Our full backs

[ZonkoVille77]

They're fuckin shite.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Clyne is just a bit of a meh player atm, you just know when he gets the ball in a forward position that the move will be slowed down dramatically or find it's way back into deep midfield. Milner tries a shit load harder but just doesn't have a left foot of any note. They are both half decent at defending, but nothing more. Clyne is a bigger worry though, mainly due to his age and the money we splashed out on him. 

[LFC 6 Times]

Clyne is just a bit of a meh player atm, you just know when he gets the ball in a forward position that the move will be slowed down dramatically or find it's way back into deep midfield. Milner tries a shit load harder but just doesn't have a left foot of any note. They are both half decent at defending, but nothing more. Clyne is a bigger worry though, mainly due to his age and the money we splashed out on him.

We signed Clyne for £12.5 million, how could you possibly suggest he's been poor for that price. Honestly how many RBs in the league could you definitively say is better?

[cuppatea]

The problem is how easily opposing teams are able to funnel our possession in the attacking third into our full backs. There's barely a team in world football you wouldn't be happy to see roll it into their full backs any time they get near our goal.

 

Slinging the ball on the run into a box that contains 1 or 2 5ft something attackers and 4 or 5 6ft something defenders is such a low percentage play regardless of who's doing it and players with the skill and guile to unlock the packed defences we're struggling against rarely end up playing right or left back. I'd rather sort out the way we attack as a team than spend tens of millions making marginal gains in the attacking output of our full backs.

[Chip Butty]

Fullbacks are the least of our worries, with the worst set of strikers in over 50 years at the club, the biggest concern is at the other end of the park. 

[Guest Pistonbroke]

We signed Clyne for £12.5 million, how could you possibly suggest he's been poor for that price. Honestly how many RBs in the league could you definitively say is better?

 

I was comparing him to Milner. 

[3 Stacks]

We signed Clyne for £12.5 million, how could you possibly suggest he's been poor for that price. Honestly how many RBs in the league could you definitively say is better?

 

Southampton paid £4m for a player that has more than adequately replaced Clyne and who is now a European champion. £12.5m was too much for an average fullback who has major difficulties contributing offensively. If we'd have been smarter in the market we could have found a better player abroad for less money.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Love Milner, but he obviously isn't anywhere near good enough to be first choice at LB. Clyne is as solid as they come defensively, but far from good enough going forward.

 

Priority has to be a major upgrade on LB, and let TAA challenge Clyne for RB. Depending on the opposition TAA could and should be first choice over Clyne for a few games already next season. Keep Milner as a squad player, he can cover both fullbacks if needed.

[aRdja]

The problem is how easily opposing teams are able to funnel our possession in the attacking third into our full backs. There's barely a team in world football you wouldn't be happy to see roll it into their full backs any time they get near our goal.

 

Slinging the ball on the run into a box that contains 1 or 2 5ft something attackers and 4 or 5 6ft something defenders is such a low percentage play regardless of who's doing it and players with the skill and guile to unlock the packed defences we're struggling against rarely end up playing right or left back. I'd rather sort out the way we attack as a team than spend tens of millions making marginal gains in the attacking output of our full backs.

I agree with this post. The best right back I've seen to play for us was Markus Babbel, and he wasn't amazing going forward.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Love Milner, but he obviously isn't anywhere near good enough to be first choice at LB. Clyne is as solid as they come defensively, but far from good enough going forward.

 

Priority has to be a major upgrade on LB, and let TAA challenge Clyne for RB. Depending on the opposition TAA could and should be first choice over Clyne for a few games already next season. Keep Milner as a squad player, he can cover both fullbacks if needed.

 

I agree to an extent, I just don't get this "Clyne is a solid defender" line. He gets skinned way too often when faced with a one on one at the back and switches off way too often, especially when facing set pieces. 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

I agree with this post. The best right back I've seen to play for us was Markus Babbel, and he wasn't amazing going forward.

Babbel was good going forward.

[3 Stacks]

The problem is how easily opposing teams are able to funnel our possession in the attacking third into our full backs. There's barely a team in world football you wouldn't be happy to see roll it into their full backs any time they get near our goal.

 

Slinging the ball on the run into a box that contains 1 or 2 5ft something attackers and 4 or 5 6ft something defenders is such a low percentage play regardless of who's doing it and players with the skill and guile to unlock the packed defences we're struggling against rarely end up playing right or left back. I'd rather sort out the way we attack as a team than spend tens of millions making marginal gains in the attacking output of our full backs.

 

It's not really about crossing, It's more the fact that when you have players at fullback who can't trap a ball or carry it forward effectively, the team becomes handicapped in possession. We have 60% of the ball most games, we can't afford to have fullbacks so bad and ineffective on the ball. 

 

Dani Alves and Marcelo are special players and we could never hope to get fullbacks of their attacking quality but just look at the difference they've made in the Champions League this season. As they've proven, attacking contribution from the fullback position can be very decisive and Clyne especially is dreadful in that area. 

[Pidge]

I think Clyne's looked jaded for a long while now, still think he's a good player but with Mane out (and especially when Henderson and Lallana were also out, as they'd help cover his deficiencies going forward) he's had to work a whole lot harder, with fewer options around him.

 

It's a position which could be sorted by improving our squad in general and I'd be annoyed if we dropped £20m+ on a right back. Clyne, Flanagan and TAA will be fine.  I want more options with genuine pace in the squad.

 

We obviously need something else for left back, but it's possible that Flanno and Sessegnon could cover us there as well (behind Milner).  It's difficult easy to leave ourselves stretched back there, but - as much as Stig jokes - a fit and fighting Flanagan might be a good answer.

[LFC 6 Times]

Southampton paid £4m for a player that has more than adequately replaced Clyne and who is now a European champion. £12.5m was too much for an average fullback who has major difficulties contributing offensively. If we'd have been smarter in the market we could have found a better player abroad for less money.

Clyne is miles better than Cedric defensively. Remember the league cup game when he was through on goal all he had to do was square it for a tap in for the man at the back post, and he took it on himself and stroke an aimless shot wide. Clyne scored 2 last year, was very unlucky to score against Bmouth, an absolutely ridiculous save by Boruc and he's provided 3 or 4 assists. Off the top of my head, one for Phil at Emirates, Firmino against burton and Lallana against M'boro.

[aRdja]

Babbel was good going forward.

He was a conservative full back. He didn't overlap consistently, wasnt much of a crosser either. However, he had a good football brain, played the right passes and very good in the air.

[Paco]

He was a conservative full back. He didn't overlap consistently, wasnt much of a crosser either. However, he had a good football brain, played the right passes and very good in the air.

Scored 6 goals in treble season

[aRdja]

Scored 6 goals in treble season

4-5 headers or something. I loved him... My fav ever Liverpool full back.. but he wasn't an attacking fullback.

[aRdja]

.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I'm happy with Clyne.  He could do with back-up, not replacing.

 

Milner's still a right-footed midfielder and Moreno's still a moron, so we need a left-back.

[Captain]

4-5 headers or something. I loved him... My fav ever Liverpool full back.. but he wasn't an attacking fullback.

 

He was, he could both attack and defend. The best full back I've seen play for us, he would have had a brilliant career with us if not for that fucking syndrome that put him (temporarily) in a wheelchair.

 

In general, our defense needs a total overhaul.

 

We needed a new left back last summer, we still do.

 

We needed a new goalkeeper last summer, we still do.

 

We needed a new cb last summer, we still do. 

 

I'm not holding by breath, to put it that way.

[Shitty Arse]

Whats the long term position going to be for Trent Alexander Arnold ( he needs to change his name, it's too long and doesn't naturally shorten to anything acceptable) presumably fullback is more for development rather than where the club see him progressing?

 

Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk

Tezza Arnold. Much more manageable

[Cardie]

Tezza Arnold. Much more manageable

To wazza like, i'm out.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Babbel was good going forward.

He was fairly good at both I'd say. Very comfortable on the ball, and good decision making and passing is the way I remember him. But lacked that wee bit of pace to be absolutely top class at fullback. My personal opinion is he was better as a CB.

 

We've had many poor full backs over the last 20 years tho, so he may still be the best RB since Jones.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Fullbacks are the least of our worries, with the worst set of strikers in over 50 years at the club, the biggest concern is at the other end of the park. 

Negged for having a goldfish memory and for forcing me to post this reminder.

 

 

(Still, I suppose "worst set of strikers in over 1 year" doesn't sound so knicker-wettingly dramatic.)

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Babbel got forward well, especially remember the Derby and the Alaves game and he wasn't technically even a fullback. Remember a few break aways were he led the charge.

Best fullback I ever watched for us was Phil Neal.