17 Dec 2017 22:56:35
Keep hearing how simular we are too spurs apart from they have a better defence. we have conceded just 2 more goals than them this season. and of the 20 we have conceded 12 of them were in 3 games.
6th best defence in prem.
Don't get me wrong still think we need a new cb and goal keeper, but we really are not that far away.
If we can move that on to 3-4 best that a few of those draws becoming wins.

1.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 00:24:40
Notice how much better we've been since Matip has been out 🤔 maybe it's a coincidence but for me, Klavan and Lovren seem to be building a decent partnership and i wouldn't break it up any time soon if I'm honest. Not unless we sign a top class centre back in January, at least!

2.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 00:36:44
They definitely seem to have a decent understanding today. They pass out from the back quite well. There is still the niggling problem that they are slow for the way we want to play.

3.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 02:48:21
finding consistency and confidence seems to be key for our guys.

4.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 03:20:50
Klavan isn't the greatest defender but he is no nonsense, he puts in a shift, he tries hard and he seems to at least try and read what his team mates are doing. He looks vulnerable to pace and his passing is dodgy to say the least, but he at least tries which is why I think he is playing better than Matip. Even if Matip was fit I wouldn't put him in the team.

5.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 06:51:56
If Defoe hadn't dragged his shot wide we wouldn't be saying this. We still have serious problems, they just weren't punished today.

{Ed001's Note - you can only think of one incident but that is indicative of serious problems? You really must be a joy to live with, damn you are a miserable bugger. We battered them 4-0 and still you want to whine like a spoilt child who has had their favourite toy taken away!}

6.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 07:42:35
PutneyRed, we should have been 3 up when Defoe got his big chance. So in hindsight if both teams had taken their chance we would still have a 2 goal cushion over them. You are making a big deal out of nothing.

7.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 07:49:57
Sorry ed, I probably didn't communicate well (I had only just woken up) .

I'm referring to the posts above suggesting that Lovren and Klavan are a solid CB pairing. I don't think they are and I don't want to rely on them any longer than we have to.

Didn't mean to take anything away from the performance yesterday, we were excellent.

{Ed001's Note - how is giving up one chance in 90min showing they are not solid? You are making no sense and just picking at things for the sake of it.}

8.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 08:04:06
You mean he Defoe chance where Gomez played him onside?

I think you're clutching at straws trying to blame that on Lovren or Klavan. Though i do think Lovren should've played to the whistle as he stopped and put his arm in the air for offside. Gomez was at fault though. He dropped without communicating.

He's still a kid though so he will make the odd mistake. It's up to the analysts and the coaches to point it out to him so he can learn from it. Lovren, Klavan and Robertson all held their line to perfection.

Anyway, if you still think it's their fault, I'm not really concerned about conceding one major chance away from home to one of the most attacking teams in the league. If Salah had taken his chances we'd have been 5-0 up by the time Defoe hit the post. It's all ifs and buts. They don't matter. We won 4-0.

9.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 08:13:04
Putney, if you only picked out one incident (btw, Wiji was at fault for losing the ball stupidly in midfield) out of 90 minutes as indicative of serious problems then for sure, you are really scraping underneath the bottom of the barrel to find something negative to say. I normally love your posts BUT this one is way of mark. Cheer up, man. We won, scored goals, clean sheet and all the boys played well. Why so negative?

10.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 08:34:30
Guys, behave, of course I'm not using that chance as my one example that we have serious problems in defence, we all know that we have serious problems.

My point, however badly articulated, is that if that goal went in the talk on this post wouldn't be about how good Klavan and Lovren are it would be 'good team performance but I still think we need a new CB'.

I hate over praise as much as I hate over criticism. Klavan and Lovren have been doing a decent job but if the right CB is available next month I want us to buy him because we are in a fight for the top 4 and CB is one of our main weaknesses.

I apologise if right after a good win is the wrong time to make this point but it doesn't make the point wrong.

11.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 08:48:07
Klavan is out no 1 CB for me, they all have weaknesses who doesn't, but for me, he's got the most heart, most likely to stick his head, leg, body on the line, and probably the strongest. His lack of pace is his issue, so why not give him a chance with Gomez?
Matip has to go for me, too lazy, slow and not turned up at all this season. Lovren has had moments, but he seems to be able to keep fighting.

12.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 09:51:47
I agree with Putney.

I think people have misunderstood him there. Klavan and Lovren are doing well no doubt but we should not let this good run of form mask the need for a centre back.

Surely we all agree with that?!

13.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 10:11:14
Putney is a great contributor, usually very positive, and i do understand his point. Its still all "Ifs and buts" though. If both teams had scored all their chances i think we'd have won about 18-3!

Putney, your post on Chamberlain was awesome so please don't take it personally.

As you say Keith, we still need a new centre back regardless!

14.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 10:38:30
if defoe's goal went in, we'd be in typical irrational meltdown about the defence. again completely missing that the opposition had free reign running towards our goal with our defence caught between going for the ball and tracking the run. that kind of situation catches out the best defences and often it is simpply a matter of an individual making a good read to intercept or simply having the pace to make up the ground.

Putney is right tho, the criticism would be all over lovren and klavan had that goal gone in.

15.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 12:57:58
Regardless of yesterday, our centre half's are just not good enough, and it urgently needs addressing over the next two transfer windows. Fair enough, there's no need to keep highlighting there faults, but they eventually are all going to have to go.

16.) 18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 12:58:52
As a footnote, definitely not VVD. Most overrated CH in the league.