It's been reported this morning that Derby have made an emergency loan move for Zak Whitbread.
Given some of the comments I've seen about Derby being short of defenders, this probably makes a lot of sense. For Derby fans, here's a basic lowdown on him:
- He's a centre back.
- He's tall, strong and good in the air.
- He's left footed and has bright blonde hair. (Not greatly significant I know, but you'll recognise him on the pitch. He'll look like Will Hughes but twice the size.)
- He's experienced, having played for several teams in the Championship through his career.
- Norwich fans quite rated him when he moved to us from there; although he hadn't played much for them due to injury, they believed we'd got a decent defender.
- And unfortunately he does appear to be very injury-prone.
- With the ball on the floor he hasn't been great - he tends to hoof quite a bit.
- For us, he generally has mistakes in him, often one bad one per match.
Overall, I don't know whether he's exactly what Derby need as I don't know their team enough; however he will add some much-needed physicality. Also, I believe he's had a bit of a bad rap from Leicester fans and isn't as bad as many will tell you; however he hasn't been as good as Wes Morgan (as a comparison) and hasn't been able to secure a spot in our defence at any given point - he'd currently be 5th choice centre back, and may well be behind St. Ledger soon as well. But credit to him for wanting to go somewhere and play when he's seen that he's out of the team.
Whitbread to Derby
posted on 30/9/13
Actually, he generally looks better when he /doesn't/ have a better centre back next to him and is the senior figure in control of the defence - and he hasn't had that much here as Wes Morgan's been almost ever-present.
posted on 30/9/13
Dungeon - sounds like you should have kept him and sold Morgan to Forest
posted on 30/9/13
Better than Michael Keane, who was rumoured to be Clough's loan target? Yes.
Keogh and Whitbread should give central defence a little more stability. I do remember him (Whitbread) as being a decent defender, forget how many players Leicestr have signed that they just seem to disappear into the wilderness.
posted on 30/9/13
Desicafu, we lost count a long time ago, so we'll agree on "lots".
Caniggia: Quiet you.
The failure of our 5th-choice centre back to form a partnership with Morgan is not enough for us to sell him to you.
posted on 30/9/13
Desicafu, if it was a choice between whitbread and Keane, id take Keane every single time
posted on 30/9/13
..but don't you think Keane just sound like a second-division Coldplay?
posted on 30/9/13
It might even end up being both; there's a fair bit to sort out manager-wise at our end just now, but I doubt Man United would be averse to loaning players to McClaren if he gets the gig.
posted on 30/9/13
On the basis of what I've seen at Leicester then I would take Keane ahead of Whitbread without a second thought. Whitbread is one of those defenders who looks ok, but doesn't fill you with confidence - a mistake waiting to happen.
What I would say in Whitbread's defence, however, is that he's never managed to get a decent run in the team. Every time he's worked his way in he's always got injured and others (like Moore) have jumped the queue. He's now well down the pecking order, but I don't think we've ever seen enough of him to know how good he could be in a Leicester shirt. He was rated by Norwich fans when we signed him.
posted on 30/9/13
Dunge, now that Derby have appointed McLaren, surely it's Whitmarsh, not Whitbread, who's on his way there?
posted on 30/9/13
Someone summed it up above. Whitbread looks quite capable for 89 minutes but in every match he will have one minute of madness and give away a pen or a dreadful backpass or some other such misdemeanour.
If you have a chance of taking Michael Keane, grab it. Quality CB who will go far.