Joe Gomez

[frank the tank]

ha ha

[Irishnev]

[ATTACH]2964[/ATTACH]

[frank the tank]

he looks a very good talent alright. People say that he won't dislodge Clyne and they may be correct - but what if Clyne gets injured? Isn't it great that we are unlikely to see Emre Can back there at right back again!!!

For me, Gomez will do well to get as many minutes on the clock as he can this season - and he may end up being Skrtel's long term successor. A stint in both full back positions didn't do Jamie Carragher any harm and if Gomez could get to, say 23 years old, with 200 first team appearances under his belt, then we could have a brilliant player on our hands.

[McDermotX]

Think it won't be too long until Moreno gets a game though, as impressive as Gomez has been....3 for 3 on yellow cards, and even though the refs seem obligated to punish first fouls ridiculously so this season, its hard to argue with the incidents in question.
He'll get his suspension, Moreno will come in, we'll fall to bits, Dejan will implode etc etc.......then he'll probably walk straight back in

[Tee]

I cannot get over how good he is.

The boy is a special talent, incredible composure for his age. He is going to be a huge player in a few years.

[dww]

He looks plenty big to me!

How big to you have to be to play centre back?

He seems a good height. Not sure he looks strong enough yet.

Back to the height topic - I've heard a lot of talk lately about how you can almost always get away with playing only one tall/aerially dominant CB now due to no teams really playing two big strikers up top (obviously need height elsewhere for set pieces). The extreme example of that being Mascherano for Barcelona (also as mentioned by BigChief Blind is not tall @ United).

I think there is something in that. Certainly I believe it is more important to have players that work well as a unit and any lack of height is more that compensated for by either pace or comfort on the ball.

[MosRay]

Certainly I believe it is more important to have players that work well as a unit and any lack of height is more that compensated for by either pace or comfort on the ball.

I would agree with you there. We don't have an overly tall back line, far from it, but as a unit they are working well together.

Gomez is a talent for sure, and at 18 he has shown massive maturity for someone so young. New club, new league and out of favoured position. Joe will suffer dips for sure but if he continues in the same fashion he'll become a really special player as he matures with age, but for now he's off to a flyer and I'm really impressed with him, a real bargain too.

[Buzzo]

Other than Clyne who is 5'9

Skrtel is 6' 3, Lovren and Gomez are 6'2 and Mignolet is 6'4. That seems plenty big to me?

For example.
Chelsea:Ivanovic 6'1, Terry 6'1, Azpilicueta 5'10, Cahill 6'4, Courtois 6'6
City: Kompany 6'4, Mangala 6'1, Zabaleta 5'10, Kolarov 6'2, Hart 6,5
Arsenal: Cech 6'5, Mertesaker 6'6, Gabriel 6'1, Chambers 6, Monreal 5,10.
Utd: De Gea 6'4, Darmian 6, Shaw 6, Rojo 6'1, Jones 6'1

[Lecter]

Courtois looks way over 6ft

[Buzzo]

Courtois looks way over 6ft

He is 6'6 - you got in before I could amend it

Basically, our back line averages out at around the same height as the other top 4 teams. A cm In it either way.

[BigChief]

He seems a good height. Not sure he looks strong enough yet.

Back to the height topic - I've heard a lot of talk lately about how you can almost always get away with playing only one tall/aerially dominant CB now due to no teams really playing two big strikers up top (obviously need height elsewhere for set pieces). The extreme example of that being Mascherano for Barcelona (also as mentioned by BigChief Blind is not tall @ United).

I think there is something in that. Certainly I believe it is more important to have players that work well as a unit and any lack of height is more that compensated for by either pace or comfort on the ball.

I think these things go in cycles. Teams employ tall, hard men in defence so opposing teams pick diminutive skilful players to get round them.

Teams employ shorter, but more ball playing, centre-halves to counter the skilful strikers and opposing teams buy Benteke. And so on.

[Fosterbloke]

I think these things go in cycles. Teams employ tall, hard men in defence so opposing teams pick diminutive skilful players to get round them.

Teams employ shorter, but more ball playing, centre-halves to counter the skilful strikers and opposing teams buy Benteke. And so on.

[Roboklopp]

Is kompany really sixfootfour?

[Bender]

Rodgers on Gomez: "I think there is a lot more to come from him. He's probably playing in his 3rd best position in back four. He's a CB."

[Rich]

More than happy for him to spend the next few years in a fullback slot as he learns his game. You don't find many teenagers playing centrehalf in the top teams.