Quote from: Risso on November 11, 2024, 09:08:17 AMUnai has said the Premier League remains his main priority ahead of the Champions League. In the Premier League games, including the 'big' games against Arsenal and Spurs etc, Unai has chosen to start with Cash/Konsa over Carlos. Carlos is clearly a back up central defender, one who we were prepared to sell in the summer if the price was right. Carlos is a decent defender most of the time, but one who is prone to making mistakes that lead directly to goals, as he's done already this season. Emery is playing Carlos in the Champions League games (and the League Cup) as a way of managing the squad, in the competition that is second (and last for the League Cup) on his list of trophies.Debatable I think, as Cash has been mostly unfit.Last season, with both fit, Enery picked Carlos in all the toughest Premier League games, suggesting he noticed the fact that we are defensively stronger with him in (and it is a fact). This season he told us he wanted to change to building up in a two rather than a three, sacrificing the greater defensive solidity to be more expressive, which is fair enough, but he hasn’t been able to do that with Cash injured and not trusting Ned.I still think he’d have had Carlos in and Konsa at right-back v Bayern, given the evidence from last season. (Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool H&A).
Unai has said the Premier League remains his main priority ahead of the Champions League. In the Premier League games, including the 'big' games against Arsenal and Spurs etc, Unai has chosen to start with Cash/Konsa over Carlos. Carlos is clearly a back up central defender, one who we were prepared to sell in the summer if the price was right. Carlos is a decent defender most of the time, but one who is prone to making mistakes that lead directly to goals, as he's done already this season. Emery is playing Carlos in the Champions League games (and the League Cup) as a way of managing the squad, in the competition that is second (and last for the League Cup) on his list of trophies.
Quote from: Percy McCarthy on November 11, 2024, 10:18:31 AMQuote from: Risso on November 11, 2024, 09:08:17 AMUnai has said the Premier League remains his main priority ahead of the Champions League. In the Premier League games, including the 'big' games against Arsenal and Spurs etc, Unai has chosen to start with Cash/Konsa over Carlos. Carlos is clearly a back up central defender, one who we were prepared to sell in the summer if the price was right. Carlos is a decent defender most of the time, but one who is prone to making mistakes that lead directly to goals, as he's done already this season. Emery is playing Carlos in the Champions League games (and the League Cup) as a way of managing the squad, in the competition that is second (and last for the League Cup) on his list of trophies.Debatable I think, as Cash has been mostly unfit.Last season, with both fit, Enery picked Carlos in all the toughest Premier League games, suggesting he noticed the fact that we are defensively stronger with him in (and it is a fact). This season he told us he wanted to change to building up in a two rather than a three, sacrificing the greater defensive solidity to be more expressive, which is fair enough, but he hasn’t been able to do that with Cash injured and not trusting Ned.I still think he’d have had Carlos in and Konsa at right-back v Bayern, given the evidence from last season. (Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool H&A).Which bit is debatable? With everybody fit, Unai has chosen Cash at right back, over Konsa at RB and Carlos at centre, in the Premier League, every single time, including the "big" games like Arsenal, Spurs and Man U.
We don’t really know who he’d pick for what games when some people aren’t fit.Many posters are of the opinion that a defence that concedes more goals is better than one that concedes fewer. If that’s debatable, anything is.
Quote from: Percy McCarthy on November 11, 2024, 10:57:58 AMWe don’t really know who he’d pick for what games when some people aren’t fit.Many posters are of the opinion that a defence that concedes more goals is better than one that concedes fewer. If that’s debatable, anything is.We do though when everybody is fit:West Ham - Cash starting at RB, Carlos on the benchArsenal - Cash starting, Carlos on the benchLeicester (both Cash and Carlos injured)Everton - Bogarde at RB, Carlos on the benchWolves - Carlos starting, Cash injuredIpswich - Carlos starting, Cash injuredMan Utd - Cash starting, Carlos on the benchFulham - Cash starting, Carlos starting as replacement for KonsaBournemouth - Cash starting, Carlos on the benchTottenham - Cash starting, Carlos on the benchLiverpool - Carlos starting, Cash injuredSo of our 11 league games, every one Cash has been fit for, he's started. Carlos has only started 4 games, where either Cash or Konsa have been injured. He's only come on as a sub in two others.And never mind what other posters think, we're not important. Emery and his team are of the opinion that in the league, when everybody is fit, Cash starts at right back and Konsa starts at right centre. I hate doing this, but needs must: Fact.
I really think that the big miss defensively has been Kamara, his defensive positioning is superb, as is his cover of whichever of the full backs has moved forward. Its his absence which has led to us looking less than sound at the back.
Quote from: Demitri_C on November 11, 2024, 09:45:49 AMWhat potential issues would we have if we played torres and mings as left sided defenders? I mean defensively we alreafy look a shamble could it really be that bad trying it?That would be great if it worked. I love what Pau brings to our game, but IMO he needs a strong defensive partner. Same with Konsa. Fantastic one v one defender, and brilliant alongside Mings, but his partnership with Pau is weak. Only the Mings/Konsa partnership have so far proved over a extended period that they are strong enough to play with two traditionally progressive full-backs outside them, and even they were defensively stronger with Ashley Young playing conservatively. For the record, I think Carlos/Pau would potentially be similarly porous, maybe even more so, were it not for the fact that they’ve nearly always got as good a defender as Konsa shutting down the right side.It’s all about who compliments each other.
What potential issues would we have if we played torres and mings as left sided defenders? I mean defensively we alreafy look a shamble could it really be that bad trying it?
Surely lots of teams play with two right-footed centre backs, due to the fact that only 10% of the population are left handed/footed?
Mate, I'm only presenting the facts such as they are. Whatever you think, Emery doesn't appear to agree, so take it up with him. To be honest, apart from a handful of games, the whole defence has been atrocious for the best part of a year, whoever has played, it just looks like a fundamental weakness on Emery's part at this stage. It's gone on for ages, and he's seemingly unable to sort it.