28 Jun 2017 23:14:46
For my money every successful Premier league team has had an old school English centre half barking out orders from the back Adams, pallister, Campbell, Ferdinand, terry, carragher and arguably even Morgan (I know) to this point . Why is it we are completely overlooking michael keane? He might not have the flash play of a vvd, but he is available at half the price and probably twice the consistency. It seems painfully obvious that this is a winning formula, and was likely the reason for city signing stones an Gary chill still having a career.

1.) 29 Jun 2017
29 Jun 2017 06:50:14
Disagree on Stones
Keane is poor. He is consistent alright, consistently poor.
Nationality is not the issue. We have never replaced Hyypia. In my opinion he was a bigger loss than Carragher.
You need leaders in defence, that's what we're missing, leaders. Leaders require self-confidence, something which our defenders don't have. VVD has it in spades.

2.) 29 Jun 2017
29 Jun 2017 07:53:40
Chelsea won the league in spite of Gary Gahill, not because of him. I can't think of one English central defender that I would want week in week out in our starting 11. This is possibly the worst generation of English defenders for a very very long time, for all the money in the game that's a shocking stat, I agree with Ron, Hyppia was a player we didn't adequately replace. And there are very legitimate reasons not to consider Keane, like all of the English centre backs at the moment, he's not very good and further to that, he is a die hard United fan (and we're talking very die hard by all accounts), so for him and us, a move to Anfield was never going to happen.

3.) 29 Jun 2017
29 Jun 2017 08:03:02
These are professional footballers we're talking about. Each and every one of our centre backs arrived with self confidence. Lovren had plenty of it. In my opinion (think skrtel) its communication that is their downfall. By having the English center back I think it really aids this communication right from the back.

4.) 29 Jun 2017
29 Jun 2017 08:05:09
Rollan, if Michael Keane (who is not good enough and is not a leader) is the one you want us to sign then I'm happy not to have any English CB in our team cos I can't see any that are good enough and any one of them we try to sign will cost an arm and a leg. Do you think a defender who plays in an ultra defensive formation at Burnley, can hack it in a system where he is exposed and required to defend 1v1 situations? And for 28m? I don't. English players are overrated and so is Keane and Stones tho Stones is the better CB, I wouldn't want any English CB here.

5.) 29 Jun 2017
29 Jun 2017 18:34:24
Looks like im in the minority then, but whenever I think of successful English teams they've always had English center backs. Michael Keane is wanted by utd and Chelsea? Can't be THAT bad.

{Ed025's Note - it looks like he will end up at everton mate..

6.) 29 Jun 2017
29 Jun 2017 18:59:06
Yeah I did see that. But there seemed to be interest from the big clubs. I actually didn't see much of him last season, the point I was making was a bit more general than that. Obviously complete rubbish too haha.

{Ed001's Note - Keane was not of interest to United or Chelsea.}

7.) 30 Jun 2017
30 Jun 2017 14:05:17
Pretty certain Keane is not particularly good at barking out orders.

8.) 30 Jun 2017
30 Jun 2017 14:10:04
I don't even remember the Last English CB that made to the elite! Cahil was schooled the other day by Mbappe and Dembele. He is the weakest in that Chelsea defense!
I agree with Ron on Sami and VVD. And let's not fool ourself most of the best CB's are priced beyond our nominal range anyways!