Centre Backs

[GrahamC]

Just to start by stating the blindingly obvious, we are very short there at present & I’m assuming that Kalas’ injury could well be one that makes him unavailable for some while.

Thought it is worth putting the situation with some of the possible options we had up until now in context though.

Firstly Joe Low (no, he can’t be recalled) but he also isn’t starting in L2 for Walsall, losing his place a couple of games ago & been on the bench of late.

Secondly Ryley Towler, I must admit I was surprised that we sold him & he has clearly started well at Pompey. I also think if the Naismith & Kalas injuries had been in January & we hadn’t got someone in we would have recalled him but it didn’t happen like that & he’s gone for good so we have to move on.

Duncan Idehen had a terrible loan at Carlisle where he struggled to even make the bench at times, the fact he couldn’t make a 9 man subs bench v Man City suggests he is completely out of favour & if he doesn’t do so this week with so many defenders currently out, I can’t see a way back for him here.

Finally the Palace lad O’Brien, currently playing in the Belgian Second division (!) & whose only other first team experience was in L2, if we’d signed him he would obviously be involved at present but that would have been some step up in standard.

Pearson said last week that Naismith “could” be back before the international break which suggests Swansea is possible, for me Pring has to do a job there for the next few (Dasilva is also by a mile the best option to come in of those not currently in the side) & we have to try & eke out a few results in the meantime.

Won’t happen but worth bearing this in mind when judging those performances.

[City oz]

5 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Just to start by stating the blindingly obvious, we are very short there at present & I’m assuming that Kalas’ injury could well be one that makes him unavailable for some while.

Thought it is worth putting the situation with some of the possible options we had up until now in context though.

Firstly Joe Low (no, he can’t be recalled) but he also isn’t starting in L2 for Walsall, losing his place a couple of games ago & been on the bench of late.

Secondly Ryley Towler, I must admit I was surprised that we sold him & he has clearly started well at Pompey. I also think if the Naismith & Kalas injuries had been in January & we hadn’t got someone in we would have recalled him but it didn’t happen like that & he’s gone for good so we have to move on.

Duncan Idehen had a terrible loan at Carlisle where he struggled to even make the bench at times, the fact he couldn’t make a 9 man subs bench v Man City suggests he is completely out of favour & if he doesn’t do so this week with so many defenders currently out, I can’t see a way back for him here.

Finally the Palace lad O’Brien, currently playing in the Belgian Second division (!) & whose only other first team experience was in L2, if we’d signed him he would obviously be involved at present but that would have been some step up in standard.

Pearson said last week that Naismith “could” be back before the international break which suggests Swansea is possible, for me Pring has to do a job there for the next few (Dasilva is also by a mile the best option to come in of those not currently in the side) & we have to try & eke out a few results in the meantime.

Won’t happen but worth bearing this in mind when judging those performances.

Great points GC, However NP should have fixed this by now. We are all aware of how his hands have been tied in getting players in and how fantastic he has grown the talent within the club.  We can all speculate on what NP should do or what players we need in what positions but at the end of the day there is still work to do with what NP has got to his disposal.

[Silvio Dante]

11 minutes ago, City oz said:

Great points GC, However NP should have fixed this by now. We are all aware of how his hands have been tied in getting players in and how fantastic he has grown the talent within the club.  We can all speculate on what NP should do or what players we need in what positions but at the end of the day there is still work to do with what NP has got to his disposal.

I’m going to go slowly.

We have four senior CBS (pretty normal squad depth).

Three of them are injured, with all injuries occurring in the last month.

Our intended U21 next CBs are also injured.

I’m not sure what work Nige can do, other than employ Eileen Drewery.

[Silvio Dante]

1 minute ago, Percy Pig said:

Part of me thinks we need to revert back to 352 for a little bit. 3 fullbacks in a back 4 with only James to offer any protection in midfield feels like a recipe for disaster 

 

Max

Tanner Vyner Pring

Wilson/Weimann James King Dasilva

Scott

Wells Bell/Cornick

 

 

Trouble is, we won't be able to counter Hudds or Blackpool if they sit back, so perhaps scope to change the shape in the midfield from two sitters and one advanced to one sitting (James) and two further forward (Scott and Mehmeti).

 

 

I didn’t see myself saying this pre Christmas, but I think that’s incredibly harsh on Sykes

[City oz]

5 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

I’m going to go slowly.

We have four senior CBS (pretty normal squad depth).

Three of them are injured, with all injuries occurring in the last month.

Our intended U21 next CBs are also injured.

I’m not sure what work Nige can do, other than employ Eileen Drewery.

Mr Dante, Sorry mate but my expectations might be a bit higher.

[City oz]

4 minutes ago, City oz said:

Mr Dante, Sorry mate but my expectations might be a bit higher.

sorry mate but my expectations night be a bit higher than yours and most on OTIB. Excuses are valid but only when they're warranted. I feel gutted for those that travelled over the bridge yesterday, the last two months we have all been all on a bit of a hype including yourself. We all want the best for our great club, but please how many excuses can we except when we do not win. We are not quite there yet for a top ten finish. it is always a massive COYR for me

[zombie]

5 minutes ago, City oz said:

Mr Dante, Sorry mate but my expectations might be a bit higher.

How many CBs do you think we should have in our squad? What happens when all 5 or 6 are fit? How you going to keep them happy and how can you justify the wages? This is just a bit of bad luck, fortunately we’re not going up or down so we’ll muddle through, it could’ve been more costly had we been in a battle at either end of the table.

Your expectations are unrealistic or at least show a very limited understanding of managing a group of players or a budget.

[City oz]

7 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

It's not excuses. 

It's reasons. 

No team wins every game. If that's what you want you chose the wrong team!!!

I have had the right time since I was born in 1962.

[Andy082005]

35 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

I’m going to go slowly.

We have four senior CBS (pretty normal squad depth).

Three of them are injured, with all injuries occurring in the last month.

Our intended U21 next CBs are also injured.

I’m not sure what work Nige can do, other than employ Eileen Drewery.

Speak slower….?

[RedRock]

I think it’s called ‘risk management’. Kalas was recovering and wasn’t playing, Naismith a stopgap and has an injury record, King isn’t up to it, Vyner in his first season playing consistently well but prone to loss of form, Pring a gamble - but combined with Vyner serious questions over our ability to deal with high balls. That made us vulnerable. For me, the circumstance - particularly with Towler playing really well at his loan club - meant selling him was an unnecessary risk to take. 

I thought when Towler went, the Club comment that we have better coming through was not just odd - as I don’t think we have - but a bit disrespectful. Anyhow, as some of us thought it would at the time, it’s come back to bite us.  

Maybe though the Club had a strategy to deal with the injury situation. If not, it does make that Towler decision look really poor imo. 

[City oz]

17 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

It's not excuses. 

It's reasons. 

No team wins every game. If that's what you want you chose the wrong team!!!

Mr. PP, You are obviously very passionate like me with club. Just letting you know please do not question if I have the wrong team. I have organised multiple get togethers with City supporters in OZ. There are many City flags behind bars in Darwin and the Northern Territory and Perth in Australia.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

2 minutes ago, RedRock said:

I think it’s called ‘risk management’. Kalas was recovering and wasn’t playing, Naismith a stopgap and has an injury record, King isn’t up to it, Vyner in his first season playing consistently well but prone to loss of form, Pring a gamble - but combined with Vyner serious questions over our ability to deal with high balls. That made us vulnerable. For me, the circumstance - particularly with Towler playing really well at his loan club - meant selling him was an unnecessary risk to take. 

I thought when Towler went, the Club comment that we have better coming through was not just odd - as I don’t think we have - but a bit disrespectful. Anyhow, as some of us thought it would at the time, it’s come back to bite us.  

Maybe though the Club had a strategy to deal with the injury situation. If not, it does make that Towler decision look really poor imo. 

Well- one door closed then the wheels came off. 

Wheels is the answer.

[1960maaan]

At one stage we had 2 fit CBs with 2 due back. We also tried to sign one on loan. In normal times it would have meant 5 CBs going for 2 places. That means some not in the squad.
We are trying to cut the losses, that meant we wouldn't be held to ransom over the loan, so that fell through.
We should still have had, 4 going for the 2 spots, bad luck means we have 3 injured. 
With Towler, if we don't sell ,we wouldn't have been able to recall outside of the Window anyway I believe. There was no intention to get Towler back into the team, so we wouldn't have recalled him when it looked like he would be playing U21 football. 
Probably didn't look too much of a risk in Jan.
Vyner & Pring fit
Kalas & Naismith due back
Tanner & Pring have played CB for short term cover.
Plenty to see us through to the summer when we can recruit, unless .......

[Fordy62]

Some of the hindsight on this thread is spectacular!

[Galley is our king]

26 minutes ago, RedRock said:

I think it’s called ‘risk management’. Kalas was recovering and wasn’t playing, Naismith a stopgap and has an injury record, King isn’t up to it, Vyner in his first season playing consistently well but prone to loss of form, Pring a gamble - but combined with Vyner serious questions over our ability to deal with high balls. That made us vulnerable. For me, the circumstance - particularly with Towler playing really well at his loan club - meant selling him was an unnecessary risk to take. 

I thought when Towler went, the Club comment that we have better coming through was not just odd - as I don’t think we have - but a bit disrespectful. Anyhow, as some of us thought it would at the time, it’s come back to bite us.  

Maybe though the Club had a strategy to deal with the injury situation. If not, it does make that Towler decision look really poor imo. 

A few weeks ago we had Atkinson in the team and Kalas sat on the bench.

Terrible bad luck both got injured as they did. It is what it is I'm afraid, you can't have good players lined up just incase.

[GrahamC]

3 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

Some of the hindsight on this thread is spectacular!

Sure is, which is why I was very deliberate in saying Towler would only have been an option had the injuries all occurred in January (they didn’t) & if we had still failed to get someone in.

Still it does remind me why I had put one of these posters on ignore..

[Rocking Red Cyril]

1 hour ago, Silvio Dante said:

I’m going to go slowly.

We have four senior CBS (pretty normal squad depth).

Three of them are injured, with all injuries occurring in the last month.

Our intended U21 next CBs are also injured.

I’m not sure what work Nige can do, other than employ Eileen Drewery.

Wtf is Eileen Brewery. A centre back I hope and out of contract 

[Rocking Red Cyril]

44 minutes ago, City oz said:

I have had the right time since I was born in 1962.

I was born in 1962. And have no idea wtf this is all about . Rockets maybe 

[RedEyez]

3 minutes ago, Rocking Red Cyril said:

Wtf is Eileen Brewery. A centre back I hope and out of contract 

Think he spelt Sol Bamba wrong

[Son of Fred]

1 hour ago, Percy Pig said:

Part of me thinks we need to revert back to 352 for a little bit. 3 fullbacks in a back 4 with only James to offer any protection in midfield feels like a recipe for disaster 

 

Max

Tanner Vyner Pring

Wilson/Weimann James King Dasilva

Scott

Wells Bell/Cornick

 

 

Trouble is, we won't be able to counter Hudds or Blackpool if they sit back, so perhaps scope to change the shape in the midfield from two sitters and one advanced to one sitting (James) and two further forward (Scott and Mehmeti).

 

 

Yes, Nigel needs to select his starting eleven with flexibility very much in mind..

[BCFCGav]

Yesterday would’ve been a disaster if we weren’t so rooted in mid-table. If we were fighting for survival or a promotion push we’d be in real trouble. As it is, I trust Nige and the team to find a few more wins here and there to get to the 50 point mark.

Pring LCB Jay LB is the best solution imo - but it’s worth remembering against less physical teams King did do a job at centre-half. 

[Rocking Red Cyril]

1 minute ago, RedEyez said:

Think he spelt Sol Bamba wrong

No that's some spelling mistake 

Eileen Brewery - Sol Bamba 

No correct letters other than B for surname. Shit that's dreadfully poor English. They need to go to a course to sort that out. How can anyone communicate with spelling like that. I feel sorry for them.they need help or maybe therapy 

 

[petehinton]

My mind is blown by the amount of people who think in an alternate reality somewhere, the answer to this is recalling Towler as a way of Pearson bashing.  You can only recall during transfer windows. So even if we didn’t sell him, it still couldn’t happen. 
 

And if we had recalled him from a successful loan, and these injuries hadn’t had happened, I’m sure the same people would be bashing him saying we’re stunting his progression or something. 
 

Having 3 CBs injured would screw up literally any club in the country. 

[downendcity]

I thought the op was going to be an appeal for any fans that could play at centre back to put their names forward to NP!

[westonred]

Without bringing in a CB in the last transfer window i was suprised we let Klose go. He only had another 6 months on his contract left which we paid up so it would have made sense as we were paying him to keep him around 

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Pearson said last week that Naismith “could” be back before the international break which suggests Swansea is possible, for me Pring has to do a job there for the next few (Dasilva is also by a mile the best option to come in of those not currently in the side) & we have to try & eke out a few results in the meantime.

Pearson also said this week that Conway is still a way off and ahead of Naismith…which makes me think both will be held until after the international break.

As for Tuesday night’s team, it’s one game, in a mini run of 4 games before the break.  Nige will pick a team, and get on with it.  I’m sure Pring will partner Vyner, big question is whether it’ll be in a two or a three.  I would have no issue if Andy King played in between them either.  I might be the exception on here regarding that!  But I’m not too fussed who plays really.  It’s a case of mucking in over the next group of games.

If people haven’t realised yet that Nige isn’t gonna bloat in the squad, and that backfill will be with youngsters, then they haven’t been listening.

Would it really be the biggest disaster if our back four on Tuesday was:

Tanner / Vyner / Pring / Dasilva

 

[Son of Fred]

1 hour ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Are any of the under 21 lads fit??

I seem to recall it was injury crises like this that lead the likes of Scott Paterson debuting back in the day, Louis Carey at RB then to Centre back.

More recently Towler, the guy who went at the end of last season  whose name totally forgot and Idehen

We're relatively safe, some experiments for next season could be of benefit especially in terms of blooding , style and formation.

We've deffo got scope for change 

 

I would personally wish to see 50 points on the board before we venture into the experimental.

[Major Isewater]

1 hour ago, westonred said:

Without bringing in a CB in the last transfer window i was suprised we let Klose go. He only had another 6 months on his contract left which we paid up so it would have made sense as we were paying him to keep him around 

Except maybe, he needed to be with his young family and wasn’t / wouldn’t be totally focused on his job here. Nigel hinted at negative vibes from certain players who didn’t have a future here. Easy decision at the time.

Paying up his contract probably meant that we negotiated the release and didn’t give him all that would have been due if he stayed.

Anyhow all speculation and hindsight. We are slightly in the brown stuff with our injuries but as they say ‘ as one door closes another one smacks you in the face ‘ . 
 

[marmite]

I have this thought about Vyner getting injured Tuesday. 

[Major Isewater]

1 minute ago, marmite said:

I have this thought about Vyner getting injured Tuesday.