Redamade replacement For Batth?

[beano]

Reda honestly terrifies me.

He looks so clumsy as a player, which has resulted in free kicks in dangerous positions.

Having said that I do concede that his contribution as an attacking player has been great.

However, I would like a new CB and LB next season.

[Guest GreenGoose]

If you have two right footed CB then the odds are they have been used to playing both right and left sided at some point.

With two left footed CB then odds are they both are very unlikely to have played as the right sided CB, as when playing with a right footer they would by default play left.

[TheEnchanter]

Can anyone remember that tackle on Scott Wagstaff vs Charlton, beautiful. :reda: :reda: :reda:

[themaskedowl]

Reda really made the LB position his own during the last season (just finished). I was supremely confident of a win whenever the back lined up with Buxton, Batth, Llera and Reda. There was always a pretty good chance that one of them would score and not too many goals against. Does a stato have any data on that (goals scored vs against when starting with that back line)?

As for the coming season I'd like to see him get a chance. I guess it depends to a large degree who ends up coming in and squad won't be finalised for a while yet.

Can Reda cross? Would he work further up the pitch?

He's cool as flip so we can't possibly let him go. I'm a bit biased and not thinking with a clear business head.

[Daz]

I too wonder if he could play in midfield - any mistakes there tend not to be as costly and he has proved he has an eye for goal. Imagine opposition players having to deal with Semedo and Reda in the middle of the park?

Could he be creative enough though?

[Last_Great_Hope]

Its better to have both a right and left footer at CB. Different to midfield. If a CB favours one foot or side it can be exploited by attackers and can be costly.

Exploited how?

The alarm bells were ringing for me when Irvine was buying all those left side defenders. Defending is about holding a shape and not letting forwards get on the outside of you, if they are shown inside there should always be somebody (IE your fellow centre back or a Semedo type ) to block that route off. Chelsea stopped Ribery and Robben by forcing them inside and limiting them to pot shots from 25 yards.Further up the pitch it doesn't matter as the idea is to be "random" enough to "wrong foot" the opposition. BTW have you ever played chess?

Does what foot you would prefer to kick with help ypu block of a route and hold shape? I would have thought that was more to do with your positional sense and speed to be honest.

Im not disagreeing with either of you - its just that when I've asked why it is an issue no one has ever really come back and explained to me why it is an issue.

[hdan450]

He is still young and has a lot of good assets, looking at him you would think he could be a great CB, but dont think you can really trust him there

He has looked a lot better playing at LB

Then the game against Blackpool in the cup shows he can 'do a job' in midfield, although this wont be his regular postion, just another option if we get desperate

The reason we are signing a LB, I think, is for the extra competition, keeping Reda on his toes. Also he has had quite a few injuries towards the end of the season, and we dont really have any cover there (forced to play Beevers there, Bennett is turd)

Although I think Daniel Jones might be able to do a job

I have full confidence in to make the right decisions

[Guest sal1]

Exploited how?

Fair play, that's a good question. As a right sided defender (obviously at a lower level) I always felt a bit uncomfortable when playing left of centre. It can prey on the mind and nibble at confidence. I'd imagine its the same at the higher levels too which is probably why more often than not you get a right footer and left footer playing together and lining up on their preferred side. There are of course exceptions. I'd be amazed if DJ starts the season without a first choice right footed CB however.

[themaskedowl]

I too wonder if he could play in midfield - any mistakes there tend not to be as costly and he has proved he has an eye for goal. Imagine opposition players having to deal with Semedo and Reda in the middle of the park?

Could he be creative enough though?

Yes indeed (chuck Antonio +/- JJ into the mix)

and

I have no idea on his creative abilities. Although he has been quite creative with his hair this year so who knows.

[OxonOwl]

I like Reda but it would be great to have a side he couldn't get into.

[beano]

I like Reda but it would be great to have a side he couldn't get into.

We do.

The right.

[themaskedowl]

We do.

The right.

Lolz

[The Dukeries Owl]

Im not disagreeing with either of you - its just that when I've asked why it is an issue no one has ever really come back and explained to me why it is an issue.

To quote Benny Hill "You no wristen?" Unless you are that rarity a genuinely two footed player, you have one leg for standing and the other for kicking with and you always time tackles better on your natural strong side. It's not rocket science!.

[DJMortimer]

Its better to have both a right and left footer at CB. Different to midfield. If a CB favours one foot or side it can be exploited by attackers and can be costly.

Fair play, that's a good question. As a right sided defender (obviously at a lower level) I always felt a bit uncomfortable when playing left of centre. It can prey on the mind and nibble at confidence. I'd imagine its the same at the higher levels too which is probably why more often than not you get a right footer and left footer playing together and lining up on their preferred side. There are of course exceptions. I'd be amazed if DJ starts the season without a first choice right footed CB however.

Sorry, but I think you're overstating the importance of that a great deal. It might be preferable, but not to any great extent. Blocking and tackling doesn't require the same degree of precision that dribbling and shooting do most of the time. When I was in a defensive position I don't recall ever thinking that I'd prefer the player with the ball to go one way rather than the other. But then I made an effort to be able to use both feet adequately, which it seems a lot of well paid professionals don't bother to.

[beano]

I know if I was a defender I would show the attacker on to my stronger foot.

[DJMortimer]

I know if I was a defender I would show the attacker on to my stronger foot.

I would think a little more strategically than that and either try and encourage him away from the most dangerous area at that time (eg. force him wider if possible to reduce the immediate threat on the goal) or if he's noticeably weaker on one foot, show him that direction. I'm not sure what you suggest entered my thinking even once.

[beano]

Which is why I am a retired semi-pro and you are a site bore.

[DJMortimer]

Which is why I am a retired semi-pro and you are a site bore.

You must have a lot of confidence in your obviously superior ability to resort to that so quickly.

[Last_Great_Hope]

The alarm bells were ringing for me when Irvine was buying all those left side defenders. Defending is about holding a shape and not letting forwards get on the outside of you, if they are shown inside there should always be somebody (IE your fellow centre back or a Semedo type ) to block that route off. Chelsea stopped Ribery and Robben by forcing them inside and limiting them to pot shots from 25 yards.Further up the pitch it doesn't matter as the idea is to be "random" enough to "wrong foot" the opposition. BTW have you ever played chess?

To quote Benny Hill "You no wristen?" Unless you are that rarity a genuinely two footed player, you have one leg for standing and the other for kicking with and you always time tackles better on your natural strong side. It's not rocket science!.

Surely, though - if you are a right footed defender playing on the right (or vice verse for lefties), and your goal (as advised in your first post above) is to force them to the inside, then you are forcing them onto your weaker left foot and therefore you will be weaker in the tackle (presuming that no-one can cover for you)?

[Last_Great_Hope]

Fair play, that's a good question. As a right sided defender (obviously at a lower level) I always felt a bit uncomfortable when playing left of centre. It can prey on the mind and nibble at confidence. I'd imagine its the same at the higher levels too which is probably why more often than not you get a right footer and left footer playing together and lining up on their preferred side. There are of course exceptions. I'd be amazed if DJ starts the season without a first choice right footed CB however.

Ok, so it's maybe a confidence thing, rather than a tactical issue - that would explain why certain all right footer CB pairing work well then if both CB's feel comfortable playing either left or right sided CB.