Honestly what needs to be done ?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

At the moment, the Zorb balls are the only Reebok entertainment outside the visitors...

[One Hump Or Two?]

See this 'get a defensive coach in' notion?

Is this some primary school team we're watching here? I've sworn I'll never Google anything again (story for a different time) but haven't the back 4 been playing football for err...a while now?

How much 'coaching' do they need?

At this stage in their careers every single one of these players should have the leadership skills to say 'I'll take him, you take him, you cover and you go for the pries.'

I think Robinson's being hung out to dry week in week out.

Well, yes and no. Tony Adams' book is good on this. Even defenders who may be good individually (which half of ours aren't) need to train hard and constantly in order to play together as a coherent unit which can flex between holding a line, closing down quickly and hunting in pairs to isolate the man on the ball.

I don't excuse the midfield from blame - hence my point about CMs who are supposed to be shielding the defence, not backing off until they're stood on the edge of the penality area - but even playing behind a defensive liability like Petrov doesn't excuse the number of times Robinson gets caught alarmingly out of position.

[Prufrock]

Hmm...but relying on Tony fecking Adams to back up any even remotely intellectual argument.....

[One Hump Or Two?]

Well I think he knows a bit about being part of a good back 4, yes.

You make it sound as though I'm quoting him in a debate about post-structural literary criticism or something.

[BWFC_Insane]

Defensive coaches rarely work, because simply if a manager needs one it means they don't believe in defensive work, and therefore never fully invest.

I believe you defend as a team and it's as much about mentality as it is tactics!

[Prufrock]

Well I think he knows a bit about being part of a good back 4, yes.

You make it sound as though I'm quoting him in a debate about post-structural literary criticism or something.

Tony Adams is away with the fairies on cloud cuckoo land. And he may know how to organise one he is part of, but his Portsmouth team were a fecking shambles. He is a moron.

[CarlosHernandez]

But with Steinsson, Robbo, Eagles and Petrov, we're still shite in wide areas

But what are our other options for the next couple of weeks? Kakuta? He's looked more like Weiss than Wilshere to me, although admittedly has only been given cameos in the league.

In terms of full backs, are we improved with any other combination of Mears, Ricketts, Alonso or Gardner? Maybe slightly, but we may need to invest come January.

[boltonboris]

I wasn't offering an alternative.. Just an observation!

[Sponge]

Some rather lame noises coming out of Camp Coyle:

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news ... onsibility" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If we lose badly against Stoke, I can't see any way back. Confidence is going to be shot to tatters, if it's not already. F-cking Nora, these next few days are going to be horrible.

[Jokers in White]

Coyle should do the decent thing and resign if we lose, if we can't beat a stoke team that will have played 3 games in a week then we'll know the players really dont want to play for him. Some fans say sandy stewart isnt a good enough no2 i agree but coyle has worked with him for a long time now and must love his right hand, personally i think ray wilkins would be a excellent no2 but it won't get to them stages.

[Hoboh]

Coyle should do the decent thing and resign if we lose, if we can't beat a stoke team that will have played 3 games in a week then we'll know the players really dont want to play for him. Some fans say sandy stewart isnt a good enough no2 i agree but coyle has worked with him for a long time now and must love his right hand, personally i think ray wilkins would be a excellent no2 but it won't get to them stages.

Accepting responsability is one thing soting it out is another. I hope OC has some inner not yet untapped strength in him

[Jokers in White]

Coyle should do the decent thing and resign if we lose, if we can't beat a stoke team that will have played 3 games in a week then we'll know the players really dont want to play for him. Some fans say sandy stewart isnt a good enough no2 i agree but coyle has worked with him for a long time now and must love his right hand, personally i think ray wilkins would be a excellent no2 but it won't get to them stages.

Accepting responsability is one thing soting it out is another. I hope OC has some inner not yet untapped strength in him

That strength could be mr motivator

[One Hump Or Two?]

Well I think he knows a bit about being part of a good back 4, yes.

You make it sound as though I'm quoting him in a debate about post-structural literary criticism or something.

Tony Adams is away with the fairies on cloud cuckoo land. And he may know how to organise one he is part of, but his Portsmouth team were a fecking shambles. He is a moron.

OK. You've persuaded me. The Arsenal defence under George Graham was a shambles, defensive organisation is overrated (because Tony Adams says so, and he must be wrong), and Bolton's defence is fine as it is.

Glad we got that cleared up.

[thebish]

Well I think he knows a bit about being part of a good back 4, yes.

You make it sound as though I'm quoting him in a debate about post-structural literary criticism or something.

Tony Adams is away with the fairies on cloud cuckoo land. And he may know how to organise one he is part of, but his Portsmouth team were a fecking shambles. He is a moron.

OK. You've persuaded me. The Arsenal defence under George Graham was a shambles, defensive organisation is overrated (because Tony Adams says so, and he must be wrong), and Bolton's defence is fine as it is.

Glad we got that cleared up.

did my sarcasm radar just go off!!

[Hoboh]

Well I think he knows a bit about being part of a good back 4, yes.

You make it sound as though I'm quoting him in a debate about post-structural literary criticism or something.

Tony Adams is away with the fairies on cloud cuckoo land. And he may know how to organise one he is part of, but his Portsmouth team were a fecking shambles. He is a moron.

OK. You've persuaded me. The Arsenal defence under George Graham was a shambles, defensive organisation is overrated (because Tony Adams says so, and he must be wrong), and Bolton's defence is fine as it is.

Glad we got that cleared up.

did my sarcasm radar just go off!!

Check the valves bish

[Prufrock]

Well I think he knows a bit about being part of a good back 4, yes.

You make it sound as though I'm quoting him in a debate about post-structural literary criticism or something.

Tony Adams is away with the fairies on cloud cuckoo land. And he may know how to organise one he is part of, but his Portsmouth team were a fecking shambles. He is a moron.

OK. You've persuaded me. The Arsenal defence under George Graham was a shambles, defensive organisation is overrated (because Tony Adams says so, and he must be wrong), and Bolton's defence is fine as it is.

Glad we got that cleared up.

See, that's not actually what I said, all I commented on was your use of Tony Adams as a source. You've basically said the three stage test for whether a duty of care exists in negligence is 'reasonable forseeability, sufficient proximity, and it being just, fair and reasonable to impose that duty', and then cited a wikpedia article last cited by Mark Stanley.

Tedium beats sarcasm, mon pote.

[Hoboh]

Well I think he knows a bit about being part of a good back 4, yes.

You make it sound as though I'm quoting him in a debate about post-structural literary criticism or something.

Tony Adams is away with the fairies on cloud cuckoo land. And he may know how to organise one he is part of, but his Portsmouth team were a fecking shambles. He is a moron.

OK. You've persuaded me. The Arsenal defence under George Graham was a shambles, defensive organisation is overrated (because Tony Adams says so, and he must be wrong), and Bolton's defence is fine as it is.

Glad we got that cleared up.

See, that's not actually what I said, all I commented on was your use of Tony Adams as a source. You've basically said the three stage test for whether a duty of care exists in negligence is 'reasonable forseeability, sufficient proximity, and it being just, fair and reasonable to impose that duty', and then cited a wikpedia article last cited by Mark Stanley.

Tedium beats sarcasm, mon pote.

why dont you say what you thiink Ptu? In E nflish?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

OK, Prufrock, you can grind an argument into the floor. Apparently that's important in these parts.

But do you and all your coaching badges disagree with 1Ho2's central point, that defensive organisation is sadly lacking, presumably either through poor coaching, lack of coaching or ignoring the coaching?

Even defenders who may be good individually (which half of ours aren't) need to train hard and constantly in order to play together as a coherent unit which can flex between holding a line, closing down quickly and hunting in pairs to isolate the man on the ball.

I don't excuse the midfield from blame - hence my point about CMs who are supposed to be shielding the defence, not backing off until they're stood on the edge of the penality area - but even playing behind a defensive liability like Petrov doesn't excuse the number of times Robinson gets caught alarmingly out of position.

[Andy Waller]

OK, Prufrock, you can grind an argument into the floor. Apparently that's important in these parts.

But do you and all your coaching badges disagree with 1Ho2's central point, that defensive organisation is sadly lacking, presumably either through poor coaching, lack of coaching or ignoring the coaching?

Even defenders who may be good individually (which half of ours aren't) need to train hard and constantly in order to play together as a coherent unit which can flex between holding a line, closing down quickly and hunting in pairs to isolate the man on the ball.

I don't excuse the midfield from blame - hence my point about CMs who are supposed to be shielding the defence, not backing off until they're stood on the edge of the penality area - but even playing behind a defensive liability like Petrov doesn't excuse the number of times Robinson gets caught alarmingly out of position.

In defence of the, err, defence the constant bombardment it suffers because the ball doesn't "stick" up front or in midfield doesn't help at all.

Watching Newcastle on Monday Vs Stoke, their midfield kept the ball fairly well and the strikers did their bit by moving well and pressing up the pitch. Again, the ability of the forward players to create helped too..

[boltonboris]

Their frontmen ran the channels well and were constantly supported by a hard working winger who was willing to getm forward and get back, so they always had an outlet. Wether it be a long ball or a series of short passes.

the midfield was disciplined and every player pressed the ball very well from front to back.

All of the things we haven't been doing.

It also helped that they had fullbacks who could actually run