A Case For The Defence
By Tom Bason
March 8 2010
Hands up all of you who thought we would score goals for fun this season, but would struggle defensively. Quite a lot of you then.
March 8 2010
Hands up all of you who thought we would score goals for fun this season, but would struggle defensively. Quite a lot of you then.
It became apparent last summer that the management didn't feel the same- spending money on strikers and a playmaker, while leaving the defence relatively untouched. Or maybe Mick just has a thing for signing strikers. He's certainly signed enough of them in his time at Molineux, to varying degrees of success. Hell, one of our first choice defenders was signed as a striker, even winning Championship Player of the Month on the back of his performances. He's not scored since. And showed his lack of conviction in front of goal with a tame header on Saturday.
Anyway, back to the defence. With Surman and Halford seemingly preferred in midfield, when they're not in the stands, Ronald Zubar was our sole permanent summer addition. Yes, we signed the future of English football in Michael Mancienne, but his appearances have been few and far between, and he seems destined for a long career in the middle of the park, unless he find a team willing to play a libero. Zubes quickly established himself as a fans favourite, and has seemingly made the rightback spot his own, fighting off competition from Kevin Foley and Richard Stearman. We now have, touchwood, a settled defence and we look far better for it.
While people may have qualms about individuals at the back, as a unit we are as solid as I can remember. Watching Hull yesterday, their defenders struggled to deal with Everton’s forwards in a way that I can't imagine ours doing. It may well have been a lack of midfield protection that allowed Arteta twice, Rodwell and Donovan to score but Yakubu upfront caused Zayatte and Mouyokolo more problems than those caused by Drogba, Anelka and Berbatov combined, although not as many problems as Kevin Davies caused last week. Incidentally, can anyone think of a good reason not to take him to the world cup? He's scored more goals than Heskey and just one fewer than Crouch in a far worse team. I also watched Aston Villa batter Burnley last week, and these are the types of drubbings that our defence is now keeping out.
Our last 4 home games, against Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United have seen us concede just 3 goals, while keeping 2 clean sheets. No-one on their wildest dreams would have given us a chance of that sort of record 4 months ago, but we’ve done it. Each of those games could have seen us on the end of a 4-5 goal pasting, but our defence held reasonably solid. How many actual saves can you remember Hahnemann making in those matches? And, aside from Diouf’s chances when we were chasing the game on Saturday, how many clear cut chances have the opposition had? I remember Kranjcar missing a one-on-one for Spurs, but aside from that we were miserly.
When we have needed to keep a clean sheet, we have. We held on for long periods at both White Hart Lane and the JJB to gain massive 1-0 wins. We have also won every game that we’ve taken the lead in at Molineux, and have dropped just 4 points from winning positions away from home (Everton and Birmingham). In the bottom half of the table, our defensive record compares favourably. Bolton, Wigan, Hull and Burnley have all conceded more than us, and West Ham, Blackburn, Sunderland and Portsmouth have all only conceded 1 or 2 goals fewer than us. Saying this, we’ve only kept 5 clean sheets only Bolton, Hull and Burnley fare worse (Wigan, Portsmouth and Sunderland all have 5 as well), meaning for us to win, we are regularly needing to score 2 goals which has definitely been a problem.
Individually in our back-5, we have arguably 4 player of the year contenders. Berra seems to have won over the majority of the fans, and will get my vote as player of the season (absolutely nothing to do with me getting 100-1 on him winning it though. Vote Berra!). He has looked a solid defender, and is building a nice partnership with Jody Craddock, another player who has had to win over the fans. How I wish our Jody was 5 years younger, and I had my doubts about his longevity at the start of the season, but he has been solid all season, and has chipped in with a few goals. Zubar as mentioned earlier is a firm fans favourite for his all action displays, while Ward has coped admirably at times, not least against an in form Aaron Lennon at Tottenham. Behind our defence is one of the calmest goalkeepers in the Premiership. He may not be the quickest, or the most agile, but he is always calmness personified, and when he comes for a cross, he gets it. I’m sure his leadership has made a massive difference.
I’m not trying to say that we have the best defence in the League, or that Zubar and Craddock should be heading to the World Cup, although I think Ward deserves an Irish call-up, but it is not all doom and gloom. Yes, our lack of goals is a real worry, but if our defence can continue to progress in the way it is (and it is already far superior to both Burnley and Hull’s) we have a real chance of playing top flight football next season. And remember, vote Berra.
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Posted by: Wolves (IP Logged)
Date: 08/03/2010 13:20
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Re: A Case For The Defence
Posted by: Risca TM (IP Logged)
Date: 08/03/2010 14:17
Probably reflects on where the midfield contributes the most - going backwards.
Re: A Case For The Defence
Posted by: Risca TM (IP Logged)
Date: 08/03/2010 14:18
Sorry, forgot to mention it's a good read.
Re: A Case For The Defence
Posted by: Guns4 (IP Logged)
Date: 08/03/2010 15:34
It echo's what alot of supporters were saying around the transfer windows, we need Experience, with Hannerman & Craddock this is the only area we have this.
Quit yo jibba jabba.
Love Life Love Keogh!
Quit yo jibba jabba.
Love Life Love Keogh!
Re: A Case For The Defence
Posted by: a3nca (IP Logged)
Date: 08/03/2010 17:33
A very good post and I agree wholeheartedly with you about Zubar. He had been vilified in the press but I think it has been unjustified as in the Hull incident Altidore played for the foul bylooking over his shoulder, stopping and letting Zubar run into him as he had nowhere else to go.
He is also very quick around the park and I would bet that before the end of the season he will score in the Premiership!
SAVE THAT ONE THEN REINA.......
He is also very quick around the park and I would bet that before the end of the season he will score in the Premiership!
SAVE THAT ONE THEN REINA.......
Re: A Case For The Defence
Posted by: Ivybridge Wolf (IP Logged)
Date: 08/03/2010 21:14
I agree with Risca - it's a good read and the defensive record is due (in part) to the 5 in midfield.
Having said that there's only 5 teams with a worse defensive record and there is nobody with more home defeats than us. Not a record to particularly proud of.
I maintain the old saying that the best form of defence is attack!!!
Having said that there's only 5 teams with a worse defensive record and there is nobody with more home defeats than us. Not a record to particularly proud of.
I maintain the old saying that the best form of defence is attack!!!
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