Nathan Ake

Originally Posted by believe

When did it become an issue with what foot a CB uses? I could be wrong but I don't think we've had a left footed centre half in all the time I've been watching United.

Bruce and Pallister
Johnsen and Stam
Rio and Vidic

All right footers.

I’m sure it’s a stat £#%&!er shout this whole left and right footed cb pairing. If they’re both top class it isn’t going to matter.

Ideally you want your CB’s 2 footed, or some approximation of it. In fact, all footballers should be able to use their ‘weaker’ foot to a decent degree, if you can’t what the £#%&! have you been doing? and your stronger foot better be incredible.

Originally Posted by dunk

Ideally you want your CB’s 2 footed, or some approximation of it. In fact, all footballers should be able to use their ‘weaker’ foot to a decent degree, if you can’t what the £#%&! have you been doing, and your stronger foot better be incredible.

They can that’s why it’s not been an issue in the 200 years the game has been played.

Originally Posted by believe

They can that’s why it’s not been an issue in the 200 years the game has been played.

Slight difference between something being essential and preferable tbf

Originally Posted by believe

They can that’s why it’s not been an issue in the 200 years the game has been played.

Yeah, no players capable of using their weaker foot to an acceptable level in 200 years

Nor has any player been ridiculed for being too 1 footed in 200 years

It’s nonsense.

Also, being left or right footed is used in relation to striking the ball. Tackling is a completely different skill, it’s not nearly as technical as using the foot to kick the ball at the exact right speed and angle to someone halfway across the pitch.

Originally Posted by dunk

Yeah, no players capable of using their weaker foot to an acceptable level in 200 years

Nor has any player been ridiculed for being too 1 footed in 200 years

We’re talking specifically about center backs. Give me one example of when this has been an issue before.

Originally Posted by Ethers

It’s nonsense.

Proof?

Originally Posted by Ethers

Also, being left or right footed is used in relation to striking the ball. Tackling is a completely different skill, it’s not nearly as technical as using the foot to kick the ball at the exact right speed and angle to someone halfway across the pitch.

But you'd still favour your stronger foot when you're tackling if you can.

Originally Posted by vanpalm87

Seems to be since this whole obsession with playing from the back, also why people want keepers who can pass.

I'd rather a GK who can keep out shots and command his area and a defender who follows runners and gets head to the ball than passing to be honest.

Also, if teams press high up surely better to lump a long ball to catch them out?

Lumping a long ball out is somewhat old hat, if you watch Ederson he is literally playing like £#%&!ing Xavi from deep. Some of his passes to break the lines are incredible. I've never seen anything like it & it is making me reassess what I think a modern keeper should be aspiring to. They'll be few & far between to be top class at everything else on top. De Gea is the best shot stopper I've ever seen, I used to think his distribution was excellent as well, but it appears to have tailed off dramatically in the last few seasons. The amount of kicks to touch is bordering on criminal. I'm not sure who the best replacement would be, but I think if we want to be a quality footballing side we really should look at that particular element.

Originally Posted by Baron

Lumping a long ball out is somewhat old hat, if you watch Ederson he is literally playing like f***ing Xavi from deep. Some of his passes to break the lines are incredible. I've never seen anything like it & it is making me reassess what I think a modern keeper should be aspiring to. They'll be few & far between to be top class at everything else on top. De Gea is the best shot stopper I've ever seen, I used to think his distribution was excellent as well, but it appears to have tailed off dramatically in the last few seasons. The amount of kicks to touch is bordering on criminal. I'm not sure who the best replacement would be, but I think if we want to be a quality footballing side we really should look at that particular element.

Think needing a keeper to distribute or needing a worldy keeper to win are a bit overplayed to be honest, you take van Dijk out of Liverpools defence and Allison isn't making that much difference, they got to a Champs League final with Karius, City won a title with Joe Hart, because their overall defence was absolutely solid with Kompany in there and Fernandinho sat just in front, our situation is about as far from that as you can get, Maguire is our best defender and he could be turned inside out by late career John Terry.

I don't remember de Gea's distribution being this bad previously either, I know people pooh pooh coaching for a veteran, but he's playing like a guy second guessing himself, like someone's tried to change his technique at something, like when Tiger Woods got a coach to remodel his swing in his pomp and ended up killing the golden goose for a while, sometimes if you try to overcoach years of natural ability you end up increasing thinking time and screwing what made you good in the first place.

Originally Posted by Baron

Lumping a long ball out is somewhat old hat, if you watch Ederson he is literally playing like £#%&!ing Xavi from deep. Some of his passes to break the lines are incredible. I've never seen anything like it & it is making me reassess what I think a modern keeper should be aspiring to. They'll be few & far between to be top class at everything else on top. De Gea is the best shot stopper I've ever seen, I used to think his distribution was excellent as well, but it appears to have tailed off dramatically in the last few seasons. The amount of kicks to touch is bordering on criminal. I'm not sure who the best replacement would be, but I think if we want to be a quality footballing side we really should look at that particular element.

It's all relative. You have to play to your strengths at the end of the day.

Yes, city's keeper can spray the ball about because he knows the players he's fizzing the ball at to feet can control it under pressure and keep hold of it. What would be the point of De Gea zipping the ball 40 yards to the likes of Wan Bissaka, who's 2nd touch is usually a tackle?

None of our forwards aside from Ighalo can play with their back to goal, so we dont even have that option any more. So we have this crazy scenario where either matic or Pogba have to drop into space between our 18 yard box and centre circle to give the defenders and keeper an option...knowing that they both take a £#%&!ing eternity on the ball and are easily dispossessed.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Liverpool aren't frightened to hit the ball long when it suits. This absolute obsession with keepers having to play like Franco Baresi is just ridiculous. If that's the way City want to play, let them. Everyone trying to emulate them and failing miserably is probably what they £#%&!ing want. They can play that way because they've spent a billion quid on the team to play that way and got a manager in who has been coaching it for about 20 years.

Originally Posted by Patty_b

Proof?



But you'd still favour your stronger foot when you're tackling if you can.

Proof? The fact there are literally countless examples of great centre back pairings that have both been right footed you plonker

Originally Posted by Ethers

Proof? The fact there are literally countless examples of great centre back pairings that have both been right footed you plonker

And?

No ones saying that it doesn't work having two right footed centre backs. Just that it can be preferable to have a left footed centre back on the left hand side if it's possible.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

It's all relative. You have to play to your strengths at the end of the day.

Yes, city's keeper can spray the ball about because he knows the players he's fizzing the ball at to feet can control it under pressure and keep hold of it. What would be the point of De Gea zipping the ball 40 yards to the likes of Wan Bissaka, who's 2nd touch is usually a tackle?

None of our forwards aside from Ighalo can play with their back to goal, so we dont even have that option any more. So we have this crazy scenario where either matic or Pogba have to drop into space between our 18 yard box and centre circle to give the defenders and keeper an option...knowing that they both take a £#%&!ing eternity on the ball and are easily dispossessed.

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Liverpool aren't frightened to hit the ball long when it suits. This absolute obsession with keepers having to play like Franco Baresi is just ridiculous. If that's the way City want to play, let them. Everyone trying to emulate them and failing miserably is probably what they £#%&!ing want. They can play that way because they've spent a billion quid on the team to play that way and got a manager in who has been coaching it for about 20 years.

True enough, I'm primarily concerned with Utd & the fact our keeper appears to have fallen off a particularly spectacular cliff when it comes to the basics. Asking him to pick anyone out 40-50 yards away feels like a different sport when his little bastard T-Rex arms won't stop a shot that was hit like a kid in wellies had a dig from 25 yards.

His distribution (or his replacements), and the defence as a whole, needs to sharpen the £#%&! up. It's why I'm advocating for someone like Tonali to come & take the defensive midfield berth. A player that picks it up from deep & can dictate that slow / quick tempo, the short pass that breaks the press or the long one that turns a whole defence around. Ederson might have some capabilities as a keeper, but it's City's midfield & De Bruyne etc who manages how the side plays. It's essential whoever comes in isn't just another formidable athlete, imposing like Matic or McTommers, but actually a footballing talent who can pass under pressure. The simple things seem so distant sometimes for us.

Originally Posted by Patty_b

And?

No ones saying that it doesn't work having two right footed centre backs. Just that it can be preferable to have a left footed centre back on the left hand side if it's possible.

But it’s not though? It’s preferable to have the 2 best central defenders you can get, ideally with certain attributes that complement each other. What foot they play with is so far down the list it’s not even an issue.

Originally Posted by Baron

Evans & Silvestre

& playing two left footed centre backs & likely a left footed fullback... just unusual. Not a big deal I guess if they are all actually good.

Originally Posted by Patty_b

Does make a difference imo.

Agree to disagree.

Pretty sure in the 90's with Irwin at LB that all of our defence were right footed. Don't think it matters if you're good enough.

Originally Posted by Ethers

But it’s not though? It’s preferable to have the 2 best central defenders you can get, ideally with certain attributes that complement each other. What foot they play with is so far down the list it’s not even an issue.

Disagree. Think it should be taken into some consideration.

Obviously if you're talking about a choice between a left footed Phil Jones or Ramos, then it's no contest.

But if you're looking to sign a new centre back, then it should be taken into account.

Is there an example of a cb partnership with one of each that was successful?

Originally Posted by believe

Is there an example of a cb partnership with one of each that was successful?

Was thinking that.

Pallister Bruce

Stam Johnsen

Rio Vidic

All right footed. At no point did I think "oh no. Not the left side"

Originally Posted by believe

Is there an example of a cb partnership with one of each that was successful?

Baresi and Maldini would have played a fair few together.