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The Defence

Malwood

Malwood

Geoff Thomas
Top Number One priority for me this offseason is to sort out the defence. We have players that we all think are good, but yet still concede loads of goals and our set-piece record is a well-known embarrassment.

What should be done about this? Who is our best centre-back partnership? Are our full-backs too attack-minded? Or is the problem lack of cover in front of the back four?

Someone tell me how we can be better at the back next season, please......?
 
Captain Sinister

Captain Sinister

Senior doom Monger
Is the question : back 3 or back 4?
The follow-up question is then: what is our strongest back 3 if we play a 3?
And I think a back 3 is best with Omobamidele, Boly, Murillo.
That leaves Niakhate as cover.
 
football post

football post

I'm still here Crewton
Cashin - He's worth 5 million pounds you know.

Well he was before promotion, it's probably 50 now.
INSERT - Cashin-7.jpg
 
Notcher

Notcher

Stuart Pearce
Actually the defence isn't as bad as we perceive. We were giving fewer opportunities than most teams in the league. The chances we did allow we also high in difficulty which means we've not allowed too many easy chances.
It's the set piece issue which has absolutely killed us, that's what needs sorting out.

However, I do think we need another experienced centre back. The difference when Boly plays is night and day but unfortunately he picks up injuries a lot so we have to bring another one in ensure Murillo and Andy O have that experience alongside them.
 
Gyros Peter

Gyros Peter

Sauce salad?
We're short on numbers back there. I really like the Murillo/Boly partnership, but in an ideal world will being someone in to really push Boly. Hopefully we get another year from Murillo too...

What we need also depends on the system we intend to play: so much of that is tied up with MGW's future I believe.
 
valspoodle

valspoodle

Steve Chettle
We need good players who can stay fit then keep those players together so consistancy will breed confidence. Last season I doubt we had two consecutive games with the same defence.

We already have some decent players, so no need for another all out purchasing madhouse.
 
Y

youreds1986

Geoff Thomas
Whether Murillo stays or goes, the first priority this summer has to be a big horrible bastard at CB. We need someone that's only interested in heading and kicking anything in sight and will bollock those around him that don't do the same.

That would fix a whole host of our problems. We then have a good set of other defenders to slot around a new defensive leader whether that's a three or four at the back system.
 
D

Davie

Geoff Thomas
youreds1986 said:
Whether Murillo stays or goes, the first priority this summer has to be a big horrible bastard at CB. We need someone that's only interested in heading and kicking anything in sight and will bollock those around him that don't do the same.

That would fix a whole host of our problems. We then have a good set of other defenders to slot around a new defensive leader whether that's a three or four at the back system.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It's the one shining light of losing Murillo. We'll lose the joy of watching him play, but we may just benefit from bringing in a PL experienced bruiser who'll head bricks out the box when chucked at him.
 
Red Echo

Red Echo

First Team Squad
youreds1986 said:
3 or 4 years older than Neco and not any better?

Pass.
Click to expand...
I'll probably get pelters for saying this, as there has been quite a love-in for Neco this season - but I don't think he's good enough for anything more than a relegation standard team.

He works very hard and I like that about him, but the team just seems to lose more often than not whenever he starts. I don't think he's defensively strong enough, as he offers nothing against physical or aerial play in our box.

The general stats are rough:

Williams
22/23 PL
20 starts
W4 D4 L12 (20% win rate)

23/24 PL
18 starts
W3 D5 L10 (16.6% win rate)

Aurier
22/23 PL
22 starts
W7 D9 L6 (31.8% win rate, massive difference in loss rate)

23/24 PL
4 starts
W2 D0 L2 (50% win rate)

Montiel
23/24 PL
8 starts
W4 D1 L3 (50% win rate)

Granted that those Aurier and Montiel sample sizes for the 23/24 season are small, but if they had started more games I think we probably would've won more games, even though the eye test (with Montiel at least) said otherwise.

I haven't checked if there was any overlap in these games (e.g Williams at LB and Montiel at RB), but I don't think there will be much.

I think Forest need to sign a couple of top quality wing-backs this summer.
 
R

RedKez

A. Trialist
Our XGc and shots faced its near the best in the division. It really is set pieces in particular which have hurt us. Concede 10 less goals from set pieces and our season it's transformed somewhat.

For me I don't think it's therefore needing an overhaul at all. The risk of Murillo leaving is obviously high which does make a big difference though, and given we've lost quite a few full backs we do really need one more.

Full backs. Aina & Williams first choice. Toffolo back-up, could use one more back-up. With Aina and Williams being able to play both sides it's less important if left or right sided

Centre backs. Murillo & Niakhate left sided, Boly & Omabadadelle. We obviously have McKenna, Felipe and likely worrall & Panzo leaving. Yates could play at a push. Now we know boly has injuries but the other 3 aren't known for it historically so it's not an absolute must if Murillo did stay to sign another but i suspect we'll want at least one more to give us more flexibility to play 3 at the back as an option.
 
D

Dr_Horse

Geoff Thomas
Defending from open play, both as a 5 or 4 at the back, I think we look really solid. Individual errors have played a large part in a lot of the non-set piece goals we've conceded. We've actually been carved open very few times.

For set pieces it's not automatically the defence's fault either, but no doubt we need Boly fit all season or an equivalent new signing who will attack everything.

Sels is an upgrade and is brave and aggressive but not a massive unit so although I really like him otherwise, to me he remains a weakness at set pieces we need to mitigate. I'd love for us to find a solution that doesn't require replacing him but I can see why we're being linked with bigger keepers.

The players do need to pull their finger out though as a lot of the goals could have been stopped with a bit more effort and concentration.



Sent from my M2101K6G using Tapatalk
 
PlayedOnGrass

PlayedOnGrass

Viv Anderson
Notcher said:
Actually the defence isn't as bad as we perceive. We were giving fewer opportunities than most teams in the league. The chances we did allow we also high in difficulty which means we've not allowed too many easy chances.
It's the set piece issue which has absolutely killed us, that's what needs sorting out.

However, I do think we need another experienced centre back. The difference when Boly plays is night and day but unfortunately he picks up injuries a lot so we have to bring another one in ensure Murillo and Andy O have that experience alongside them.
Click to expand...
Fully agree.
Pre-season is vital. If we can halve the amount we concede from free kicks - which should be achievable.
By doing nothing else we would have another 6-10 points and be lower mid-table.
 
Statto

Statto

Free Kick Specialist
Bigger keepers aren't necessarily the answer though. Pantilimon was tall but he was bad on crosses as well. Keylor was short-ish for a keeper but competed in that area.

The best keeper we have had on crosses recently was Samba and he also wasn't the biggest, around average height for a keeper. (1.87, similar to Sels at 1.88).

Being taller helps but also being able to jump well and having the confidence and ability to jump for a ball in a crowded area and get a confident punch/kick on it is more important than raw height.
 
G

Gareth Edds

First Team Squad
Looks like we might be needing some CBs soon.

Niakhate: going Games played 15(6)
McKenna: Gone 5
Felip: Retired 4 (3)
Worral: Going. 5 (2)

So more fringe players but does leave us really light at the back.

Boly; Games played 18 (2)
Murillo: 32
Omobamidele 8 (2)

Last season we never had a settled back line, and we are loosing some decent squad players. Considering how poor our the set piece defending was the recruitment team really has their work cut out for them.

Any youngsters coming up through from the academy to boost the ranks?
 
L

lavelleuk

First Team Squad
Gareth Edds said:
Looks like we might be needing some CBs soon.

Niakhate: going Games played 15(6)
McKenna: Gone 5
Felip: Retired 4 (3)
Worral: Going. 5 (2)

So more fringe players but does leave us really light at the back.

Boly; Games played 18 (2)
Murillo: 32
Omobamidele 8 (2)

Last season we never had a settled back line, and we are loosing some decent squad players. Considering how poor our the set piece defending was the recruitment team really has their work cut out for them.

Any youngsters coming up through from the academy to boost the ranks?
Click to expand...
I'd wondered if Niakhate going, which seemed slightly unexpected, might mean that Worrall could be staying.

It felt like Omobamidele started more than eight games, not sure why. But yeah even if Worrall stays that doesn't seem like enough cover does it
 
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