JamesWelshFox Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 (edited) The best centre backs we have had of late have been Wes, Huth, Was, and Evans. Wes was a mature centre half picked up from the Championship, Huth everyone seemed to think was past it, Evans total bargain, and as for Was I don't know what he did to the opposition but he scared the sh^te out of me ! What I am getting at here is that may be spending your dough on young talent in defence isn't the answer to having a stable team. Sure we will make money on Fofana but it has been unsettling for all concerned and done nothing for our solidity at the back, and once again leaves us at panic stations looking for a replacement. Your centre back pairing is too important to keep messing around with like this. If they are not tight then everything else suffers as people get dragged about trying to cover for them. So why not solid pros at the back and spend the money higher up the pitch. Tarkowski is the one that got away, maybe Mee too. Better still ask Evans who he rates and would like to be playing alongside. And as the last back up centre back option (probs Vesty at the moment) give one of our promising youngsters a chance. At the moment we should be starting Evans and Cags. Dan is a top bloke and will do any job you ask of him from the bench but a prem starting centre back he is not. Vesty was a panic buy last season and it is not his fault that we do not play in a style to suit his strengths, but there was always a reason Southampton were okay with letting him go. For the love of all things foxes somebody please get a grip of this festering issue. It is holding us back and if we are not very careful with who we bring in next it will drag us down and that would be catastrophic. Edited 27 August 2022 by JamesWelshFox 1
lcfcsnow Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 14 minutes ago, JamesWelshFox said: Wes, Huth, Was, Evans Wasilewski didn't play much in the PL but at their best they were supported by Kante in front and Kasper behind, it's a whole lot different to our current situation with three championship keepers and the choice of Ndidi completely out of form and Soumare who has no awareness and can't decide if he's coming or going. I'm afraid Evans is about done, it used to be said he holds it together well, if this is holding it together.. As for Tarkowski, fully back the decision to swerve that one.
Tuna Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 3 minutes ago, JamesWelshFox said: Tarkowski is the one that got away, maybe Mee too. Hmm not sure signing a relegated teams defence is a great idea! 1
Ric Flair Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 It's a good question. I do feel youth is the answer, like it is throughout the team if we want to continue to give ourselves the opportunity to buy and sell. 3
LFox99 Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 Make sure Ben Nelson eats his weetabix over the next year and then reassess next pre-season
JamesWelshFox Posted 27 August 2022 Author Posted 27 August 2022 Agree Evans is close to the end, but doesn't owe us a penny and worth noting he came out of a relegated teams defence. Ndidi is out of sorts and that I think has to be placed at Rogers door. Ndidi is brilliant at what he does, but Rogers is pushing him to play differently and it is destroying his game. Ward is a solid goalie, but frankly I'd be terrified by what he must see going on in front of him at the moment, maybe Kasper could see what was coming down the track and didn't like it one bit. No doubt we are in a hole. 3
LeePhilpottsBaldSpot Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 I've said it before but got laughed at for some reason - Joachim Andersen would be great for us. I think we need strong, dependable and professional centre back who will be a bastard to the opposition and make life horrible for them. 4
Ric Flair Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 1 minute ago, LeePhilpottsBaldSpot said: I've said it before but got laughed at for some reason - Joachim Andersen would be great for us. I think we need strong, dependable and professional centre back who will be a bastard to the opposition and make life horrible for them. Probably laughed at because he'd cost £50m minimum and not so sure he'd even want to come here. Don't forget the retort that we would pay more in wages is the reason we are in this mess and we'll have to be very careful in the coming years and will be in the same boat as the majority of teams who aspired to be as good as we have been. We need that stadium expansion and a stronger commercial revenue ASAP. 3
LeePhilpottsBaldSpot Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Ric Flair said: Probably laughed at because he'd cost £50m minimum and not so sure he'd even want to come here. No, they were saying it would be a downgrade / relegation signing. Some fans seemed to think Leicester were above a player like that and would rather sign some young hype they haven't ever seen play a full game of football. We aren't going to replace Fofana like-for-like, not only because he's better than the calibre of player we can usually attract but also because it's basically impossible to replace how any player fit into any system. The fact our defensive system is so frail means that despite selling our best defender we have a good chance to improve the unit. I hope we do not go out and get the best ball-playing centre back we can find. I'd rather add a brute who will be an arsehole to opposition players and teammates alike. We'll probably just bring in a Molla Wagué / Ryan Bennett style late loan who will play twice then disappear! Edited 27 August 2022 by LeePhilpottsBaldSpot 1
davieG Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 Unless we buy players that have potential sale on value you run the risk of stable becoming stagnant. Apart from that we need the cash that they bring in when sold because our ongoing revenues aren’t enough to allow us to compete beyond the middle of the PL. 1
Steve Earle Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 (edited) No. Next question? Edited 27 August 2022 by Steve Earle
Popular Post Rusko187 Posted 27 August 2022 Popular Post Posted 27 August 2022 Honestly, with Fofana gone I really do think we need 2 centre backs... 1 of proven quality and 1 up & coming one. 5
coolhandfox Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Fox 4 Life said: Anyone but Daniel ****ing Amartey I'm polishing my boots, think I'm good for a game if that's the standard. Edited 27 August 2022 by coolhandfox 1
DerbyshireFox Posted 27 August 2022 Posted 27 August 2022 1 hour ago, LeePhilpottsBaldSpot said: I've said it before but got laughed at for some reason - Joachim Andersen would be great for us. I think we need strong, dependable and professional centre back who will be a bastard to the opposition and make life horrible for them. Should’ve gone for him when Palace did. Unfortunately would be massively overpriced now
Nick Posted 28 August 2022 Posted 28 August 2022 9 hours ago, LeePhilpottsBaldSpot said: I've said it before but got laughed at for some reason - Joachim Andersen would be great for us. I think we need strong, dependable and professional centre back who will be a bastard to the opposition and make life horrible for them. Oh the 'provoke count' drama 2
murphy Posted 28 August 2022 Posted 28 August 2022 10 hours ago, Rusko187 said: Honestly, with Fofana gone I really do think we need 2 centre backs... 1 of proven quality and 1 up & coming one. Ar least. The centre back cupboard is totally bare. We have: Jonny Evans - Coming to the end of his career, cannot be relied upon to stay injury free Dan Amartey - A trier but has proven himself to be a liability sadly. Soyuncu - Likely leaving for free next year, has fallen out with Rodgers and was frankly awful (worse than Dan) last year Vestergaard - SImply not fit for purpose. The worst of the lot. Err.... that's it. How on earth did we manage to find ourselves in this situation? 3
JamesWelshFox Posted 28 August 2022 Author Posted 28 August 2022 I understand the point a couple of people make about buy in talented youth and sell on at a profit. My point was really that we are better off doing that with players further up the pitch, rather than with defenders, because if we are always recycling in defence you never get a settled and solid back line who know each others games and positioning. I know injuries really haven't helped in the last couple of years but we haven't had a settled back line for sometime now and it is this that is killing us. What is the point in scoring a couple if we are going to leak 4. This is the recruitment failure that is undoing us. We spent millions on Daka (and he may be worth it at some point) but right now he warms the bench while the centre back cupboard is indeed bare. Bad planning.
Sampson Posted 28 August 2022 Posted 28 August 2022 Always felt like centre back is the outfield position where experience matters the most though. Even if you look at many of the best centre backs in the world, you'll find they don't really start playing top flight football often until 22/23. I feel like Evans has been poor for quite a while now and if we're honest, is likely coming to the end of his time here. To me, it's a good Evans replacement we need more than a good Fofana replacement - i.e. an experienced leader who can organise in the vein of an Evans, Morgan or Huth. I think Soyuncu can fill that 2nd centre back role well enough if he has a strong leader alongside him. 1
Supergray22 Posted 28 August 2022 Posted 28 August 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, Ric Flair said: Probably laughed at because he'd cost £50m minimum and not so sure he'd even want to come here. Don't forget the retort that we would pay more in wages is the reason we are in this mess and we'll have to be very careful in the coming years and will be in the same boat as the majority of teams who aspired to be as good as we have been. We need that stadium expansion and a stronger commercial revenue ASAP. Agree although that is going to be more of a challenge now than it was a year ago. Edited 28 August 2022 by Supergray22
Collymore Posted 28 August 2022 Posted 28 August 2022 Appiah looked an absolute unit when I saw him play for the U21s. Whether he's anywhere near ready for the step up I don't know but surely can't be any worse than Amartey. 1
Tom12345 Posted 29 August 2022 Posted 29 August 2022 On 28/08/2022 at 04:46, LeePhilpottsBaldSpot said: I've said it before but got laughed at for some reason - Joachim Andersen would be great for us. I think we need strong, dependable and professional centre back who will be a bastard to the opposition and make life horrible for them. That was hilarious but if he pulls on a Leicester shirt the ref would have red carded him ages ago.
Haywood_6 Posted 29 August 2022 Posted 29 August 2022 I see quite a bit of Championship football. Ashley Phillips from Blackburn - only 17 years old but he's 6,3 and already playing for the first team. Going to develop into a very good player. Tom Holmes from Reading - About 22 now. Very solid and reliable young CB. He's quick and decent with his feet but he's also no nonsense. 1
Claridge Posted 29 August 2022 Posted 29 August 2022 1 hour ago, Haywood_6 said: I see quite a bit of Championship football. Ashley Phillips from Blackburn - only 17 years old but he's 6,3 and already playing for the first team. Going to develop into a very good player. Tom Holmes from Reading - About 22 now. Very solid and reliable young CB. He's quick and decent with his feet but he's also no nonsense. Be seeing a lot more next year 1 1
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