We are paying the price for not signing two quality fullbacks. We had one last year at left back and signed zero this summer.

Didn’t make any sense signing 10 wingers and 8 centre backs. I’ve over egged the numbers but that is what he felt like.

Hard to argue against. Desperately short on both sides.

Nothing wrong with Roberts and Taylor - both good experienced defenders

Maatsens defensive ability was suspect last year, there's a reason Chelsea won't play him at leftback.
He was great for us as a side dominating teams, at this level he could be turned inside out.
Taylors a proven PL leftback and has done very little wrong since getting back in the team but I'd love a proper second option especially for games we expect to attack more.

Right back I agree, I love Vitinho but he's on a hiding to nothing against Sterling and Roberts consistently strikes me as a player who can boss the Championship but finds the step up tough.

We lack defence in all areas

our biggest issue is ball retention or lack of it. If we kept hold of it and built some momentum we wouldn't see our fullbacks out numbered every game

They weren’t out numbered and I’m not talking Taylor he has been playing well. Vitinho was shocking but neither winger helps the situation all seem good going forward in patches but between the full back and winger defensively Sh1te.

Roberts isn’t fast enough and he’s not a natural defender like Taylor so not being fast doesn’t help either.

It is what it is this season but defensively we are shocking.

I think this would be our strangest team at present.

Muric
Roberts ADD Beyer Taylor
Cullen Brownhill
JBL Berge Zaroury
Foster

Berge played well when making forward runs, but his passing in his own half, in the second half was poor. Having said that he wasn't the only one who passed to the opposition. Our slow passing across the back line invited Chelsea to come forward and we helped them become more confident. Considering we were coping well with their efforts to draw level in the first half, it was disappointing that we didn't seem too intent on increasing our lead. We really needed to get the ball wide quicker than we did. Odobert, Foster and Tresor looked like they could have caused havoc with better service.

The full back situation is the thing I'm struggling with most atm. VK went into the season thinking he could get away with playing anyone at left back, realised he was wrong and we looked better with Charlie Taylor playing there. How can he then make the exact same decision at right back and drop Roberts when Chelsea's only good player plays wide left?

I don't think Taylor and Roberts are great but they're competent defenders and it blows my mind VK thinks we can live without competent defenders.

The decision to drop Roberts, a player with PL experience on the side against their trickiest player, was truly baffling.

Lew200100 wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 6:33 pm

We are paying the price for not signing two quality fullbacks. We had one last year at left back and signed zero this summer.

Didn’t make any sense signing 10 wingers and 8 centre backs. I’ve over egged the numbers but that is what he felt like.

and when did this occur to you? was it at the signing stage, or just after a short poor run of games for us?

Taylor is a good Premier League left back but doesn’t really have the attributes to play the way a Kompany team needs.
Roberts does have the attributes to play the way a Kompany team needs to play but isn’t good enough for the Premier League.

Wile E Coyote wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 11:21 pm

and when did this occur to you? was it at the signing stage, or just after a short poor run of games for us?

Just about every Burnley fan foresaw the fullback issue long before the window closed.

ksrclaret wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 11:23 pm

Just about every Burnley fan foresaw the fullback issue long before the window closed.

oh, well then I bow to your knowledge and nominate you for our next manager.

Wile E Coyote wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 11:34 pm

oh, well then I bow to your knowledge and nominate you for our next manager.

As you should

That Sacha Boey would’ve been a brilliant signing. Hope we go in again for him in Jan.

I’ve never been impressed with Vitinho at RB. A very odd selection for me.

Both Roberts and Taylor have been found wanting in the Premier League before so it’s really no surprise. This is an issue without the ball (although Taylor is strong at stopping the cross), and it certainly doesn’t help our composure in possession when trying to play from the back.

Our failure to address the major holes in the squad in the summer transfer window is becoming more apparent after every game, but we’re stuck with what we have until January and VK needs to adapt and find a lineup and system that can compete.