Sven - Stop Messing With The Defence

[Trav Le Bleu]

More unnecessary changes in defence and another poor showing from them. Not for the first time I'm going to say on here that you need a defence that plays as a unit. That won't happen when almost every game the line up is changed.

I've seen Bruma play some good stuff - in patches he's looked brilliant - but the fact remains we never defend well when he plays. On the reverse, I've yet to see Vitor have a bad game, yet he seems most likely to be dropped in the frequent reshuffles. Fact is neither of them are likely to be here in a months time, but I know which one I'd rather have.

Bamba always looks exposed when someone with pace runs at him. This might not be so obvious if our back line played as a unit and his central defensive partner knew what he needs to do in these situations because he played with them regularly.

Van Aanholt and, to a lesser extent, Naughton need someone to rein them in and guide them. It's a shambles that could be put simply to bed (or at least improved) with a consistant back line.

However, this is all fairly moot. All our defense bar Bamba will be going home soon - so what then? Hobbs will return from his bench-warming... I'm really not optomistic about improving our defence. I don't want past it big name players please Sven, I don't want promising loanees, I want good players who can improve playing for us and commited to us.

I don't think you will Sven; prove me wrong.

[acooling08]

The problems with Sven in this regard:

1) He won't stop changing the defence.

2) He only plays his favourites (Bruma). Why he prefers Bruma eludes me.

3) He buys defenders who don't defend, PVA in particular.

[cc_star]

The problems with Sven in this regard:

1) He won't stop changing the defence.

2) He only plays his favourites (Bruma). Why he prefers Bruma eludes me.

3) He buys defenders who don't defend, PVA in particular.

This!

For me PVA is like Franz Carr, a headless chicken winger but playing at full-back

Bruma has played 9 & lost 9 I think, he's either shit or a jonah.... or both, he got pissed on today

[Anish]

Got to agree with everything in this thread. Sven's reshuffling of the defence and goalkeeper is the cause of our downfall. Bruma's record in the team is nothing short of woeful. Bamba is the only constant in our ever changing back 4 and he won't form any relationship with the loanees cos they'll be gone in a month. Time to wipe the slate clean now - send back all the loanees who we won't be signing (hopefully Bruma and Van Arnholt), bring back Hobbs and build for next season.

[Trav Le Bleu]

This!

For me PVA is like Franz Carr, a headless chicken winger but playing at full-back

Bruma has played 9 & lost 9 I think, he's either shit or a jonah.... or both, he got pissed on today

We haven't lost all the games Bruma played in - just never won.

[somebum]

Changing a winning team is something Sven has done for the past decade, why is everyone so surprised?

[Babylon]

Changing a winning team is something Sven has done for the past decade, why is everyone so surprised?

Except against Palace... worked well keeping the same team.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Except against Palace... worked well keeping the same team.

Wasn't quite so disasterous as today though.

[Babylon]

Wasn't quite so disasterous as today though.

We're not comparing Palace at home to Reading away... surely?

Come on Trav, you're better than that.

[breadandcheese]

I cannot understood the need to mess with a defence. The only way to build an effective defensive shield is to give them playing time together and stop changing it after every game. Sven should decide his strongest back four and stick with it.

I should add the caveat that if Sven thinks the back four today is our strongest, then he should change it.

[Charl91]

We're not comparing Palace at home to Reading away... surely?

Come on Trav, you're better than that.

To be fair though, the loss at Palace was mainly due to Weale. As soon as they got the goal, they sat back and played the game they wanted, at which point getting a goal was never going to be easy. I don't think it's fair to blame the team selection on that one!

[Trav Le Bleu]

We're not comparing Palace at home to Reading away... surely?

Come on Trav, you're better than that.

I get what you mean, you're right, but it's not just two games is it? The whole point of consistency is that you play through the odd blip. Even the best don't win every game and good teams learn from their mistakes, especially when they play as a team. The result against Palace was more down to a howler by Weale and a generally poor performance all round - so I hear, I wasn't there for that one. Was there really any need to change that defence against Reading? I suppose most of us would have brought Naughton back in, but 2 changes? What does Sven see in Bruma that he doesn't in Vitor?

Ahhh, what's the point in any case? He makes the calls and no amount of moaning about it changes things.

[Ashby]

Just one thing about Hobbs bench warming. For your information Hobbs has started the last 4 games for Hull. 4 games in which they have conceeded only 4 goals. Games against Watford, Swansea, Millwall and Doncaster.

I am sure that Leicester would have been more than happy with this return. Today Fryatt scored twice for Hull and Moussa scored for Doncaster.

Perhaps if Sven had more faith in the players he had in stead of trying to buy promtion he might have achieved it.

I have said before Sven can't coach only buy.

[Haydos]

Just one thing about Hobbs bench warming. For your information Hobbs has started the last 4 games for Hull. 4 games in which they have conceeded only 4 goals. Games against Watford, Swansea, Millwall and Doncaster.

I am sure that Leicester would have been more than happy with this return. Today Fryatt scored twice for Hull and Moussa scored for Doncaster.

Perhaps if Sven had more faith in the players he had in stead of trying to buy promtion he might have achieved it.

I have said before Sven can't coach only buy.

Urgh. Fryatt works well in a hit and hope team collecting balls over the top or knock downs from a partner around the box. He compliments shit football which personally I don't want here.

Moussa's been loaned out for experience, hopefully he'll be back.

Hobbs was awful for us earlier this season. A good defended, but he was making error after error. He will hopefully return as well (suspicions he won't and I think this is one cock up Sven will make)

[ajthefox]

I've not seen loads of Bruma but he does seem suspect quite often.

As for the defence as a unit thing well it should go without saying. It really baffles me that Sven thinks the answer is constant changing because it's just idiotic to think so, it really is.

Although having said that, I think it's more out of desperation than anything. We've tried any and practically every combination of back 4 because obviously Sven doesn't see the problem.

From what I saw of today though, it looked like at least half the team were caught napping and Reading's pace just killed us.

[Kitchandro]

Except against Palace... worked well keeping the same team.

Please don't be picky, you know he's got a fair point.

And besides we didn't defend that badly against Palace, just a goalkeeping howler cost us a goal. Though we do need to press the ball more.

And if you were going to change it you definitely shouldn't drop Mee, our best defender on the night

[ajthefox]

Please don't be picky, you know he's got a fair point.

And besides we didn't defend that badly against Palace, just a goalkeeping howler cost us a goal. Though we do need to press the ball more.

And if you were going to change it you definitely shouldn't drop Mee, our best defender on the night

I forgot to say but this is what bugs me the most.

The chopping and changing is rarely based on merit and is seemingly just gratuitous.

[samuel]

I forgot to say but this is what bugs me the most.

The chopping and changing is rarely based on merit and is seemingly just gratuitous.

I think you will find that the one of the many silly little requirements of taking a loan player from Chelsea, is that if they are match fit, they have to be in the starting 11 and played!.

Piss, but dems da rules...Hence the seemingly bizarre tinkering of the defence...Remember the game when Vitor had a blinder?.Then inexplicably, was dropped next game, same rules applied..

[Brown Fox]

Just one thing about Hobbs bench warming. For your information Hobbs has started the last 4 games for Hull. 4 games in which they have conceeded only 4 goals. Games against Watford, Swansea, Millwall and Doncaster.

I am sure that Leicester would have been more than happy with this return. Today Fryatt scored twice for Hull and Moussa scored for Doncaster.

Perhaps if Sven had more faith in the players he had in stead of trying to buy promtion he might have achieved it.

I have said before Sven can't coach only buy.

Sven can coach otherwise he'd be a shit manager without the stunning record. But he buys to coach if you get what I mean. He's never been at a club with no money and so his successes come from spending money. But we have money so that is irrelevant. Just because he doesn't run up and down the touchline or scream at players doesn't make him not a coach.

[Bluefoxtim]

I would be interested to see the team sheets during our winning run.

May well be (probably!) wrong but I bet the defence had as many changes as we're seeing now.