A question for our experts about our defence.

[Silly-miller]

Why did we let Dom Ball go & get this Manny bloke in whose like the invisible man. Don't say Dom Ball was a bad apple. If the manager isn't strong enough to lay the law down shouldn't be the manager

Didn’t he have a spat last year with posh manager? Maybe it’s a test to see if he can change his attitude this time? No idea I’m only guessing

[Donald_Valley]

Leaderless on the field and off.

This defence unit is hapless. Even in position they very rarely make the angles to receive the ball from their own team mates which is shocking at this level.

Warne and his “mates” need to step up or ship out.

[mellowmiller]

Ajayi is downright awful. I am struggling to think of a worst centre back we have ever had.

Mattock should never have been given an extension. I’m lead to believe he is a big earner and yet he offers nothing.

Wood is shot.

Cummings has gone from what I thought was a half decent player into a gibbering wreck.

Vaulks is rubbish. Full back or midfield.

Only a short while ago Warne was saying we could end up getting £10 million for Ajayi.
Obviously it was tongue in cheek but I wonder what made him say it because Ajayi simply doesn't look like a professional footballer.

[Masbroughstreet]

Why did we let Dom Ball go & get this Manny bloke in whose like the invisible man. Don't say Dom Ball was a bad apple. If the manager isn't strong enough to lay the law down shouldn't be the manager

We let Dom Ball go because he was rubbish, and Onariase was signed as one for the future, it was said a hundred times when we signed him yet for some reason you still keep asking. If he got in the team now you'd probably be saying he's rubbish and we should get rid after one game.

I've no idea what's happened to Ajayi, he looked much better in the league above, he seems to have gone to pieces. I think a lot of us expected him to be one of our better players this season, I know I did.

[millertop]

Ajayi is downright awful. I am struggling to think of a worst centre back we have ever had.

Mattock should never have been given an extension. I’m lead to believe he is a big earner and yet he offers nothing.

Wood is shot.

Cummings has gone from what I thought was a half decent player into a gibbering wreck.

Vaulks is rubbish. Full back or midfield.

So is this down to manager/coach? I'd say yes because 3 out of 4 of them are decent players imo

[mikemiller]

The worrying thing is that Ajayi looked quite good when we first got him, but with RUFC coaching has become significantly worse. Although with a decent keeper behind him, he'd might be ok.
Cummings has never looked fit - probably why, although he initially looked like a decent player, he's only on a one-year contract (which, unless he dramatically improves, gets fit, etc, is unlikely to be extended).
Wouldn't disagree much about the general comments on the rest

[pip_y]

Time to get Guy Branson in

[Casper64Frank]

Time to get Guy Branson in

Or even Guy Branston pip..lol

Why not make them watch some Charles Bronson films...
The Dirty Dozen ( defenders)
The Magnificent Seven (defenders)
The Great Escape(from mid-table mediocrity)
Hard Times (1970)

In answer to the O/P..do we man mark or defend zonally...
it's neither...we just don't. can't defend at crucial times.
Still a lot to play for and higher in the League than what I expected.

[mellowmiller]

Emmanuel or Cummings? Neither.
Wood or Ajayi? Neither.
Mattock or Purrington? Neither.
That about sums up the case for the defence (or lack of).
Plenty of work to do in January you'd think but my guess is we'll probably try to muddle through with what we've got.

[millertop]

Emmanuel or Cummings? Neither.
Wood or Ajayi? Neither.
Mattock or Purrington? Neither.
That about sums up the case for the defence (or lack of).
Plenty of work to do in January you'd think but my guess is we'll probably try to muddle through with what we've got.

O'Donnell Cummings Ajayi Ihiekwe Mattock until January should be the back five imo

Purrington is getting better though apart from keep picking injuries up