Originally Posted by
drillerpie
I came to the conclusion last season that we didn't actually need ball playing defenders. All they really did is take the ball from the keeper and play sideways passes under little or no pressure. If there was pressure, they generally made mistakes anyway and gave up chances and goals anyway. They occasionally dribbled out of defence but I'm talking maybe once or twice per game and sometimes not at all.
Maybe in the NL and in the first part of the season under Williams we asked them to do more, but even Williams accepted around November/December it was better just to launch it sometimes.
Also, watching different teams in various divisions in the play offs, almost all teams play out from the back. But for the most part they seem to have rugged defenders not Beckenbauer wannabes. I really think if we can get defenders whose strong point is defending, and can sidefoot a pass and control the ball (which is most defenders), then we will be a better team.