Best Centre Back Pairing?

[Fulhamight]

Tim Ream has been great over the last couple of games but for me, we always look more solid with Tosin/Bassey partnership. What do you think?

[FFC In Oz]

Yep, I think Bassey/Tosin is the pairing.

Will be interesting to see what unfolds over the next couple of matches.

[Drewry66]

Bassey/Tosin for me. They were looking brilliant before Afcon. I'd say Tosin and Diop at at a similar level defensively but Tosin is way better on the ball. Tosin has also been immense in the air this season at both ends of the pitch. Bassey is just way stronger and quicker than Ream which this season have just made us look a lot more solid when he's played especially in recovery when we have made a mistake or hit on the break. Ream is one of the best progressive passers in the league but Bassey isn't bad and is good at carrying the ball instead. Tosin is a good key/progressive passer so with Ream out he picks that up. I really hope Marco starts Tosin and Bassey against United. I really think at least one of those goals yesterday doesn't happen if they were playing.

[Whitestone]

Tosin and Bassey.

[MickTheBeard]

Who ever we put in and even if tosin does leave we are short of a leader at the back to drive the defence on we don't have and hard to find.Ream ,end of career,tosin looks like he is leaving,Bassey still learning at this level but not a leader and French bouncer at the back has mistakes in him in every game,so replacing tosin and ream 2 c/b and then a third and replace the Frenchman or we won't ever be high enough to get in to Europe.sorted.

[S.F.Sorrow]

Diop/Bassey for me. Bassey is without doubt our best CB (IMO). Diop can be a bit sluggish for our style of football but I still think he's our best option next to Bassey.

In many ways Ream is the most suitable CB for our style of football. None of our other CBs have Ream's ability to pick a pass, which is very important for Marco's style of football. Without Ream we often end up passing the ball sideways at the back for too long, end up with a forced long pass under pressure and a loss of possession. But Ream is not as strong defensively as our other CBs and his lack of pace is a huge problem.

Tosin is strong defensively but he has shown on many occasions that he can be a liability against high pressing teams. He gets caught out or make silly mistakes because he can't (or won't) find a pass and holds on to the ball for too long. His lack of concentration is a huge problem. He also seems to think he's better than he is and takes too many risks. He may have a huge potential but his ego seems to get in the way of making the right decisions sometimes. He also seems to think he's too good for little old Fulham, which is perhaps the main reason I won't be sad to see him go. If he's not committed to the club we're better off without him.

[filham]

Tim Ream is now among my all time favourites but I think we need to give Bassy and Tosin a run at centre back, they could prove to be solid.

[StuinSalop]

Bassey and Tosin.  Replace Tosin in the summer with a new big strong captain type.  This will be a major requirement to the re-build.  Also, if Palhinha goes, we need a big player in as DMF.

[Carborundum]

I think it's Bassey and Tosin.  To me, Bassey's a natural leader, wants to run the back line and didn't particularly enjoy playing second fiddle to either Ream or his Nigerian captain in that regard. Put him with the capable and undemonstrative Tosin and he's in his element.

[SerbianLad]

Diop and Bassey for me. On his day, Diop is the most solid cb defensively. Bassey the best overall. Ream would be great but he lacks pace to start for me. Tosin is arguably our best passer and on par with Diop aerialy, but isn't as solid defensively and is often lethargic.

[ffcthereligion]

Bassey and diop

[TC's Sporran]

bassey had a nightmare first game?

but since then he seems ok
reams been a superb servant so its hard for me to pick anyone else

so i will suggest that marco thinks bassey and tosin is our best  pairing.

[The Rational Fan]

Diop/Bassey for me. Bassey is without doubt our best CB (IMO). Diop can be a bit sluggish for our style of football but I still think he's our best option next to Bassey.

In many ways Ream is the most suitable CB for our style of football. None of our other CBs have Ream's ability to pick a pass, which is very important for Marco's style of football. Without Ream we often end up passing the ball sideways at the back for too long, end up with a forced long pass under pressure and a loss of possession. But Ream is not as strong defensively as our other CBs and his lack of pace is a huge problem.

Tosin is strong defensively but he has shown on many occasions that he can be a liability against high pressing teams. He gets caught out or make silly mistakes because he can't (or won't) find a pass and holds on to the ball for too long. His lack of concentration is a huge problem. He also seems to think he's better than he is and takes too many risks. He may have a huge potential but his ego seems to get in the way of making the right decisions sometimes. He also seems to think he's too good for little old Fulham, which is perhaps the main reason I won't be sad to see him go. If he's not committed to the club we're better off without him.

We should play Diop/Bassey, because we know that they are next seasons pairing at least until deadline day (before deadline day only CBs like MLM want to sign and we shouldn't panic and get a sub-standard CB).

Diop and Bassey are both good players but not yet a good pairing (like Tosin/Bassey), so we need to give them some time together to gel together or alternatively find out sooner that they don't work together.

Our odds of going down this season are current 100-to-1 at the bookies, but we will probably start next season with odds of 4-to-1 to go down (especially if we lose Tosin and Palhinha in the summer). Next season will be tough, so focusing for next season's CB Pairing is important.

Despite preferring Diop/Bassey as the CB pairing, I might consider playing Tosin/Bassey against lower table teams like Sheffield, Forest and Luton to get 3 points, as this combo seems to have gelled already especially in attack.

[SerbianLad]

Diop and Bassey are both good players but not yet a good pairing (like Tosin/Bassey), so we need to give them some time together to either gel together or fail as a pairing.

I largely agree with your post, but not sure about this part about Tosin-Bassey being a proven partnership. They played 5 times this season as a pairing, which included what were probably our two best games and our two worst games (i.e. the two 5-0 trashings and the loses to Burnley (0-2) and Bournemouth(3-0). The 5th time they started together was in the win vs Arsenal). I would not say that they are proven just yet. However you are right that the Bassey-Diop partnership is less proven, as they only started one competitive game together (the 2-2 draw vs Arsenal where Bassey got an unfair red).

[The Rational Fan]

Diop and Bassey are both good players but not yet a good pairing (like Tosin/Bassey), so we need to give them some time together to either gel together or fail as a pairing.

I largely agree with your post, but not sure about this part about Tosin-Bassey being a proven partnership. They played 5 times this season as a pairing, which included what were probably our two best games and our two worst games (i.e. the two 5-0 trashings and the loses to Burnley (0-2) and Bournemouth(3-0). The 5th time they started together was in the win vs Arsenal). I would not say that they are proven just yet. However you are right that the Bassey-Diop partnership is less proven, as they only started one competitive game together (the 2-2 draw vs Arsenal where Bassey got an unfair red).

I think you correct, that none of the CB partnership involving Bassey to Fulham yet proven, because it can take upto 10-20 games together for a weakness to appear.

What is more sometimes a partnership like Tosin/Bassey gels at first, until one game later exposes a weakness that others seek to exploit (eg Burnley 0-2), after which the CB pairing must work hard to minimise that weakness or it fails.

It would be great if any weakness with Diop/Bassey partnership is exposed this season rather than next season, so that the pre-season can be used to minimise that weakness and/or transfer window used to create an alternative pairing.

[Chi_FFC]

Diop and Bassey are both good players but not yet a good pairing (like Tosin/Bassey), so we need to give them some time together to either gel together or fail as a pairing.

I largely agree with your post, but not sure about this part about Tosin-Bassey being a proven partnership. They played 5 times this season as a pairing, which included what were probably our two best games and our two worst games (i.e. the two 5-0 trashings and the loses to Burnley (0-2) and Bournemouth(3-0). The 5th time they started together was in the win vs Arsenal). I would not say that they are proven just yet. However you are right that the Bassey-Diop partnership is less proven, as they only started one competitive game together (the 2-2 draw vs Arsenal where Bassey got an unfair red).

What is more sometimes a partnership like Tosin/Bassey gels at first, until one game later exposes a weakness that others seek to exploit (eg Burnley 0-2)

Not sure exactly what weakness (at least as it relates to the Tosin/Bassey pairing) was exposed in that Burnley match. We allowed only two shots on goal, both low percentage chances from outside the penalty box...they just happened to convert both. Now was there a poor giveaway from a midfielder on one of those goals and a failure by the midfield to close down the goal scorer as he was waltzing toward goal for the second?? Yes, of course. However, I certainly don't think those goals were the result of Burnley exploiting some kind of weakness in the Tosin/Bassey pairing. 

[The Rational Fan]

Diop and Bassey are both good players but not yet a good pairing (like Tosin/Bassey), so we need to give them some time together to either gel together or fail as a pairing.

I largely agree with your post, but not sure about this part about Tosin-Bassey being a proven partnership. They played 5 times this season as a pairing, which included what were probably our two best games and our two worst games (i.e. the two 5-0 trashings and the loses to Burnley (0-2) and Bournemouth(3-0). The 5th time they started together was in the win vs Arsenal). I would not say that they are proven just yet. However you are right that the Bassey-Diop partnership is less proven, as they only started one competitive game together (the 2-2 draw vs Arsenal where Bassey got an unfair red).

What is more sometimes a partnership like Tosin/Bassey gels at first, until one game later exposes a weakness that others seek to exploit (eg Burnley 0-2)

Not sure exactly what weakness (at least as it relates to the Tosin/Bassey pairing) was exposed in that Burnley match. We allowed only two shots on goal, both low percentage chances from outside the penalty box...they just happened to convert both. Now was there a poor giveaway from a midfielder on one of those goals and a failure by the midfield to close down the goal scorer as he was waltzing toward goal for the second?? Yes, of course. However, I certainly don't think those goals were the result of Burnley exploiting some kind of weakness in the Tosin/Bassey pairing. 

I was implying that coaches from EPL clubs will study the Burnley game to find a weakness, but as you pointed out those experts might not find one and even if they do might not relate to the CB pairing and/or relatively minor.

My point was that Diop/Bassey need to be trialled this season and any weaknesses in their CB pairing (every pairing has a weakness) found and mitigated in the summer.

Diop/Bassey have only played together against Arsenal, Norwich and 14 minutes against Villa, which is not much. If they don't play together again this season, they would be one of the least experienced CB pairing in the premier league next season, which could be a few less clean sheets.