Here's the situation:
You are Nigel Pearson. It's mid-January. Matt Mills, Sean St. Ledger, Sol Bamba and Alex Tunchev are all fit, non-suspended and raring to go.
Who do you play?
Who do you put on the bench?
Who do you make available for offers?
Can we really keep all four of these centre backs and have one not even getting on the bench? While it's fine to have the 4 players, there would be Championship clubs who would quite happily take one of them on. After all, isn't it better to have a youngster as your fourth centre back - someone who can do a job for a few games while getting experience?
Alternatively, do you decide to play one in midfield? Or do you decide that they're not good enough anyway and find another in the transfer window...?
Centre backs
posted on 16/12/11
Mills and Tunchev
Push Bamba into midfield where he is not the last line of defence so when he makes those bombscare moments at least there is cover behind him.
posted on 16/12/11
^ Blackpool fox your not the only one here. Biggest problem is his price tag and captain tag means you can't justify dropping for any reason time length. Which is what needs doing.
posted on 16/12/11
Good points Dung/Nev.
The first question has got to be Tunch?
.
He has to be given a go NOW!, to keep him as a 3rd or 4th choice CB and then let us down, when called upon to play, would be crazy.
So if he fails we only have 3 CB's, one of which will be left out and I trust NP to be the best man to make that decision.
posted on 16/12/11
It's so interesting with our centre backs.
I think Bamba is a liability, others thing he is our star defender
I think Mills is our star defender, others think he's a liability!!!
The reality is, I'd go with the two above with Tunchev (if fit) on the bench as back up. St Ledger is an almost player for me. Not a ba player in the championship but won't set the world alight.
Whislt I accept Mills has had a rocky start, I've seen enough to think he's Prem quality an think he'll thrive under Pearson. He is the one definite in my back 4.
posted on 16/12/11
I don't really want to get in to a debate about Mills, but IMO he has shown plenty after his unsteady start and for me personally, has been more consistent that Bamba. There have been several, if not umpteen, times when Bamba bacon has been saved by Mills (In fact, if Matt had been playing against P'boro he may well have cleared up after Bamba's contribution to their goal), and I see him very much as a young John Terry, I have high hopes for him, especially if we get promoted (and to be fair, this would be in to a league which I think would suit and excel Bamba as well).
However, Bamba is the best footballing centre back I have probably ever seen at Leicester, which makes his self-indulgence at times, so much more frustrating.
Mills and Bamba for me, with St. Ledger on the bench.
I personally think you should have four centre backs at your club, but do agree one should usually be a youngster coming through. However, the situation is slightly different because of Tunchev's return from a legnthy injury.
I think St Ledger is probably one of the better back up CBs to have in the division, but if he felt he needed to leave I wouldn't be opposed to it.
posted on 16/12/11
Keep_the_faith1
We agree again it seems. To the tune of the great football chant:
"are you Mersey in disguise? Are you Mersey in disguise"!
posted on 17/12/11
I have absolutely no doubt who I would pick. I'm a big Bamba fan. To me he has all the attributes you need for a centre back: pace, power, height etc. and has great football ability as well. Ok, he may need to become more disciplined, but it's far easier to teach a footballer with ability some discipline than a disciplined footballer some ability.
My 2nd choice would be Mills. He looked very rocky when he first arrived and looked like he had no ability at all, but I have high hopes for him. People as old as me will remember a young Steve Walsh who looked pretty awful when he first came to Leicester. I think Mills has something of Walsh about him and I've an incline he will get better and better - just as Walsh did when he stopped getting sent off.
My 3rd choice would be Tunchev on the proviso he can stay fit. He's probably our best defender in terms of reading the game.
As Mersey has stated St. Ledger is a nearly player. Solid Championship pro, but will never be anything more. Not the worst back up to the other 3, but still 4th choice for me - again providing that Tunchev can stay fit.
posted on 17/12/11
Here's an alternative situation:
You are Nigel Pearson. It's late January. Matt Mills is suspended after last night's red card, Alex Tunchev ended the game with fluid beginning to develop on his knee, Sol Bamba still has flu, and last week you sold Sean St. Ledger to Birmingham.
Who do you play on Saturday?
Who do you put on the bench?
Who do you make a panic end-of-window offer for?
posted on 17/12/11
In the unlikely event of it happening, I would imagine Pearson would play something like:
Abe Peltier Berner Konchesky
With Pantsil on the bench, along with the usual suspects.
I'd make enquiries about any half decent Premiership CBs that we could get in on a month's loan.
posted on 17/12/11
How much more unlikely do you reckon it is than DM's scenario of all four of Mills, Bamba, St Ledger and Tunchev being match fit and unsuspended, KTF? Mid-January, and not one of them with a virus or pulled muscle?
And perhaps more to the point, why exactly are people suddenly so keen on losing one of the four? Are the Raksriaksorns down to their last 100 million or something?