Marshall in way

RA, Changing things with the two new acquisitions could help and everyone has mitigating factors! I really don't think I was being harsh in saying our defenders can't defend, I think they have the talent but the jigsaw doesn't fit, like I said is it the players or Management. Every free kick and corner we defend looks awful and every team in the Championship know its a weak link.
The defence to me is of great concern! At least we have a keeper of quality now, I'm hoping he can organise a little!

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Originally Posted by Manofpride

RA, Changing things with the two new acquisitions could help and everyone has mitigating factors! I really don't think I was being harsh in saying our defenders can't defend, I think they have the talent but the jigsaw doesn't fit, like I said is it the players or Management. Every free kick and corner we defend looks awful and every team in the Championship know its a weak link.
The defence to me is of great concern! At least we have a keeper of quality now, I'm hoping he can organise a little!

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But you’re judging things on last season when, I agree, the defence was a great concern, but I suspect neither you, nor I, have seen two - probably three - fifths of next season’s defence play yet.

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Originally Posted by ramAnag

But you’re judging things on last season when, I agree, the defence was a great concern, but I suspect neither you, nor I, have seen two - probably three - fifths of next season’s defence play yet.

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Yes I was judging on last season as it's impossible to judge on a season that hasn't started yet! We were terrible in defence, I'm just hoping that the new acquisitions improve what we've got for this new season about to start but I'd still like to know if it was the players or management who were to blame for the constant mistakes being made.

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Originally Posted by ramAnag

But you’re judging things on last season when, I agree, the defence was a great concern, but I suspect neither you, nor I, have seen two - probably three - fifths of next season’s defence play yet.

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RA we've only signed one defender ( unknown to Championship football ) MoP makes a great point about defending crosses and corners .But lack of pace at the back is a big problem .Add in lack of pace in Bird and Rooney we became extremely vulnerable to teams hitting us on the break. New keeper may help especially if he's an organiser . But I still have doubts about the quality of our full backs

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Originally Posted by Manofpride

Yes I was judging on last season as it's impossible to judge on a season that hasn't started yet! We were terrible in defence, I'm just hoping that the new acquisitions improve what we've got for this new season about to start but I'd still like to know if it was the players or management who were to blame for the constant mistakes being made.

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I’m not disagreeing about last season, MoP and it was probably a combination of players, management and no small dose of ‘circumstance’.
The impact of losing Keogh just over a year ago...as player, leader and organiser...cannot be overstated and couldn’t have been foreseen. Neither could Bogle’s ‘second season syndrome’. Is he actually a right back or a right sided midfielder ? The jury is still out, imo.
In addition we lost Clarke for a fair chunk of the autumn and Bielik - as an alternative CH and defensive midfield presence - was also injured for most of the second half of the season.
Add into that the chopping and changing at left back due to injury and poor form, the unusual ‘injury’ to a rev italised Wisdom and the lack of confidence in either keeper throughout the season and that is why we had the problems we had.
Against a fairly chaotic background, as far as the club’s future is concerned, Cocu has addressed the goalkeeping issue, brought in a new CD with a reputation as a leader and is clearly looking at the LB situation.
All I’m saying is credit where credit is due as far as Cocu is concerned, and let’s see how the new defence performs before criticising further.
You and I both want the same thing...a free scoring DCFC attack and a miserly defence.

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Originally Posted by mistaram

RA I hope but doubt that they play Wisdom at right back . Cocu seems a bit obsessed with Bogle

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I'm not convinced that Wisdom is the answer at RB, he is not infallible as a defender and his attacking ability is in doubt. Still new players have been brought in so lets hope we get a settled defence and some consistency.

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Originally Posted by mistaram

RA we've only signed one defender ( unknown to Championship football ) MoP makes a great point about defending crosses and corners .But lack of pace at the back is a big problem .Add in lack of pace in Bird and Rooney we became extremely vulnerable to teams hitting us on the break. New keeper may help especially if he's an organiser . But I still have doubts about the quality of our full backs

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All opinion. Here's mine

Wisdom is no slouch. Bogle isn't as quick as Wis. Lowe and Buchanan are fast. Fozzy and Malone aren't slow. Neither is Clarke. From what I've seen of te Wierik he is no snail. Davies can't be labelled fast. Bird and Rooney aren't of road runner pace. Shinniesta about the same. Not sure about Bielik and pace.

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Originally Posted by MadAmster

All opinion. Here's mine

Not sure about Bielik and pace.

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I suspect it wouldn’t be one of his attributes in a game of ‘Top Trumps’, MA.