Martin Skrtel

[DannyMan2006]

I think the point with Skrtel is that he does operate independently. If the other two full backs were level with him he'd be okay.

But regularly we play with two high full backs. We don't have a beast in midfield and so against Watford when Deeney dropped deep to win the ball one of our CB's would rush forwards to challenge him.

That left one CB alone in the middle. More often than not its Skrtel who plays sweeper & everytime he would drop deep & he was scared of getting beat for pace. Problem is, as he drops deeper he just leaves himself isolated & if the opposition are countering our full backs are high and they aren't given a chance to get back in position.

[Lecter]

WRONG !!

Completely missed my point about Ighalo steadying his run, or do you honestly think I meant he'd stay static and not time his run depending on our CB positions in order to exploit the space offered to him.

C'mon the **** Lecter......you're better than that.

No you misunderstood me completely

You step up to force the forward to run back and check his position

You don't step off that's ****ing insanity

I played semi-pro football as a young man and nowhere ever was it ever suggested that 1 centrehalf would drop off the play when the rest of the unit was 10 yards up the pitch

That is counter to EVERYTHING that are considered fundamentals to the art of defending

[Lecter]

I think the point with Skrtel is that he does operate independently. If the other two full backs were level with him he'd be okay.

But regularly we play with two high full backs. We don't have a beast in midfield and so against Watford when Deeney dropped deep to win the ball one of our CB's would rush forwards to challenge him.

That left one CB alone in the middle. More often than not its Skrtel who plays sweeper & everytime he would drop deep & he was scared of getting beat for pace. Problem is, as he drops deeper he just leaves himself isolated & if the opposition are countering our full backs are high and they aren't given a chance to get back in position.

Bingo!!!!

1 man acting independently of the rest of the back four is a recipe for disaster

You could maybe excuse him doing this if one of the other defenders had moved to attack the ball. But dropping off from a static back line is ****ing mental especially when your midfielders had moved to press a ball

[The Birdman]

No thats a terrible comment ... I would not wish injury in a United player let alone one of our own

I'm not wishing anything on him, it's already done, he's done the injury himself by being scared to play the ball and concentrating on the man.
What I'm saying is that if it's 4-6 weeks or more we have a better chance of buying a CB in Jan which is what we desperately need.

Simple as that, no point typing that I wish I could magic his boo boo away for him so he can continue being **** and costing us games and points.

[The Birdman]

For those of you discussing the semantics of defensive positioning Lector is right.
The only time you drop (as a unit, not individually) is if there's no pressure on the ball and the player in possession has time to pick his head up and play a pass. You do that to protect the space in behind as that is the biggest threat.
Otherwise
Ball goes backwards back line squeezes up in relation to the distance ball traveled, compact distances between units.
or
Defenders hold their line - together. Again, as a compact unit. Not 3 holding their line and 1 dropping 5-10 yards deeper because he knows he can't defend properly.

[Chazza]

Also gives the keeper a problem on when to come out and when to stay back.

[Chris]

This is our karma for when we laughed and cheered Titus Bramble on to the pitch that time at Anfield!

[RichC]

For those of you discussing the semantics of defensive positioning Lector is right.
The only time you drop (as a unit, not individually) is if there's no pressure on the ball and the player in possession has time to pick his head up and play a pass. You do that to protect the space in behind as that is the biggest threat.
Otherwise
Ball goes backwards back line squeezes up in relation to the distance ball traveled, compact distances between units.
or
Defenders hold their line - together. Again, as a compact unit. Not 3 holding their line and 1 dropping 5-10 yards deeper because he knows he can't defend properly.

It really isn't difficult to understand, if one player drops off it gives more space for the attacking side to play in whilst having the chance to bypass the other defenders holding their correct positions.

Skrtel was far from the only poor performer on Sunday but his errors are a constant in his game and have been for some time

[RichC]

This is our karma for when we laughed and cheered Titus Bramble on to the pitch that time at Anfield!

He's not that bad but he's not good enough for our aspirations

[Exiled_red]

I think the point with Skrtel is that he does operate independently. If the other two full backs were level with him he'd be okay.

But regularly we play with two high full backs. We don't have a beast in midfield and so against Watford when Deeney dropped deep to win the ball one of our CB's would rush forwards to challenge him.

That left one CB alone in the middle. More often than not its Skrtel who plays sweeper & everytime he would drop deep & he was scared of getting beat for pace. Problem is, as he drops deeper he just leaves himself isolated & if the opposition are countering our full backs are high and they aren't given a chance to get back in position.

Bingo!!!!

1 man acting independently of the rest of the back four is a recipe for disaster

You could maybe excuse him doing this if one of the other defenders had moved to attack the ball. But dropping off from a static back line is ****ing mental especially when your midfielders had moved to press a ball

Do we assume that Skrtel is doing this by his own choice or on managers instructions to play deeper or his partner to play higher (either of which would be a bit odd IMO)?

The reason I ask is that he has been doing it for ages and surely a manager would try and coach it out of him or pick someone who doesn't keep doing it etc. While I must admit I am not a big fan of continually pushing up in an attempt to catch people offside, but everyone being in a line makes it easier to defend and every defender knows where the rest of the back four are and the opposition players are, (and to be fair the other 3 seem to keep a reasonable line between themselves). The fact that he keeps doing it suggests that he is under instructions or it is something that has just become ingrained in him or that he is letting the attacker dictate his position on the pitch.

[Bender]

Rumours Skrtel is out for three months, according to reports.

[BigChief]

We're ****ed with him in the team and we're ****ed without him in the team. Is Lovren back soon? Please no Kolo.

[Kenneth]

Do we assume that Skrtel is doing this by his own choice or on managers instructions to play deeper or his partner to play higher (either of which would be a bit odd IMO)?

The reason I ask is that he has been doing it for ages and surely a manager would try and coach it out of him or pick someone who doesn't keep doing it etc. While I must admit I am not a big fan of continually pushing up in an attempt to catch people offside, but everyone being in a line makes it easier to defend and every defender knows where the rest of the back four are and the opposition players are, (and to be fair the other 3 seem to keep a reasonable line between themselves). The fact that he keeps doing it suggests that he is under instructions or it is something that has just become ingrained in him or that he is letting the attacker dictate his position on the pitch.

Armchair experts taking supposedly incriminating screen grabs to prove he's clueless are laughable. We have no idea what coaching or planning our players receive, including the positioning of the centre backs. Skrtel was part of one of the best defenses in the league a few years ago, he's not stupid and he knows how to play the game. He's not immune from mistakes but he is quite evidently trying to perform the role that has been given to him by the coaches, not ESTs resident tactitians.

[Chazza]

Evidently.

[Kenneth]

As funny as ever.