[Archived] Defensive Midfield and Right back

[47er]

I thought it was absolute madness to let Emerton go when we did. He might not be a world-beater, but he's a steady right back who will rarely let you down. He's also an experienced head who can play in CM. If he wanted to leave, then fine, but not until January when we could be replaced.

Yes,very true. Probably wanted him off the books to save money. Can't think of any other sane reason.

[BRFC1995]

Heard of N'zonzi?

IMO another reason why Bert should still be at Ewood

N'zonzi is rubbish.

Sav had no technical gifts but pure graft made him 10 times the player N'zonzi could wish to be.

He is just tall...........that is it, no positive reason for him to ever be on the pitch other than to add height. Over rated moody frenchman who looks every penny a £50,000 signing.

Offers no protection to the backline at all, Compare Tiote's workrate to N'zonzis yesterday and they are worlds apart.

The last best DM we had was J JONES before that P JONES they went under keans watch and now we play hoillet, ollson, Nzonzi, and lowe across midfield and this clown expects us to ever have more possession than the opposition, the most lightweight midfield imaginable for an away game in the premier league and on what has been seen petrovic looks a complete dud.

[hesfromburn]

we really failed not bringing a solid midfield player bought or loan. We have nobody to boss the park. playing dunn there was desperate. I think pedersen is our only option. our midfield is non existant so opposition are given freedom to double up on our full backs. I dont think its the fullbacks fault, we missed givet at left back last season. there is just no midfield or tracking back to help them its a mess.

[Amo]

N'zonzi is rubbish.

Sav had no technical gifts but pure graft made him 10 times the player N'zonzi could wish to be.

He is just tall...........that is it, no positive reason for him to ever be on the pitch other than to add height. Over rated moody frenchman who looks every penny a £50,000 signing.

Offers no protection to the backline at all, Compare Tiote's workrate to N'zonzis yesterday and they are worlds apart.

The last best DM we had was J JONES before that P JONES they went under keans watch and now we play hoillet, ollson, Nzonzi, and lowe across midfield and this clown expects us to ever have more possession than the opposition, the most lightweight midfield imaginable for an away game in the premier league and on what has been seen petrovic looks a complete dud.

Totally agree. I said something similar in the Newcastle thread. For a defensive midfielder, he's far too casual at times and goes missing when we need him to protect the back-four. We need more of the Nzonzi who floored Lucas.

[joey_big_nose]

I am coming round to the idea again that maybe we need to stick a central defender in front of the back four. It won't be pretty but we really really need someone who can physically compete and throw themselves around. Something like:-

-----------------Robinson

Salgado----Dann----Givet-----Olsson

------------------Samba

-Vukcevic-------Lowe------Pedersen

-------------------Hoilett

-------------------Yakubu

Samba is our best central defender, but the fact of the matter is we need someone with his presence and athletic ability to protect our defence, and we do have a number of decent other centrebacks to fill in at the back (Givet, Nelsen, Dann, Hanley).

He also could give us a bit of leadership in the middle of the park. What do people think? Desperate times....

[John]

Wonder when we will see Riberio involved? He was on trial for ages therefore surely the management team were certain he could cut it at this level.....

[Veevs]

Wonder when we will see Riberio involved? He was on trial for ages therefore surely the management team were certain he could cut it at this level.....

When.. how about never, I doubt we will ever see him on the pitch, putting a player out of position in there has been Keans preference so obviously he must be utter rubbish.

[John]

There is something a bit odd about that signing (just like the managerial appointment of Kean).

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

we really failed not bringing a solid midfield player bought or loan. We have nobody to boss the park. playing dunn there was desperate. I think pedersen is our only option. our midfield is non existant so opposition are given freedom to double up on our full backs. I dont think its the fullbacks fault, we missed givet at left back last season. there is just no midfield or tracking back to help them its a mess.

If Pedersen's the answer we are truly stuffed !

[hesfromburn]

I agree pedersen isnt ideal but at least he gets back and helps. Our midfield is so none existant having 3 defenders might not be a bad idea.

[Amo]

Whatever happened to Linganzi? He's not even on the official site, anymore.

[LeChuck]

He also could give us a bit of leadership in the middle of the park. What do people think? Desperate times....

It would play to all his weaknesses, as a midfielder he'd be more limited than Mokoena.

I think we need to change shape and move to a more conventional 4-3-3/4-5-1/4-1-4-1. Too many gaps in the middle, we need to play three players in conservative positions to help the back four.

............... Robinson

Salgado Samba Dann Olsson

................. Grella

.......... N'Zonzi ... Dunn

. Vukcevic ............... Hoilett

................. Yakubu

I'd go with that as first choice for now. If Grella breaks down then N'Zonzi in front of the back four and Petrovic/Pedersen in the middle. Formica is too anonymous in the middle and will have to compete with Hoilett, Vukcevic and Rochina for a wide role.

[m1st]

I thought it was absolute madness to let Emerton go when we did. He might not be a world-beater, but he's a steady right back who will rarely let you down. He's also an experienced head who can play in CM. If he wanted to leave, then fine, but not until January when we could be replaced.

I don't know if others agree; but I sort of feel that we owed 'Bert' for 8 years' consistent service to the club.

The Aussie season begins in October and he might not have got a similar offer again. As an individual, his priority had, surely, to be to his family whom, understandably, he wanted to bring up at home.

I can't imagine that this came out of the blue for the management; if it didn't, why on earth didn't they do something to replace him as a right-sided midfielder/defender? Vukcevic's is better going forward but, from what I've seen of him so far, couldn't be expected to cover for Salgado.

[Mafioso]

Olsson suspended and Givet injured. Should we include 'Left back' in the thread title ?

[Teacup]

Our midfield are completely awful at pressing and their defensive positioning when we are off the ball is pathetic. I think a lot more work needs to be done than just shuffling the players around.

[beastlove]

I think the problem is tactical more than player related. NZonzi for example looked extremely good under big Sam but now looks a liability at times. We are not playing to the players strengths and weakness. Nzonzi is a rather slow and not particularly mobile. Under Sam, Nzonzi basically sat in front of the back four winning balls in the air and breakinng up play.He was also used as an outlet for Robinsons long balls. Under Kean he plays higher up the pitch and is encouraged to join attacks from open play. Against Fulham he was constantly behind the play. I am also sure Salgado wouldn't be asked to overlap as much. Kean hasn't got the balance right between attack and defence.

[joey_big_nose]

It would play to all his weaknesses, as a midfielder he'd be more limited than Mokoena.

Don;t know about that. He is decent with his feet, has pace, massively physical. Not going to produce any defence splitting balls but I think he could really bring a bit of aggression to the midfield.

We'll see what Kean goes for but I am not sure he is going to have much choice soon as we are just so so poor at protecting our defence.

[Veevs]

Really annoyed at the JJ thing.. Schalke are not playing him this season and the new manager also does not favour him.. part of me is beginning to wonder if we really did put in a proper bid for him (and I mean a proper offer not a loan offer).

[Exiled_Rover]

I think we've solved the right back problem. Lowe looks assured there.

[joey_big_nose]

Irrespective of who is in charge it is now batten down the hatches time. We need to stop conceding goals. We need to defend well. The mild upside we did show we could do that against City for an hour. Formica, Rochina, Goodwillie, Vukcevic should not get on the pitch - we need to string four and five across the middle of the park and beat teams on the break through Hoilett and Olsson

-----------------------Robinson

---------Lowe---Samba----Dann----Givet

Hoilett---Nzonzi----Pedersen-----Petrovic----Olsson

------------------------Yakubu

I don't care if we are playing Norwich. We get everyone bar Yakubu behind the ball. We double up on the flanks. We hunt in packs in that space in front of the defence. Our single overriding goal is to outwork the opposition.

We have the worst goal difference in the league and have conceded so so many goals. There is no way we are staying up until this is sorted out.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Joey, the problem is even with that packed midfield I can't see us not letting in goals.

N'zonzi blows hot and cold, Petrovic doesn't even look good enough at Championship level and Pedersen showed against City having him in the side is a big mistake.

We have had this midfield problem for years and it is the club's fault that it hasn't been addressed due to the lack of money and keeping dross like Pedersen on the books.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Irrespective of who is in charge it is now batten down the hatches time. We need to stop conceding goals. We need to defend well. The mild upside we did show we could do that against City for an hour. Formica, Rochina, Goodwillie, Vukcevic should not get on the pitch - we need to string four and five across the middle of the park and beat teams on the break through Hoilett and Olsson

-----------------------Robinson

---------Lowe---Samba----Dann----Givet

Hoilett---Nzonzi----Pedersen-----Petrovic----Olsson

------------------------Yakubu

I don't care if we are playing Norwich. We get everyone bar Yakubu behind the ball. We double up on the flanks. We hunt in packs in that space in front of the defence. Our single overriding goal is to outwork the opposition.

We have the worst goal difference in the league and have conceded so so many goals. There is no way we are staying up until this is sorted out.

Is that what is meant by a " Soft Centre " ? You're dead right in theory, we just haven't got the players to play that way.

[brfcs5359]

We need to stop picking players not good enough. Selgado, Petrovic, Roberts. We need to not pick players out of position, Givet Lowe Goodwille.

Times up for some of these dollopers. Got to work with what we have until January.

When fit;

---------Robinson ----------

Ramm------Dann--------Samba---------Ollson

Hoillet-----Dunn-------Nzonzi---------Pedersen

-----------Goodwille -------- Yakubu-----------

Subs Rochina-----Hanley-------Nelson--------Vukevic------Givet-------Lowe

Rest can get rid of in January.

[brfcs5359]

Whoever said Selgado has been poor since he arrived is talking common sense. The only decent games he's had are when he hasn't been targeted. Since January teams have focused on him and exposed him. He lacks the basic techniques of defending.

Its regrettable that the modern day footballer thinks he can cover up his liabilities with some gung-ho crowd pleasing remonstrations. Fake passion designed to con the average punter who struggles to understand the game.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We need to stop picking players not good enough. Selgado, Petrovic, Roberts. We need to not pick players out of position, Givet Lowe Goodwille.

Times up for some of these dollopers. Got to work with what we have until January.

When fit;

---------Robinson ----------

Ramm------Dann--------Samba---------Ollson

Hoillet-----Dunn-------Nzonzi---------Pedersen

-----------Goodwille -------- Yakubu-----------

Subs Rochina-----Hanley-------Nelson--------Vukevic------Givet-------Lowe

Rest can get rid of in January.

You were doing OK until you picked three dollopers of your own Dunn, Pedersen , Goodwille. How many more times does any body need to see Ollsen at full back to know he's miles better wide on the left. He's a liability at left back. As I said the other day I'm afraid that picking any 11 at Rovers is like " Moving the deck chairs on the Titanic ". Could I do any better ? Probably not.