Norwich City vs Dirty Leeds(away) Saturday 29th April.

[GJP]

Yes you do have to defend as a team. However, defenders are there to defend. Martin and Bennett are not true defenders.

Our midfielders are better midfielders and our forwards are better forwards than our defenders are defenders.

 

[Canaryboy]

What exactly is the difference between our back 5 this season and our back 5 the last time we got out of this league. Turner out and Klose in, and that's it? It was usually Bassong-Turner or Bassong-Martin at the back wasn't it in that second half of the season under Alex Neil? Ryan Bennett barely got a look in. 

So why could we defend then but now now? Could it be as simple as the fact that Turner was a great leader at the back, and his ability to read the game and willingness to use his gob meant he could direct his less intelligent team mates and lay into them when they fall asleep, and we've left ourselves without such a leader? But then we had that Bassong-Martin partnership which looked a hell of a lot better than it has done this time out. 

Or could the midfield three just be wrong? A weak corner of the triangle? 

Or do the multiple lightweight attacking players leave the midfield three with two much to do? One of our wingers last time was Bradley Johnson, who could mix it. 

I realise that we desperately need a couple of good centre backs, but it goes deeper than just the back five, I'm sure of that. I don't think swapping a couple of our defenders with superior players is going to be the difference between 8th and 2nd, I think we certainly need another defensive midfielder competing with Tettey for a start. Newcastle (2nd) have usually got Jack Colback or Isaac Hayden sitting in the anchorman position, and what a player the latter is - reminds me of VIeira. 

Tettey may be a better defensive midfielder than Russell Martin is a centre back, but that doesn't mean that Tettey isn't past his best and possibly now not anywhere near as good as the best players in his position in this league. 

I guess that getting Mulumbu off the payroll leaves us with space to bring in a new centre midfielder, shame it didn't work out with him really. 

 

[Canaryboy]

Kyle Bartley would be a superb signing, unfortunately has Premier League clubs interested. Potential upside to a Garry Monk appointment is that he could perhaps tempt him here? 

 

[GJP]

The promotion defence was Whittaker Martin Bassong Olsson.

Whittaker is/was a better defender than Pinto. 

Bassong is/was a better defender than Klose and Bennett.

And fwiw Dijks is not as good as Olsson. Dijks is fun to watch but a rather average footballer.

 

[OldRobert]

Regardless of who is head coach our defence will look very different next season.

Irvine didn't sign any of these players, he can only work with what he has.

Firstly apologies for being inaccurate, Forest have also conceded more than us.

It's true of course that Irvine didn't sign these players, but he has worked with them for some time including in the PL, and surely he's had long enough to improve them a bit.............Neil didn't, but let's face it he was a manager, not much of a coach.  Irvine has coached at various levels at several clubs over many years so is hardly inexperienced.  All comes down to the great unanswered question I suppose, why the defence wasn't overhauled at least 18 months ago.  Everbody else saw it.

2016/17 Championship Conceded 69 (1 to play)

2015/16 Premier League Conceded 67

2014/15 Championship Conceded 48

2013/14 Premier League Conceded 62

2012/13 Premier League Conceded 58

 

[Canaryboy]

The promotion defence was Whittaker Martin Bassong Olsson.

Whittaker is/was a better defender than Pinto. 

Bassong is/was a better defender than Klose and Bennett.

And fwiw Dijks is not as good as Olsson. Dijks is fun to watch but a rather average footballer.

That's it, Alex Neil got Bassong back and sent Turner out on loan didn't he. 

I've highlighted the word 'was', because I'm pretty certain that applies in both of those cases. Both have lost a yard of pace, I think it has been particularly evident with Bassong who has just looked shot (or like he hasn't been training properly). 

I'm a little surprised that Bassong-Klose hasn't been tried again in the second half of this season, I'm wondering whether Bassong's attitude has caused him problems again. Neil banished him, Irvine has shunned him, the manager before Neil clearly hated him. I've got a feeling he's a bad egg and one that they can't wait to get out of the door to be honest. When Webber talks about players who don't care, he's one of the three that would strike me as being the more obvious candidates for that classification. 

I think that Klose has shown that he is an excellent defender, unfortunately that was last season when he was up for it and I don't think he's ever reached 75% this season... too distracted by what phone calls his agent has been getting I suspect, in both of the windows that have closed and the one that is forthcoming. 

As for Djiks, bit of a silly signing in hindsight. Looked really up for it for a few games when we still had a good chance of reaching the play offs, now he is just in the shop window isn't he. He actually looks like he'll be a better player when he loses a yard of pace and inevitably moves inside to centre back, the reverse of the situation that we have with Russell Martin. Wouldn't surprise me at all if a decent Premier League side bought Djiks and then began converting him into a ball playing centre back to be honest. 

 

[GJP]

I'm a little surprised that Bassong-Klose hasn't been tried again 

I think that Klose has shown that he is an excellent defender,

Yup but where would that leave the captain?

As for Klose he's had his moments but still hasn't looked as good as Turner or Bassong did at their peaks. 

 

[Canaryboy]

League One I hope. 

New head coach will hopefully be up for purchasing a new captain.