Liam Ridehalgh

Why?

 

I'd say because Ridehalgh is steady nothing more, we do need better to progress, Foulds looks to be on his way and Odour doesn't look to be a natural LB! Think he'll be deployed as a winger. A better LB needed in my opinion

 

Because Ridehalgh isn't good enough as I've said multiple times on this thread already.

 

Really? He's a steady, reliable fullback in a back four and also has a good cross on him. It's certainly not his fault that he had no one decent in front of him to link with after Wright left.
If we decide to go back three with wingbacks then we now have Oduor to fill that role.
I'd be much more concerned if we don't get more pace and creativity in midfield, a decent replacement for Banks and another striker to share the load with Cook. Left back is the least of our worries.

 

I agree he was exposed towards the end of last season which wasn't his fault but irrespective of that we need to be aiming for better. He is a player who is a year older and slowing down when his pace was already non existent. He can cross a ball but only when he's afforded time and space to do so because he has no ability to beat a man.

If you took our first choice eleven last year the two weak points would be LB and CM and I don't think anyone would disagree.

 

Our backline conceded the least number of goals from open play, which lays bare any theory that they are too slow. Set pieces cost us, which is down to static defending not pace. We need to work on set pieces and get the two centre halves more dominant at these. The fact we cut out most of these silly mistakes when we had a combo of Platt & Stubbs indicates that the issue at set pieces is mainly down to the Huddersfield loanee and Odusina.

I've no problem with Ridehalgh, nor him being first choice as long as he has the support in front of him.

 

You can say it as many times as you like…it doesn’t make you right. I have said myself it will probably for back up, but a left full back isn’t a priority at the expense of other positions as yet.

It’s already been said by the club we will be going for a smaller squad yet you want multiple left backs , why when we have three or perhaps four on the books already capable of playing in that role.

 

Or poor application to the coaching?
You can take a horse to water………?

 

Foulds will leave as he did in January and Oduor likely won't play at LB. That leaves Ridehalgh as our only option there. As I have said above, aside from the obvious CM issues, LB was clearly our weakest area in our first choice eleven.

 

So it’s NOT a priority after all and it wasn’t our weakest position either. It’s was the left side of the front three …we had no decent left sided outlet for half a season.

 

A decent back line that lacked an individual with any pace could not defend crosses, corners that cost us goals and on top of that added only a few goals to our goal for column. I would like to see an addition(s) that will improve us in these areas.

Yeah because our midfielders were required to sit deeper to protect the defence in open play. Ridehalgh is too slow and probably has another injury in him to add to our woes. The defence was not up to it many times in the season.

 

Im not sure if you've misunderstood Kevin but LB is a priority alongside CM in my opinion.

 

5th best defence in terms of goals conceded is most definitely a solid foundation to build from. We had pace with Critchlow, but he's gone and we needed more pace elsewhere in defence, so definitely a weakness for us as things stand.

Agree that their goal contribution also needs to be stepped up for this coming season. Don't want to be overly critical of one of the leagues best defences though, however if we are to realise our ambition of promotion then we need to add new additions to improve us further in all aspects you've stated.

Hence my comment, 'let's hope the new signings improve us further'.

 

Sorry, I think there are plenty on here and elsewhere would disagree.
CM, I'll grant you. But the lack of a decent left sided attacker after Wright left was a far far bigger issue than left back, and I'm convinced that very few City fans would disagree with that. The handful of games when Clayton played there and did well only serve to underline how awful it was with one of Costelloe, Eisa, Nevers or Osedebe playing there. Not having a settled left winger or a good enough deputy for Wright/Clayton cost us automatic promotion. We hit the buffers big time when we had to revert to the diamond, with Smallwood playing out of position on the left, because of no effective left wing option.

 

The left wing issues are a product of circumstance though. Chapman would've been and still is an adequate option at LW but couldn't play there because both Walker and Osadebe were out long term so there was no option at ten. I would also disagree that the switch to the diamond was because of the left wing issue, more so the fact that out of possession our midfield was diabolical and we had to chuck in another body to rectify it somewhat.

Of course we need better depth at LW to avoid being in the same scenario again, but when we're talking about upgrading an occupied position in the team, LB is next on the list after CM for me.

 

LOL!! You can count on one hand with fingers missing, the number of matches where he's been as low as 5/10.

As for your "left for dead" comment, it wasn't on "so many occasions" and will be no more than any other L2 LB, last season. And the stats back this up.

I've no idea, what you expect for L2.

 

I agree he's not good enough for The Championship. Fortunately, as we play in L2 - he is.

And the stats show this. Per game he's in the upper quarter, for least fouls committed - a vital commodity for a full back.

 

I'll take and average 43 conceded in 46, every season from now. Which by the way, is one of our best defensive performances ever.

Note, how we were unbeaten against our Top 8 rivals, the minute he came back into the team.

Grossly underrated by far too many. Probably because we were very spoilt when we had Meredith.

 

We made the playoffs this year with him. If we don't make them next year or get autos, it won't be down to a steady left back