Who is your starting 11? (Part 2)

[Observer]

[Thread continued from Part 1]

Defenders job is to defend and quite frankly, Brennan and Stalteri cannot defend.

So I agree with the post that has Nasliwa at RFB, Jazic at LFB and from all accounts Hutchison at CB with Devos. This would be a quick back line that, could defend and pass the ball as well.

Aguira as a holding defensive midfielder with Imof would be solid always covering the side of attack.

Stalteri right of midfield and DeGuzman left of Midfield.

Working with an overlapping full backs in jazic and Nasiliwa.

Razinski up front, with Hume and or DeRosario. Who ever is on form?

[Gordon]

quote:Originally posted by Observer

Defenders job is to defend and quite frankly, Brennan and Stalteri cannot defend.

So I agree with the post that has Nasliwa at RFB, Jazic at LFB and from all accounts Hutchison at CB with Devos. This would be a quick back line that, could defend and pass the ball as well.

Jazic does not overlap or go forward however. He plays it safe. Fine enough if thats what you want. Call me linear in my thinking, but I figure if a guy can hold down a starting job as a defender on the top team in a league no worst than 4th best in the world, I'd say he can defend well enough for Canada. He may be more valuable overall elsewhere for Canada, but Stalteri is now a fullback with his club. In any event, since at least one Austrian is saying Jazic is 2 levels above Hastings, he has to be an improvement.

[WildboutCdnScr]

If our back line is solid enough to allow more attack-minded, left-sided midfield players like Brennan the freedom to go forward and put in quality crosses, then a "safety-first" left back doesn't bother me at all. I like Jazic and I think he brings a potential solidity to the position.

One positive, is at least we are talking about options here and maybe, just maybe, have exercised the Hastings demon once and for all.

[DJT]

quote:Originally posted by Observer

So I agree with the post

Is this supposed to go in another thread? What post are you talking about?

[MikeD]

quote:Originally posted by DJT

Is this supposed to go in another thread? What post are you talking about?

(DJT, this is a continuation of the starting 11 thread.)

I'm not sure I agree that Brennan can't defend. I understand that he's being used as a midfielder by Norwich, but I saw him on television a couple of times last season when Nottingham Forrest were using him as a left fullback and I thought he did very well.

I still like him better as a midfielder, to take full advantage of his offensive prowess, but I don't cringe at the thought of Brennan as our left fullback.

[Cheeta]

Can't say as I care too much with Bremen playing Stalteri at fullback. I can understand why they are. Just can't say as I like it much.

At the club level you'll certainly see far more fluid play than our NT can ever hope to achieve so I dought we'll see too many overlapping runs out of the fullback position, no matter who's partnering out there on the wings. That's not to say a calm, organised, escape plan out of the back isn't desirable, I just think a lot of the qualities both Diesel and Brennan can bring to the pitch are going to be wasted back there.

Honestly, I think Brennan's spot on left wing is as secure as Radz.'s up the right front and JDV at center in the back. Paul's biggest question is where to play him and that's only due to his versatility. But I think in most instances I'd rather him in the middle with De Guzman. Those two will make things happen. Years from now we're going to be wishing we had two aces in the middle of the park like we had back in 2006 at the German WC. I can just feel it.

But that of course still leaves questions for fullbacks in a 4-4-2. Nsaliwa at right I'm thinking, as the lad has plenty of throttle and seemingly endless amounts of confidense. Certainly not a-feard of looking bad trying to make a play anyways and I like that. But you know, Bent's got a nack of playing over his head sometimes and he's looked comfortable down the right...

Left 'back? No ideas realy. We got a 1st hand report on Jazic that I think at least, confirmed to everyone what they saw of the man last year as being typical. And I'm okay with that. A solid, paced, hard man out on the flank could do wonders for a back line which is wanting for a free ranging sweeper. Hell, a Jazic left 'back could even allow for a JDV-Big Kev center which I SOOOO would love to see. Kind of screws my De Guzman-Diesel center midfield (against most opponents) but I'm sure there are occasions where the big men will reap havoc up field and not fear becoming drill pylons around their own box.

And yes I do feel both Jim and Paul can play defence. I just don't feel we've got to move these men out of what I consider their strongest positions to make room for other quality midfielders who can't play out of position.

[Canuck Oranje]

Again, while I agree the defence's first priority needs to be preventing goals, our defence needs to get comfortable playing the ball and participating in the attack if we ever want to move up in the FIFA rankings.

I find it funny sometimes that we lament our lack of goals and then we are reluctant to commit players to attack. Again, the top national teams have mobile defences that participate in their attack. In Stalteri and Nsaliwa on the right and Jazic and Brennan on the left, we have two flanks with speed and players that are interchangeable. I don't care which players start in midfield or which at fullback. I would just like to see our team use its strengths by overlapping on the flanks and having fullback that will go forward when the situation dictates.

An interesting hypothetical question. If Roberto Carlos was Canadian, where would we play him? And if it was as a left wingback, would he be criticized for going forward too often? Keep in mind that Roberto Carlos and De Guzman are roughly the same size (Roberto Carlos is a bit heavier).

[Observer]

I don't think anyone said anything about not attacking. Those who saw our last few games would admit that our defending was not up to scratch. Stalteri was beaten time and time again, yet going forward he made a good contribution. So we need defenders who can defend first. As for you talking about Roberto Carlos. I cannot see anyone saying that if he was Canadian he would not be playing for Canada. Dam he might of been playing alongside Razinski Unfortunately, none of our players are of the quality of Roberto Carlos and our team is not Brazil.

[Canuck Oranje]

Well, I see one traditional Canadian problem being defenders who do not have the skill to attack. I disagree that Stalteri is a poor defender. Quite simply, he would not be playing there with Werder Bremen, if he was poor. He may have had a bad game with MNT or may have been a little awkward with the players that surrounded him. At the same time, I am not opposed to see him in the midfield.

I raised the hypothetical Roberto Carlos question because I was curious to see how far out of position we would play him. There is no question that he is maybe the world's best left fullback. There would be a great pull to move him out of position and into an attacking position even though he may be more dangerous attacking from his left back position. And the defence stronger. I know Stalteri is not Roberto Carlos and neither is Brennan. But by playing fullbacks who can attack, we create a situation where we would have two more offensive players on the field and not necessarily weaken our defence significantly.