Lucas Digne

[Smithy]

As for Targett, I was strongly against strengthening Newcastle which I thought was a bit naieve, but you can only have so many players and frankly Digne & Young + emergency cover from kids / other players should be sufficient for where we are right now.  The principal of loaning him was ok, just not to that lot. 

Can we not play Hause at left back as another option?

Yep, or Mings.

I guess the issue is both of those players are fine as LB cover if you play a standard flat back-four.  We don't.  Our full-backs are now central the majority of our attacking wide play.  I can't see either of those two on the overlap and whipping in dangerous balls.  Or being involved in the intricate one-touch play in the final third where Digne seems pretty comfortable.  That said, neither was Targett, particularly.

If it's only a couple of weeks, then I think Young can do the job - if they want someone more defensive then Hause can do it, but that would probably require a tweak to the formation further ahead to ensure we had some attacking width.

[chrisw1]

As for Targett, I was strongly against strengthening Newcastle which I thought was a bit naieve, but you can only have so many players and frankly Digne & Young + emergency cover from kids / other players should be sufficient for where we are right now.  The principal of loaning him was ok, just not to that lot. 

Can we not play Hause at left back as another option?

Yep, or Mings.

I guess the issue is both of those players are fine as LB cover if you play a standard flat back-four.  We don't.  Our full-backs are now central the majority of our attacking wide play.  I can't see either of those two on the overlap and whipping in dangerous balls.  Or being involved in the intricate one-touch play in the final third where Digne seems pretty comfortable.  That said, neither was Targett, particularly.

If it's only a couple of weeks, then I think Young can do the job - if they want someone more defensive then Hause can do it, but that would probably require a tweak to the formation further ahead to ensure we had some attacking width.

You're right, Hause or Mings would be far from ideal.  The point is more we can't really carry more than two specialist left backs in a squad and for now those are Digne & Young and prior to this it was Target and Young. It can't cover every eventuality, but generally that should be enough.

[Dave]

As for Targett, I was strongly against strengthening Newcastle which I thought was a bit naieve, but you can only have so many players and frankly Digne & Young + emergency cover from kids / other players should be sufficient for where we are right now.  The principal of loaning him was ok, just not to that lot. 

Can we not play Hause at left back as another option?

Yep, or Mings.

I guess the issue is both of those players are fine as LB cover if you play a standard flat back-four.  We don't.  Our full-backs are now central the majority of our attacking wide play.  I can't see either of those two on the overlap and whipping in dangerous balls.  Or being involved in the intricate one-touch play in the final third where Digne seems pretty comfortable.  That said, neither was Targett, particularly.

If it's only a couple of weeks, then I think Young can do the job - if they want someone more defensive then Hause can do it, but that would probably require a tweak to the formation further ahead to ensure we had some attacking width.

You're right, Hause or Mings would be far from ideal.  The point is more we can't really carry more than two specialist left backs in a squad and for now those are Digne & Young and prior to this it was Target and Young. It can't cover every eventuality, but generally that should be enough.

While not really disagreeing with the overall thrust of the post, I'm not sure that based on what he has done this season I'd describe Young as a "specialist left-back".

He's played pretty much everywhere apart from goalkeeper and centre-forward at some point.

[LeeB]

I reckon Mings would love a bit of maruading up the left wing, and I reckon he'd make a decent fist of it too.

[RamboandBruno]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

[Dave P]

The idea of Hause at left back has given me a Vietnam style flashback of Brentford away in 2019

[AlexAlexCropley]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

Against Saka? It'll be a car crash

[Dave P]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

Against Saka? It'll be a car crash

And Targett would have been any better?

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

Against Saka? It'll be a car crash

And Targett would have been any better?

Yes

[AlexAlexCropley]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

Against Saka? It'll be a car crash

And Targett would have been any better?

Targett? Where'd that come from?

[eamonn]

Targett doesn't get physically bullied anymore. Ashley still has the physique of an athletic 12 year old and his pace is gone.

[Dave P]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

Against Saka? It'll be a car crash

And Targett would have been any better?

Targett? Where'd that come from?

The discussion is Young having to play as Digne is injured.  I'm saying wouyld Targett have faired any better than Young if he was still with us.  Better and faster wingers than Saka have roasted Targett.

[Beard82]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

Against Saka? It'll be a car crash

And Targett would have been any better?

Targett? Where'd that come from?

The discussion is Young having to play as Digne is injured.  I'm saying wouyld Targett have faired any better than Young if he was still with us.  Better and faster wingers than Saka have roasted Targett.

I think, by and large, defensively Targett has been pretty good during his time with us, and last season was excellent. 

I think Young wouldnt be up to it personally - I would be tempted to have mings there and hause in the center with konsa

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

It値l be Young until Digne is back

Against Saka? It'll be a car crash

And Targett would have been any better?

Targett? Where'd that come from?

The discussion is Young having to play as Digne is injured.  I'm saying wouyld Targett have faired any better than Young if he was still with us.  Better and faster wingers than Saka have roasted Targett.

The answer is still yes.

[chrisw1]

It is.