Should Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings both start?

[paul_e]

So I summise you have Mings and Pau both starting?
Actually I fantatsic comparison regards the debate of both Watkins and Coutinho and Buendía and Coutinho you just choose to never give acknowledgement my way.

Mings and Pau
The style of play would be different with two left-footed centre backs and would not bring out the best in Mings or Pau because one is out of place.
Furthermore, it's about therefore fitting both players is the same as the debate on forwards and midfielders

This is where my thoughts are, rather than a hypothetical right-footed centre back scenario and I opened a discussion because its a situation and wonder about people's thoughts specifically on both startingon who should be starting under Emery.

Come and debate when you have your evidence, as that is clearly required for you.

No, I have Unai picking the pair he thinks is right for each particular match to ensure we have 4 players fit, in form and ready to play when needed. Sometimes that will almost certainly be Mings and Torres together.

I explained why the comparisons were bad, you can't just say 'nyuh uh, it's great cause I made it' and expect anyone to treat you seriously.

Explain WHY the style of play would be different if they're a pairing, what will be fundamentally different about our play?

Oh and just to be clear you assuming they can't play together and creating a whole thread to treat us to this 'foresight' is just as hypothetical as me asking about 2 right footed players because there's literally no evidence to support your point.

[villadelph]

Aren't only 10% of people lefthanded? If so, wouldn't the large majority of CB pairings be right footers?

[paul_e]

Aren't only 10% of people lefthanded? If so, wouldn't the large majority of CB pairings be right footers?

Yep, although left-handers/footers are massively over-represented in sport so it's more like 1in5 in sports like football. even still you're spot on, there will be plenty of teams using 2 right footed players week-in, week-out without problems, which is exactly why I asked that question.

[Chris Smith]

My opinion on things like this is clear.

If Unai thinks so, then it is so.

Unai knows best.

Yep, just like we had to get used to to his way of playing it out from the back, this season I think we’ll have to learn to accept that rotation is not the same as dropping players.

[eamonn]

I think it's a fair question. A regular, steady centre-defensive partnership is what our success last season was built on. Yes, a squad game, European games etc. etc. Doesn't deter from the fact that the manager will likely want his strongest centre-backs starting most league games.

Torres is obviously Emery's man. So it's one from Konsa/Carlos/Mings. You'd expect Mings but two left-footers may put the kibosh on that. And yet he has signed a new deal so you'd imagine Emery wants him to play regularly.

[chrisw1]

We all know the need for squad depth, rotation etc, but the truth is most teams will have a lot of consistency to selection at centre back.  Look at Van Dijk for Liverpool, Gabriel for Arsenal etc.

There may be rotation in cup games etc, but I think it's reasonable to say we're likely to have a fairly settled first-choice pairing.  It stands to reason one of those will be Torres.  If so, we lose a huge amount of physicality if he repaces Mings on the left.  For me, that makes the most likely partner to be Carlos if he shows up this pre-season or Mings if they can sort out the fact they both prefer the left.  I don't think that sort of compromise is ideal when you're spending this much money.  So I wonder if we'll mainly see two partnerships, Torres and Carlos or Mings and Konsa.

I'll be honest, taking Mings out of our starting lineup does worry me.  We're already a very small team and losing him at set pieces is going to be a hard watch.

[Beard82]

It seems likely that they will give it a go.  On paper they are the best 2 center-backs we have - and Carlos is left-footed too. 

It would be strange to give the contract to Mings, only for him then to become surplus to requirements via a transfer that's always been on the cards.  As others have said - I don't see them rotating it that much.  By the end of the window, I think things should be clearer, as currently we have 5 center backs, and 1 fit left back, and 1 fit right back. 

[Drummond]

I reckon we need to practice for when the Saudis take over. We could end up with players with only a left foot (the others being chopped off for crimes against football) so getting in early gives us a head start.

[Clampy]

I reckon we need to practice for when the Saudis take over. We could end up with players with only a left foot (the others being chopped off for crimes against football) so getting in early gives us a head start.

It's starting already. The match day tickets next season cost an arm and a leg

[kippaxvilla2]

Yes I think they’d go together like bacon and eggs.

[pablo_picasso]

It seems likely that they will give it a go.  On paper they are the best 2 center-backs we have - and Carlos is left-footed too. 

It would be strange to give the contract to Mings, only for him then to become surplus to requirements via a transfer that's always been on the cards.  As others have said - I don't see them rotating it that much.  By the end of the window, I think things should be clearer, as currently we have 5 center backs, and 1 fit left back, and 1 fit right back.

Carlos is right footed.

He prefers to play on the left side though...

[Flamingo Lane]

I'm simply confused by the fact that Mings gets referred to as Mings, and Konsa as Konsa, but Torres gets referred to as Pau.

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm simply confused by the fact that Mings gets referred to as Mings, and Konsa as Konsa, but Torres gets referred to as Pau.

This is coincidental but Torres doesn’t have Torres on his shirt, he has Pau.

[CT Villan]

Yes, is the simple answer, but sadly not an option in the vote.

For goodness sake please nobody tell Footy that we have a left-footed winger playing on the right.

[dubaivillain]

This thread reminds me of that Star Trek episode where the man and his anti-matter doppelganger end up trapped and at each other's throats for all eternity in the tunnel between their dimensions!

I remember that one.  It had the brilliant Frank Gorshin (the riddler) in it.You’re right, it didn’t end well.