Defence an issue

[swaledale]

I think we will achieve top 6, but I'd rather get top 2 than go through that all again!!

Shotton is a RB by trade, Whitbread needs some game time, maybe Mac will give him a go on tuesday but he needs to get sharper. I've heard that Bucko needs a rest to fully get over his injury so its odds on whitbread will start Tues.

what is worrying is that there is no meaningful competition for Forsyth

[Manofpride]

I know Shotton is a right back but after the Forest game I thought he was second best in everything he did except his goal. Very slow and got knocked off the ball in nearly every 50/50 challenge. Wouldn't make my subs bench!

[swaledale]

I do think you have to take into account the lack of game tme, its difficult to judge a player on a couple of performances, Forsyth and Martin are two examples who on the basis of the their first 6 or 7 games one wouldn't be over confident could deliver what we want!

After all even players costing millions of pounds can take time to gel in a team and the succes last season was surely based on the all round team performance rather than individual players?

[HOODIE]

I think our style of play will let the opposition have chances.

Nailed it.

Its like that in any sport, in cricket if you go on the attack to score runs your going to run the risk of being caught or bowled. In tennis if you play aggressive tennis and go for your shots you run the risk of giving away cheap points. Its the same in most sports.

It doesn't mean we cannot try and improve but we will always give goals away.

[minesahartington]

I think a clear inability to deal with set pieces and corners is not directly linked to our style of play. We dont know our best defence and the players seem disorganised to me

[swaledale]

I think a clear inability to deal with set pieces and corners is not directly linked to our style of play. We dont know our best defence and the players seem disorganised to me

Our best back four as it stands is Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth

But Buxton's carrying an injury and then got a suspension.

Forsyth has been a little below par lately and Christie is new to the club - so theres been some choppng and changing which never helps.

I don't think its disorganised - we managed to restrict Forest to 1 goal and couple of chances, whilst the last 10 mins aganst Blackburn we defended very well, its more that for the odd spell in games the players seem to lose concentration and we have been punished for it.

[swaledale]

Confirmed that Bucko is out until his injury clears up, so either Whitbread or Shotton will get a chance to prove themselves over a run of games I'm guessing it will be Whitbread as Shotton isn't a natural CB.

[swaledale]

Didnt go last night anyones views on how Shotton played? Is he a better bet to replace Bucko than Whitbread.

[swaledale]

Shotton or whitbread in the team tomorrow?

[swaledale]

So it was whitbread, thought he had a decent game, although the opposition were pants and makes sense in that he is a left footed player and fits in that left centre back slot, whereas Shotton is not only right footed but his natural position is right back.