Patrik Gerrbrand

[Durnerz]

He's the kind of player who needs to be alongside someone like Mccarthy to kick him up the arse in games as often he goes to sleep and ends up costing us goals. He needs to be a bit more assertive, don't let the ball drop and boss the striker a bit more, he gave players like Elliott and Parkin too much room and time on Saturday. I feel hes got potential and he's 24 isnt he? So still time to get used to our style of football.

[Sparky]

I accept all that and might have a different opinion when he shows he's adapted. But I do like good headers in central defence..preferably ones who are useful at the other end from set-pieces as was the case in MON days.It gives us more threat and goalscoring potential, which, I suppose, is always my central focus.

it s an interesting point you make thrach , do u think there seems to be a lack of defenders around in this country championship/premiership level that do manage to weigh in with 8 or 9 goals a season.

in the mid ninetys you had walshie who was as good attacker of a ball in the air as many people ive seen , steve bruce used to make double figures every year , gerry taggart was another at this club who knew where the net was.

other than john terry there does not seem to be many of that type of player around at the moment.

[Anish]

it s an interesting point you make thrach , do u think there seems to be a lack of defenders around in this country championship/premiership level that do manage to weigh in with 8 or 9 goals a season.

in the mid ninetys you had walshie who was as good attacker of a ball in the air as many people ive seen , steve bruce used to make double figures every year , gerry taggart was another at this club who knew where the net was.

other than john terry there does not seem to be many of that type of player around at the moment.

Agreed completely. I was thinking the same thing last week - we've had Walsh, Elliott, and Taggart who all bagged quite a few goals every season from set pieces, and there were other defenders at other clubs who were regular scorers.

Nowadays hardly any defenders score - I don't know why that is

[Thracian]

If it looks grim in the first team for goalscoring defenders it looks even worse in the Reserves, apart from Sheehan's free-kick. Basically, apart perhaps from Liam Norval who hasn't distinguished himself as a marksman , all our defenders seem relatively lightweight.

Whether it is a coaching trend, with the emphasis being on speed and endless stamina being the best way to nullify skill and the theory that the best way of dealing with giant, aerially strong attackers is to cut off their source of supply (ie crosses) and to push high up the park, I don't know.

Generally looking at Reserve and Academy teams who have players coming through most look to have bigger players than City (but City's are younger anyway) but all seem to full of players with speed and energy rather than height and raw strength.