Ezri Konsa

[rougegorge]

Cash at right-back:

Newcastle 1-5
Everton 4-0
Palace 3-1
Chelsea 1-0
Brighton 6-1
Everton 1-2
Fulham 3-1
West Ham 4-1
AZ 4-1
Luton 3-1
Forest 0-2
Fulham 3-1
Legia 2-1
Zirinski 1-1
Sheff Utd 1-1
Boro 1-0
Chelsea 0-0
Newcastle 1-3
Chelsea 1-3
Man Utd 1-2
Fulham 2-1
Forest 4-2
Luton 3-2
Spurs 0-4
Ajax 4-0
Lille 1-2
Bournemouth 3-1
Chelsea 2-2
Olympiacos 2-4



Konsa at right-back:

Hibs 5-0
Burnley 3-1
Hibs 3-0
Liverpool 0-3
Arseanal 1-0
Man City 1-0
Arsenal 2-0
Zirinski 1-0
Wolves 1-1
AZ 2-1
Spurs 2-1
Bournemouth 2-2
Brentford 2-1
Sheff Utd 5-0
Man Utd 2-3
Burnley 3-2
Everton 0-0
Ajax 0-0
West Ham 1-1
Wolves 2-0
Man City 4-1
Brentford 3-3
Lille 2-1
Brighton 0-1
Olympiacos 0-2
Liverpool 3-3

Goals conceded:

Cash at RB - 45
Konsa at RB -27

Fair play for knocking those stats out.

I think Konsa started well filling in as RB, but then not so good later. A bit overly generous to him too as we lost 1-4 at Man City and we lost 1-2 at Lille.

[Percy McCarthy]

Both in there. Should have put 1-4 for Man City I suppose. Not trying to mislead.

Adding a quick mention of his pocketing of Doku and Vinny Jnr for England.

[Monty]

To be a real bore about it, but Konsa at RB worked, like everything else in the team, when the midfield worked. The Kamara injury, coming as it did at the worst time in the season, was too much to cope with as the end of the season came hurtling at our heads.

[rougegorge]

Both in there. Should have put 1-4 for Man City I suppose. Not trying to mislead.

Adding a quick mention of his pocketing of Doku and Vinny Jnr for England.

Yes true.

Makes it 31 rather than 27 😉

[pauliewalnuts]

To be a real bore about it, but Konsa at RB worked, like everything else in the team, when the midfield worked. The Kamara injury, coming as it did at the worst time in the season, was too much to cope with as the end of the season came hurtling at our heads.

Monty speaks the truth.

[Percy McCarthy]

Both in there. Should have put 1-4 for Man City I suppose. Not trying to mislead.

Adding a quick mention of his pocketing of Doku and Vinny Jnr for England.

Yes true.

Makes it 31 rather than 27 😉

30. 👍

[Risso]

I don't know what you think those stats are showing mate, it's very difficult to compare. For a start, Konsa had a lot of ridiculously easy games like both Hibs games and Zrinjski etc. As Monty rightly points out, everything was going well (with Konsa in central defence and Cash at right back) when Kamara was fit and the midfield was doing well. Also, when we started Cash at right back later in the season and we started conceding more goals (eg Spurs at home, Olympiacos away) Konsa was mostly his partner at centre back. You've also missed off Palace 5 - Villa 0 with Ezri at right back.

[Monty]

Risso spinning my point so hard he made a dress out of it 

[Percy McCarthy]

I don't know what you think those stats are showing mate, it's very difficult to compare. For a start, Konsa had a lot of ridiculously easy games like both Hibs games and Zrinjski etc. As Monty rightly points out, everything was going well (with Konsa in central defence and Cash at right back) when Kamara was fit and the midfield was doing well. Also, when we started Cash at right back later in the season and we started conceding more goals (eg Spurs at home, Olympiacos away) Konsa was mostly his partner at centre back. You've also missed off Palace 5 - Villa 0 with Ezri at right back.

Emery soon concluded that Cash should play the ‘easier’ games, and Konsa the more difficult ones where we’d need a stronger defence. I agree with him.

Oops, I made that list and posted it before the Palace game, so I just copied and pasted it from then.

Anyway, let’s see who Emery tries to replace in the transfer window.

[eamonn]

Risso, for someone who isn't afraid to critique, shall we say what is it you like about Cash so much when he polarises a lot of people?

[paul_e]

I can't speak for Risso but for me Cash is very good at making well timed runs in behind that stretch defences. I wish his crossing was better and that he didn't turn back as easily as he does sometimes but he creates a lot of space for us gonig forward and has played a big part in opening teams up since he joined.

[Risso]

Risso, for someone who isn't afraid to critique, shall we say what is it you like about Cash so much when he polarises a lot of people?

I wouldn't say I like him "so much" I just think he gets a lot of very unfair criticism. Yes he has his limitations, but he's still been a key part of a team that has improved miraculously under Emery. His final ball could often be better, but he's quick, brave, and will run all day. When we were smashing teams out of sight before Christmas, nobody was having a go at him. As injuries and tiredness started to bite, nobody was playing as well as they were in the first half of the season, and certain players like Luiz and arguably Torres, were miles off their best, far more than Cash.

[chrisw1]

Cash also steps into midfield to pick up loose balls really well and is good at driving us forward with the ball at pace.

He adds a lot of energy down the right and overlaps well with Bailey.  When Konsa plays right back it feels to me that Bailey is a lot less effective as teams know Konsa is no real threat, won't overlap, take on a player or deliver a cross, and they can marshall their defence accordingly.

[Monty]

Cash has many qualities but he's spotty on the ball and doesn't move as one with the defence. He's also playing almost a different position to Konsa, so to an extent this is an apples and oranges comparison.

[eamonn]

Konsa has yet make an appearance in the tournament but the 26-year-old said he is ready to solve England's left-back issue in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday if needed.

Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier has filled in at left-back while Manchester United defender Luke Shaw battles to return to full fitness.

"At Charlton I played there a couple of times - but then I played at left-back, right-back, centre-back, all across the back four," Konsa said.

"I’m more than happy to do it. Obviously left-back is a bit different, but wherever the gaffer wants to put me I’ll try my best and give it my all."

Konsa said being versatile to play different positions is "important" for players in modern football.

"With Manchester City, you see the centre-halves play left-back, right-back," he explained.

"It’s something that is happening more and more often. For me it’s something I’ve done my whole career and I’m happy to do it."

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