We saw how Mbappe and Neymar toyed around with Upemcano et al in CL, tomorrow might not be pretty. Amazing how a team can have 38 CBs and still might need to play fullbacks and midfielders in the central defence.
Centre Back Options - One injury shows our complete lack of strength in depth
- Thread starter ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg
- Start date
I’m fatigued with the CB situation
Would go with McTominay, trust him the most out of the options available.
As part of a three?
I think so yeah, even if we do end up playing a back 4, I'd rather McTominay playing CB than Luke Shaw.
Folks, you’ve seen the PSG injury list, I take it?
I agree with that. Given the options, I think he will go with a three of Shaw and McT. But in a 4 I’d take McT.
I'd play a back 3 with Shaw, Lindelof and one of the young lads (Axel or Mengi). Not ideal, but why play Mctominay out of position when he just played extremely well for us in the midfield.
I agree that it takes one Maguire injury to suddenly make our defensive options look light, but if we can see it im sure that club can too, which begs the question why didn't we bring in a centre back in the summer?
Its probably one of two things. Either we have a target lined up for next summer that we couldnt get this one (Upamecano seems the safest bet), or the club want to give Axel and Mengi another season to develop because they believe one or both will push forward and affect our decision.
Wouldn't surprise me to see McTominay used in a defensive capacity tomorrow. He's just played a couple of games for Scotland in a back three, and did quite well according to the Athletic.
Its probably one of two things. Either we have a target lined up for next summer that we couldnt get this one (Upamecano seems the safest bet), or the club want to give Axel and Mengi another season to develop because they believe one or both will push forward and affect our decision.
Wouldn't surprise me to see McTominay used in a defensive capacity tomorrow. He's just played a couple of games for Scotland in a back three, and did quite well according to the Athletic.
I'm with you - Shaw is a defender, McTominay is a midfielder, very different skillsets and your point abuot his performance in on the money, too.
Yep. Scott has apparently played well at CB for Scotland, but I'd rather keep him in the position we're trying to mould him for and give chances to actual defenders.
Because we have lots of very good midfielders who can play in place of McTominay.
Axel hasn’t kicked a ball in a year, and Mengi hasn’t played senior football, let alone Champions League vs PSG.
He existed. So he got injured.
As I said above, I'd rather have an actual defender there than someone who plays it occasionally. Regardless of their experience at this level. It's why we all bemoaned Pogba leaving, because Rafael got a game in midfielder before and its how Rashford got his chance for us. I'm up for believing in someone over playing 2 players that aren't CBs in the back 3.
We have strength in depth, all clubs are in the shit when two out of the three best defenders are injured. It’s not better at Pool or City, or any other club for that matter. Our problem is that we don’t have strength in quality, we have decided that Maguire and Lindelöf have what it takes to lift Premier Leagues and Champions Leagues. Even a blind man can see the problem 20/20 so to speak. We still have Lindelöf and Tuanzebe, or a central midfielder (remember Fabinho and Fernandinho slots back if needed) - it’s what we have, it’s what the manager has deemed good enough and we have to live with it.
Maguire, Bailly, Lindelof, Jones, Rojo, Tuanzebe and Mensah. 7 CBs and we are still weak in that position. This is how bad we have become in the transfer market
You're making a case for Matic, rather than Mctom, though, aren't you? I'm not saying he should play there, but he's a better fit IMO.
Shows once again how important Maguire is for us.
Bailly should be sold asap, hopefully we won’t keep him a la Jones for the next 10 years, but just get rid. Can’t be relied on at all.
Jones and Rojo - well the less said about them the better.
Lindelöf - have to keep him for now but from next season hopefully only as back-up
Need 2 new CBs. If Axel and Mengi can stay fit / make the step up, then 1 new CB might be enough.
Bailly should be sold asap, hopefully we won’t keep him a la Jones for the next 10 years, but just get rid. Can’t be relied on at all.
Jones and Rojo - well the less said about them the better.
Lindelöf - have to keep him for now but from next season hopefully only as back-up
Need 2 new CBs. If Axel and Mengi can stay fit / make the step up, then 1 new CB might be enough.
Bailly’s injured again? Is this from the international break?
So we now only have 1 CB for the Champions League available - Lindelöf? Maguire and Bailey are injured, Rojo and Jones are not in the CL squad list, Mengi didn’t travel (maybe injury as well)...
so it’s either Lindelöf - Fosu-Mensah or Lindelöf-Tuanzebe partnership against Neymar and Mbappe... Or maybe Lindelöf-Matic to make it slower
so it’s either Lindelöf - Fosu-Mensah or Lindelöf-Tuanzebe partnership against Neymar and Mbappe... Or maybe Lindelöf-Matic to make it slower
To put the slightly over-the-top OP title into perspective... Liverpool were the best team defensively in the PL last season. If they had the equivalent injuries they'd field something like Gomez/Phillips or Van Den Berg (I had to google the dippers squad for these two gems). Point is we do have just as much strength in depth as other teams, it's just no other team would be well equipped to handle their 1st, 3rd, 4th (Jones when fit) & 5th (Axel when fit) CBs all being out.
I'd go 5 at back
Bissaka - Lindelof - Shaw
Fosu mensah - Telles
Bissaka - Lindelof - Shaw
Fosu mensah - Telles
Two injuries*
Obviously the truth isn’t as sexy.
Obviously the truth isn’t as sexy.
Agreed. Bailly, Rojo and Jones need to be gone by next summer.
I don’t agree. There is also a big difference between a fb and a cb and McT might just fit as well as Shaw if we play 2 can. He is also stronger in the air. Axel is most likely not fit for more than 60 minutes so don’t want to take that risk.
And that's important against PSG why?
Play Mengi then if we're worried about Axel's fitness. Playing a back 3 of a CB, LB and CDM against the likes of Neymar and Mbappe is just as risky IMO.
Mengi didn’t travel to Paris, so it’s difficult to play him...
You probably should have gone for a different thread title
‘Four injuries show our complete lack of strength in glue’ would sound better, and even be true.
The gist of your OP I do get, it’s a bit hazardous to rely on so many back up CB’s with recurrent injuries and a few unproven youths. It is a bit unlucky though that with four injury probe players all are injured at the same time. It is nothing new that even top clubs make do with even a midfielder as CB sometimes when luck is out, I remember Robson, Keane, Carrick all doing the chore at some point.
But I agree that we should have gotten Rojo and Jones passed on and one CB more in, one with a good age and a nice dental record, just to be sure.
Has ole confirmed Bailly is injured?
I think he's a bit rash for my liking, to be playing there. Could see him gifting pens against a very competent and quick attackers.
PSG score many goals by running in behind and the big problem will be that no matter how we play, the centre backs will not be used to play together. That will make us very vulnerable. Even if they play mostly on the ground, it’s good to add some strength in the air.
Actually i don’t think Ole will play McT as CB but I hope he doesn’t play Mengi.
As unlucky as we were at times with injury last season we were extremely fortunate that neither Maguire or Lindelof were injured for most games. They've both had their criticism but they're miles ahead of the other centre backs at the club. I expect Shaw to tuck in to LCB tomorrow with maybe a midfielder moving further back to partner him and Lindelof in a back 3
I think the point is only 2 of our many left backs are likely to be fit for more than 20% of the season
Want to see:
---------------------------------De Gea-------------------------
----------Wan Bissaka---Lindelof-----Shaw--------
Williams----------------------------------------------------Telles
---------------------------------De Gea-------------------------
----------Wan Bissaka---Lindelof-----Shaw--------
Williams----------------------------------------------------Telles
Baily being injured is a godsend for me - he was atrocious in the PSG fixture last season, even if he was a right back. He was a headless chicken vs Spurs too + fluffed easy clearances vs fecking Luton.
Is it such a bad thing Bailly is injured for this ?
I'd go with 3-5-2 with Shaw LCB, Lindelof RCB and McT in the middle
Say this to Southgate
I'd like to see it too but I wonder if PSG is the right team to play this against.
I'd try James as a RWB in such a formation.