Left Back

[BoyWonder2]

Guys and girls,

Having been to a couple of pre-season games so far, Fulham and Chelmsford, I have see three guys fill in at left back so far Osei, Francis and Herd. In the squad, we also have Barrett who can "do a job" at left back, plus Grant played there whilst on loan last season.

So I put to you a possible scenario for the 9th of August. Tilly, Brush and Martin have been working their nuts off to get a left back in during the course of the Summer, but for the Peterbrough game we haven't been able to bring one in for one reason or another, so I ask, who would you start at left back?

Please choose from the answers provided and let us know your reasoning behind it as well.

 

[undercovershrimper]

obvioulsy with the current squad it would be barrett with sanjofa in the centre

 

[OldBlueLady]

To quote Brewster again - "None of the above". No brainer for me, we absolutely must have a new left back.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

It is still essential that we get a Left back but if we haven't by the time the season starts. He has to go with Barrett LB and start Sankofa CB with Clarke

 

[OldBlueLady]

It is still essential that we get a Left back but if we haven't by the time the season starts. He has to go with Barrett LB and start Sankofa CB with Clarke

Really wouldn't, if push comes to shove, it'd be Barrett, with Franno in the middle alongside Clarkey and Snoop or Sankofa (not seen him play) at RB.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Really wouldn't, if push comes to shove, it'd be Barrett, with Franno in the middle alongside Clarkey and Snoop or Sankofa (not seen him play) at RB.

That complicates things too much, Barrett is more than capable of playing Left back, at times i think he is better at LB than he is at CB and he usually pops up with a goal when he is playing there.

 

[Kristof]

We need to keep Clarke and Barrett as our centre half pairing, Franco looked comfortable at LB at Chelmsford so I play him with Osi (or Snoop Dogg) at RB.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

At the Huddersfield game last year Grant came on for Mulgrew when he got injured.

Did Grant play LB or did he move Francis to LB and play Grant RB ?

 

[OldBlueLady]

Franno moved into the middle at one point last season and did a good job as I recall, and I think Barrett was at LB that time also. In fact Grant may even have been at RB, so that line up may have already played so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

Aha, psychic thinking Ayrshire Blue!

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Franno moved into the middle at one point last season and did a good job as I recall, and I think Barrett was at LB that time also. In fact Grant may even have been at RB, so that line up may have already played so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

Aha, psychic thinking Ayrshire Blue!

That was the game Clarke was suspended, I think against Bournemouth i think it was Hunt who played RB, Mulgrew LB, Francis and Barrett CB .......could be completely wrong.

 

[OldBlueLady]

That was the game Clarke was suspended, I think against Bournemouth i think it was Hunt who played RB, Mulgrew LB, Francis and Barrett CB .......could be completely wrong.

Yep, just checked it was that game, but I still thought there was a later one although I can't seem to find it.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Yep, just checked it was that game, but I still thought there was a later one although I can't seem to find it.

I'm fairly sure that Francis only played CB once last season Kay, and to be fair he did a pretty good job, albeit against a side that didn't have a centre forward.

 

[rowhst101rhall]

The one thing Francis did not look at LB last night was comfortable, which is why he never got ahead of the ball once. Playing him on the left, weakens the right ten fold and weakens us as a team. Left back is a priority and the club need to sort it out. Playing with the position and experimenting with players not used to playing there is a recipe for disaster and has relegation written all over it, when if persisted with, we will ship goals to the make shift LB not used to playing in the position, misreading the play, and getting eaten alive by right wingers playing on the right wing, funnily enough.#

If we are deluded enough to think we have anyone at the club capable enough of playing there all season in that spot and do not replace them, scouts from other sides will spot that weakness after about 20 minutes of most games and we will be targeted there game after game after game.

Of the contenders in the squad, Barrett is too slow when up against real pace out wide, Francis does not look confident at all there and his attacking threat to the opposition is null and void, Sankofa is dodgy enough at RB let alone left, Herd could have his confidence destroyed if we get off to a poor start and Grant, stronger though he is, dives in too much and we'd have to face plenty of set pieces and look at how good we are at defending them.

This weakness has been there all summer, isn't going to go away and needs fixing more urgently than ever, because if it isn't just start taking note of how many goals we ship in our early games from our suspect left flank.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

The one thing Francis did not look at LB last night was comfortable, which is why he never got ahead of the ball once. Playing him on the left, weakens the right ten fold and weakens us as a team. Left back is a priority and the club need to sort it out. Playing with the position and experimenting with players not used to playing there is a recipe for disaster and has relegation written all over it, when if persisted with, we will ship goals to the make shift LB not used to playing in the position, misreading the play, and getting eaten alive by right wingers playing on the right wing, funnily enough.#

If we are deluded enough to think we have anyone at the club capable enough of playing there all season in that spot and do not replace them, scouts from other sides will spot that weakness after about 20 minutes of most games and we will be targeted there game after game after game.

Of the contenders in the squad, Barrett is too slow when up against real pace out wide, Francis does not look confident at all there and his attacking threat to the opposition is null and void, Sankofa is dodgy enough at RB let alone left, Herd could have his confidence destroyed if we get off to a poor start and Grant, stronger though he is, dives in too much and we'd have to face plenty of set pieces and look at how good we are at defending them.

This weakness has been there all summer, isn't going to go away and needs fixing more urgently than ever, because if it isn't just start taking note of how many goals we ship in our early games from our suspect left flank.

I think the club have made this quite clear, give them time. We will get a left back

 

[OldBlueLady]

I'm fairly sure that Francis only played CB once last season Kay, and to be fair he did a pretty good job, albeit against a side that didn't have a centre forward.

Just had a feeling I remembered him with Clarke, not Barrett. He's fairly flexible as it goes, could also play right wing for us if necessary. Pleased he signed his new contract as I feel he's a key player.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Just had a feeling I remembered him with Clarke, not Barrett. He's fairly flexible as it goes, could also play right wing for us if necessary. Pleased he signed his new contract as I feel he's a key player.

I think Francis is the most underrated player at the club, he can play in a number of positions and do a very good job, at times last year i thought he was a better winger than Tommy Black. He's even played up front and scored a goal when playing there.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I think Francis is the most underrated player at the club, he can play in a number of positions and do a very good job, at times last year i thought he was a better winger than Tommy Black. He's even played up front and scored a goal when playing there.

Maybe he is our new Mr Versatile, at Leeds wasn't it in the League Cup? Was there also, he came on cos Paynter had done his ankle in I think.

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

Maybe he is our new Mr Versatile, at Leeds wasn't it in the League Cup? Was there also, he came on cos Paynter had done his ankle in I think.

Yes it was at Leeds, Paynter just gets himself in the team and playing quite well and then drops down with an injury, think he done his hamstring though.