Wanted: Drill Sargent for Defense

[Qprtanpa1]

Watching Brentford’s game winner yesterday, the latest evidence of a defense that can’t defend set kicks, it made me rue for the days of Clint Hill and others who’d bleed to stop a goal.

Beyond recruiting a hoss CB to pair with Dickie (moving Barbet back to LB), the club needs a defensive coach that won’t tolerate anything but blood and guts play, a drill Sargent type that in the States equates to a defensive line coach in football.

The jury is in on these set kicks. We suck, and have now for a few seasons. Time for a change, my brothers.

[Shania]

Lee Dixon or Angel Rangel.

[shaggy24]

I think we need someone who’s been there and done it the defence is very young and inexperienced. I can’t see Clint leaving Barton a Craig short no frills type is needed why neither Dickie or Varbet marked Toney for 2nd goal beyond me

[Abseits]

Buck stops with Warburton in my view. We're not made of money so having an army of support staff is unrealistic. Beyond that, at some point Warburton needs to take responsibility for what his team does on the pitch - I don't like the idea of glaring deficiencies being someone else's fault.

[Shania]

Buck stops with Warburton in my view. We're not made of money so having an army of support staff is unrealistic. Beyond that, at some point Warburton needs to take responsibility for what his team does on the pitch - I don't like the idea of glaring deficiencies being someone else's fault.

Spot on.

[72bus]

stand goalside of your attacker at free kicks , corners was taught that at school

[Stainrod]

stand goalside of your attacker at free kicks , corners was taught that at school

Exactly , his starting position was poor , Toney was never going to be muscled out of the way once Nico was wrong side .

[Darkranger]

I think we need someone who’s been there and done it the defence is very young and inexperienced. I can’t see Clint leaving Barton a Craig short no frills type is needed why neither Dickie or Varbet marked Toney for 2nd goal beyond me

This has been mentioned a lot, not wishing to have a go, but the reason Niko was marking Toney was because this was his area of the pitch (near post area for a left sided defender), was the right back supposed to leave his side of the pitch and come across? We seem to implementing a mixture of man to man marking and zonal positioning, which for me is confusing, and I think this might be part of the problem.

BTW I'm available as a defensive coach if they want to call me.

[Stainrod]

This has been mentioned a lot, not wishing to have a go, but the reason Niko was marking Toney was because this was his area of the pitch (near post area for a left sided defender), was the right back supposed to leave his side of the pitch and come across? We seem to implementing a mixture of man to man marking and zonal positioning, which for me is confusing, and I think this might be part of the problem.

BTW I'm available as a defensive coach if they want to call me.

I don’t think Nico marking Toney is such a problem , not like he towered above him and bullied him , Nico took up a poor position and couldn’t recover from it once the free kick had been taken . Also it was a very cheap foul given away by Willock in the first place.

[rangersroar]

Warburton spoke about the danger Toney carries. Put one man in front and one behind, block him off, that way he can't affect the situation. It's not just that, to many players lose concentration and are caught ball watching instead of being aware of who's around them. As it is, we are woefully inept at defending crosses. Both Rotherham goals, Watfords goal, christ up at Coventry they put in 3 identical corners late in the second half, won everyone of them and scored from the 3rd one.

[lincoln ranger]

Warburton spoke about the danger Toney carries. Put one man in front and one behind, block him off, that way he can't affect the situation. It's not just that, to many players lose concentration and are caught ball watching instead of being aware of who's around them. As it is, we are woefully inept at defending crosses. Both Rotherham goals, Watfords goal, christ up at Coventry they put in 3 identical corners late in the second half, won everyone of them and scored from the 3rd one.

Exactly what I was going to comment and say! In those instances, there should ALWAYS be a defender IN FRONT of the near post runner AND goal side, behind that near post runner. It’s basic, schoolboy defending! If we can’t get these types of defensive set ups right, we really are in trouble at the back and no wonder we concede so many!

[Abseits]

I thought our whole "defensive" set-up was ropey for that free kick. Nico is too lightweight/passive to be marking a burly attacker - reckon Ball would have been a better bet. Also, I've not seen it back but my recollection is Dieng was miles off his line. Goal is not remotely his fault, it's defenders' job to deal with the cross but I'm thinking for a free kick from that area he needs to be on his line. If he was on the line the header might have hit him but as it was it flew into an empty unguarded net.

[stanistheman]

As has been pointed out already, we have been woefully poor at defending corners, set pieces and crosses. Someone is not doing their defensive coaching duties properly.