I know we have covered this from many angles in the past but what exactly is the problem with our defence? We have tried just about every permutation with the available personnel and still we concede goals. I don't think there's that much wrong with our players individually but there is something wrong with the defence as a unit. I don't mind conceding goals - there are some ace strikers in the PL who will score goals against any defence but we seem to leak stupid goals. I don't think O'B and Dabs are on quite their previous form but I'm not sure that's the real problem.

Any views?

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Answers

The problem doesn't lie in the defence but the midfield.

We don't have a midfield playmaker - somebody who can get the ball from the centre backs and distribute it either forward or to the wings. Rob Lee WAS our playmaker but to be honest wasn't anywhere near the standards he used to be.

Recently, Speed took over that role with Dyer doing the running forwards. However, even more recently McClen has joined us and plays his own game, which is nowt like Dyer's.

Until we get a Roy Keane / Patrick Vieira / Steven Gerrard type player, we will continue to leak stupid goals. If we continue to put the goals in with Shearer, Bellamy et al then it doesn't bother me as much.

By having Robert AND Solano at the same time, we can take a bit of pressure off the central areas. Robert in particular can hold onto the ball for ages and really give us a breather when we need it.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Agreed but i STILL think we need a mouthy, hard nosed, gutsy [andfast and talented] shouter in the CB pairing. Any suggestions?

As for midfield, well, weren't we looking for a midfielder, then signed Jenas, Lee left - doesn't that mean we're still looking? And we've trimmed the wage bill....

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Agree that we need a mouthy centre back, but a strong defensive midfielder is the top priority for me - unless Jenas turns out to be something very special. Right and left wing, up front, right back, attacking midfielders, we have good players and decent cover.

I don't know if Distin speaks English or not, but the sooner him and everyone else who can't speak English learn it, the better.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Good points, Paul and Min. I wonder if it's also partially lack of a truly consistent back four as well as need for a strong LB. Hughes has really come on this season now that he seems to have claimed the RB spot. The other 3 spots have had some changing of necessity due to injury/suspension, but for the most part has done better because players are getting longer runs. But there is still no obvious first choice pair in center, and no strong LB.

Then again, this could also be some growing pains. How many people would've flogged Given to the highest bidder a season or two ago. Or thought Hughes would never really hack it at RB? For all we know, this lot could turn out to be more formidable next season.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Ciara, I think you're right about continuity because our defence looked better earlier in the season when there were very few tinkerings at the back. Another thing is that we have a relatively young defence who will get better as they learn each other's games. Whether there is a long term place for Dabs in this scheme of things, I don't know....

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

The defence has never been the same since Mark Lawrenson left as coach.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Distin - centre back or full #-back. I think he's great in the middle but he looked oK yesterday (on TV)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

He has to be played in the middle against Sunderland, as their hoof it to Quinn style will be too hard to cope with for Dabizas and O'Brien. A 6ft 4 giant in the middle should help us counter that threat.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

Can O'Brien play on the left?

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

I wonder if Distin could be groomed into the LB slot, ala Hughes on the right?

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2002

It's a good point - we can't expect hime to lose his CH characteristics overnight. Having said that, he's a lot bigger and clumsier than Hughes so it may not work...

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

Don't get suckered into marking Quinny again, it's the space he knocks the ball down into that needs watching for Pikey Kev to do his stuff from. O'Brien reads the game much faster than Dabizas who was turned inside out by those two a couple of times, and would be my choice to make life hard for Ratboy. Distin is seriously quick as well as good on covering set-pieces so I'd have him in the centre in place of Dabizas. Sadly that would let Robbie Elliott back in the side and I simply don't buy that crap about Geordies making a difference in the side: seems to me that McClen and Shearer were on the pitch during the water-polo match and Al missed that penalty under pressure. Might just have to leave it as is and trust our attack to rip them a new a*se.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

Simple answer for you: Make the Goal Posts less wide. Defence Problem sorted. Don't start on Shay, he's 1 in a million . . wouldn't have it any other way....he might not have rhythm when it comes to making shapes on the dance-floor...but when it comes to saving some corking strikes, he's the man... Sack Elliott, he's a waste of space, Apeman Acuna needs to lose some animal fat then maybe he'll be in a better frame of mind to start tackling . . as for the rest they are doing fine.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002

It's not about marking Quinn, but Distin is our best bet to win headers against him, even if it's just from corners.

I remember a few games where Distin has come on after we've taken the lead and he won EVERYTHING in the air.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2002