same Jolene letting in the first 3 goals we conceded (at least) by losing one-on-ones with his player.

Hoping Hargreaves can get up to it.

I agree the main problem is Nigel being missing, he provides huge cover for the defence.We really need him back in the engine room winning ball and bringing that bit of balance back to the side.

[Nigels Tackle]

chopping and changing the full backs means that we're not giving the back 4 a chance to operate as settled unit...

the best defensive units play together week in, week out and as a result they know each others games...

[Goaters 103]

Kompany isnt playing as well as he can, and he needs to raise his game again back to last season. Lescott is a very good squad player but in our best XI he is the weakest link, and a real top class centre-half would be our most glaring need.

De Jong's absence hasnt helped, though Id say Kompany's drop off from last year has been the biggest factor.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Why does Lescott always pass the ball to a player (normally to a player hugged on the left) who has fuckign players around him and puts him under pressure? 99 times out of a hundred the player plays the ball back to him (as he has no bastid choice) and the cunt passes it back to the keeper (and thats if we didnt lose the ball in the process )

Lescott very rarely takes ONE player on and passes the ball to an attacking player of ours.....this is bolloks and he does it all the time.

[ant london]

Lescott very rarely takes ONE player on and passes the ball to an attacking player of ours.....this is bolloks and he does it all the time.

I don't share your Lescott hate/obsession....I don't expect him to go on mazy runs past players but I do agree to an extent with this.

He doesn't even try to draw his man towards him, he passes whilst still 8-10 yards away and yes, as you say, he puts the recipient under pressure straight away 70% of the time. All he needs to do to lend some more impetus and gain us some more space and time is go at his man and THEN release the ball (and yeah, preferably not ALWAYS to the lad on the left touchline)

[steveo_88]

In my little group in the South Stand we are all of the same opinion that like Taggart has told his defenders to do for years 'when in doubt put it out'! Our defenders and midfielders have to realise possesion at the back is not always a good thing, smashing the ball into the stand allows players to get back and the team to re-organise into its correct defensive shape. Next time you watch THEM just look how many times when under pressure they smash the ball into the stand allowing the team to re-group.

We miss De Jong marshalling that space between the opponents strikers and midfielders, as others have said Barry and Yaya playing the defensive midfielders lack pace. But all midfielders must make a concerted effort to track back everytime not when they feel like it (Nasri was at fault at Fulham for this, amongst others).

Other problems in the defence are individual, Kompany is a good left back but not yet great, he does make the wrong choices occasionally (Champions League experience will do him the world of good, the strength of Cavani-Lavezzi-Hamsik I believe was a shock as to how good they really were). Lescott is not able to play the ball with both feet (a typically English disease) but also suffers from the Vassell-esque, time to think results in a mistake (beware the brain of an Englishman).