The defence problem & alternative options (Merged Threads)

[Wilson]

Last night confirmed for me that we have a real problem at central defence . Barr is not good enough, and Bouzid is big and strong and not much else. We miss Zaliukas (never thought I would say that). Time for at least one young 'un...... McGowan ? We can get by with a second choice full back(s) but the centre at Falkirk and Inverness was dreadful

[Morgaro Gomis]

I agree with most of what you are saying. I think that we can't deal with second choice fullbacks, as that heaps pressure onto the centre halves, who are already not good enough - as shown against Inverness and Falkirk. I also felt that against Inverness, even though overall we were poor defensively, Darren Barr surprisingly came onto a good game in the second half. Him along with Bouzid, were utterly woeful last night though - time for a new partnership. McGowan + Jonsson maybe? Or maybe keep one of the original CH's and just put in McGowan?

[frankblack]

Last night confirmed for me that we have a real problem at central defence . Barr is not good enough, and Bouzid is big and strong and not much else. We miss Zaliukas (never thought I would say that). Time for at least one young 'un...... McGowan ? We can get by with a second choice full back(s) but the centre at Falkirk and Inverness was dreadful

 

I think Zaliukas is just as dodgy as the others. He has a tendency to lose his concentration at key moments in pressure games, which usually cost us goals.

 

When Polish Dave is fit, I'd have him in at centre-half instead of Barr, who I don't rate as a full-back either due to his woeful lack of pace. Barr frequently gets outpaced despite having yards on his opponents, and is too small to handle physical battles against big target men.

[CalMac]

I'd agree that Dave deserves a shot, as he's hardly had a kick since he's been here. If he proves that he's not up to it then at least we can look to get rid of him. There must scores of decent centre backs down south crying out for a loan move in the next window. If we can see it through until then without taking too much damage.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

Might we see a start for McGowan or Park does anyone think?

 

 

I reckon that Barr needs taken out of the centre-half role just now... Maybe right-back but also maybe just dropped and forced to work on his game to try and reclaim his place.

 

 

One possibility might be...

 

 

Kello

 

J. Thomson

Bouzid

Mrowiec

Park

 

Suso

Jonsson

Skacel

Templeton

 

Kyle

Elliot

 

 

That is all depending on what Park has looked like in training and presuming that Thomson would give us what we are used to from him. With Mrowiec, Jonsson and Skacel in there then we have a bit of scope to change things about a bit if the game starts slipping away from us. If you have on the bench...

 

Balogh, Barr, McGowan, Palazuelos, Novikovas, Glen and Stevenson

 

then you have McGowan, Palazuelos and Novikovas along with Skacel, Jonsson, Mrowiec and to a lesser extent Barr and Bouzid who are all capable of playing more than one position on the park, depending on the way the game is going and any changes in shape that might be required.

 

In a 4-5-1 we would have the option of going...

 

Kello

 

Thomson

Bouzid

Mrowiec

Park

 

Templeton

Jonsson

Stevenson

Palazuelos

Skacel

 

Kyle

 

 

After Suso and Elliot have both scored their hat-tricks naturaly. I think we need to change something in defence and I thought that our midfield lacked creativity in the middle against ICT. Seems harsh to drop Stevenson who has just bagged his first goal but I think the creative qualities of Skacel could make a huge difference to our centre of midfield and Stevenson could come on in his place if he tires or come in and play beside him if we need to drop a striker and play with Kyle up front on his own and flood the midfield.

 

See if all this nonsense with Zali had never happened then we would be looking in pretty good shape with the returning Driver and Elliott ready to swell our ranks... Wallace was a massive blow but i would be reluctant to waste Skacel's unique abilities (in our squad anyway) by playing him at LB, just because that is where we are currently a man down.

 

How are Park and McGowan doing in training? Are they not getting a sniff because they are not doing enough to impress or does the coaching staff worry that they are just not mentaly ready for the first team yet.

[bighusref]

I think that Ryan McGowan has a chance but do not think that Matthew Park has a chance.

 

More likely Mrowiec for Barr, J Thomson for C Thomson and the rest the same.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

I think that Ryan McGowan has a chance but do not think that Matthew Park has a chance.

 

More likely Mrowiec for Barr, J Thomson for C Thomson and the rest the same.

 

 

Seems reasonable enough... Is Park still suffering from injury or has his confidence/form gone?

 

I was pretty impressed with the very few appearances I have seen from McGowan and his ability to play in defence and midfield must be pretty usefull to a team with our problems just now... the Park bit is just a yearning to see us play with someone in their proper position.

[bighusref]

Seems reasonable enough... Is Park still suffering from injury or has his confidence/form gone?

 

I was pretty impressed with the very few appearances I have seen from McGowan and his ability to play in defence and midfield must be pretty usefull to a team with our problems just now... the Park bit is just a yearning to see us play with someone in their proper position.

 

I just think that Park is not favoured. The posters that watch the kids more (easy gents) say that he is fit and ready, one going so far as to suggest his "face doesn't fit". I think that if we see a McGowan in defence, it won't be Ryan.

[We_are_the_Hearts]

Motherwell's right winger is a flying machine so that rules out Ruben at LB for me. Has to be Jonsson........

 

...........Kello................

J Thomson-Bouzid-Mrowiec-Jonsson

Suso-Stevenson-Palazuelos-Templeton

...........Kyle-Elliott.............

 

Rudi and Stephen Elliott available as impcact subs........

[johnjl]

i think we may have seen park on the bench a few times if he was in contention.

 

mcgowan ? i thought most people considered him better in midfield but hes been in the first team squad so in with a shout.

 

i`m in 2 minds regarding barr. one part of me says the only way our back 4 will improve is by playing the same 2 central defenders as regularly as possible and allowing them to strike up a partnership. while the other consideration is that barr was so bad he can`t possibly start another game anytime soon. his confidence must be destroyed and if he puts in another performance like he did on tuesday its hard to see how he can pick himself up again cos he`ll be crucified.

[johnjl]

Motherwell's right winger is a flying machine so that rules out Ruben at LB for me. Has to be Jonsson........

 

...........Kello................

J Thomson-Bouzid-Mrowiec-Jonsson

Suso-Stevenson-Palazuelos-Templeton

...........Kyle-Elliott.............

 

Rudi and Stephen Elliott available as impcact subs........

who is there right winger. i think it was jim o`brian last season but he is now with barnsley.

[jambos are go!]

Seems to make more sense to give Zal a pay rise than bring in another player on a wage.

[I.T.K]

.........................Kello...................................

J Thomson------Bouzid-------- Barr.........

 

...........................Jonsson..........................

.........Suso-----Stevenson-------Skacel...

....................Kyle---Elliot----Elliott..............

Out the box,,, just go for all out attack and win 7-6

 

[We_are_the_Hearts]

who is there right winger. i think it was jim o`brian last season but he is now with barnsley.

Humphrey, the boy is rapid! Murphy will give our RB a test as well....

[TheBigO]

Seems to make more sense to give Zal a pay rise than bring in another player on a wage.

 

Zal is back in training from his injury and has made some concessions in the contract talks apparently. Whether that's enough to allow him to play this Sat, I doubt it, but I don't think all hope is lost yet - there may be a speck of it.

 

Our defensive performances since he's been missing have gone to show how big a player he is for us. Along with Lee, Driver and now Kyle, our most important, I'd say. So sickening that 3 of that 4 are missing just now.

 

As for defensive options - Barr not condidered good enough, especially at CB (can't head a ball and has zero presence), but no other options really. Kosovo Dave is worse, Ryan McG is considered a midfielder and I'm not sure on Mrowiec - maybe we'll see him back there soon. I think we'd be seeing Lee at CB at the moment and until Jan had he not been injured.

 

Bouzid is rated but he needs a leader next to him to keep him where he should be and that man was Zal. One of our biggest problems at the back is a lack of a talker/leader to keep us together and organised back there. With a youngster at RB and Pala at LB, we've never needed it more and Bouzid, Barr, Mrowiec, McGowan just won't provide that.

 

We're in a bit of trouble there - I think it's gonna be a case of playing on the front foot and saying "we'll score more than you". Most teams who do that have a solid base to allow them to plough forward though!

 

Amazing how quickly things change - a few months, even weeks ago, we were crying out for forward options and pretty happy at the back!

[johnjl]

a few people have mentioned mrowiec and imo hasn`t let us down so far. he is a strong tackler and his positional sense couldn`t be any worse then barr/bouzid. i think i read, when he joined that he played central defence before. can anyone remember him playing there last time he was here?

can`t remember much about him at all if i`m honest,

[tartofmidlothian]

Zal is back in training from his injury and has made some concessions in the contract talks apparently. Whether that's enough to allow him to play this Sat, I doubt it, but I don't think all hope is lost yet - there may be a speck of it.

 

 

Encouraging update, thanks for letting us know.

 

I really think we'll see Zal again soon, especially the way our defence is right now. It's not quite a Jose situation, is it? Surely if he's frozen out until January at Hearts, he'll go straight back to Kaunas to be frozen out until summer and it'll be unlikely he'll get a move to a club any bigger than ours.

[TheBigO]

Encouraging update, thanks for letting us know.

 

I really think we'll see Zal again soon, especially the way our defence is right now. It's not quite a Jose situation, is it? Surely if he's frozen out until January at Hearts, he'll go straight back to Kaunas to be frozen out until summer and it'll be unlikely he'll get a move to a club any bigger than ours.

 

That's probably what the big guy's realised! I guess it's just a case of how VR will react to Zal's original hard-ball approach. Not sure exactly what Zal's concessions are - I assume he's lowered his wage demands (which were nothing more than a screen for not wanting to sign anyway).

 

Would seem to make sense for all parties for him to sign for Hearts until end of next season with a reasonable release clause in his contract (?500,000 or something).

 

That way, we get his services for this season, he gets to play (incl internationally) and I'm sure someone would pay that for him next summer so we don't lose out financially.

 

Whether VR and Zali have enough sense between them to come to this agreement is another matter!!!

[harvey05]

Zal is back in training from his injury and has made some concessions in the contract talks apparently. Whether that's enough to allow him to play this Sat, I doubt it, but I don't think all hope is lost yet - there may be a speck of it.

 

Our defensive performances since he's been missing have gone to show how big a player he is for us. Along with Lee, Driver and now Kyle, our most important, I'd say. So sickening that 3 of that 4 are missing just now.

 

As for defensive options - Barr not condidered good enough, especially at CB (can't head a ball and has zero presence), but no other options really. Kosovo Dave is worse, Ryan McG is considered a midfielder and I'm not sure on Mrowiec - maybe we'll see him back there soon. I think we'd be seeing Lee at CB at the moment and until Jan had he not been injured.

 

Bouzid is rated but he needs a leader next to him to keep him where he should be and that man was Zal. One of our biggest problems at the back is a lack of a talker/leader to keep us together and organised back there. With a youngster at RB and Pala at LB, we've never needed it more and Bouzid, Barr, Mrowiec, McGowan just won't provide that.

 

We're in a bit of trouble there - I think it's gonna be a case of playing on the front foot and saying "we'll score more than you". Most teams who do that have a solid base to allow them to plough forward though!

 

Amazing how quickly things change - a few months, even weeks ago, we were crying out for forward options and pretty happy at the back!

 

 

 

 

 

Zal was training with the first team last week, albeit with his leg strapped up.

I don't think we're in a bit of trouble, i think we're in big trouble. I posted a thread about the defence on Sat.and the response on here was very low key, i can only assume JKB's were satisfied with it. The situation is only now starting to be recognised that we have a major problem in this part of the team.

 

As for we'll score more goals than you, certainly makes for exciting football but it didn't work against a first div.team.

We need to sign an experienced journeyman, the longer we leave it the further down the league we will go.

 

 

[vegas-voss]

Jason Thomson - Played well first game of the season but was then dropped for Barr.He is not the best going forward but he is pretty steady defensively and we need that.

 

Bouzid - I reckon there is a decent defender somewhere

 

Jonsson - Best we have got I think

 

Skacel - I wish we could play him further forward but needs must and he is an International left back.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Andy Thorn.

 

Even in his current physical state he'd be better than Barr and Bouzid.

[john brownlee]

Encouraging update, thanks for letting us know.

 

I really think we'll see Zal again soon, especially the way our defence is right now. It's not quite a Jose situation, is it? Surely if he's frozen out until January at Hearts, he'll go straight back to Kaunas to be frozen out until summer and it'll be unlikely he'll get a move to a club any bigger than ours.

 

thats good news in some way but I think at the moment its the full backs that are the problem they are not full backs, midfielders pretending to be full backs. Maybe just maybe they will improve and make the position theirs. Remember Lee Wallce when he first started to play full back, he had many a nightmare in his first season as full back.

 

 

also I may get ribbed for this but I can't wait for Blackie to get back I know some of you don't see a player there, but he has the strength in the midfield to stop attacks happening and progressing further up the park putting the full back in trouble.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

Zal is back in training from his injury and has made some concessions in the contract talks apparently. Whether that's enough to allow him to play this Sat, I doubt it, but I don't think all hope is lost yet - there may be a speck of it.

 

Our defensive performances since he's been missing have gone to show how big a player he is for us. Along with Lee, Driver and now Kyle, our most important, I'd say. So sickening that 3 of that 4 are missing just now.

 

As for defensive options - Barr not condidered good enough, especially at CB (can't head a ball and has zero presence), but no other options really. Kosovo Dave is worse, Ryan McG is considered a midfielder and I'm not sure on Mrowiec - maybe we'll see him back there soon. I think we'd be seeing Lee at CB at the moment and until Jan had he not been injured.

 

Bouzid is rated but he needs a leader next to him to keep him where he should be and that man was Zal. One of our biggest problems at the back is a lack of a talker/leader to keep us together and organised back there. With a youngster at RB and Pala at LB, we've never needed it more and Bouzid, Barr, Mrowiec, McGowan just won't provide that.

 

We're in a bit of trouble there - I think it's gonna be a case of playing on the front foot and saying "we'll score more than you". Most teams who do that have a solid base to allow them to plough forward though!

 

Amazing how quickly things change - a few months, even weeks ago, we were crying out for forward options and pretty happy at the back!

 

 

It is an awfull shame about Barr, i really wanted the guy to be a success but he has been dreadfull so far... I don't get it... He was a pretty usefull player at Falkirk and maybe it is true... Maybe "Falkirk was indeed his level"... I hope not though as he is a likeable guy and showed enough form previously to get into the Scotland squad. Actually pretty raging at Zaliukas for leaving us in this mess, I hope that what you say is right about him waking up and having a word with himself as if he is dropped and does not play then we are in dire strights at the back!

 

I thought that Barr would have made a decent enough RB but when he has played there his positional sense has been suspect too and he is all to often pulled out of position or even worse... He sometimes just seems to wander out of position all by himself... So frustrating.

 

I am left to wonder what was so bad with Rapnik... Csaba got rid of a few of our players that were otherwise rather highly thought of like Husband and Rapnik... I hope that was not a huge mistake.

[Guest Bilel Mohsni]

thats good news in some way but I think at the moment its the full backs that are the problem they are not full backs, midfielders pretending to be full backs. Maybe just maybe they will improve and make the position theirs. Remember Lee Wallce when he first started to play full back, he had many a nightmare in his first season as full back.

 

 

also I may get ribbed for this but I can't wait for Blackie to get back I know some of you don't see a player there, but he has the strength in the midfield to stop attacks happening and progressing further up the park putting the full back in trouble.

 

 

He will need to put in a decent performance soon then as he has had a pretty poor start to the season, has young Blackie. It is frustrating as hell watching him chasing down the ball all the time and never seeming to actually win it... He looks more and more like our Scott Brown, everytime I see him. I've been wrong about players in the past though and i really hope I am this time too.

[TheBigO]

thats good news in some way but I think at the moment its the full backs that are the problem they are not full backs, midfielders pretending to be full backs. Maybe just maybe they will improve and make the position theirs. Remember Lee Wallce when he first started to play full back, he had many a nightmare in his first season as full back.

 

 

also I may get ribbed for this but I can't wait for Blackie to get back I know some of you don't see a player there, but he has the strength in the midfield to stop attacks happening and progressing further up the park putting the full back in trouble.

 

Agree to an extent, but the fullback situ would be less of a problem if we had 2 strong centre halves holding it together and keeping them right.

 

The last few games we've been carved open through the centre time after time and that comes from the centre halves going AWOL. An inexperienced fullback can be talked through a game by a good centre half.

 

If you asked my a few weeks ago two players I wouldn't want us to lose at the same time it'd have been Zal and Lee.

 

Your point re Blackie - I can;t make my mind up. He gives away so many fouls. I think Eggy can do the job better but it may be that when Blackie is back we see him in midfield and Eggy at CH which seems to make sense.

[Rod01]

Mrowiec is the answer at Centre Half, he played there for us in his last spell for a game or so and won everything that was thrown at us.

 

Rod.

[Maitland]

I think Zaliukas is just as dodgy as the others. He has a tendency to lose his concentration at key moments in pressure games, which usually cost us goals.

 

When Polish Dave is fit, I'd have him in at centre-half instead of Barr, who I don't rate as a full-back either due to his woeful lack of pace. Barr frequently gets outpaced despite having yards on his opponents, and is too small to handle physical battles against big target men.

 

I'm not sure that things are as black as they are being painted out here. Wallace out for a while participating in that game is a major blow, but let's go back a year where Plan A was to win 1-0 but if Hearts went down a goal there was no plan B.

 

While the defence needs tightened, 6 goals in two away games is still a decent return and I'm sure if that scoring form can continue the defence will get its act together and a run in the big cup can follow with hopefully a push for a Europa slot, even if it's one of the earlier rounds.

 

Hearts record in the wee cup has never been much to shout about, let's leave that one for the wee team. Oh, wait.....

[Rods]

I really think we need not to panic esp with a big game coming up on saturday

 

We did not defend that badly on saturday against inverness

 

My team would be as follows

 

J thomson Barr Bouzid Jonnson

 

Suso Stevenson Adrian Temps

 

Kyle Elliot

 

Big Adrian would supply the DM cover for us. I Feel that its not a defensive problem as suuch more midfield being over run

[The People's Chimp]

a few people have mentioned mrowiec and imo hasn`t let us down so far. he is a strong tackler and his positional sense couldn`t be any worse then barr/bouzid. i think i read, when he joined that he played central defence before. can anyone remember him playing there last time he was here?

can`t remember much about him at all if i`m honest,

 

 

 

Was it not towards the end of his first spell at the club when he played at CB a few times?

[Coco]

Seems to make more sense to give Zal a pay rise than bring in another player on a wage.

 

Why should he get a wage rise? Play him until he leaves in January and JJ can bring another centre half in then.

 

Elsewhere, the defence are taking a lot of stick. Not easy for the defenders or central midfield players when we play with 2 out and out strikers and 2 out and out wingers. Time for JJ to change the balance a bit. Would mean omitting the likes of Suso or Templeton or Elliot who have all been playing well. But the team performances might improve if there was a change in formation to make the team a bit more solid.

[gowestjambo]

I really think we need not to panic esp with a big game coming up on saturday

 

We did not defend that badly on saturday against inverness

 

My team would be as follows

 

J thomson Barr Bouzid Jonnson

 

Suso Stevenson Adrian Temps

 

Kyle Elliot

 

Big Adrian would supply the DM cover for us. I Feel that its not a defensive problem as suuch more midfield being over run

 

We were a shambles against ICT, and lucky we were not punished more. The falkirk game was not just an off day for the defence!

[The Old Tolbooth]

Motherwell's right winger is a flying machine so that rules out Ruben at LB for me. Has to be Jonsson........

 

...........Kello................

J Thomson-Bouzid-Mrowiec-Jonsson

Suso-Stevenson-Palazuelos-Templeton

...........Kyle-Elliott.............

 

Rudi and Stephen Elliott available as impcact subs........

I like the look of that

[johnjl]

Was it not towards the end of his first spell at the club when he played at CB a few times?

 

aye you are no doubt right i just can`t remember much about him last time. which i suppose for a defensive player is maybe not too bad a thing.

 

can anyone remember how he played in defence?...anyone?

[johnjl]

We were a shambles against ICT, and lucky we were not punished more. The falkirk game was not just an off day for the defence!

although the defence played much worse against falkirk, i agree. the only people that didn`t see the gaps in our defence on saturday were the inverness forwards.

 

the defence performed better individually against inverness but looked like they had never met before

[The People's Chimp]

aye you are no doubt right i just can`t remember much about him last time. which i suppose for a defensive player is maybe not too bad a thing.

 

can anyone remember how he played in defence?...anyone?

 

My recollection is he was pretty decent. I would have no qualms about playing him at CB and as you said, he hasn't ever let us down.

[itsnomarooned]

It would be a shame to write off Barr just yet but the problem is that it's difficult to give a player time to bed in when we're shipping goals. Same argument for someone hoping to prove himself coming up from the U19 or reserves (as was). Jason Thomson for me is the obvious RB replacement and I think he's pretty steady - which probably puts me in a minority. Craig T had a good start to his senior career last season but seems to be struggling, maybe a rest might do him some good.

 

There's been much discussion about playing players out of position and how it's a bad idea, so ......... (tin hat) in that case the options for LB are Skacel or Obua with Rudi being the favourite. I've no doubt we'd all like to see him in an attack mode but we are woefully short in a position in which he has played for a large part of his career and for the Czech international team (I think). He may not like it but tough luck. If he was paired with Templeton or Driver then there's still ample opportunity to get forward just like Wallace did.

[DC_92]

aye you are no doubt right i just can`t remember much about him last time. which i suppose for a defensive player is maybe not too bad a thing.

 

can anyone remember how he played in defence?...anyone?

 

He was thrown in there at Pittodrie after Zaliukas was sent off and he played very well.

[johnjl]

He was thrown in there at Pittodrie after Zaliukas was sent off and he played very well.

[Frankenstein Jambo.]

Barr has all the qualities of being a good center half but right now the pressure of playing for a club like Hearts seems to be getting to him. It is only five games into his career at Hearts so I am not even close to throwing the towel at him. However I do agree with others that dropping him to the bench for a few games might give him the kick up the back side he needs to regain his form that earned him a move here. However, not knowing the lad it could also dent his confidence even further and that is something that we don't want.

[BervieJambo]

Jason Thomson is the only fit, eligible natural recognised full-back we have at the moment, so must come in.

Ryan McGowan is due a chance, so these 2 should take the full-back positions. Which one slots into the unfamiliar left back position is open to debate.

Eggert has played enough games at CB (though not his strongest position IMO) and has rarely let us down.

Barr is in need of a break from the pressure of 1st team duty, so a spell on the bench beckons, ready to come back hungry and prove wrong the doubters.

This leaves Bouzid making up the back 4, with Mrowiec sitting just in front of them offering protection.

Pala is not a left back, but is still a better option there than Obua. It would be wrong to hang a not-quite-fit Skacel out to dry in the current defence and should be used as an impact/emergency sub at least until he reaches full match-fitness.

[red]

Push the boat out and bring back goncalves and webster(tin hat onnnnn)

[Cade]

Play a proper 4-3-3, with two defensive midfielders in front of the defence, two flying wingers, a central midfielder and a striker

[john brownlee]

He will need to put in a decent performance soon then as he has had a pretty poor start to the season, has young Blackie. It is frustrating as hell watching him chasing down the ball all the time and never seeming to actually win it... He looks more and more like our Scott Brown, everytime I see him. I've been wrong about players in the past though and i really hope I am this time too.

 

doh

[a safe pair of sells]

WHY,WHY,WHY! it's understandable that under JJ we'll concede more goals from open play, because we push further up the park and commit more players forward and i for 1 can accept that. But my biggest worry is that under Csaba were giving nothing away at set pieces or cross balls, now under JJ, every time the opposition get a corner, a free kick or throw near our box i for one am Gladys Knighting myself. WHY can't he just say "look guys what ever you did under Csaba at set pieces just keep doing it!" because JJ & Billy clearly dinnae have Scooby! (as much as like them).

 

THOUGHTS ANYONE?

[a safe pair of sells]

so no thoughts on that then!

[ramrod]

eggert must go in at centre half,he's steady and unfussy which is exactly what we need right now,adrian should go in at holding mid with jason and rudi at fullbacks,big bouzid could retain his place in the team although i wouldn't be upset at putting ryan mc in with eggert............

 

changes must be made at the back for saturday though,thats a given,we are a shambles right across the back four.................

[a safe pair of sells]

eggert must go in at centre half,he's steady and unfussy which is exactly what we need right now,adrian should go in at holding mid with jason and rudi at fullbacks,big bouzid could retain his place in the team although i wouldn't be upset at putting ryan mc in with eggert............

 

changes must be made at the back for saturday though,thats a given,we are a shambles right across the back four.................

we can change the personnel at the back but, we just ain't defensively organised. it was the same in JJs last couple of seasons 1st time round. So again we go back to my earlier post on this about the set pieces. PS do we play zonal, man or mixed at defending corners?

[N User]

Zal's organisation is definitely missed.

Zal alongside Barr or Zal alongside Bouzid and I don't think we'd be giving either Barr or Bouzid the level of stick they are recieving.

 

If we can't get Zal back in then maybe we should be playing a sitting midfielder (Adrian!!) to protect them.

[a safe pair of sells]

Push the boat out and bring back goncalves and webster(tin hat onnnnn)

 

Can't believe you've got away with that? Didn't the tin hat at all.

[Arthur Morgan]

WHY,WHY,WHY! it's understandable that under JJ we'll concede more goals from open play, because we push further up the park and commit more players forward and i for 1 can accept that. But my biggest worry is that under Csaba were giving nothing away at set pieces or cross balls, now under JJ, every time the opposition get a corner, a free kick or throw near our box i for one am Gladys Knighting myself. WHY can't he just say "look guys what ever you did under Csaba at set pieces just keep doing it!" because JJ & Billy clearly dinnae have Scooby! (as much as like them).

 

THOUGHTS ANYONE?

 

We were just as bad at defending set pieces when Csaba was in charge, has been a problem for the last couple of years now, especially against the old firm.