[Archived] No Right-back

[John]

One simple reason for playing Kane/Zurab/Any defender there ahead of Reid; Defenders are used to the offside trap, midfielders aren't. It's not easy to execute it well, and a midfielder returning from a long injury layoff isn't exactly going to do too well there is he?

Agree. Even when he was fully fit, I did not rate Reid at right back.

[rebelmswar]

Agree. Even when he was fully fit, I did not rate Reid at right back.

I am sure that MH will fix this for Chelsea if he doesnt I will eat my seat.

[rover6]

the axe has played there but he looks dodgy, doesn't really make a change to normal though.

I dunno, Matt Taylor would probably tell you that Mokoena was quite an inspirational right back.

There is also young Tony Kane

I know I am saying this with hindsight's 20-20 vision, but people go on about the riskiness of playing a youngster who has little experience blah-de-blah-de-blah but is it more risky than playing an experienced player out of position? Evidence would suggest not. Bentley was poor on the left wing. Dunn was similarly abysmal there and Steven Reid was a liability as a right back.

But of course, playing experienced players is always the safer option. So Mokoena at RB might not be so bad.

[Sandiway Blue]

I am sure that MH will fix this for Chelsea if he doesnt I will eat my seat.

Would you like red or brown sauce with that?

[Guest WestSussexTombo]

Think we should raid Roques former club Bayern for Sagnol. Apparently he is unhappy with life in Germany and wants a new challenge...

Should be available for under 1.5 million...

[daveoftherovers]

Agreed, give him a chance

[tchocky]

Reid can play right back

Well. I'd say he can play in the right back position, but he certainly can't play as a right back [should].

We have to use a defender there against Chelsea.

[Neil Weaver]

So everyone is up in arms that Reid played at RB like he's never played there before - I can't be bothered looking through archives, but didn't he play RB for quite a while 2 or 3 years ago? I'm sure I remember there was a game where he was up against Robben and before the game I thought he was going to get murdered but far from it, Reid did fine. Not saying it should be a preferred option (playing him at RB) but he's deputised there several times.

[joey_big_nose]

So everyone is up in arms that Reid played at RB like he's never played there before - I can't be bothered looking through archives, but didn't he play RB for quite a while 2 or 3 years ago? I'm sure I remember there was a game where he was up against Robben and before the game I thought he was going to get murdered but far from it, Reid did fine. Not saying it should be a preferred option (playing him at RB) but he's deputised there several times.

Reid has played right back well before, its a completley new position to move into, and Steve was thrown straight in after a long layoff and a few games. The offside trap is a great point. I remember that when Souness first put Emerton in at right back he was atrocious and actually, I think, never tried there again until Hughes arrived. It takes a while to settle in to a new position and I have little doubt Ried would make a decent right back again given time.

However the fact that it is painfully obvious he is required in midfield at the moment means I doubt he will be there for long. Emerton is back and will come back in. However in the longer run actually do need a defensive rightback. We have an absolute flyer of a left back in Warnock (how many assists now?!?), but if you have two very attacking full backs you can easily become exposed. Someone who is mobile but more stable would be good.

It would be a shame for Emerton if he lost out on this as generally he has been very good. When we are on the front foot he is just the man to support Bentley on the right. However when forced back he just too defensively weak. Not much of a tackler, average in the air, not good at holding the defensive line.

[grizfoot]

Reid is a midfielder simple as in my eyes. You can tell he's not use to playing right-back he got caught out of postion on numerous occassions the other night. We've got Emerton who's really our only proper right-back, we've got Oooijer & Zurab who can also play their but it's not their favoured position. Suppose it's time to see what one of the youngsters can do.

So everyone is up in arms that Reid played at RB like he's never played there before - I can't be bothered looking through archives, but didn't he play RB for quite a while 2 or 3 years ago? I'm sure I remember there was a game where he was up against Robben and before the game I thought he was going to get murdered but far from it, Reid did fine. Not saying it should be a preferred option (playing him at RB) but he's deputised there several times.

I seem to remember him playing at RB in the UEFA Cup and costing us the game a few seasons back.

[waggy]

One simple reason for playing Kane/Zurab/Any defender there ahead of Reid; Defenders are used to the offside trap, midfielders aren't. It's not easy to execute it well, and a midfielder returning from a long injury layoff isn't exactly going to do too well there is he?

i thought zurab would have played,the guy needs to get the rust off before chelski,but the offside trap is irrelevant as 90% of officials do not flag anymore

[Plastic Head]

Sorry, but why wasnt Zurab given the shout for right back? He is used to playing there and if Sparky is going to offer him a new contract then we might as well play him when Ooijer and Emerton are out...

Think tonight's game has put that one to bed...

Please Sparky get a right back on Jan 1st.

This has cost us a dozen goals at least this season.

[grizfoot]

We desperately need another right-back, it showed again tonight.

Hutton from Rangers looks like a good, young right-back will probably cost a bit though and that's if he wanted to move the Premiership.

[RoyRover]

I think last night showed that we need another right back in the team, to cover for or play instead of Emerton. Whether this come from within the club, where Tony Kane is apparently a very good prospect or Hughes decides to buy one, this is an area of the team that could be strengthened.

[Jimbo]

I think last night showed we need a right back with pace - Zurab pretty much got Petrov under control later in the game, the down side of this was he'd already beaten him for pace on three previous occaisions, two of which ended up in goals. What we really needed last night was Savage - if he'd have been fit then Bert would have been a right back and he'd have had the pace to deal with Petrov

[LeftWinger]

Zurab pretty much got Petrov under control later in the game...........if he'd have been fit then Bert would have been a right back and he'd have had the pace to deal with Petrov

Yes Zurab had Petrov in his pocket in the 2nd half didn't he

Did you watch a different game to me? How Zurab got Petrov under control from the bench beats me

[thenodrog]

Yes Zurab had Petrov in his pocket in the 2nd half didn't he

Did you watch a different game to me? How Zurab got Petrov under control from the bench beats me

Jimbo obviously watched it from a distant tiny screen in a noisy pub after imbibing a little too much of the old amber nectar.

[rover6]

It'd be interesting to count how many times this season a senior player has been allotted to a less familiar position and has put in a stinker. Bentley/Dunn left wing. Zurab right back. Reid right back.

The only positional switch that occasionally seems to work is Bentley as a second forward.

Hughes is clearly over-rating his players' ability to adapt to new positions.

[den]

It'd be interesting to count how many times this season a senior player has been allotted to a less familiar position and has put in a stinker. Bentley/Dunn left wing. Zurab right back. Reid right back.

The only positional switch that occasionally seems to work is Bentley as a second forward.

Hughes is clearly over-rating his players' ability to adapt to new positions.

No he isn't. You can look at any team of our kind of standing, and find that they all HAVE to move players around. It's not a matter of the manager wanting to play players out of position, it's a matter of HAVING to. That's why versatile players are always highly valued by their respective clubs.

[rover6]

Yes, but a manager can choose to play an inexperienced reserve player who specialises in the relevant position rather than move an experienced player to an unfamiliar role. It's a judgment call. I can't say Hughes has got it wrong because I cannot prove that say, Tony Kane, would've done a better job that Zurab yesterday, however, I'm just wondering whether Hughes has shown excessive faith in the adaptability of some of our first teamers.

However, I don't want to get into this worn argument, so I'll shut up.

[Neil Weaver]

As you say Mr6, no one can prove it, but I'd be willing to wager a fair bit that if Kane had have been thrown in (for his debut?) last night, he'd have been torn apart. Any self confidence would now be zero, and everyone on here (apart from your good self) would be saying 'Why the hell did Hughes give a reserve RB his first appearance against Petrov and not start an experienced player (eg Khiz) there?'.

Horses for courses, and last night was never the right time for an inexperienced RB.

[Jimbo]

Jimbo obviously watched it from a distant tiny screen in a noisy pub after imbibing a little too much of the old amber nectar.

I'll hold my hands up to being a little distracted yesterday evening

[mattyboy6000]

Whereas Oojier was poor at right back earlier on in the season I thought he was much much better against villa.. until we lost Nelsen

[Exiled in Toronto]

I don't know why everyone seems to think that Right Back is a position any half decent player can do well in. It's as specialised as any other position in the park and we don't have anyone in the first team squad who is reliably good at it.

Emerton has pace and goes forwards well, but defensively can't head for toffee and is a dodgy tackler. Oiijer is pretty much the opposite, as is Zurab.

Good full backs who have spent a career learning the position can do all of the above, and we should have one in the team.

[John]

Highly rated right back - Celtic set to snap up Germany international Hinkel

Quite a decent price for a 25 year old.