24 Aug 2018 09:22:01
Can someone shed some light on my perplexing issue?

I don't claim to be a master football tactician but looking at Biesla's system it seems to me that any forward has to be happy to chase lost causes as well as bust a gut to be present and available in the box at all times. All midfielders need to be constantly on the move. Creating angles for receiving passes or dragging the opposition out of the way. Then the full backs are expected to be good defensively, whilst also expected to be in position to aid the attack.


HOWEVER, stop me if I am wrong, the two centre backs are the pivots. They don't move that much in relation to their team mates. Their jobs are to smother the opposition forwards and quickly release the ball to their less encumbered colleagues.


If i am correct with my assessment above I would extrapolate that this to mean we should not have burn out of our centre backs whilst every other position has the downside of exhausting the said incumbent.

Could this be why Mr Biesla is looking for more legs for his forward positions and is content to assume a centre back in his team's can complete 40 games with the fitness levels he demands?

1.) 24 Aug 2018
24 Aug 2018 10:58:54
Is that Bielsa on tour? Do you have a bucket! I think that’s how he sees it!

2.) 24 Aug 2018
24 Aug 2018 11:39:24
And the thing is we have only been playing one of our CBs and we are unbeaten. As George has touched upon its Phillips role that is more worrying. Can not see any other midfielder being able to play that role. Maybe Nessie will be able to as he is a midfielder and did well at CB. Only other option i see with Viera gone is playing with two CBs and playing Berardi there. Big plus so far, apart from the lads getting on board with Bielsaball, is young Shackletons displays. Seen a lot of him in U23s but he is stepping up in style. Never massively stood out for me in academy but he obviously wants to be in that team. Shows what a bit of encouragement and recognition can do for a young lad.

3.) 24 Aug 2018
24 Aug 2018 13:56:45
I agree axe and understand what you are saying, but the problem and for me is a big problem is on Tuesday we didn’t have a centre back on the pitch who is an actual centre back. So for that reason alone we must get a centre back in.

My personal opinion is that we need another centre back is because cooper last season had suspension problems and Jannson had injury problems but that bit is opinion

I know Bielsa doesn’t believe we have a replacement for Phillips and he knows a lot more about football than I do but I see nessie as his replacement. We signed him from reading as a centre mid and turned him into a centre back, surely that means he can play between them both as he has the knowledge on how to play either.

4.) 24 Aug 2018
24 Aug 2018 15:50:10
Bielsa on tour, does that mean he takes a spade to go with the magic bucket? Btw, the Times football writer called him"The Prince of Pails" made me smile anyway :)

5.) 24 Aug 2018
24 Aug 2018 17:06:52
I do believe that another CB would not go amiss however I also believe that Shaugnessy could do a job, given a chance. As for DM Shaugnessy could also play there, as could Berardi.