or to join or start a new Discussion

19 Comments
Article Rating 1 Star

Wtf has happened to our defence?

Last season, 38 games, 28 conceded
This season, 15 games, 25 conceded

Personnel are the same except this season we effectively have a new LB in Shaw and a new backup RB in Dalot.

It's like Jose is deliberately setting us out to leak goals just to make a point to Woodward. Thought the guy prided himself on having an impenetrable defence?

Granted the players need to take the bulk of the blame but Jose really isn't helping the situation. Why persist with a Lindelof-Smalling CB axis when they're conceding two every game? Why sideline Bailly for the entire season following one bad game? Why persist with Matic as our CDM when he's offering next to no protection?

posted on 7/12/18

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
People are being harsh on De Gea imo. It's true he hasn't been quite at the levels he usually is, but he is still making saves no other keeper does on a regular basis.

The likes of Alison and Ederson who people are creaming over have let in plenty of soft goals too.

Part of the issue is the midfield, its awful. Another is the negative tactics, team section and mentalotu of the team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't say Alisson has let in plenty of soft goals. One or two he could have done better with, but he's been one of the best keepers overall this season so far. He's saved us some points too.

posted on 7/12/18

comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
People are being harsh on De Gea imo. It's true he hasn't been quite at the levels he usually is, but he is still making saves no other keeper does on a regular basis.

The likes of Alison and Ederson who people are creaming over have let in plenty of soft goals too.

Part of the issue is the midfield, its awful. Another is the negative tactics, team section and mentalotu of the team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't say Alisson has let in plenty of soft goals. One or two he could have done better with, but he's been one of the best keepers overall this season so far. He's saved us some points too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah this.

You can hardly point a single finger at what is currently the best defence/keeper in the league having only conceded 6 in 15

posted on 7/12/18

comment by Keep It Greasy Fick mich, du (U1396)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
People are being harsh on De Gea imo. It's true he hasn't been quite at the levels he usually is, but he is still making saves no other keeper does on a regular basis.

The likes of Alison and Ederson who people are creaming over have let in plenty of soft goals too.

Part of the issue is the midfield, its awful. Another is the negative tactics, team section and mentalotu of the team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't say Alisson has let in plenty of soft goals. One or two he could have done better with, but he's been one of the best keepers overall this season so far. He's saved us some points too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah this.

You can hardly point a single finger at what is currently the best defence/keeper in the league having only conceded 6 in 15
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It's easy not to criticise a keeper who has a solid backline in front of them. Have you seen the calamity defending and midfield in front of de gea. He has far more shots at him compared to both Ederson and Alisson
De gea is the best keeper in the league and has made very few mistakes this season. Very poor mistake the other day but you can easily forgive him especially after making some decent saves later on. Wouldn't want any other keeper

posted on 7/12/18

De Gea is part of it - not in terms of the errors, but the space between him and your back line at times. That’s fine as long as you’ve got good enough defenders, but you haven’t. That and the protection in front of them is pretty poor - there’s a lot of gaps for other teams to exploit when you lose the ball.

comment by Lurker (U21432)

posted on 7/12/18

For me, what's changes is the defence has no protection this season. Mainly due to Matic, who's regressed, but also due to Pogba being poor defensively. I don't buy the nonsense that de gea saves us x number of points a season.

A lot of goals we've conceded this season have been from mistakes from our midfield (or even de gea). We have a terrible midfield. Sadly, goals conceded will always reflect badly on the back 4, they aren't perfect but our system and midfielders don't help them.

Also, there is a case for self-sabotage by mourinho. He's played midfielders in defence (to disasterous effect) to stick two fingers up at the board because they would not let him sign an injury prone 30 year old CB. For that alone he should have been given the boot.

comment by Busby (U19985)

posted on 7/12/18

Yeah Pogba (and other midfielders in fairness) has a lapse in concentration all to often. Our marking of runners from midfield is appalling.

posted on 7/12/18

There are quite a few factors behind this in my opinion and they all relate to Jose.

The biggest one I feel is the fear factor he has created among the CB's if they make a mistake. Both Lindelof and Bailly are playing like nervous wrecks because they know they will get singled out in the media by Jose and dropped for a run of games.

Rojo, who had a very good game on Wednesday, was hauled off for one mistake.

Matic, Groot and to a lesser degree Pogba are also another reason, whether it is due to Joses tactics or just being lazy or slow. Our midfield just sits back and invites pressure.

Matic is the worst DM in the premiership by far. He is slower than Fellaini and puts in less effort. yet he can make as many mistakes as he wants , and does, but does not get dropped.

posted on 7/12/18

There are still chelsea fans think letting Matic go watch an error....although less so than before oddly

posted on 7/12/18

There are still chelsea fans think letting Matic go watch an error....although less so than before oddly

................

It really is hard to explain with Matic. For the first three months or so he looked top drawer. He has been utterly $hit since then.

posted on 9/12/18

Statistically shots for on and off target and against are similar to last season. Just this season we are more unlucky and have 9 points less.

Sign in if you want to comment
RATE THIS ARTICLE
Rate Breakdown
5
0 Votes
4
0 Votes
3
0 Votes
2
0 Votes
1
0 Votes

Average Rating: 1 from 1 vote

ARTICLE STATS
Day
Article RankingNot Ranked
Article ViewsNot Available
Average Time(mins)Not Available
Total Time(mins)Not Available
Month
Article RankingNot Ranked
Article ViewsNot Available
Average Time(mins)Not Available
Total Time(mins)Not Available