If our defence is so bad why is it so good?

[roseguy64]

In general I agree, but not every improvement is down to coaching staff, some are simply down to better team selections. Like AWB benefiting from Greenwood over James, or the defence benefiting from Matic over Fred or Scott. Or the strikers benefiting from playing with other strikers rather than a touchline hugging winger.

I'm sure Ole had his reasons for taking time in implementing the correct changes, but it was a bit frustrating earlier in the season when some of the obvious stuff wasn't being done.

efitting from that now and what I think pretty much every other oppo supporter will envy if they are h

All it is is better players are now playing. Coaching isn't all that matters. Almost every coach in the Premier League is good at coaching.

 

[Yagami]

I'm interested in seeing how we cope defensively agaInst the better teams now with our current starting 11. This season, we've either gone 5 at the back or with two workhorses in midfield, which has worked out great. It'll be interesting to see if we look as solid with Pogba and Matic as our duo in front of a back 4.

 

[elmo]

A goal a game? Haven't we gone something like 38 goals for and 4 against in our recent run? How is that a goal a game?

We've conceded 31 goals in 32 league games.

You don't get to pick and choose which games count in the league like what you're doing.

 

[El Jefe]

Not saying our defence is bad but its not even close to being good enough to win the big titles. I think most of us on here could see this despite the good goals conceded record we had in recent games.

The centre back pairing is just wrong. Both need a better partner next to them and individually have the worst flaws you can have in the PL. Lindelof is too timid and weak, while Maguire is incredibly slow, especially on the turn. Strikers will always feel they have a chance against this pairing.

Our fullback are better than our CBs in my opinion but they are abject going forward. Shaw has really good technique and also a good passer but his final ball is horrendous. AWB can drive forward with the ball but we're starting to see teams target him due to his poor control and erratic passing. They can both defend and don't have the flaws of the CBs but they are prone to losing concentration at the back post.

It also doesn't help when DDG is behind them. He's even softer than Lindelof and that's a criminal offence.

We'd be better off spending £100m on the defence than on Sancho this summer.

 

[Lentwood]

It would probably help our defence if

A) Every shot on target didn’t go in

B) We had a keeper who claimed the odd cross.

C) We had a keeper who didn’t give them suicidal passes in front of his own goal at least once a game