Nemanja Matic at centre half...

Rozay

Master of Hindsight
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Been mentioned in a few different places over the summer, not sure I’ve seen it discussed properly. Given how terribly our centre halves have started the season, has it come to this sooner than later?

I’m thinking of our lineup for tomorrow and can’t rub two centre halves together. Smalling plus one, but the other is uninspiring. Then considering the nature of Burnley’s threat, could be worth playing Matic there.

Generally speaking, I think he may have the tools. He’s physically commanding and will give us an aerial presence we sorely lack, while also adding composure and ability to start play from deep.
 
It's not easy just to plonk yourself in a brand new position. Especially at his age.
 
How about we play our players in their natural positions for a change?
 
endless_wheelies said:
It's not easy just to plonk yourself in a brand new position. Especially at his age.
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Carrick did it well enough when needed, Blind too - and it’s certainly needed at the moment. We’re shite there.
 
LennonNL said:
Carrick did it well enough when needed, Blind too - and it’s certainly needed at the moment. We’re shite there.
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Blind was a CB when he was with Ajax's academy. And where do people get this idea that Carrick looked good at CB? It was terrible most of the time we tried it.
 
Yeah I'm also a bit sceptical he could do it. He's 30 now and has always been a midfielder, is it really wise to train him up as a CB when his legs are going a bit? I think he'd suffer badly against strikers with good movement/a bit of pace because he's got zero agility and his positioning as a CB wouldn't be great. I guess he could be useful as someone to build from deep, but is it really worth sticking arguably your best and most consistent player from last season out of position?

Being physical does not make you a CB. And honestly, I'd be wary of how good he'd be on the ball if he was the last man, because the pressure on you is far more and he wouldn't be used to it. He's used to playing a position where a mistake isn't going to put an opponent through etc. He seems like a calm, mature head but still, it's something to be aware of.
 
Terrible idea. His lack of pace will kill him in this position.
 
SquishyMcSquish said:
Yeah I'm also a bit sceptical he could do it. He's 30 now and has always been a midfielder, is it really wise to train him up as a CB when his legs are going a bit? I think he'd suffer badly against strikers with good movement/a bit of pace because he's got zero agility and his positioning as a CB wouldn't be great. I guess he could be useful as someone to build from deep, but is it really worth sticking arguably your best and most consistent player from last season out of position?

Being physical does not make you a CB. And honestly, I'd be wary of how good he'd be on the ball if he was the last man, because the pressure on you is far more and he wouldn't be used to it. He's used to playing a position where a mistake isn't going to put an opponent through etc. He seems like a calm, mature head but still, it's something to be aware of.
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He was caught in possession against you guys.
 
Keeps It tidy said:
Blind was a CB when he was with Ajax's academy. And where do people get this idea that Carrick looked good at CB? It was terrible most of the time we tried it.
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People's recollection of the past is horribly inaccurate almost all of the time.
 
I think it’s all hysterical. We had the exact same players last season and we did well defensively, at least in terms of clean sheets and goals conceeded. Sure, I do understand our playing style dictates less goals at the back compared to a more attacking approach, but still.

It’s obvious that Smalling must play - he is a fighter and gives a stable performance every game, a consistent head. At the same time it’s obvious that Lindelöf must not play, he is shaky and messing up the line. Play Bailly and give him some confidence, he had plenty of good games last season and is a good tackler and reader of the game. Smalling covers the air, Bailly covers the ground - it’s a decent match-up. Nonsense talking about Matic at the back, he is a Premier League-midfielder and probably a League 1-defender - it’s not like you can just slot in with ease all over the pitch. Matic is slow and not exactly agile when it comes to tight situations.
 
I think him in the middle of 3 slightly ahead of other 2 might work.
---------------------Matic-----------------
-----Smalling ----------------Bailly-----
 
5 first team CB's at the club, all of them internationals and we're playing a Spanish CM there and now proposing a serbian CM for CB. Boy is something majorly wrong with this picture.
 
Keeps It tidy said:
He was caught in possession against you guys.
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Exactly. Defensive mids get caught on the ball all the time and it isn't too much of an issue because they're being covered (Dier makes loads of errors when he plays CB) but at CB that isn't the case. Adapting to that new position is hard, and even then parts of their old game, which have been trained in to them their entire lives, aren't just going to go away.

Just seems a silly decision to me. You'd get at best a vulnerable defender who can play the ball, and at worst a guy who had no idea what he was doing, and in both cases you're losing out on one of the best central midfielders in the league, who was crucial to you last season.
 
He's too slow and I'd much rather play ...4 at the back old school. And defenders who are defenders. We're not a 3 at the back team and I want us to go back to basics and rely on the basic premise that we should have better players to win this game 9/10 times. Even if Matic played centrally next game - it's not indication of anything over a season
 
Nah, he'd be shite. Want our defenders to improve? Give them playing time and encouragement.
 
Just shows how much we needed some investments in this area over the summer.
 
Lmao he’s slow and holds the ball far too long

It would be another calamity display if he played centre back
 
Do not Want. Smalling + Bailly tomorrow please. Yes he had a mare in his last game but jeez, him over Matic
 
Camilo said:
Nah, he'd be shite. Want our defenders to improve? Give them playing time and encouragement.
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Chris Smalling - 8 years at United, Phil Jones - 7 years at United. Still making schoolboy errors and playing together like they are strangers.

How much more time do you want to give them?

Or we rely on two young recent signings who haven’t found their feet yet?

Our injury record in central defence is shocking. It’s no wonder there’s no consistency.

Can Jose really be blamed for wanting someone with experience and reliability to be bought?
 
Keeps It tidy said:
Blind was a CB when he was with Ajax's academy. And where do people get this idea that Carrick looked good at CB? It was terrible most of the time we tried it.
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Nah he did a decent job. Wasn’t outstanding but still. Those performances from Carrick were better than anything our current centre backs have produced so far this season.
 
FFS lets play actual defenders there. Burnely play very direct and would be the worst time to start him there. If it was against a side who doesnt posses any aerial threat , we could still give it a shot.

Just start Smalling in defence and Fellaini in midfield please.
 
OldSchoolManc said:
Chris Smalling - 8 years at United, Phil Jones - 7 years at United. Still making schoolboy errors and playing together like they are strangers.

How much more time do you want to give them?

Or we rely on two young recent signings who haven’t found their feet yet?

Our injury record in central defence is shocking. It’s no wonder there’s no consistency.

Can Jose really be blamed for wanting someone with experience and reliability to be bought?
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What about Bailly and Lindelof? The two defenders he bought. Maybe it was not good for their confidence to bench both of them after one bad performance.
 
@Keeps It tidy

Bailly has been injured on and off since he came here. Lindelof just hasn’t worked out yet.
How come City and Liverpool are allowed to buy new defenders ad infinitum until it clicks for them?
Meanwhile, our board has acted like we are paupers when it has come to our defence when it’s just been announced that we are the joint richest sports club in the world!
 
It can be risky playing midfielders as centre backs and our results have mixed over the years. I think Carrick was generally ok when called upon, Blind was good more often than not. I remember Roy Keane playing an absolutely outstanding away game vs Juventus as a centre back in 2003 and a man of the match against Newcastle in 96 but he had a few bad games there too.

Has Matic ever actually played in defence for Chelsea/Benfica?
 
Matic at CB? only in a serious injury crisis

our CBs are better than what they've shown so far and they will perform better this season I am sure

you only had to see the issues caused by Herrera in the last game to realise how silly this would be
 
OldSchoolManc said:
@Keeps It tidy

Bailly has been injured on and off since he came here. Lindelof just hasn’t worked out yet.
How come City and Liverpool are allowed to buy new defenders ad infinitum until it clicks for them?
Meanwhile, our board has acted like we are paupers when it has come to our defence when it’s just been announced that we are the joint richest sports club in the world!
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City have bought two CBs since Pep has been in charge same as us.
 
Class of 63 said:
You might laugh but I think Fellaini would do a passable job in central defence, he's got everything needed
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He is a monster in the air but, has no idea what he is doing defensively. Which is why he is at his most effective when he is closer to the goal. He would be a complete disaster at CB.
 
Rather just sack the manager. We probably get Mike Smalling back.
 
stevoc said:
Herrera at CB, Pereira at DM and Mata on the wing say otherwise.
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What have Mata and Pereria to do with central defence? Pereria is a midfielder and has been playing in midfield, Mata is an attacking midfielder and is playing as such, please feel free to name a game where he's been hugging the touch line and trying to beat his man and whip in a cross?
Herrera is the exception, but it was an experiment that failed. Matic is very able to play as a central defender, but isn't a viable long term option.
 
Red_toad said:
What have Mata and Pereria to do with central defence? Pereria is a midfielder and has been playing in midfield, Mata is an attacking midfielder and is playing as such, please feel free to name a game where he's been hugging the touch line and trying to beat his man and whip in a cross?
Herrera is the exception, but it was an experiment that failed. Matic is very able to play as a central defender, but isn't a viable long term option.
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We have no proof of that.
 
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