Multi-functional defenders/A balanced defence

[ibromurph]

So in my opinion, there are various types of strikers (and some of the below belong in two groups), but if I were to try and group them into the following brackets (with a broad brush), I say there is:

1) The speedster - Vardy
2) The powerhouse - Lukaku/Andre Gray
3) The big man - Caroll/Ibrahimovic
4) The all rounder - Kane/Costa(Torres)
5) The relentless dribbler - Sanchez/(Suarez)
6) The on the shoulder predator - Defoe (Hernandez)
7) The false 9 - Firmino

Do we have defenders to deal with all these variations of CF? I don't think so. Our defenders don't seem to compliment each other, nor do they have the physical/technical/intelligence to deal with all types.

You look at some of the most successful partnerships in recent years:

Ferdinand and Vidic
Terry and Carvalho
Alderwereild and Vertongen.

What they all have is the ability to deal with most types of CFs and where they are lacking (for example Spurs' two, you may say they lack a bit of pace), they usually have full backs that cover their deficiencies (and a GK who helps; Lloris being one of the quickest off his line). It's no surprise that we battered Spurs when Danny Rose was out (with Mane scoring both goals).

What I don't see with our defence is balance; defenders who compliment each other. Nor do I see defenders who are individually able to deal with 1 v 1 situations. Lovren is all over the place, Matip looks ungainly, Klavan is what we all feared he'd be and Sahko looked clumsy whilst he was here. We don't have a LB nor do we have a RB that offers much going forward.

In short, we seem pretty one dimensional in defence, and it's been that way for a few years now. I think Klopps big challenge will be what he does at the back in the summer to address this problem.

 

[Squiggles]

The defence is Klopps biggest problem and he has yet to make a difference to it. In fact we've shipped more goals under Klopp than under Rodgers.

I sympathise with him over the Sakho situation. He didn't sign the cunt and there was no excusing his lack of respect. Players these days need that discipline and a sense of fear in them, so fair enough. But to think Klaven, and evenly more laughably so, Lucas is good enough to deputise as back ups in the Premier League is a joke. "Just wait till you see him play" were his comments regarding Klaven at the start of the season, and yet he regularly selects the hapless, Brazilian dwarf over him.

Matip doesn't look as good as we hoped after a promising start. He's been generally a bit clumsy since his return to the first team. Lovren was a huge loss last night. Those are the sorts of games where he shines in. If there is any doubt who are the leaders in this team you have to say it's Henderson, Lovren and Milner. Missing two of them last night and we fall apart like a bunch of school girls.

Long term, we need 2 new CB's. FWIW, I'm not convinced at Gomez at CB. He should be a LB for me. He's shined there previously and it seems a more obvious route to the first team. In addition a LB has to be signed and Moreno sold. We needed Milners fight, grit and determination in the middle last night to replace Henderson.

There's too many problems for a club of our size. Imagine Chelsea, United or City persisting with Lucas at CB. It wouldn't happen. We're amateur.

 

[Best Believe It]

I think the problem is fairly simple - same under Rodgers as now. We have played a high line under our last two managers with full backs pushing up. This requires a central midfielder who can slip back into the defensive line when the full backs are up the pitch and central defenders who can cope with being isolated. It also requires full backs who can run all day, be wingers and be defenders.

So in essence we need five very, very good players to make that work and we don't have them. Hendo is doing ok in the midfield role but isn't consistently great there. Milner is a midfielder first and foremost and has mostly been very good but expecting him to maintain that over the course of his first season in the role is ambitious to say the least. Clyne - just read Macca's recent posts. Our centre backs are either inconsistent or not good enough.

As with the rest of the team we need much better players.

 

[ibromurph]

I think the problem is fairly simple - same under Rodgers as now. We have played a high line under our last two managers with full backs pushing up. This requires a central midfielder who can slip back into the defensive line when the full backs are up the pitch and central defenders who can cope with being isolated. It also requires full backs who can run all day, be wingers and be defenders.

This season we have consistently been found out against teams who sit deep and counter. Consistently. Like you said, our defenders inability to deal with 1 v 1s and generally being all slow kills us. We looked better last night when Can dropped into the backline, as he can run once he gets up to full speed (his acceleration is generally poor though). The back 3 seemed more equipped to deal with the counter than the back 2.

 

[Best Believe It]

This season we have consistently been found out against teams who sit deep and counter. Consistently. Like you said, our defenders inability to deal with 1 v 1s and generally being all slow kills us. We looked better last night when Can dropped into the backline, as he can run once he gets up to full speed (his acceleration is generally poor though). The back 3 seemed more equipped to deal with the counter than the back 2.

It's partly because half the team is so slow to react. Or, rather, their reaction is to firstly visibly deflate before making an effort to rectify the situation when we lose the ball and they counter. But yeah, none of our defenders are particular good 1 v 1, with the possible exception of Matip (who has barely played this season).

 

[SummerOnions]

We looked a lot better as a back 3 as it covered our defensive weakness somewhat. I reckon if we started like that we may not have lost