The defensive crisis

[weasel]

Very early, 3 games in, etc etc.

But I'd actually quite like to pre-empt the debate in case we're struggling after 3 or 4 more games and ask the question, what the hell is going off with our defence? This way we can see what we all think has happened here before we all get caught up in moans and groans about relegation etc.

Last pre-season it was alarming to most people that we were sticking with the exact same back for from League One. Now I was willing to make a leap of faith and back Colin's judgement since that defence got us up, even if it did look risky. It was soon proved that the back four was nothing like up to the task.

Now this season we've signed Gunter which has solved our ages long right back problem, but to not sign any new centre halves, even when it's debatable whether any of them are up to the task at this level is quite shocking.

So why has this happened two seasons in a row? Why have we gone silly and got 6 strikers and only one new defender? Why have we spent £1m on McGoldrick when that money would have been far better spent towards a centre half?

 

[king_congo_red]

What defensive crisis?

Why has no-one mentioned this before? :mellow:

 

[Tutts]

Shhhh... keep quiet about it or the purchase price of defenders will double. :mellow:

 

[benjiabc]

Completely agree mate to be honest. I have often been baffled by the decisions made by forests "transfer committee" how we can by six strikers , but yet wont stretch our bids for a defender that little bit further to gaurantee the capture? Its nothnig short of ludicrous. It seems that billy has left it too late. and i fear this season will be the same as last. a relegation battle. a home defeat to Derby and an overall sadness around the club. The fans deserve better than this and the people at the top are to blame for the lack of defenders we have signed

 

[yam]

So why has this happened two seasons in a row? Why have we gone silly and got 6 strikers and only one new defender? Why have we spent £1m on McGoldrick when that money would have been far better spent towards a centre half?

Ahem Joel Lynch. Might not be brilliant but he is a defender.

Other than that I agree.

 

[Erik]

Very early, 3 games in, etc etc.

But I'd actually quite like to pre-empt the debate in case we're struggling after 3 or 4 more games and ask the question, what the hell is going off with our defence? This way we can see what we all think has happened here before we all get caught up in moans and groans about relegation etc.

Last pre-season it was alarming to most people that we were sticking with the exact same back for from League One. Now I was willing to make a leap of faith and back Colin's judgement since that defence got us up, even if it did look risky. It was soon proved that the back four was nothing like up to the task.

Now this season we've signed Gunter which has solved our ages long right back problem, but to not sign any new centre halves, even when it's debatable whether any of them are up to the task at this level is quite shocking.

So why has this happened two seasons in a row? Why have we gone silly and got 6 strikers and only one new defender? Why have we spent £1m on McGoldrick when that money would have been far better spent towards a centre half?

Because we wern't able to secure the signatures of our preferred close season defensive targets?

The money was no doubt there, we just weren't able to close the deals, for whatever reason.

There is still time to resolve this before the transfer window closes and I'm sure everyone involved is doing everything they can to do this.


The alternative is incompetence and not only do I not want this to be the case, I don't actually believe it is either.

 

[king_congo_red]

Completely agree mate to be honest. I have often been baffled by the decisions made by forests "transfer committee" how we can by six strikers , but yet wont stretch our bids for a defender that little bit further to gaurantee the capture?

Yeah totallyt agree mate. Because we couldn't sign any defenders, we should have said 'sod the strikers' not signed any and ended up with both a weak defence and weak attack.

 

[removed user]

Because we wern't able to secure the signatures of our preferred close season defensive targets?

The money was no doubt there, we just weren't able to close the deals, for whatever reason.

There is still time to resolve this before the transfer window closes and I'm sure everyone involved is doing everything they can to do this.


The alternative is incompetence and not only do I not want this to be the case, I don't actually believe it is either.

well said. No need to panic just yet. We'll get a couple in shortly I'm sure.

We have to remember just how many new players are in that team. It'll take a bit of time top gel, but gel it will.

 

[Quinn^2]

Worry not folks. Plenty of time left.

 

[NFFCJonny]

Why have we spent £1m on McGoldrick when that money would have been far better spent towards a centre half?
[/quote

McGoldrick is one of the best signings we made during the summer!

 

[superam]

Whers Victor Chandler when you want him

 

[yam]

Get bent

 

[weasel]

Why have we spent £1m on McGoldrick when that money would have been far better spent towards a centre half?
[/quote

McGoldrick is one of the best signings we made during the summer!

He may well prove to be, that's why I don't go as far as to say that this is a mistake, especially if 3 strikers go down injured in the next couple of weeks.

However it does appear the the average fan that we've spent to heavily on our attacking options and not heavily enough on defence. I'm not actually of the opinion that we should have stretched our bids any further for Mills etc. We set our price and we stick to it, paying more than we deem sensible is well....not sensible. However I would question why our interest only seems to have stretched as far as two or three players. Surely there are several targets out there who would improve upon Chambers or Wilson at centre half?

 

[weasel]

Ahem Joel Lynch. Might not be brilliant but he is a defender.

Other than that I agree.

Do excuse me. Yes Lynch as well, who I feel is an excellent signing as a reserve. For too long we've had such a small squad that it's been left to the likes of Heath or *shudders* Newbold to fill in when theyre clearly not ready. Lynch is a capable understudy to a better first choice who we havn't got at the moment, and it's all looking a bit messy that's all.

 

[yam]

Do excuse me. Yes Lynch as well, who I feel is an excellent signing as a reserve. For too long we've had such a small squad that it's been left to the likes of Heath or *shudders* Newbold to fill in when theyre clearly not ready. Lynch is a capable understudy to a better first choice who we havn't got at the moment, and it's all looking a bit messy that's all.

No argument there

 

[mouldy]

Joel Lynch was signed. For me he isn't too bad at centre back with Wes. He gets those headers does make some good interceptions. The 2 are relatively solid central defenders.

However we need him for left back. I would argue that just bringing in a left back could solve our issues. It would mean we have every round peg in it's round hole after all!

The whole defence was bad last night Morgan who is our best defender IMO was shocking for his usual ability, Gunter was giving the ball away far too cheaply, Lynch I think was having to cover 2 positions most of the game and we all know Chris Cohen is not a full back.

 

[Bridgfordred79]

I have compiled a list of defenders who would slot right into the squad. Please feel free to pass this hallowed list onto Nigel Doughty, Billy Davies, The Panel, or the NEP.

Here they are:

Rufus Brevett

Kit Symons

Tony Vaughan

Peter Canero

Graeme Le Saux

 

[weasel]

The whole defence was bad last night Morgan who is our best defender IMO was shocking for his usual ability,

How often do we say that though? He looks a million times better when he plays alongside a more experienced defender i.e. Breckin, but when he's expected to boss the defence himself how often does it end in farce? I'd say not infrequently.