Today

our whole problem this season can be laid at the feet of our lack of strike force.

our defence isn't any worse than last season, in fact, it is better than last season, the problem is we've sold suarez, and lost sturridge to injury.

losing a striker of Suarez's ability is always going to hard to recover from, but having balotelli alongside sturridge, we should be ok. losing sturridge as well means our entire method of play has become disjointed. we've had to start more new players than we'd like to, due to injuries, but that wouldn't be too bad if we could have carried on playing like last season. but we've lost all pace up front.

defenders have less work to do, and more time to do it in, with our current line-up. this gives them much more license to move forward and help their midfield/attack.

this is why we're struggling to control midfield, and why our defence looks so terrible.
once balotelli and our midfield learn each others game, and sturridge is back to provide more movement and pace up-front we'll see a big upturn in both performances and results, and with the reduced pressure on our own defending, they'll have a chance to show how good they actually can be.

Last comment is a Good assessment of where we are .second half hopefully sign of things to come , hopefully with a few more goals !,

our defence isn't any worse than last season, in fact, it is better than last season,

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Our defence isn't better than last season, not by a long shot. We were suspect from balls into the box last season, now we are in downright clown shoes territory. You can hear Benny Hill theme playing whenever we defend a corner.

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Not going to get carried away but today was better than it has been

comment by Igor Biscan's Missing Goal Celebration (U15416)




posted 8 minutes ago



our defence isn't any worse than last season, in fact, it is better than last season,

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Our defence isn't better than last season, not by a long shot. We were suspect from balls into the box last season, now we are in downright clown shoes territory. You can hear Benny Hill theme playing whenever we defend a corner.


you're completely missing the point, perhaps deliberately?


so manquillo isn't an upgrade on Johnson? Moreno isn't an upgrade on cissokho?
Enrique missed pretty much all last season due to injury. he's back now.
we still have sakho, skrtle, etc. the only decent defender we've lost compared to last season, is agger, who tends to spend large chunks of the season injured anyway.

so yes, it IS better, it's just coming under increased pressure because more opposition players are joining in every attack because we don't have the type of strikeforce available that will force the opposition to stay back near their own goal.

the more pressure you apply to something, the more often it's going to fail.

you can't just look at the defence in isolation and say it's worse just because it's letting more goals in. you have to factor in the lack of cover being provided by the forwards and midfielders

Maybe the personnel are, on paper, an upgrade. Whether Manquillo and Lovren are better than Johnson and Agger remain to be seen. And Agger wasn't injured at all iirc in his last two seasons with us.

But that matters little when, as a unit, we have regressed. You can't blame not clearing the ball, not attacking crosses, and not being able to mark your man on additional pressure or a lack of cover. It's just bad defending. Something we exhibited last year, but not to the extent we are the moment.

Maybe the reason I'm missing your point is because I'm not entirely sure what it's supposed to be.

"so manquillo isn't an upgrade on Johnson? "

so far, no

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Manquillo is a good prospect

but he's got some development ahead, especially what to do (other than launch a cross to the same place everytime) in the final 3rd.

There are good signs and signs that he's young and still developing so give it time.

Some seem so desperate to upgrade that position that they get a bit blinded as to the reality on the pitch. It reminds me of England. Walker 'was obviously better than Johnson'. Except he wasn't.