Concrete Ron

[Toronto Villa]

I really never understood this 'concrete' nick name, it's the last thing i'd compare him to.

It was never to do with him being hard, it just became that. It was all to do with recovering from a serious injury. That said, he needs help and there's none coming.

[UK Redsox]

As I've just posted in the post-match thread, I'm now thinking that Sponge Ron Squarepants is just not that good and realise why I'd never seen him linked with a move to a "big" club before we signed him.

[eastie]

As I've just posted in the post-match thread, I'm now thinking that Sponge Ron Squarepants is just not that good and realise why I'd never seen him linked with a move to a "big" club before we signed him.

We werent very good when he was in the side early season and the defence is not very good with him in it now - he is average at best , but probably still better than our other defenders.

[barrysleftfoot]

 He cost £3m, i'm not quite sure what you expect.Hes better than Collins, and better than Clark, and probably better than Dunne.The problem is he has 2 inexperienced FBs, and inexperienced partners alongside him, and on top of that he has 2 inexperienced central midfielders, and an inexperienced goalie behind him.

 If you want someone to blame, then MON, RL,PF, PL, Dunne, Ireland et al deserve a lot more stick than this guy.

 He made 1 mistake today, and got punished.Not the most powerful header i have ever seen, and you could argue that someone should have done better after Fellainis header, but hey, Vlaar is the latest scapegoat, so why not.

[andyh]

Hmmm, not so sure about that.
I have said all season he is no better than Collins, AND Collins weighed in with goals. Vlaars distribution is better (let's face it, it couldn't be worse), but defensively I don't think he is as good as Collins.

I think most of the problem is that people are desperate for him to be the big,hard dominant centre half that we have been blessed with in the past, but unfortunately he no where near the standard of other European CH's such as Neilsen, Mellberg, and Laursen.

[Risso]

Vlaar is nowhere near as good as Collins, or even Cuellar.  He's better than Clark, but that's it.

[rutski]

who shall we call wanker of the week,? vlaar on this thread

[Phil from the upper holte]

You say it's the other centre backs that are inexperienced but it wasn't their job to mark Fellani

[Clark W Griswold]

Vlaar is nowhere near as good as Collins, or even Cuellar.  He's better than Clark, but that's it.

We really have had some shit central defenders in recent years.

In order of least shit first, i'd go;

Cuellar
Knight
Dunne
Vlaar
Collins
Clark
Ridgewell
Davies

In fairness to Davies he actually looked quite good when he first joined (after he settled down) but some of those displays later in his career were truely park player level. So he would be the worst for me.

I can't really defend Clark any more, he's been largely in the side for 2 1/2 years now and he's still shite. Same as Bannan. There's only so long you can throw the young and inexperienced excuse.

[andyh]

Vlaar is nowhere near as good as Collins, or even Cuellar.  He's better than Clark, but that's it.

We really have had some shit central defenders in recent years.

In order of least shit first, i'd go;

Cuellar
Knight
Dunne
Vlaar
Collins
Clark
Ridgewell
Davies

In fairness to Davies he actually looked quite good when he first joined (after he settled down) but some of those displays later in his career were truely park player level. So he would be the worst for me.

I can't really defend Clark any more, he's been largely in the side for 2 1/2 years now and he's still shite. Same as Bannan. There's only so long you can throw the young and inexperienced excuse.

But for most of that time Clark has been under unrelenting pressure with very little support or respite.
He has not had the benefit of leading his trade from a more experienced partner or being brought through slowly.
I think there is/was a real player there, I just hope we haven't ruined him.

[barrysleftfoot]

 Vlaar is not as good as Collins or Cuellar?.......Hmmmmmmm.

[Risso]

 Vlaar is not as good as Collins or Cuellar?.......Hmmmmmmm.

Nope.  There's nothing good about his game whatsoever.

[Dave Clark Five]

Vlaar did a crunching tackle at the Gwladys Street End and has that as a critical element of a Centre Half's armoury. Put Baker (or Dunne if he ever plays again) alongside him and find somewhere for Clark in the midfield or on the bench.
If we are going to start picking on Vlaar then we might as well pack in now. We have got what we have got. Just need to make the best out of it.

[neo_Villan]

I'd have King Carlos ahead of him for sure. Not Knight or Davies though. Although I wouldn't mind Davies back now. I think he is much improved since leaving us.

[Toronto Villa]

Vlaar did a crunching tackle at the Gwladys Street End and has that as a critical element of a Centre Half's armoury. Put Baker (or Dunne if he ever plays again) alongside him and find somewhere for Clark in the midfield or on the bench.
If we are going to start picking on Vlaar then we might as well pack in now. We have got what we have got. Just need to make the best out of it.

He needs a proper partner. He hasn't become shit overnight. In fact he's not shit at all. It's amazing how fast we bin players around here. The kids next to him aren't good enough yet, he's been injured and the midfield is shocking adding even more pressure. Yet, this some have declared this Ron Vlaar is crap week.