What is it that needs fixing with our defence?

[bill taylors apprentice]

As another season is coming to a close and with 6 points in the bag I ask this question in good faith, not to slag off individual players but to try and understand were it all went wrong.

The period without a manager was disastrous but then so has much of the season.
Players have come and gone, different combinations and formations and yet we still look as fragile today as we did in the opening games.

As tempting as it is to just say so and so is useless, all our defenders have a pedigree and have been rated before they played for us.

Maybe the likes of Hutchinson did well in Scottish football but cant quiet adapt to the next higher level?
But can we say that about all of them ?

Is it the coaching?
Because we have had plenty of coaches putting their efforts in over the last two seasons.

Do we have the wrong kind of midfielders in the squad who play in a way that leaves the defence exposed ?

Frankly I don't know the answer, other than to say Madl apart there isn't a defensive player I would be sorry to see go!

   

[Riversider]

The main reason why we leak so many goals is mainly down to the fact that our left back and right back are so abysmal,
They offer no protection to our central defence whatsoever, allowing cross after cross after cross to be whipped in completely unchallenged,
I liken it to having a locked front door but all the windows have been left wide open,
Two new fullbacks next summer as a priority, will see an immediate improvement, Garbutt and Richards to leave us (thank f**k) it will then be interesting to see how their careers progress, bearing in mind that Everton and its fans think that Garbutt is going to be their long term left back !
I will also be interested to then see how our central defenders start to look once we have decent fullbacks , Terry and Cahill would have struggled with the likes of Richards, Garbutt, Ream and Stearman outside them.

[gang]

I genuinely believe it is a mental problem. They started to ship goals and fear of making a mistake took over from them performing. They need  a man with a strong mind to take control in the defence, I know nobody likes him but look at Terry and see what difference a man with mental strength makes.

[Funky Fulham Dave]

Yes I agree. How about that!

Yes I'd keep Madl as well, who is really an intelligent player and would, could be the mobile covering player alongside a more dominant centre half.

But, and it's a big but, if only Amorebieta could play as he did last night than we have already the dominating centre half we've been looking for since Brede.

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[fulhamben]

The main reason why we leak so many goals is mainly down to the fact that our left back and right back are so abysmal,
They offer no protection to our central defence whatsoever, allowing cross after cross after cross to be whipped in completely unchallenged,
I liken it to having a locked front door but all the windows have been left wide open,
Two new fullbacks next summer as a priority, will see an immediate improvement, Garbutt and Richards to leave us (thank f**k) it will then be interesting to see how their careers progress, bearing in mind that Everton and its fans think that Garbutt is going to be their long term left back !
I will also be interested to then see how our central defenders start to look once we have decent fullbacks , Terry and Cahill would have struggled with the likes of Richards, Garbutt, Ream and Stearman outside them.

so youre saying, as long as we stop the ball getting into the middle. Which means our cbs have nothing to do then our cbs won't look so crap. Maybe we should block all shots so we don't need to field a keeper too. Our center backs make mistake after mistake after mistake, and to suggest it's down to the full backs allowing crosses to come in is just a joke right? Was it the full backs fault against the mk dons? Is it the full backs fault that burn has been bounced on numerous occasions? I could believe it was the fullbacks fault if the cbs could do there own jobs relatively well, but they can't can they. Our whole defence needs replacing from the first eleven if we have genuine ambitions to compete next year

[jarv]

I dont get to see games so not an authority. However, just watched the few minutes highlights and have to say, both the full backs are poor and the central defenders are awful on crosses. Many crosses came in, not whipped in just crossed in like any decent park footballer does. I saw, most instances shown, nobody really attacking the ball and a few times static defenders allowing the ball to float over their head.  No covering defender saying..." I think he is going to miss this, I better cover"

When I played many years ago, behind a 6 foot 3 centre half, it was simple. I said you take everything in the air and I will pick up the pieces.

[epsomraver]

The main reason why we leak so many goals is mainly down to the fact that our left back and right back are so abysmal,
They offer no protection to our central defence whatsoever, allowing cross after cross after cross to be whipped in completely unchallenged,
I liken it to having a locked front door but all the windows have been left wide open,
Two new fullbacks next summer as a priority, will see an immediate improvement, Garbutt and Richards to leave us (thank f**k) it will then be interesting to see how their careers progress, bearing in mind that Everton and its fans think that Garbutt is going to be their long term left back !
I will also be interested to then see how our central defenders start to look once we have decent fullbacks , Terry and Cahill would have struggled with the likes of Richards, Garbutt, Ream and Stearman outside them.

so youre saying, as long as we stop the ball getting into the middle. Which means our cbs have nothing to do then our cbs won't look so crap. Maybe we should block all shots so we don't need to field a keeper too. Our center backs make mistake after mistake after mistake, and to suggest it's down to the full backs allowing crosses to come in is just a joke right? Was it the full backs fault against the mk dons? Is it the full backs fault that burn has been bounced on numerous occasions? I could believe it was the fullbacks fault if the cbs could do there own jobs relatively well, but they can't can they. Our whole defence needs replacing from the first eleven if we have genuine ambitions to compete next year

Not Smith's fault then? still waiting to buy you a pint Ben when you make it to a game :005:

[fulhamben]

The main reason why we leak so many goals is mainly down to the fact that our left back and right back are so abysmal,
They offer no protection to our central defence whatsoever, allowing cross after cross after cross to be whipped in completely unchallenged,
I liken it to having a locked front door but all the windows have been left wide open,
Two new fullbacks next summer as a priority, will see an immediate improvement, Garbutt and Richards to leave us (thank f**k) it will then be interesting to see how their careers progress, bearing in mind that Everton and its fans think that Garbutt is going to be their long term left back !
I will also be interested to then see how our central defenders start to look once we have decent fullbacks , Terry and Cahill would have struggled with the likes of Richards, Garbutt, Ream and Stearman outside them.

so youre saying, as long as we stop the ball getting into the middle. Which means our cbs have nothing to do then our cbs won't look so crap. Maybe we should block all shots so we don't need to field a keeper too. Our center backs make mistake after mistake after mistake, and to suggest it's down to the full backs allowing crosses to come in is just a joke right? Was it the full backs fault against the mk dons? Is it the full backs fault that burn has been bounced on numerous occasions? I could believe it was the fullbacks fault if the cbs could do there own jobs relatively well, but they can't can they. Our whole defence needs replacing from the first eleven if we have genuine ambitions to compete next year

Not Smith's fault then? still waiting to buy you a pint Ben when you make it to a game :005:

done my 4 games this season, not doing anymore till the stench of kit has fully gone. And by stench, I mean the crap squad he assembled

[OdecaMynoT]

'Two people are a brick wall.'

This was a phrase I had drummed into me by my school football coach.

He meant that when you have 2 people working together and they have

empathy with each other,ie having a telepathic understanding, it made it very difficult

for the opposition to deal with;In defence or attack.

Hughes and Hangeland were a perfect illustration of this concept in defence; Now Mac and Dembele in

attack.

Sadly ever since H & H's demise the defence has been mostly a nightmare.

For us to progress we need a defensive partnership that provides a rock for the

team. Can't see that happening with the present lot.