| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? 10:25 - Jun 30 with 1684 views | Guthrum |
The furore surrounding Webster's departure set me thinking, all the talk of "ball-playing" CBs. But are they really necessary, or is this just a cri de cour for something other than long balls out of defence?
In a scenario where we have no proper wingers and the full backs (so-called wing backs) are always up the pitch, then maybe the CBs do need to provide the connection between 'keeper and midfield. But even then, they can't afford to go galloping too far forward as it leaves the defence weakened against counterattacks. Ability to pick an accurate pass would be more valuable than dribbling skill.
If the team does have genuine wingers to do the running up the flanks, the FBs can sit further back and be the link between defence and midfield. That means the CBs can concentrate on their primary role, that of defending. It means we probably require fewer of them (2 instead of 3) given they are not needed to head up the pitch and have less advanced FBs to assist. Perhaps even the DM role becomes not so critical, giving another midfield player to take part in the attack. |  |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 10:29 - Jun 30 with 1660 views | Bluefish |
I always favoured a stopper (keown) and a ball player (Ferdinand). The game has changed though and a centre half needs pace as well as dominance in the air.
Butcher and Osman would presumably be a good example but I don't really remember them |  |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 10:31 - Jun 30 with 1654 views | gmanrom |
You only need to look at how England played the other day compared to the 1st 2 matches, Maguire is a beast and stones compliments him. We looked so much better with both of them in the team. |  |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 10:33 - Jun 30 with 1642 views | flimflam |
We played 3 at the back which gives the option for one of them to carry the ball out and link up with play. We just didn't do it enough for whatever reason. |  |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 10:36 - Jun 30 with 1637 views | homer_123 |
Surely it also depends who is front of the CBs?
Magilton is our most recent midfielder who literally demanded the ball from the CBs. That makes a huge difference...under Mick our midfield never did that or so rarely to be ineffective.
I'm not against a CB hitting a 40 or 80 yard pass but percentage wise it's a risk. McGreal was a really good ball playing CB but we didn't see him walking out with the ball or playing defence splitting passes, more he was extremely effective in his short range passing and simply 'comfortable' on the ball. |  |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 11:03 - Jun 30 with 1583 views | Guthrum |
| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 10:33 - Jun 30 by flimflam |
We played 3 at the back which gives the option for one of them to carry the ball out and link up with play. We just didn't do it enough for whatever reason. |
For me, that had a lot to do with how much of the season we lacked either our best central midfielders (to receive and develop that sort of ball) or our most fluent CBs (Webster being injured and CCV not arriving until late January). | |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 11:06 - Jun 30 with 1579 views | Guthrum |
| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 10:36 - Jun 30 by homer_123 |
Surely it also depends who is front of the CBs?
Magilton is our most recent midfielder who literally demanded the ball from the CBs. That makes a huge difference...under Mick our midfield never did that or so rarely to be ineffective.
I'm not against a CB hitting a 40 or 80 yard pass but percentage wise it's a risk. McGreal was a really good ball playing CB but we didn't see him walking out with the ball or playing defence splitting passes, more he was extremely effective in his short range passing and simply 'comfortable' on the ball. |
Good point about the demanding midfielder.
We need defenders who can find an ordinary pass forwards, not just back to the 'keeper for a big thump down field. | |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 11:26 - Jun 30 with 1547 views | Pecker |
I would like all of our defenders to defend first and foremost. 4 at the back, 1 holding midfielder and let the other 5 attack. I get very nervous when I see how exposed our defence can be at times. Whilst I want to watch attacking football, not at the expense of conceding soft goals. Not to defensive, not to gung-ho. Let the CBs defend. |  | | |
| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 11:56 - Jun 30 with 1485 views | jjblue84 |
Centre backs are the foundations on which you can build a successful team that is able to challenge for a league title or promotion. Without them, you have no stability and no future! All great teams are built on these. It's the natural place to start when putting a team together!! |  | | |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 11:58 - Jun 30 with 1482 views | No9 |
A good CB = Centre half, is the king pin in the spine of any team and needs to be strong able to read the game and organise defence. |  | | |
| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 12:52 - Jun 30 with 1401 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 10:29 - Jun 30 by Bluefish |
I always favoured a stopper (keown) and a ball player (Ferdinand). The game has changed though and a centre half needs pace as well as dominance in the air.
Butcher and Osman would presumably be a good example but I don't really remember them |
Linighan & Wark |  |
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| Point for discussion: What is a Centre Back for? on 14:45 - Jun 30 with 1308 views | Steve_M |
A good central defender, able to defend and bring the ball out from the back, gives a team far better options on how to play. Keopgh at Derby has been the best in the division at that for the last few years and I hoped we might see Webster develop to be more like that (without the dirty cheating side of Keogh's game of course).
Contrast that with Berra who, whilst a very good defender for his first two seasons here and still strong thereafter, who looks lost with the ball at his feet. Unless there is someone else in the side who is excellent on the ball - Magilton's level - then having two of those type of defenders is severely limiting. It worked with Swailes and Vaughan back in 96-97 but only because Sedgley had his one goo season here.
I think we should really be able to expect defenders who are at least as comfortable as Chambers on the ball to give us that flexibility. Probably by accident more than design we ended up better in that regard by Knudsen and Spence also playing in a back three last season. Webster still gave us something more in his better games.
One the point re: your last paragraph. Wingers and full backs should work as a pair, two very attacking wingers and two very defensive full backs is equally limiting, a full back not overlapping is a great part of the game. |  |
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