Should Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings both start?

[Footy-Vill]

Well its here we have had the striker debate Ings or Watkins and the midfielder debate Coutinho and Buendía .
 either or/ both / neither

And now it's the Central Defenders debate regarding 2 left Centre Halves Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings.
The preferred position by both is Left Centre half.
Can they play together?   Do they both fit in the team? Will it be unbalanced?

What would you do?

[paul_e]

Sometimes play them both, sometimes play 1 or the other and sometimes play neither, that's how a squad works.

[Dogtanian]

Couldn't there be more options?

Torres/Mings
Mings/Torres
Torres/[OTHER]
Mings/[OTHER]

[Brazilian Villain]

Ask me in three months.

[Footy-Vill]

Two left centre backs in a back four?
Outside of matchups against weak competition, I oppose both left footers players playing.
It's far too off-kilter and not balanced.

I guess there could be scope to see Kamara ability drop back into defence when Pau carries the ball and steps into midfield, but I believe Pau Torres should play alongside a right-footed centre back and be starting first and foremost.
Mings I expected to be an important squad member who will receive less Premier League game time due to Pau arrival is what I think as opinion

I welcome all discussion on this and believe it will be an ongoing situation during the season as a debate.

It's actually brilliant to have 2 really strong left centre backs but the question like Buendia and Coutinho and Watkins and Ings will they both fit in the team? And be able to play together.

[Footy-Vill]

Ask me in three months.

Time will tell

[Footy-Vill]

Couldn't there be more options?

Torres/Mings
Mings/Torres
Torres/[OTHER]
Mings/[OTHER]

No it's like the Watkins and Ings and Buendía and Coutinho question but specifically 2 left centre backs playing in our defence and your thoughts

[paul_e]

Two left centre backs in a back four?
Outside of matchups against weak competition, I oppose both left footers players playing.
It's far too off-kilter and not balanced.

I guess there could be scope to see Kamara ability drop back into defence when Pau carries the ball and steps into midfield, but I believe Pau Torres should play alongside a right-footed centre back and be starting first and foremost.
Mings I expected to be an important squad member who will receive less Premier League game time due to Pau arrival is what I think as opinion

I welcome all discussion on this and believe it will be an ongoing situation during the season as a debate.

It's actually brilliant to have 2 really strong left centre backs but the question like Buendia and Coutinho and Watkins and Ings will they both fit in the team? And be able to play together.

So you created this post to make exactly the same point you'd already made in the Torres thread and which 3-4 people have already disagreed with?

How about you just address the replies in there instead?

[Dogtanian]

Two left centre backs in a back four?
Outside of matchups against weak competition, I oppose both left footers players playing.
It's far too off-kilter and not balanced.

I guess there could be scope to see Kamara ability drop back into defence when Pau carries the ball and steps into midfield, but I believe Pau Torres should play alongside a right-footed centre back and be starting first and foremost.
Mings I expected to be an important squad member who will receive less Premier League game time due to Pau arrival is what I think as opinion

I welcome all discussion on this and believe it will be an ongoing situation during the season as a debate.

It's actually brilliant to have 2 really strong left centre backs but the question like Buendia and Coutinho and Watkins and Ings will they both fit in the team? And be able to play together.

Footy, I think you're a wonderful human being... but you reject an idea of having two left footed centre backs, but welcome dropping a non-CB player into CB instead?  Madness!

[Footy-Vill]

Sometimes play them both, sometimes play 1 or the other and sometimes play neither, that's how a squad works.

It will be a hot topic of debate by Villa followers and actually general football followers and pundits.
There was a lot of debate about finding a way to play Ings and Watkins, as well as Buendía and Coutinho.  There may be a lot of debate about Pau and Mings. As the season progresses, I'll look forward to reading your thoughts on this topic other than your mocking in your replied statement above.

[Footy-Vill]

Two left centre backs in a back four?
Outside of matchups against weak competition, I oppose both left footers players playing.
It's far too off-kilter and not balanced.

I guess there could be scope to see Kamara ability drop back into defence when Pau carries the ball and steps into midfield, but I believe Pau Torres should play alongside a right-footed centre back and be starting first and foremost.
Mings I expected to be an important squad member who will receive less Premier League game time due to Pau arrival is what I think as opinion

I welcome all discussion on this and believe it will be an ongoing situation during the season as a debate.

It's actually brilliant to have 2 really strong left centre backs but the question like Buendia and Coutinho and Watkins and Ings will they both fit in the team? And be able to play together.

Footy, I think you're a wonderful human being... but you reject an idea of having two left footed centre backs, but welcome dropping a non-CB player into CB instead?  Madness!

Well I advocate if 2 left centre backs are playing then thats how some of it work.
Also Kamara can play at the back and cover and it's flexibility and positional play really
Let's not call it madness.
John Stones midfield is an example.

I was curious to know if other people thought Pau was an improvement over Mings aswell therefore Mings preffered position is in jeopardy

I see a lot of signs. Pau starts matches, and all signs point to this. Villa paying a premium price for the highly sought-after centre defender whom Emery adores.
He already has playing experience and plays in the Emery style.
Football has changed, and it's no longer just a team game of course but a squad game.

[pauliewalnuts]

Sometimes play them both, sometimes play 1 or the other and sometimes play neither, that's how a squad works.

It will be a hot topic of debate by Villa followers and actually general football followers and pundits.
There was a lot of debate about finding a way to play Ings and Watkins, as well as Buendía and Coutinho.  There may be a lot of debate about Pau and Mings. As the season progresses, I'll look forward to reading your thoughts on this topic other than your mocking in your replied statement above.

How is that reply mocking you?

He is making a good point, we need to stop thinking in terms of starters and back ups (not referring to you here, but you see it a lot on here), and rather think of a squad of the most talented players we can find, and at any point in the season, those who are playing best / those who most suit the opposition / those who impress most in training, all of these can influence who starts.

[paul_e]

Sometimes play them both, sometimes play 1 or the other and sometimes play neither, that's how a squad works.

It will be a hot topic of debate by Villa followers and actually general football followers and pundits.
There was a lot of debate about finding a way to play Ings and Watkins, as well as Buendía and Coutinho.  There may be a lot of debate about Pau and Mings. As the season progresses, I'll look forward to reading your thoughts on this topic other than your mocking in your replied statement above.

My thoughts throughout the season will be that we'll play the best 2 options for the game, based on form, fitness and load-balancing for what might be a 50-60 game season. If you think it's mocking for me to suggest that it's highly likely all 4 of our senior centre backs will all start some games over the season then you have a very low bar for piss-taking but to be clear, it wasn't mockery, it was a statement of facts, and not the sort of facts that you regularly confuse your opinions with.

[Smirker]

My opinion on things like this is clear.

If Unai thinks so, then it is so.

Unai knows best.

[VillaTim]

Would not rule Konsa out at this stage