The Indefensibe Defending Thread

[Lecter]

A dumb question but when it comes to defending corners who decides if you put men on the posts is that a coaching or GK decison? Assuming that the GK is organising the defence. You used to see GKs telling people where to be, but not so much these days (even with other keepers).

Thats a coaching decision

Obviously if the keeper says to the coach I would prefer a man there they would listen

All set pieces are dictated beforehand

X will pick up Y

or

A will stand in area B

[Buzzo]

Mignoalets positioning is just bizarre there.

It's his indicisiveness that then spreads through the entire defence.

A man on the near post would have kept that out, and we probably go in at half time at least 2-1 up.

[Lecter]

Mignoalets positioning is just bizarre there.

It's his indicisiveness that then spreads through the entire defence.

A man on the near post would have kept that out, and we probably go in at half time at least 2-1 up.

Hes in no mans land there

[Exiled_red]

Thats a coaching decision

Obviously if the keeper says to the coach I would prefer a man there they would listen

All set pieces are dictated beforehand

X will pick up Y

or

A will stand in area B

I assumed it was primarily a coaching drill but I would have thought that things might change somewhat during the course of the match e.g. if we have been having trouble with a particular type of corner, how many men are around the keeper, whether the keeper is intending to come out or stay on his line etc.

Looking at the picture posted above there are so many things wrong with the defending there. If Mignolet is starting 2 yards out surely we have to have men on the posts, Mignolet is terrible at coming for corners. Also why is the tallest man on the pitch allowed to stand goalside of his marker middle of the 6 yard box in the middle of goal. I could go on.

[nineteen]

That corner kick

At some point in time, did "goal side" get dropped from the training manual?

[Slinky Skills]

jesus christ what a picture.

So we have Toure on the wrong side of Merty, Sakho losing Giroud, Lallana too far off Walcott & Mignolet coming back from taking a ****. Unreal, that pic should be pinned in the dressing room with the caption "How not to defend".

[Chazza]

[RichC]

Not great reading that, keeper is an issue but also not being able to play a settled defence won't have helped. Oh for a period of game where we can play the same centre backs (preferably Sakho and Lovren) until we can bring in someone else

[Fredo]

Keeper is the major issue with corners. I mean, when not dealing with them properly. The keeper brings confidence to the whole defence as they see the play generally. The one we conceded vs Arsenal should have been dealt with at the near post and from Mignolet's perspective he should have organised his defence better.

[RichC]

He should be doing that but the constant forced changes at the back certainly hasn't helped us. A new keeper is a must for me now, Mignolet just doesn't seem to be commanding enough and for all the decent reflex saves he makes there are too many silly costly errors.

[Buzzo]

He's a pretty meek presence back there. You don't really see him lose his rag at the defence, and he'd certainly have plenty of cause.

[Slinky Skills]

It's mad with Mignolet because we saw him come out really commanding late in the Arsenal game and he smashed one of their players and one of ours at the same time which sometimes you need to do to clear the ball.

He clearly has it in him but he's ****ing brain dead 99% of the time so you worry he has the all round capability to be a decent keeper.

[wiw]

It's mad with Mignolet because we saw him come out really commanding late in the Arsenal game and he smashed one of their players and one of ours at the same time which sometimes you need to do to clear the ball.

He clearly has it in him but he's ****ing brain dead 99% of the time so you worry he has the all round capability to be a decent keeper.

I don't think he's brain dead, quite the opposite! Seems to over-think everything

[redmike65]

I don't think he's brain dead, quite the opposite! Seems to over-think everything

his girlfriend actually told him as much - no I wasn't in the shower with them, he said that his other half told him to stop thinking about what to do and just be confident in what he does do. I bet on the training ground he seems fine but when it matters most he is at sixes and sevens. Mind you that's also a decent reason to get rid of him, if he needs constantly re-setting he's no real use!

[PTP]

i made a post about 2 or 3 years ago, in fact might have been when we nearly won league, which despite how good we were attacking, we were ****e at the back.

It was along the lines of different factors all playing their part in being a complete cluster ****.

ie, Mignolet is ****, so the defence panics and drop deeper, smothering mignolet, which means he drops even more into the six yard box and his shell, causing the defence to drop deeper and cluster **** follows - as a result, because our midfielders have no pace then either they get caught out causing 4 oppo attackers running at a deep back four, or the centre mids drop deeper to give them that extra yard, but they are no sitting on top off the back four, who drop deeper to give themselves space, but they are now so on top of mignolet who is curled up in a ball and cluster **** follows.

As a result, the attackers are isolated - with suarez it was no problem, but now we don't make the ball stick, so cluster **** follows.


3 years later I see no improvements or changes to any of these glaring issues.

The main one is the keeper - a stronger, more dominate keeper, who could control his own box - I mean the whole penalty area, (mignolet doesn't even command the 6 yard box!) and had reasonable ball skills and distribution, would give the defence the confidence to push up a bit more. - Then if we can find a strong, aggressive, good in the air/good tackler, pacy centre mid who can spot danger quickly, cover 20 yards fast and snap stop any counters, it would allow the midfield to push up more and support the attack - this has the knock on effect that defence is under less pressure, so they get more confident, and the keeper gets more time/space and confidence = all would equal less individual errors and cluster ****s.


Personally, I have no major concerns with Clyne and Moreno as full backs, both have areas they can improve on but I do feel, with a good strong CM as mentioned above, and a more solid centre half partnership and better keeper - then these two as full backs would improve no end - and then having smith and hopefully flannagan back fit, it would give different options and good cover/competition.

Whilst I like sakho, he does cause heart in mouth moments, he has had some injury issues, so I'm not convinced he is the main man, lovren neither - both have something to offer tho - skrtel and toure I'd move on.

I don't know enough about Joel Matip to comment but hoping him and another top centre half come in - if it was me I'd be looking for something like this, and asap!

assuming we look to play 4-2-3-1


--------------------------------New Keeper--------------------------------

clyne------------------new cb--------------matip-------------------Moreno

--------------------------Henderson----------new cm--------------------

coutinho--------------------------new cm-----------------------new pacy attacker

-----------------------------------new striker-----------------------------------


With competition/cover from

Ward
Flannagan
Smith
Sakho
Lovren
Krujic
Can
Lucas
Milner
Firminho
Ibe
Ings
Origi
Sturridge


That's a 25 man squad - Get the spine right of new gk/cb/cm/striker - then some good options and different ways of playing available.


I prob don't know who to sign - but I'd be looking at something like

GK - Butland/Ter Stegen

CB - Matip/AN other

CM - Kante?

CM - Gundogan

Pacy attacker - Goetze

Striker - Auyamanebebghng or however it is spelt


Any players not mentioned I'd get rid off -

Mignolet
Ilori
Wisdom
Toure
Skrtel
Allen
Lallana
Teixeria
Benteke


Being the main ones of the top of my head I can think off