ARTICLE: Looking at the defence

[ClaretTony]

Just sifting through some of the speculation re: new defenders

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/looking-at-the-defence

[superdimitri]

"you sort your defence out first" or, "the best form of attack is defence".
Very true and very Dyche like. When he started with us shipping goals for fun under Howe that's exactly what he did.

[ClaretTony]

"you sort your defence out first" or, "the best form of attack is defence".
Very true and very Dyche like. When he started with us shipping goals for fun under Howe that's exactly what he did.

I didn’t add that the day after Arthur said that to me we signed Peter Zelenskajas. But he was right, no matter which way you play you have to be secure defensively.

[jedi_master]

Do we think we are trying to sign two centre backs then? I think it would be prudent to do so if Tarky has no intention of signing a new deal - it also means we’re set for the season after next (assuming Mee signs a new deal) and aren’t scrambling around.

It’s the sort of future planning we USED to do with our defenders (Shackell-Keane, Keane-Tarky) but had become a bit lacking (although I guess you could argue that Gibson was a situation we were unprepared for and due to his injuries and cost possibly stuffed that conveyer belt up a bit).

[Vino blanco]

If we start next season with our current back five, I won't be too concerned. If we start next season with the same three central midfielders, I fear for the worst.

[ClaretTony]

Do we think we are trying to sign two centre backs then? I think it would be prudent to do so if Tarky has no intention of signing a new deal - it also means we’re set for the season after next (assuming Mee signs a new deal) and aren’t scrambling around.

It’s the sort of future planning we USED to do with our defenders (Shackell-Keane, Keane-Tarky) but had become a bit lacking (although I guess you could argue that Gibson was a situation we were unprepared for and due to his injuries and cost possibly stuffed that conveyer belt up a bit).

Seems that we’d like two and one will obviously be a Gibson replacement. As you say, both Tarky & Mee with just a year left.

[superdimitri]

I didn’t add that the day after Arthur said that to me we signed Peter Zelenskajas. But he was right, no matter which way you play you have to be secure defensively.

Peter Zelem? Tried finding Zelenskajas but couldn't see anything about him.

[JohnDearyMe]

Wonder what the financial situation is at the Championship clubs mentioned in the article? Will we be able to drive a harder bargain than we might have done in the pre-Covid era?

[ClaretTony]

Peter Zelem? Tried finding Zelenskajas but couldn't see anything about him.

Good player was Zelem (and my predictive texting changed it to Zelenskajas too), certainly at the level we were at then but he didn’t play much because of injury.

[ClaretTony]

Wonder what the financial situation is at the Championship clubs mentioned in the article? Will we be able to drive a harder bargain than we might have done in the pre-Covid era?

You would think so with some clubs. Stoke will have money with the Coates family but they are being hampered by FFP and will possibly sell to strengthen elsewhere.