This Russell Martin at CB thing.......

[GJP]

Yes all players have made mistakes. Turner has been one of our best players this season, yet it was his mistake that gifted Leeds and equaliser a few weeks ago. Olsson on the whole has had a good season, but it was his mistake the Bolton ended up scoring from last week. I agree with you completely that all the defenders have made errors (some of which have been costly).

However, the reason they haven't been dropped is because on the whole their performances have been good, yet Whittaker the reason Whittaker was dropped is because his overall performance wasn't good enough. His distribution recently has been very poor, he doesn't ever seem to win a header, and he often gets caught far too high up the pitch, meaning it's all to easy for the opposition to break down our right hand side. 

I don't think to be honest that as a full back having 2 'proper' centre backs or not next you is a real issue. The reasons why he's been dropped as I say above is poor distribution, not winning headers, and getting caught too high up the pitch. None of which are things that make a difference whether you have a proper centre back next to you not.

The 10 match run thing doesn't really make any difference IMO. It was 2 years ago now, and also included players like Bassong and Garrido, who last season were both poor.

Today Russell Martin at right back on the whole was good, better than Whittaker had been in the last few game in my opinion. Kept both Ince and Paterson quiet throughout the game, and deserves to be in the team ahead of Whittaker.

I think it does help having a proper CB next to a fullback because you need someone who is good at killing the space between the two. Martin isn't good at that. There's always a weakness there. 

You say Whittaker never "seems" to win headers. There's no seems about it. He either wins headers or he doesn't. It's a bit of a wishy washy way to criticise him.

Just staggers me really what Martin has been allowed to get away with - and all probably because of his image as a good club man. Our worst defender last season and not great this time around either.

Like I've said before, people got their wish to have Whittaker out of the team yesterday and when it came to the crunch we still weren't strong enough. 

 

[ZLF]

As I said earlier the issue is not one player,  but the lack of organisation and leadership;  replacing one player was never going to solve the underlying problems.

Turner has been little better than the other 3 around him yet escapes criticism while whittaker is the whipping boy with martin and olsson somewhere in between depending on your personal view point;   the truth is none are playing well individually and are working less effectively at a unit.

All we can hope is thing can improve as a four over the next two weeks