Our Defence

[JUSTaway]

the nearest we have to a dominating centre half is butcher

[GUNBOAT]

I would say that our defence is probably on a par or slightly better than Dundee's,they got run ragged at East End Park we cruised it at the same venue only a couple of weeks later.They conceded one at QOTS yet we get FN hammered,where the phuck has it all went wrong in a couple of months?.

[Eamons_lost_wig_04]

the manager has to take the flak for this as much as the players....2 weak areas re full backs because he moves Smith

Sporle was brought in as competition for Robson we were told....doesn't get a game at left back when required,,, says it all really.

as been mentioned b4 RN let players leave without sufficient cover of the required standard for a team supposedly going for promotion??

This 2 yr extension didn't sit well with me prior to today....now I feel even more uncomfortable with it!

the timing for me is all wrong....end of the season ONCE WE KNEW WHERE WE WERE or if we were close to going up possibly earlier....so far nout has been achieved and we obviously still have major issues on the park.

[dreamoftangerine]

The most solid and composed we have looked all season is when butcher played at CB. However there was a big push to get him back into the middle of the park once Brown was brought in. Apparently we needed his dig in midfield...that doesn’t seem to be working. Next game have butcher, Reynolds, smith (RB please!) and Sporle. Get Banks in there along with macmullan, Stanton and Harkes. Louis and Lawrence upfront. Total joke of line ups for last month FFS!!

[Eamons_lost_wig_04]

the nearest we have to a dominating centre half is butcher

this.....again our strongest midfielder is our best centre half!

[bobafett]

Agree RE: Watson, simple change Smith stays at RB and Sprole who we signed as LB plays at LB, Neilson doesnt see this for some reason

He appears to be the only person on the planet who doesn't see this!! It was so glaringly obvious against Alloa that Smith at LB and Watson at RB was a **** idea!

[Arabknight]

It’s glaringly obvious that our defence is the weakest part of the team and if nt addressed quickly will lose us the league.

[JelloBiafra]

It’s glaringly obvious that our defence is the weakest part of the team and if nt addressed quickly will lose us the league.

Based on.last 2 "performances" and 4 of last 5 the whole team is **** at the moment. Only Shanks late 2 goals v Arbroath have averted a full blown crisis. Need to be winning next 2 now before ICT away.

[offshore_arab83]

im gonna add here too that McMullan doesnt play as well as when Smiths behind him at RB so another detrimental effect

[bobafett]

It just kills us completely. Smith is totally ineffective getting forward (understandably since he's on his wrong foot!) and Watson has next to no ability with the ball at his feet and offers absolutely nothing going forward anyway.
4-2-3-1 lives and dies with the full-backs. It's a system where they provide the majority of width. We seen it for huge chunks of last season. We had Booth at LB and Watson at RB. Neither of the 2 of them have any ability to get in behind the opposition. And we suffered as a result. This season we've been at our best with Robson and Smith pushing on from full-back and properly stretching teams. Thus creating more space for our attacking players. Somehow Neilson has completely missed this, even after watching us struggle like phuck to create anything against Alloa. Concerning.