The Mail Bag
Our best back 4?
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Got to say this one has me perplexed: we have an abundance of talent in the defense role... and quite a few where I am really undecided on who the best back 4 are. Moyes has a tricky decision to make when all fit:
So for each position we have:
RB: Hibbert, Neill, Heitinga
CB: Yobo, Distin, Jags and Neill & Heitinga again
LB: Baines
For me, Heitinga looked his best at CB... but I don't think any of Jags, Yobo or Heitinga are natural left-side CBs, leaving Distin in his place and the others fighting for the other CB spot. I have nothing of Neill with us so he can be forgotten for now.
When Jags is back I guess I see it like this:
Heitinga Jags Distin Baines
unless Heitinga just can't crack that RB spot then Hibbert will do and is actually more than a decent replacement with half decent cover in front of him.
Tough on Yobo... but thems the breaks.
David Chait, Posted 16/10/2009 at 04:49:55
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In reality, depending on performances, Jags will probably have to wait his turn to get back in the side, remember Baines had to wait until Yobo got injured and Lescott was moved to the middle before he got his chance.
I think a key factor is WHO plays in front of the RB? I assume that most want Bily left, Pienaar right... Osman bench? And it will be interesting to see how Hibbert performs with someone else in front of him. Although I’d go for Neill personally.
Is the strongest, but
Baines - Distin - Heitinga - Neill
Wouldn’t be bad either. But at home against teams like Wolves we should really only be playing 3 at the back with maybe Rodwell and Heitinga playing between midfield and defence.
Baines is nailed on.
When Jags gets back to last seasons form he should start (captain?)
Distin has had a great start and brings balance to the defence with his left foot.
Hibbert has played well recently and has responded well to the competition.
Heitinga had a much better game against Stoke at CB than at Pompey where he played RB and got caught out a few times. I look forward to seeing more of him before making judgement.
Yobo always makes me nervous when he’s on the ball, but he’s started the season well.
Neill we’re yet to see properly, but I think he’s a reliable, experienced defender.
As Jay said Coleman is a darkhorse, he’s fast as ... and he’ll tackle a brick wall.
Gosling has also been decent and Neville is always an option when fit for both flanks.
Hibbert is looking better. Joe Yobo has stepped up (just like Steven did when Mikel was lost to us) and the arrival of Distin seems to have helped a lot.
I hope that the coaching staff have got more ideas for cover for left back than seems obvious at the moment. Baines is one of the best there is and would be badly missed for a game or two, never mind half a season.
I know he has to get a bit of cover for left back... and maybe that ’Carsley’ role is still up in the air, but this squad is one with some strength in depth now.
To have done it on such a low budget as well is some going.
We have some tricky games coming up in the next few weeks but, all being well, we’ll be on a good run by the time we meet Manure, LFC, Spurs and Chelsea in quick succession in about 5 week’s time. Jags and Mikky will be back around then too.
Meanwhile, we’ll get a good chance to see how strong Liverpool’s squad is without Torres and Gerrard this weekend and my guess is that it’s no better than ours and actually weaker without those two.
Baines - Jagielka - Distin - Hibbert
Hibbert and Baines are sure starters. As is Distin, injury notwithstanding.
Yobo will partner Distin until he buggers off to the African Cup, at which point Jags will replace him, and Yobo, as always (poor bugger) will struggle to get back into the side.
You may well be right about Joe Yobo’s near future. When he decided to sign long term for us I couldn’t help thinking there was something like this at the back of his mind.
He is a fine player of international stature and wouldn’t go short of a game if he was looking for another club. But he made up his mind. He will sit on the bench if he has to, or put on the armband with an equally positive attitude. The club, as far as we can know, gave him good support during his family’s crisis in Nigeria. He has committed himself to this club for what will probably be the last years at the top of his career. He knows full well that working for Moyes is no soft touch and I believe that we will see many more excellent performances from the man. And I suspect he has the ability to throw in a few surprises going forward on top of that.
You know, I’m getting all positive about how good a side we could develop into with all players fit and Bilyaletdinov up to Premier League speed. We have riches up front and if we get the right blend and tactics there’s no reason why this squad can’t start to challenge the top 4. I don’t care if we don’t actually get into the top 4 but as long as we can have some pride in how we perform against the very best.
Capable of playing right back are:
Hibbert, Yobo, Heitinga, Jagielka, Neville, Gosling, Neill and Coleman.
Capable of playing left back: Baines, Distin, Neville, Neill (and even Bily apparently) although I think we need 1 more in this position, a shame Valente did not last one more season.
Capable of playing centre half: Yobo, Heitinga, Jagielka, Distin, Neville, Rodwell and Neill (also not sure how good Duffy is and don't forget Hibbert's excellent performance the other week in Europe).
So, as a defensive unit, we definitely have strength in depth. Not sure when Garbutt is expected to develop so once again I feel a left back as cover for baines is a priority in the window. Someone short term could do — I know Michael Ball has been mentioned on here several times!
So (switches to classic ’points of view’ mode....) WHY, OH WHY, OH WHY?? do some people persist in writing formations starting with the LEFTBACK eg:v Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Hibbert.
Before Sky (re) invented football, from the very first time numbers were even used, the RB (2) aways came before the LB (3).
IT DOES MY FUCKIN HEAD IN!!
Sorry for shouting but it’s been 2 weeks without proper football and I’m starting to crack up.
2) Yes, Moyes has assembled a better squad, not hard, given some of the previous dross. But does he really really know his best 11 and what formation to play them in??.
3) Yes, I like the idea of 3 at the back, if you can get the proper wingbacks to go with it. Baines maybe, but after that you are struggling.
Neill is beginning to get back into his stride after a reasonable lay-off, producing (arguable) MOM performances for Australia against Holland and Oman, admittedly in the CB position. Heitinga was off the pace at Portsmouth but looked better at centre-back against Stoke and Australia (while on international duty).
Taking all things into account, Neill has Premier League experience and has played regularly at right-back for Blackburn and West Ham. Therefore, my back-line will be:
Neill... Jagielka... Distin... Baines.
Interesting how few like Heitinga at RB.. he was awful.. but seems to get better each game.. just have to see him at RB again to judge
I’m very excited to see Coleman.. purely based on how fast he apparently is.. and tough.. .. hopefully there is some skill there...
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1 Posted 16/10/2009 at 15:08:01
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As for the RB position, I felt that Hibbo was playing really well before his injury last year and the competition seems to have sparked him again this year so he would be my first choice. Heitinga is a good passer, class player... but too slow for RB. Neil "ditto" but not as classy.
You also forgot to mention:
Neville — age catching up on him now;
Gosling — one for the future;
Coleman — a dark horse... all the attributes you would want in a full back but no Prem experience yet.