Rory Smith Exclusive Tomorrow

[Skidfingers McGonical]

 

What has Johnson done which is so great to Konchesky then this season?

 

They have both given 5/6 out of 10 performances but Konchesky's are the only ones which gets highlighted. It could be argued that Konchesky is making more of his ability than Johnson is.

 

I can only remember Konchesky having a couple of really iffy games against United and Spurs. He has done okay in other games. Even against Wolves he was one of the few who could hold his head up.

 

Johnson hasn't cost us three or four games this season by being caught out of position for goals. Insua is better.

[caracaracara]

Johnson hasn't cost us three or four games this season by being caught out of position for goals. Insua is better.

 

My (vague) memory is that Insua did cost us a few goals last year when out of position. He also cost a few ball watching when the ball arrived in the box and got out jumped in the box again costing us a goal or two.

 

My take last year on Insua, tidy going forward but a weak defender for a top premier team.

 

However, no defender is going to go a season without being partialy or wholly to blame for a goal conceded. The main test is the frequency in a season but mainly in the big games.

 

I don't think Konchesky is as bad as some people make out. Like Insua, he is not a defender for a top premier team.

 

Glen Johnson is not a top defender either. He is a better alround player than Konchesky but I would trust the latter more if the ball dropped in the box (not by much though). Glen excels when he is going forward but he has a few more mistakes in him than Konchesky.

 

I remember sitting on the train to Cardiff among a load of Chelseas fans. At the time he was rumoured to be going back to them. Remember them saying he had improved but he always had that mistake in him, silly free kick, penalty or giving the ball away in a dangerous area. Thought they were talking bollocks as he had turned them down but actually they could n't have been more 'mystic meg' if they had rolled out a crystal ball, head scarf and earings.

 

Glen needs to play alongside two mobile and dominant centre backs - like the lads at Birmingham. There he wouldn't be as much as a (obvious) liability as they can cover when he is up field and his defensive positional / heading wouldn't be so exposed.

[Menc]

We had the 3rd best defence in the league last season.

 

This stat makes all subsequent debate irrelevant. A better manager and the defence wouldn’t look anywhere near as weak as it has. We do need to replace Carragher and correct the mistake that is Paul Konchesky soon though.

[Royal Family]

We had the 3rd best defence in the league last season.

 

The only difference is Paul Konchesky and Roy Hodgson.

 

Strictly speaking perhaps, but I'd say that the loss of Javier Mascherano has quite a lot to do with that as well - there are few better in the world at what he brought to us in terms of shielding the defence. Lucas clearly isn't in that league, and as for Poulsen...

[Scouse_Datcha]

woy and commilliliolo looking for a left back at todays game, Wigan vs Nufc ?

[Carra_is_legend]

Don't like the fact Woy is going on scouting trips.

 

I don't like the idea of spending too much money in January either.

[Redzawi]

Dalglish was a guest on AD sport TV today and the presenter asked him about recent news on him and Liverpool coaching. He replied " I don't know, I'm here [ Abu Dhabi ] " the presenter asked him again if he will accept Liverpool coaching in this situation he replied " I prefer not discuss this now". AT the end, he was glad to see many Liverpool fans in this area [ arab ] . really we are the glad to see you KING

[Juan Galonso]

Johnson hasn't cost us three or four games this season by being caught out of position for goals. Insua is better.

 

Only because he has gotten away with his mistakes like yesterday being a case in point. That lazy ball across the box that Klasnic picked up could have cost us when the game was finely balanced. The Blackpool pen, the Sunderland first goal, he has been responsible just as much and in my opinion more than Konchesky.

 

Agree to differ on Insua.

[Guest TesticleOReilly]

Johnson can be a great defender, and great going forward, but I've yet to see him play a game for us where he's both, it's always one or the other, usually poor defensively.

[Shreddy]

Don't like the fact Woy is going on scouting trips.

 

I don't like the idea of spending too much money in January either.

 

And i don't like the idea that Roy is bringing his players.

[fowler9]

the reports today about West Ham wanting Insua on loan suggest that Gala are going to send him back, well if we arent going to sign a new left back we should keep him as understudy to Aurelio as there is no point in loaning him out other than to be rid of his wages which I cant see being massive as he is out of contract in july so we wouldnt get a fee for him and there is a good player in there as we saw in the 08/09 season and the odd appearence he used to make before then whilst even last season he was a lot better than Konchesky, I just felt he was thrown in as first choice left back too soon, mainly due Fabio's injuries, obviously if he is struggling to impress in the Turkish league it doesnt bode well for him but I've seen enough in him to give him another go

[Juan Galonso]

Johnson can be a great defender, and great going forward, but I've yet to see him play a game for us where he's both, it's always one or the other, usually poor defensively.

 

Yeah I agree with this. The last two games were a microcosm of what you have said. On Wednesday v Wolves he was quite good defensively and made some good interceptions but was so lax going forward and the nadir was when he inexplicably booted the ball out of play think it was in the first half.

 

Yesterday he was poor defensively but did some decent things going forward at times.

 

I just think he is one of those luxury players whilst being a very good technical footballer is only very good when you are 2-0 up at home and winning a game easily. His best games last season were the same variety v Stoke at home, Sunderland at home, Portsmouth at home all easy home wins.

 

The flip side of him is when you need to stand up and be counted say at Old Trafford or something he has stank the place out the two times he has played there for us. I just think he is a big fish in a small pond player. He excelled at Portsmouth and West Ham for instance but at Chelsea he was poor and he has been an average signing at best here.

[Iantn]

I just think he is a big fish in a small pond player.

 

Him personally or his style of play?

 

I mean he's just like Alves at Barca, for example, but yet they allow him to get forward and he's a great option for them.

[BatChainPuller]

Johnson can be a great defender, and great going forward, but I've yet to see him play a game for us where he's both, it's always one or the other, usually poor defensively.

 

I agree - going forward seems to be instinctive for him, defending needs to be learned. I get really annoyed by the amount of careless passes that lose the ball he makes - seems to be about a lack of focus. He clearly responds well to the right kind of coaching (Adams in particular) and has the potential to be world-class. Unfortunately seems to have bought into his own hype.

[goatboy59]

Him personally or his style of play?

 

I mean he's just like Alves at Barca, for example, but yet they allow him to get forward and he's a great option for them.

 

Agree.

 

If we were all out attack I suspect his whole mindset would alter.

[RED.DUB]

johnson is a great player,a top quality manager would get the best out of him.

[Juan Galonso]

Him personally or his style of play?

 

I mean he's just like Alves at Barca, for example, but yet they allow him to get forward and he's a great option for them.

 

I don't think he has that mentality to be a top player. Comparing him to Alves is all well and good but he Alves is a nasty little fucker when he wants to be, sometimes I just look at Johnson and think he needs a rocket up his arse and he just ambles through games. He isn't in Alves' league for me because of that mentality which adds so much more to a player.

[StevieH]

I don't think he has that mentality to be a top player. Comparing him to Alves is all well and good but he Alves is a nasty little fucker when he wants to be, sometimes I just look at Johnson and think he needs a rocket up his arse and he just ambles through games. He isn't in Alves' league for me because of that mentality which adds so much more to a player.

 

Spot on John. Very talented player who would probably thrive under a more attack minded manager, but he is extremely lackadaisical at times.

[Iantn]

I don't think he has that mentality to be a top player. Comparing him to Alves is all well and good but he Alves is a nasty little fucker when he wants to be, sometimes I just look at Johnson and think he needs a rocket up his arse and he just ambles through games. He isn't in Alves' league for me because of that mentality which adds so much more to a player.

 

Kinda what I thought you meant. Suppose that falls on the manager then to be able to motivate him not to be a dozy get.

 

Still think he's good enough to start for us at right back if we are competitive.

[Juan Galonso]

My (vague) memory is that Insua did cost us a few goals last year when out of position. He also cost a few ball watching when the ball arrived in the box and got out jumped in the box again costing us a goal or two.

 

My take last year on Insua, tidy going forward but a weak defender for a top premier team.

 

However, no defender is going to go a season without being partialy or wholly to blame for a goal conceded. The main test is the frequency in a season but mainly in the big games.

 

I don't think Konchesky is as bad as some people make out. Like Insua, he is not a defender for a top premier team.

 

Glen Johnson is not a top defender either. He is a better alround player than Konchesky but I would trust the latter more if the ball dropped in the box (not by much though). Glen excels when he is going forward but he has a few more mistakes in him than Konchesky.

 

I remember sitting on the train to Cardiff among a load of Chelseas fans. At the time he was rumoured to be going back to them. Remember them saying he had improved but he always had that mistake in him, silly free kick, penalty or giving the ball away in a dangerous area. Thought they were talking bollocks as he had turned them down but actually they could n't have been more 'mystic meg' if they had rolled out a crystal ball, head scarf and earings.

 

Glen needs to play alongside two mobile and dominant centre backs - like the lads at Birmingham. There he wouldn't be as much as a (obvious) liability as they can cover when he is up field and his defensive positional / heading wouldn't be so exposed.

 

Very good post that just just on the last paragraph didn't he have the mobile and dominant centre backs when he was at Chelsea though in Terry (who was at the peak of his powers then) and Carvalho and sometimes Gallas? Mourinho obviously didn't fancy him even with those centre halves.

[Juan Galonso]

Kinda what I thought you meant. Suppose that falls on the manager then to be able to motivate him not to be a dozy get.

 

Still think he's good enough to start for us at right back if we are competitive.

 

Mourinho, Benitez and Hodgson all failed to get the best out of him consistently at the two biggest clubs he will play for.

 

At a less pressure environment at Portsmouth he excelled and was their player of the season if I remember rightly?

 

I am not doubting his actual footballing ability as he is a tidy footballer with two good feet just his mentality to succeed at a big club.

[Antynwa]

Insua could have benefited from a fit Aurelio. He was still learning and was fantastic in the season we finished 2nd.

 

Last season, a combo of confidence, perhaps ability and a general shit season went against him.

 

Gutted he didn't make it here.

[Carra_is_legend]

Johnson is not a great player at all. We need much better than him.

 

And please, let Insua be history. The speed in which he turned everytime a player went past him makes me shudder. Hopefully Konchesky will be history too sooner than later.

 

We need much better fullbacks and wingers than we have right now.

[Guest San Don]

Johnson doesnt strike me as a great defender. He doesnt strike me as a great 'all round' defender either ie very good and getting forward and defending like say, Phil Neal.

 

Johnson can be good going forward. sometimes he makes great defensive tackles but, he's frequently caught flat footed as yesterday with davies goal or wrong side of the man.

 

Regarding Insua, Yes, he had a poor season last season but then again, who in the team didnt? I think he was made a bit of a scapegoat and yes, he perhaps should have been taken out of the firing line. But with aurelio being injured so often, who else was there that was ready to play left back?

 

To me, Insua is a better bet than koncheshky. I'd have Insua on the teamsheet ahead of koncheshky every time.

[Iantn]

Mourinho, Benitez and Hodgson all failed to get the best out of him consistently at the two biggest clubs he will play for.

 

At a less pressure environment at Portsmouth he excelled and was their player of the season if I remember rightly?

 

I am not doubting his actual footballing ability as he is a tidy footballer with two good feet just his mentality to succeed at a big club.

 

Hodgson has failed to get the best outta most of our squad so I'd knock that straight off the list mate.

 

I felt he had a good season last season but it was a strange season for so many reasons and that didn't help.

 

He was a kid at Chelsea really and Mourinho seemed to fuck him off pretty quickly.

 

I do have slight reservations but he'd be hugely down on my list of things I'd look at that he'd be probably here for a few seasons yet.