Central DefenceI

M

mark pike

Star Player
It’s odd that the majority of teams seem to be able to keep their central defenders mostly injury free,whereas we can’t?To have Francis, Cook, Meham,Kelly out at the same time is soul destroying and is the key factor in our struggles to stay up.
 
We just can't keep anyone fit!
Kelly hasnt played 1 PL game has he?
We have a serious problem with injuries - there must be an underlying cause.
They say not...but it needs another investigation.
What happened to that Dan Juma.
and the Dutch guy Arny Groeneveld..they havn't figured at all.?
 
First season we have had a real problem in central defence. Cook has been a virtual ever present since he signed, Ake hardly missed a game, Franno was virtually ever present in the first couple of seasons until Ake arrived.
Mings was always injured but not sure we originally signed him as a centre back.
 
...we will need to seriously look at our defence if we stay up and want to be more solid next season. We may also lose Nathan, who is a classy player destined for bigger things IMO.

Stacey looks promising at RB, Adam Smith is okay, Cook,Simpson, and Mepham don't appear to be strong enough or have the skills required at CB...Rico should only improve as a LB...as for Kelly? well he is an unknown at this point.

I think that Eddie needs to sign at least two CB's of quality from somewhere to bolster our defending for next season.
 
Mepham was starting to look very decent at left side centre back while Ake was injured, then he got his own injury. He's better on that side so as and when Ake gets his massive move, I don't think we should panic too much.
 
Dan Juma AND Arny Groeneveld! Excellent transfer business there then, must've been a BOGOF deal. At least Dan had someone to keep him company in Qatar whilst they recovered from their remarkably similar injuries.
 
Such a shame about Kelly. I feel lucky as I actually saw him play - for the England u21's at MK. I can report back...he looked decent, and a lot taller than I was expecting :grinning:
 
Audenshaw Cherry said:
Aren't they (he) one and the same?

Are they ? Why do different parts of the media refer to the two separate names...I honestly thought we had signed two players...who were both injured!

I googled it just now.. and discovered Danjuma is his middle name! ...F' kin nightmare all this messin about with names and the shirt thing!
Click to expand...
 
beds cherry said:
Such a shame about Kelly. I feel lucky as I actually saw him play - for the England u21's at MK. I can report back...he looked decent, and a lot taller than I was expecting :grinning:
Click to expand...
....I saw him at Burton and he was average to say the least...mind you most of the team were rubbish that night!
 
Brian Hutchings said:
We just can't keep anyone fit!
Kelly hasnt played 1 PL game has he?
We have a serious problem with injuries - there must be an underlying cause.
They say not...but it needs another investigation.
What happened to that Dan Juma.
and the Dutch guy Arny Groeneveld..they havn't figured at all.?
Click to expand...
If only Arny and Dan could play at the same time Brian. :)
 
What’s the centre-back pairing for Palace if Cook is out? ... or if we play three, who replaces Cookie? Real problem - and very worrying in a must-win game.

Francis will surely play if fit ... if not, is it Simpson again? He had one great game at Chelsea a couple of years back, since then he’s been wobbly in almost every appearance. He’s not just left-footed but exclusively left-footed, switching compulsively to his left as soon as the ball approaches - hence the awful error at Anfield.

I agree with the sympathetic assessment from Carragher, currently featured in the Echo: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/s...emouth-defender-jack-simpson-anfield-mistake/

Eddie may feel he has to play Simpson to maintain JS’s confidence but this would be high-risk. More mistakes and Simpson will surely go the way of Bailey Cargill. Any other options for Saturday? We seem to be down to the barest of bare bones in central defence.
 
langham said:
What’s the centre-back pairing for Palace if Cook is out? ... or if we play three, who replaces Cookie? Real problem - and very worrying in a must-win game.

Francis will surely play if fit ... if not, is it Simpson again? He had one great game at Chelsea a couple of years back, since then he’s been wobbly in almost every appearance. He’s not just left-footed but exclusively left-footed, switching compulsively to his left as soon as the ball approaches - hence the awful error at Anfield.

I agree with the sympathetic assessment from Carragher, currently featured in the Echo: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/s...emouth-defender-jack-simpson-anfield-mistake/

Eddie may feel he has to play Simpson to maintain JS’s confidence but this would be high-risk. More mistakes and Simpson will surely go the way of Bailey Cargill. Any other options for Saturday? We seem to be down to the barest of bare bones in central defence.
Click to expand...

Franno... End of... He looked to be in training this week, so I have no doubt he will start...
 
What happened to that Brad Smith...what we paid Money for....
another loan ? I think its Cardiff and he hasn't even touched any grass - weird carry on is that !
I think if we put Simpson in he will sort his sh#t out somehow....otherwise what is the point of having him on the payroll....
We have Rico....he is good enough easily!
Francis will do a job....he will desperately want to keep us up after helping get us there and being captain ...legacy and all that.
Ake is in there to stabilise it all!
These battle weary troops need our encouragement.
As important to get the strikers into form and prolific for these 9 games.
 
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