Quote Originally Posted by Monaco_Totty View Post
The club have addressed all positions so far and my point was a better left back is now needed.Club policy is having players of a certain age and to tie them up contract wise and a 29 year old with ability wanting better terms is a free agent who I believe can be bettered from within or from outside and as such from my viewings of the 'team' performing that position has been a chink in our armour and needs addressing for us to progress to a top six placing.

Failed to get a left back ?

Maybe but maybe one is developing in the club or one is about to come in.

Natural left back ?

We require a Bielsa left back - big difference.
The club have NOT "addressed all positions so far". We have no second string GK (unless of course you consider Koko a suitable alternative to Meslier?). Not my point anyway.

The squad that got us promoted as Championship winners is by and large the same squad that has brought us safety in the PL. ALL players deserve credit for that huge achievement, and to single out one named player for criticism, when it's perfectly possible to do so for others who remain nameless but who have cost us goals and/or games, is shameful. None are perfect, none are likely to attract the obscene transfer fees we see bandied about in the higher echelons of the PL, ALL have contributed.

One player doesn't make a team, neither does one player break one. You're entitled to your view on performance, but the fault (if there is one) is to expect a player acquired because of skills and performance shown in one position can necessarily change to another and still perform. The responsibility for leaving that position "vacant" lies with the club, not the player(s). The "Bielsa expects any player to play anywhere" bullsh1t is just that, he doesn't want Raphina playing at RB, he doesn't want Cooper as CF, he doesn't want Bamford as CB, he doesn't want Lllorente as RW etc etc. There are VERY few players in this squad or any other that have been cast about like Alioski, Dallas being the absolute standout, and about as many who have done it anywhere near as well.

"Maybe a left back is developing or about to come in", WTF??? Maybe the sun won't rise tomorrow, or maybe the price of bread will go up (or down), comments are about as meaningless as anything FFS. If developing, they have a few short games left to show themselves this season, and if "coming in" let's see how that works out, given that the place has been vacant for a season and a half. Until they (the club) act, I suspect that for as long as he remains at the club Alioski will continue to be played out of position and used as whipping boy if/when he gets turned around, (now who SHOULD be held responsible for that?

BTW, I used the term "natural left back" as it was quoted in yet another piece following the Blades game, where it was claimed that "a natural left back" would not have made the error of positioning that Alioski was accused of. Natural left back, Bielsa left back, don't give a hoot what label you put on it, just that it happens sooner rather than later.