Left back till Jan

[Dave]

Lescott with Richardson ahead of him. Would mean solid if experienced left side. I would be interested to see ilori or Crespo there but what's needed for sure is solidarity.

Assuming you're going for solidity (rather than a lack of worker unionisation being the problem in our feeble defence), then what have you seen from either Lescott or Richardson to suggest that they would be any more solid than any other player in our squad? Or for that matter anybody in the world.

[SoccerHQ]

Lescott did o.k playing left back under Pulis but you'd have to position our back 4 on the 18 yard box so putting more pressure on our flimsy midfield.

[footyskillz]

Personally, I'd go with three centre backs.

Could be an option.  Richards, Okore and Clark might work.

Who would be left wing back? Nzogbia or Richardson then.

[footyskillz]

Lescott with Richardson ahead of him. Would mean solid if experienced left side. I would be interested to see ilori or Crespo there but what's needed for sure is solidarity.

Assuming you're going for solidity (rather than a lack of worker unionisation being the problem in our feeble defence), then what have you seen from either Lescott or Richardson to suggest that they would be any more solid than any other player in our squad? Or for that matter anybody in the world.

Basing it on the experience tag and that teamed up Richardson would come back and help and has decent enough delivery. Villa are working together like this players who have hard work the Remy way and working with what we have got.

[Mister E]

Personally, I'd go with three centre backs.

Could be an option.  Richards, Okore and Clark might work. 

thing is, Okore hasn't played for so long now that our expectation that he will return as a saviour is optimistic to say the least.

[oswald funkletrumpet]

Personally, I'd go with three centre backs.

Could be an option.  Richards, Okore and Clark might work. 

thing is, Okore hasn't played for so long now that our expectation that he will return as a saviour is optimistic to say the least.

just posted the same on another thread

i have seen nothing to suggest the okore is anything more than mediocre

[Goldie.7]

Looks like we'll be playing whoever there until Cissokho comes back in Jan. I'd agree he's a step up from Richardson as a defender but going forward he's absolutely shocking. He needs to not go past our attacking semi circle under any circumstances. For me he'd make a better left sided CB than an LB.

[Edvard Remberg]

For .... sake, just no more Richardson.

[Nelson Lodge]

Would agree with those who think that 3-5-2 could be the short term answer for the absence of an experienced quality left back, defensive frailties and the lightweight midfield problems. Who would be the best players for that formation ?

[Ormy Droid]

Crespo didn't look too bad, though I know he's hardly played much, let alone at left back. But I thought, entirely wrongly perhaps, that he was signed as an auxiliary full back who could play on both flanks, rather than centrally. I'm sure there was something about that in the usual guff when he was surprisingly signed.

[Holte L2]

Would agree with those who think that 3-5-2 could be the short term answer for the absence of an experienced quality left back, defensive frailties and the lightweight midfield problems. Who would be the best players for that formation ?

                                                  Guzan
         
                                         Ilori    Okore    Clark
                       
                     Richards                                         Bacuna

                                        Sanchez        Gana

                                              Veretout

                                Ayew                     Adama

                                               

[ChicagoLion]

First you have to play Sinclair on the left as he is the most disciplined.No idea how good bad IlloriCrespo is.

[tomd2103]

Would agree with those who think that 3-5-2 could be the short term answer for the absence of an experienced quality left back, defensive frailties and the lightweight midfield problems. Who would be the best players for that formation ?

If we went to 3-5-2, which I seriously doubt we will, I would go with:

                          Bunn

    Richards        Okore        Clark

                        Sanchez

Bacuna    Veretout      Gana      Richardson

                             Gil

                            Ayew

I think Guzan needs to be taken out the side and unfortunately I can't see any other credible option to Richardson on the left.  Would be a big step to change formation though.

[Lobsterboy]

Hutton and Richards have probably been our two best defenders (which I appreciate isn't saying much) so not sure moving them around to left back and right back resepectively is going to help.

Would probably go with Crespo or Lescott until January and then recall Cissokho. If we do however we need to make sure it's someone who works hard in front of them to give them some support (and not Grealish)

It's all a bit shambolic that we lose our new left back and now can't find anyone even borderline competent to fill the gap!

Richardson simply cannot play there again on the evidence of Saturday...

[Salsa Party Animal]

I think this team worth a look

                        Bunn
Richards           Okore           Clark
                        Sanchez
Gil             Veretout    Gana             Sinclair
                         Grealish

                           Ayew

But I don't know if 3-6-1 formation is good system to use though.