[Albion] Four at the back

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zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
If we had signed a decent LB ( in a Veltman mode , not a LWB) , then we could easily switch to 4 at the back .

It was as crucial as a striker last summer but wasn't addressed.

Some of our failings now are because of this

Bang on, RB is well covered as nearly all of our defenders are right footed and we brought in Lamptey and Veltman to replace Greyhound and Montoya . . .meanwhile on the left, . . . . . errr . . . BDB was ok last season, but on a poor patch at the moment, Bong left and Bernardo was cast adrift. Great work there.
 


Seagull27

Well-known member
Feb 7, 2011
3,368
Bristol
True. Wonder who played left back in those games...
This! There seems to be a lot of people forgetting that BDB played a whole season of LB pretty well. Ideally we will get someone else in who can cover both LB and LWB, but Burn is more than capable of playing there if we need him too. Every player has poor games and Saturday's was a bit of a shocker for him, but that doesn't mean he's suddenly incapable of playing at PL level

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blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
This! There seems to be a lot of people forgetting that BDB played a whole season of LB pretty well. Ideally we will get someone else in who can cover both LB and LWB, but Burn is more than capable of playing there if we need him too. Every player has poor games and Saturday's was a bit of a shocker for him, but that doesn't mean he's suddenly incapable of playing at PL level

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Agree the criticism of Burn has been over the top.

But, if we're considering playing 4-4-2, surely we need another left back. Bernardo has not kicked on as we hoped he would and I'm guessing will leave in January

Can anyone help me remember what was the deal with the Polish lad? Was he a full season loan or was he another one loaned "for he time being"? 19 was he?

In any case, i'd say there's a strong case for an experienced left back on a short term deal. Look to Cochrane, or the Polish kid for next season
 




Eric Youngs Contact Lens

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2020
602
East Sussex
As others have pointed out, the issues for BDB really came when he had Trossard in front of him.. Even Trossard's positioning when they doubled up meant that Traore still had the option to go outside BDB . He can do a job (and surprised everyone with how well he did it last year), but its not ideal. I still think he has a role to play for us at left-sided CB (in a 3). I think Webster is far better on the right (understandably so.) I am a GP fan, but switching March and Trossard in the first half was the trigger for the issues for Dan Burn (The own goal simply not his fault) and should have been rectified at half-time before Burn was booked.
A genuine left-back to allow us to go 4-3-3 would be my "wish" - Brandon Williams on loan would be my target (hoping that the Polish lad will take that berth ultimately).
 


vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
This! There seems to be a lot of people forgetting that BDB played a whole season of LB pretty well. Ideally we will get someone else in who can cover both LB and LWB, but Burn is more than capable of playing there if we need him too. Every player has poor games and Saturday's was a bit of a shocker for him, but that doesn't mean he's suddenly incapable of playing at PL level

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Exactly. I think most of us made him man of the match quite a few times early on in Potters reign.

The other night was a disaster, but I still feel most defenders in that position will look like a mug against a fully fit and on form Traore. Guy is an unbelievable player.
 


Badger Boy

Mr Badger
Jan 28, 2016
3,658
Yeah, I'm also going to throw myself into the defence of Dan Burn. I've never rated him. He poses no real threat getting forward because his one crossing setting is THUMP, he can't attack corners with any intelligence and his defensive sense is unimpressive. But last season he was constant in the team and played solidly throughout. Drip feeding him into the team, as with many others, doesn't help his form or fitness. He has been exposed more this season than last, despite only playing a handful of games and I blame the manager for that. Solly March also has very little defensive intelligence but he would at least have helped Burn defend Traore and Semedo on the Wolves right. Instead, Burn was pretty much abandoned on that side and the consequence was inevitable.

Don't blame Burn. He does what he does, for better or worse, but he could do with an actual run in the side rather than being in one minute and gone for months the next. His performance against Wolves was terrible but that's a clear outlier on his usual standards.
 




blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
Yeah, I'm also going to throw myself into the defence of Dan Burn. I've never rated him. He poses no real threat getting forward because his one crossing setting is THUMP, he can't attack corners with any intelligence and his defensive sense is unimpressive. But last season he was constant in the team and played solidly throughout. Drip feeding him into the team, as with many others, doesn't help his form or fitness. He has been exposed more this season than last, despite only playing a handful of games and I blame the manager for that. Solly March also has very little defensive intelligence but he would at least have helped Burn defend Traore and Semedo on the Wolves right. Instead, Burn was pretty much abandoned on that side and the consequence was inevitable.

Don't blame Burn. He does what he does, for better or worse, but he could do with an actual run in the side rather than being in one minute and gone for months the next. His performance against Wolves was terrible but that's a clear outlier on his usual standards.

We've a fair few whose only cross setting is "floaty keeper fodder". I think a few more thumped crosses might do us some good
 


blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
Exactly. I think most of us made him man of the match quite a few times early on in Potters reign.

The other night was a disaster, but I still feel most defenders in that position will look like a mug against a fully fit and on form Traore. Guy is an unbelievable player.

True mate. I suppose it's on the back on getting done by Saka a few days ago as well

Also remember that Traore did Dunky for the cross in 93 minute ...... and Dunky's no slouch (though no full back either), so yeh, I think to a degree you can put it down to facing a player on red hot form.

You'd expect a specialist full back to put up more of a fight. Would like to see Traore and Lamptey face off
 


Kalimantan Gull

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2003
13,449
Central Borneo / the Lizard
Bernado definitely a better option than Big Dan.
When he was playing regularly at left back I thought
he was really good.I think it was under CH playing in
a back four.I’ve never really liked the wing back thing personally
I’m not really convinced it has ever worked for us.
I like a back four with quick fullbacks who job is to defend
but can break forward and join attacks,I think everyone knows where they are
in that system bit like Liverpool
Need to be quick and able to tackle

I do like the wing backs, Lamptey and March have been our most creative attacking players and our head frequently looked great. However I do have a slight issue that it becomes a very rigid formation, the two central midfielders sit deep and pass it square and never burst into the box themselves. So we are basically reliant on just the front three getting into scoring positions, and they can be nullified particularly by teams that defend deep in banks of players. To break that we need more midfielders running into the box or appearing on the flanks, but the current system doesn't really allow that.
 






Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
17,777
Fiveways
True mate. I suppose it's on the back on getting done by Saka a few days ago as well

Also remember that Traore did Dunky for the cross in 93 minute ...... and Dunky's no slouch (though no full back either), so yeh, I think to a degree you can put it down to facing a player on red hot form.

You'd expect a specialist full back to put up more of a fight. Would like to see Traore and Lamptey face off

For a PL player, Dunk is slow.
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,690
Born In Shoreham
Has no one else noticed March is crap at defending he backs off letting the attacker cross the ball on their strongest foot. Started with Pepe last season and has continued into this season. Really crap for a so called PL defender. Doesn’t the manager say what ever you do don’t let xxxx get the ball onto his left show him down the line :shrug:
 




BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
22,689
Newhaven
Has no one else noticed March is crap at defending he backs off letting the attacker cross the ball on their strongest foot. Started with Pepe last season and has continued into this season. Really crap for a so called PL defender. Doesn’t the manager say what ever you do don’t let xxxx get the ball onto his left show him down the line :shrug:

Yes, but didn’t comment before as some would probably jump down my throat for criticising him for this.

Without double checking I believe he backed off when West Ham and Wolves scored.
 










GT49er

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 1, 2009
49,186
Gloucester
Every game I notice it, it’s costing us badly yet nothing seems to change do they not watch video’s of the game and give rollickings out?

No, I don't suppose they've ever thought of that ...............................
 




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