Question Can Francis Make It At Centre Back?

[BluesMike61]

With the imminent departure of Peter Clarke,we wll be left with just four recognised defenders, so it's no surprise that Tilly has stated his priorities are a centre back and a left back. I believe that Sankofa is too short to be a central defender and would prefer Francis in that position,where he has played well on a couple of occasions.Excluding any new arrivals,my preferred back four line-up would be:-

Sankofa,Francis,Barrett,Herd.

Do you agree?

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I would like a whole new back 4 to be honest but it's not gonna happen. Dervitte now seems a pipe dream as well. Unless Tilly pulls something out of the hat, your back 4 seems the option!

 

[Medway Blue]

Tall-ish he may be, but I'm not convinced that Francis has the awareness,positioning or concentration skills to be a long-term fixture at CB. Weaknesses would be exposed even more I would think.

I'm sure the club have circulated their requirements for a CB and LB, and hopefully some agents will respond.

 

[palexander]

As frightening as our current back 4 (i.e. our ENTIRE defense!) I'm sure we'll have at least 2 new bodies come August.

I certainly dont want Francis at CB, christ, he can barely focus as a right-back! Think one of my highlights of last season is still when he called for a throw in alonside the East Stand, I think it was Sankofa that threw it and Francis just seemed to zone out and the ball hit him on the chest and seemed to wake him up.

Not the first time something like that has happened with him either, so NO, do not want him alongside Barrett!

 

[turkishm]

Done a decent job as a stand in, and in an ermergency could do it again, but full time centre back, imo no.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I don't know, in some ways Franno has more composure there than Barrett. He kind of just looks "right", I can't really explain it, his tackling and reading of situations just appears better than when he's at RB. I guess it depends on who Tilly gets in, I could see Franno alongside a Dorian, with Adam still at LB.

 

[Pubey]

Francis may not have to worry about his concentration if he's more involved in the game. If the play isn't going down the right side then he is liable to switch off... I'd like to see him being given more responsibility because he is probably one of our most naturally talented footballers


edit - and he's looked good when he's had to play there

 

[Streaky]

Francis is a better CB than he is RB.

If the aim for next season is mid table then fair enough he'd be okay, but if we want to compete we do need 2 CB's and a left back

 

[BrettieAngell]

Done a decent job as a stand in, and in an ermergency could do it again, but full time centre back, imo no.

I'd agree with that.

I don't quite buy this "he did well when he played there" malarkey he did OK against Northampton but they offered very little going forward.

I dunno I like Francis and would rather he stayed at right-back but he's way too inconsistent.

 

[DTS]

With the imminent departure of Peter Clarke,we wll be left with just four recognised defenders, so it's no surprise that Tilly has stated his priorities are a centre back and a left back. I believe that Sankofa is too short to be a central defender and would prefer Francis in that position,where he has played well on a couple of occasions.Excluding any new arrivals,my preferred back four line-up would be:-

Sankofa,Francis,Barrett,Herd.

Do you agree?

What a terrifying defence. I think we would be relegated by Xmas. Francis I really like personally as a full back but the reason I like him is he over lapping, his fantastic crossing and his general skill.

He lacks concentration and is not dominant in the air enough for my mind and therefore I would rather sell ****ofa and try and find a decent centre back to go with Barrett.

 

[cockles is back]

With the imminent departure of Peter Clarke,we wll be left with just four recognised defenders, so it's no surprise that Tilly has stated his priorities are a centre back and a left back. I believe that Sankofa is too short to be a central defender and would prefer Francis in that position,where he has played well on a couple of occasions.Excluding any new arrivals,my preferred back four line-up would be:-

Sankofa,Francis,Barrett,Herd.

Do you agree?

i couldn't think of a worse back four

well I could but two of them are black singers from america

 

[BoyWonder2]

Francis may not have to worry about his concentration if he's more involved in the game. If the play isn't going down the right side then he is liable to switch off... I'd like to see him being given more responsibility because he is probably one of our most naturally talented footballers


edit - and he's looked good when he's had to play there

This is something I discussed with a mate before the Leicester game saying he should play well against the likes of Leicester etc because he will be involved more and have to stay switched on. Unfortunately he had a mare in that game IMHO and that was at right back. At centre half, the occassions his played there his done well but I wouldn't like to go into the new season with him as one of our centre halfs.

The thing with Francis is the concentration issue and just because your involved in the game more doesn't mean you will be switched on the whole time, look at Titus Bramble before this season. His playing centre half and continually switched off, as did Rio Ferdinand before his drugs ban.

Don't get me wrong, if Barret and any other centre halfs we have come August get suspended or injured I'd be happy with Francis filling in, but not on a regular basis.

I did wonder if he maybe one of our contracted players that gets moved on. His good even to command a six figure fee in my opinion, and the likes of Huddersfield have shown interest in the past. His been part of a defence that has conceeded a hell off a lot of goals and I'm not blaming him because there are others more to blame. There are two very good right backs avaliable on a free at the moment, Richard Duffy and Danny Senda. Both very good right backs at this level. Senda was highly rated at Wycombe previously then went to Millwall and picked up an injury, and Duffy was a Welsh International at Pompy then ended up at Millwall and again has been released. I'd be happy with either of them two as part of our back 4 next season should Francis move on.

 

[Welly7]

Francis may not have to worry about his concentration if he's more involved in the game. If the play isn't going down the right side then he is liable to switch off... I'd like to see him being given more responsibility because he is probably one of our most naturally talented footballers


edit - and he's looked good when he's had to play there

Thats a fair point because he does seem to have a concentration problem, but I don't think it's simply that. Sometimes I really believe he is too casual, which has to come from his mental approach to games. Its as if he does a few good things in a game, thinks he's coasting and then gets caught out.

Can he make it at centre back? Certainly wouldn't be disappointed if he started there, but every week would be a concern.

 

[shrimperboy84]

With the imminent departure of Peter Clarke,we wll be left with just four recognised defenders, so it's no surprise that Tilly has stated his priorities are a centre back and a left back. I believe that Sankofa is too short to be a central defender and would prefer Francis in that position,where he has played well on a couple of occasions.Excluding any new arrivals,my preferred back four line-up would be:-

Sankofa,Francis,Barrett,Herd.

Do you agree?

yeah same line up as i would pick tbh, though as Tilly said we need to get players in even if its just for the reason that theres competition for positions so we won't get people slacking from lack of a threat of being dropped, Francis is a great defender and i think if he gets a position that he can make his own it could be the making of him

 

[turkishm]

To be honest Francis made a decent fist of centre half when needed, but i would be amazed if Tilson didnt get at least two new defenders in. I would hate to think of us starting the new campain with what we have at the moment.

 

[IloveShrimp]

Francis is a better CB than he is RB.

If the aim for next season is mid table then fair enough he'd be okay, but if we want to compete we do need 2 CB's and a left back

I agree with this

 

[undercovershrimper]

if we had more defenders on our books i think Francis would be on his way out. I dont expect him to get offered a new contract at the end of next season, and wouldnt be that surprised if he left in Jan.

 

[united we stand]

he will be fiurther away from the crowd and therefore theretically he will hear less of the absue that is thrown at him which may help.


everyone is (quite rightly) going on about his lack of concentration , but lests face it Barrett/Clarke are/were hardly perfect in this area. However the big difference is they could make last ditch tackles to get themselves out of a situation . Can Francis put in strong goal saving challenge ??

having said that if you don't try someone then you never really know

 

[leeblue]

I asked this question a few weeks ago and got pretty much the same responses, IMO I think francis could play at CB, I thought his best performances for us last season was in the centre.

 

[leeblue]

Ill chuck in someone else too, J F C think he could do a job too