Bruno Berner the missing key?

[themotivator]

an experienced centerback wouldnt be a horrible addition to the squad. sol campbel or someone of his caliber.... or maybe someone younger aaand better. dunne has had an absolutely shocking season, villa fans dont know whats gone on with him. he was fantastic the year before and woefull now. who knows what the future might bring.....

[Kitchandro]

Rubbish. It hasn't been the same since PEARSON left.

True, but I think Pearson would have replaced Brown.

[dannythefox]

Rubbish. It hasn't been the same since PEARSON left.

Rubbish? did wayne brown not leave before he left? Get your head out your arse and look at the football we've played. RUBBISH? IF YOU SAID THAT TO ME IN THE STREET YOU WOULD NOW HAVE NO LEGS. Get off here.

[hackneyfox]

Someone has had a drink

[Asha]

Rubbish? did wayne brown not leave before he left? Get your head out your arse and look at the football we've played. RUBBISH? IF YOU SAID THAT TO ME IN THE STREET YOU WOULD NOW HAVE NO LEGS. Get off here.

This is quite remarkable.

[Captain...]

If Berner was the same player he was last season then he would be an invaluable assett, I always thought he was captain material and could have marshalled our young defence today. With Berner to shore up the left flank we wouldn't look so exposed on the right and allow Naughton to bomb forward a bit more Hobbs/Abe to cover Naughton, and Morrison/Davies and Berner fill in the gaps. Berner at left back would also give Dyer on the left more license to take people on and not worry about defensive duties.

Playing with 2 attacking full backs leaves us exposed especially away from home, we don't have the midfielders to cover the gaps on both flanks.

The big problem with this is I don't think Berner is the same player as last season, after Sousa's "fitness" regime and now a few months to lose any match sharpness, I don't think he will be anything like the Berner we remember. I also don't think he will get the chance to prove it, except maybe against Man City, which, like his last game against, will pit him against premier league opposition and he will probably get made to look shit by whichever 20 million player he comes up against.

[dannythefox]

Someone has had a drink

So you dont agree with me then? Think someones had a drink your right!

[Stevosevic]

Rubbish? did wayne brown not leave before he left? Get your head out your arse and look at the football we've played. RUBBISH? IF YOU SAID THAT TO ME IN THE STREET YOU WOULD NOW HAVE NO LEGS. Get off here.

Brilliant

[Bugg]

Rubbish? did wayne brown not leave before he left? Get your head out your arse and look at the football we've played. RUBBISH? IF YOU SAID THAT TO ME IN THE STREET YOU WOULD NOW HAVE NO LEGS. Get off here.

HAHAHAHAHA you are a twat!

[dannythefox]

HAHAHAHAHA you are a twat!

So dont you agree?

[CKB]

I feel for Berner but in the end Sven was looking for attacking, pacey fullbacks and Berner doesn't come under that.. Managers have different ideas and Berner wasn't gonna cut it under Sven i'm afraid

[Kitchandro]

I feel for Berner but in the end Sven was looking for attacking, pacey fullbacks and Berner doesn't come under that.. Managers have different ideas and Berner wasn't gonna cut it under Sven i'm afraid

I'd like Cunningham to be able to defend first and foremost though

[Bugg]

So dont you agree?

No i don't agree, are you going to break my legs?

[dannythefox]

No i don't agree, are you going to break my legs?

No dont be daft, but you carnt say we dont miss wayne brown?

[Bugg]

No dont be daft, but you carnt say we dont miss wayne brown?

Meh, I know what you mean. I think we miss a no nonsense defender (like WB) but i don't think he was our linchpin in defence, we could do with another type of defender like him but with more pace.

[CKB]

I'd like Cunningham to be able to defend first and foremost though

Cunningham is still young and has alot to prove, who's to say his spot in the team come Jan is even secure?? Sven may have seen him as a stop gap till Jan.. I have seen Cunningham twice now and i've not been totally disappointed by him but he has still alot to learn

In the end managers want different things and it usually happens when you have attacking, pacey fullbacks they are at times questionable at defending and you just have to live with that.. I'd rather have our fullbacks linking up play with our wingers/midfielders like we have been seeing rather than a Robbie Neilson lumbering around like some Scottish drunk!

[Les-TA-Jon]

I think to be fair we need to realise that sven, derek and C Powell all see all these fringe and bench players in training all the time - The only time they pick players that aren't the best for that position, for that time is due to being forced into it by suspensions or injuries. Obviously sometimes players are changed due to resting or tactics and sometimes this can be a mistake.

But generally i think Sven and co will always be playing the best 11 at the time.

Sven is doing what he did at england - he just plays his best 11 players every week - regardless of form or compatibility (like when he constantly played Gerrard and Lampard together despite it clearly not working)

Basically Sven plays the best 11 players rather than the best team.

So therefore i really don't see him making wholesale changes to the starting 11.

[dannythefox]

Meh, I know what you mean. I think we miss a no nonsense defender (like WB) but i don't think he was our linchpin in defence, we could do with another type of defender like him but with more pace.

Agree but there not easy to get hold of there like them 20goals a season strikers!

[Ross 'LCFC' Turner]

cant handle pace! when gets forward struggles to get back, cunningham isnt the greatest defender in the world but he gets stuck in, he works tirelessly up and down the wing and has looked dangerous,hes still young and inexperienced but he has improved loads since his first game at swansea, cunningham is in the ireland squad already and can only get better, bruno is unfortunately 32 and will only get worse

[Babylon]

I'm all in favour of the "bring back Bruno" campaign. We had a pretty tight (ish) defence last season with him in it. Sousa completely destroyed it and Sven has added to our woes with loan signings that can't defend. I'd start with a back five of Weale - Neilson - Hobbs - Morrison - Berner at Hull with Naughton in midfield.

Wasn't that the defence at the start of the season that was leaking goals quicker than we are now. Watch the Pompey game again and see how you feel.

[B52]

The missing key is a gk commanding the defence. If Cunningham or Naughton attacks it doesn't matter. They have backup. If Cunningham slips and it comes a cross it doesn't matter either because gk and cb will sort it out easy - If the goalkeeper can command.

Weale and Kirkland hasn't gelled with the defence yet and maybe none of them is the answer due to instability or injuries.

[ajthefox]

Great lad and very unlucky to be ousted out of the team by Cunningham seeing as he's been a pretty consistent performer for us.

Having said that, i wouldn't go as far as saying he is the 'missing key.'.

Wayne Brown is far from a fuking godsend either as some are suggesting. He brought out the best in Hobbs and steadied the ship a bit but Hobbs is coming back to the form he lost under sousa.

And more importantly, Brown was a calamity at times. His passing was shit, he was slow and generally clumsy. Experienced yes and solid in the air, but my oh my are peoples memories tainted.

If morrison and Hobbs found last seasons form and had Naughton on the right with berner/cunningham on the left we'd be fine.

[Jakemoore]

I'm all in favour of the "bring back Bruno" campaign. We had a pretty tight (ish) defence last season with him in it. Sousa completely destroyed it and Sven has added to our woes with loan signings that can't defend. I'd start with a back five of Weale - Neilson - Hobbs - Morrison - Berner at Hull with Naughton in midfield.

Terrible defence, we'd get raped if we played this defence. Hobbs and Morrison are clearly rubbish together and Nielson is shocking every time he plays.

[Bablemikey]

I'd like to see a really commanding and dominant in the air CB added to the defence, I suspect we may well then not only clear more trouble at the back but also then actually pose a threat from corners and set plays.

[Kitchandro]

Wayne Brown is far from a fuking godsend either as some are suggesting. He brought out the best in Hobbs and steadied the ship a bit but Hobbs is coming back to the form he lost under sousa.

And more importantly, Brown was a calamity at times. His passing was shit, he was slow and generally clumsy. Experienced yes and solid in the air, but my oh my are peoples memories tainted.

If morrison and Hobbs found last seasons form and had Naughton on the right with berner/cunningham on the left we'd be fine.

I wouldn't say he's a good footballer by any stretch of the imagination, but he did his job well. His job wasn't to pass, or dribble, his job was to win headers and play it safe. Despite what some people say, Cunningham and Naughton's job is to defend first, attack second. They are both great getting forward but they are defenders and we are leaking goals. They could both be blamed for the first goal yesterday, and Cunningham gets beat everytime a man takes him on. He is a poor defender if you ask me. Berner, fully fit like he was last season, is a better left back, because he is a better defender.

My point is if we want to stop leaking goals we need defenders, not footballers. We might be able to afford a marauding right back like Naughton if we have a solid centre back partnership. The central defenders need to be no nonsense.

I'd have a player like Wayne Brown anyday, he did make mistakes and was awful on the ball, but you can't argue with our very good defensive record last season.

You need a balance, some players in our team can afford to be lightweight, but good on the ball - for example King, Gallagher and Dyer would all come into that category. Centre backs on the other hand, need to be strong and solid. Being a good footballer comes second.