Just to clear this up...

[Magpies_4ever]

Any defender/centre half worth their salt should not require “protection” from midfield. If the lack of “protection” is the issue, then it’s yet another indicator of how poor our centre halves are.

Elliot Hewitt is not good enough. It is not simply that he’s “playing out of position” (let’s not forget he was brought in as, and has played the majority of his career at right back). I was at Cambridge, Yeovil, and watched the game tonight... quite frankly I can count on my hands how many times he’s completed a pass OR actively defended and made a tackle... why that says combative midfielder to anyone I do not know.

The major problem we have, and has been is our two centre halves, let’s not get carried away focusing on other areas of the pitch.

[jackal2]

Elliot Hewitt is not good enough. It is not simply that he’s “playing out of position” (let’s not forget he was brought in as, and has played the majority of his career at right back). I was at Cambridge, Yeovil, and watched the game tonight... quite frankly I can count on my hands how many times he’s completed a pass OR actively defended and made a tackle... why that says combative midfielder to anyone I do not know.

Elliott Hewitt is hopeless as a right-back, but playing as a midfielder a lot of posters on this board at the end of last season ranked him ahead of Tootle as their Player of the Season in a team that finished 5th, so it's not fair to say he just isn't good enough. It IS fair to say he isn't remotely good enough as a right-back.

[Freeman25]

Disagree with most of what you've said there to be honest. Elliot Hewitt spent the season before we signed him playing on the right wing for Colchester and had played centre back for Wales u17's and u21's.

As for centre backs not needing protection... Have you only just started watching football? Central midfielders that can defend are vital and it's why you see the likes of Kante, Matic, Fernandinho etc getting praise and being picked for their respective teams. City would just play a team of attacking midfielders if their "worlds most expensive defence" didn't need any protection from midfield.

If your centre backs are running out of position to close down attackers you end up all over the place, that's why the midfield is required to "give them protection", that's just a basic requirement of football.

[roweyp]

Was nothing to do with the midfield tonight it was set pieces and defensive mistakes. Duffy is getting fatter every game and simply can't jump now either. Duffy at fault for the first two, probably the third as well but will have to look again. We need two new centre backs a left back and a keeper.

[Elite_Pie]

Any defender/centre half worth their salt should not require “protection” from midfield.

Complete and utter bollox. Football is a team game, and defending starts with the strikers. Nobody did that better than Lee Hughes, who chased and harried opposing defenders forcing them to make hurried clearances. Hughesy was a great striker, but he was also a bloody good defender. After the strikers, defending moves to midfield. Deny them space and fly into tackles and most of their attacks are stopped before they start. Again, that's good defending. After that it's down to those at the back. We've been poor in every area this season, and we've made it far too easy for the opposition to strut their stuff. Of course a defence requires protection from midfield, and also attack. We've just been crap at doing it so far.

[Magpies_4ever]

Manchester City have the most expensive defence in football, because the style of football Pep Guardiola plays requires players who can actually defend, can be brave enough to play high, and to back themselves 1v1 against the best players in the world. Hence why the defenders they’ve bought cost serious money.

[jackal2]

Was nothing to do with the midfield tonight it was set pieces and defensive mistakes. Duffy is getting fatter every game and simply can't jump now either. Duffy at fault for the first two, probably the third as well but will have to look again. We need two new centre backs a left back and a keeper.

The truth is probably that Yates and Hewitt (in midfield) relieved so much pressure on the defence last year that we didn't realise how bad they are. Now they are regularly under pressure and vulnerable, especially to counter-attacks, and it's obvious they can't handle it.

[SmiffyPie]

Manchester City have the most expensive defence in football, because the style of football Pep Guardiola plays requires players who can actually defend, can be brave enough to play high, and to back themselves 1v1 against the best players in the world. Hence why the defenders they’ve bought cost serious money.

And your point is?

[Magpies_4ever]

Complete and utter bollox. Football is a team game, and defending starts with the strikers. Nobody did that better than Lee Hughes, who chased and harried opposing defenders forcing them to make hurried clearances. Hughesy was a great striker, but he was also a bloody good defender. After the strikers, defending moves to midfield. Deny them space and fly into tackles and most of their attacks are stopped before they start. Again, that's good defending. After that it's down to those at the back. We've been poor in every area this season, and we've made it far too easy for the opposition to strut their stuff. Of course a defence requires protection from midfield, and also attack. We've just been crap at doing it so far.

Honestly largely backs up what I’m trying to say. The modern game requires midfielders to fly in to tackles and actively attempt to win the ball back, not sit off and screen passes (protect your centre halves).

The fact we defend so deep is the issue. The gaps between the lines in our team is quite honestly pathetic and that comes from your centre halves not being brave enough to actively defend. No midfielder in league two could do a sound defensive job with the depth our current back 4 plays.

[Magpies_4ever]

And your point is?

My point is Manchester City don’t play midfielders to “protect” their defenders because they’re good enough to defend as it is.