Left Back in the Cold

[Squiggles]

We may have shifted Dossena, but there's still a huge problem at LB as neither of our current options are reliable/good enough to be playing consistently well for our club. So providing we buy someone not shit in the summer, we'll have to keep one of these players for cover, and a decision has to be made soon due to Aurelio's contract expiring in less than six months time

So do we offer Aurelio in the new one and sell Insua for 2-4M in the summer?
Or let him hobble to a new club for nothing?

I would stick with Aurelio and use Kelly as third choice if required.

 

[Whitey85]

Really not arsed. I don't want either to start for us come the start of next season.

 

[Insignificance]

My grandma is 85 and is fit more often than Aurelio!

 

[manwithnoname]

They both need fucking off.

 

[Brizzle]

Who's available? Arsenal have a lot of good full backs? What do you think the chances of Clichy/Gibbs are?

If not, what about promoting that Buchtmann guy at some point to see how he fares?

 

[Richey]

If Aurelio was fit all the time he wouldn't be quite so bad an option to have. He was looking ok last season.
As things stand though he's not much use.
Insua is also very average.

We may as well let Aurelio go. Its not likely that his injury record will improve with age!

As I say Insua is average too. However I worry about who we might get instead if Benitez is still in charge.

 

[ILD]

Insua can only improve, I know the cynic's will claim he can't get any faster but he can improve his defending and positional sense. I doubt he is on big wages and he can cover for a first choice LB. We would probably only fetch 4 million for him anyway and we would end up needing to replace him to provide cover.

I'd nearly keep both to be honest. I know it sounds bad but Fabio can slot in at LB and LW if we need it. I don't like seeing him at LW but he does provide good cover. What kind of wages is he on? If excessively high then I'd reconsider due to fact he is so injury prone.

Neither are good enough to start every game for us and Insua has youth on his side so at the end of the day, i'd keep Insua and let Fabio walk in a years time after we've installed a quality left back into the side.

No idea's what quality LB we can afford though.

 

[ILD]

[quote author=Bristow link=topic=38382.msg1031279#msg1031279 date=1263208382]
Who's available? Arsenal have a lot of good full backs? What do you think the chances of Clichy/Gibbs are?

If not, what about promoting that Buchtmann guy at some point to see how he fares?
[/quote]

Cliche is injured as is Gibbs. Traore is playing for them now but he looks to be suspect at times. Plenty of pace but lacks intelligence. Cliche is another who uses his pace to make up for poor positional sense and poor decision making. Gibbs has looked tidy but no way would they sell to us.

I always wanted us to sign Baines before he went to Everton. Snip at 4 million.

 

[Richey]

Well I'm thinking if we are skint we probably can't afford to keep both Aurelio and Insua and buy a new left back.

As I don't trust a new signing to be any good the dilemma is which one we keep.
Aurelio is better when fit, but is never fit.
Insua is average at best but could improve.
If a new left back is as bad as Dossena then I'd rather have average but may improve than ok but never fit.