Dawson and Gallas

[spud]

I was a little surprised that we are prepared to sell Michael Dawson. It is argued that he is too slow for the defensive 'high line' and he is not universally popular for looking for a long ball. Plus he is nearing thirty and the reported fee represents decent value - especially if you are trying to raise funds for incoming players. So I can see why he might be available.

What I don't understand is why William Gallas appears to be our first choice centre back. I was hopeful that we would sell Gallas this summer. He served us very well in his first season here, but last season after he returned to the team, after injury, he was terrible. His failings were exposed when playing alongside a crocked King Ledley, who was unable to cover for him. His display in the Cup semi-final was shameful. In addition to being one of the worst displays by a centre back I have ever seen, he gave up. He stopped trying with about twenty minutes to go.

So I was a little disappointed that he didn't leave us, but assumed that AVB had seen something to convince him that he should stay. If he has, I don't know what it is. Last week, Gallas was competent - but he was well protected by his midfield and the Bar Codes rarely put him under pressure. Against WBA he was again useless. Yes, he cleared a header off the line, but he should have been defending in his six yard box to ensure the header never happened. He appears clueless, he doesn't seem to help Walker with his positional play, and his lack of pace makes Dawson look like Lennon. He rarely wins a 50-50 challenge and Lukaku embarrassed him in the same way that Drogba humiliated him last season. He is a bottler and he has no heart for the fight.

I would say that two of Kaboom, Vertonghen, and Caulker should be our first choice centre-backs. Dawson should be next on the depth chart with Gallas a distant fifth. Dawson has heart. Dawson has commitment. Dawson has a feeling for our club and gives his all every game he plays. If we only need four centre-backs in the squad, Gallas should be the odd man out.

 

[Bobbins]

Although a little harsh on Gallas, who is not and has not been nearly as shit as you insist, I tend to agree with the point of your post.

I would, in fact, go as far as to say I've seen no good reason as to why Caulker is suddenly regarded as being ahead of Dawson. He's a very talented young player and had a good first Premiership season last year, and will undoubtedly go on to be a top class player. But Dawson has years of Premiership experience, scores of top class performances, several England caps and previously the captaincy to his name - why he's suddenly been bumped down to 'not good enough' by all and sundry makes no sense.

Caulker will one day be better than Dawson, but he isn't yet. Dawson should be third choice and Kabouls automatic replacement.

 

[SandroClegane]

Well it's tough for Kaboul to have been first choice when he was injured... And maybe AVB didn't want our two center backs making their spurs debuts in the same game. So you're left with Vertonghen and Gallas. I'm sure if Kaboul was fit it would have been him and Verts today.

 

[Stavrogin]

Although a little harsh on Gallas, who is not and has not been nearly as shit as you insist, I tend to agree with the point of your post.

I would, in fact, go as far as to say I've seen no good reason as to why Caulker is suddenly regarded as being ahead of Dawson. He's a very talented young player and had a good first Premiership season last year, and will undoubtedly go on to be a top class player. But Dawson has years of Premiership experience, scores of top class performances, several England caps and previously the captaincy to his name - why he's suddenly been bumped down to 'not good enough' by all and sundry makes no sense.

Caulker will one day be better than Dawson, but he isn't yet. Dawson should be third choice and Kabouls automatic replacement.

Yah, I think Dawson suffers from the reductionist nature of discourse here and elsewhere. He's not especially quick, so he's too slow; he smiles a lot, so he's dumb; he played a lot of useless long balls, so his distribution is terrible and he can't possibly change (remember, HE DUMB).

There seems to be a trend to view everything in terms of systems and attributes, where everything is quantifiable and logical and the players are reduced to little more than cones. Not only do you disregard the more nebulous, harder to quantify attributes, you start to believe that things can be perfect, that flaws cannot be overcome.

 

[spud]

Yah, I think Dawson suffers from the reductionist nature of discourse here and elsewhere. .......... he played a lot of useless long balls, so his distribution is terrible .......

Another 'truth' that simply isn't true. Dawson plays it simple most of the time. When he doesn't, it's because he has no outlet pass. If he hits a long ball, it's rarely 'useless'; it is usually hard, pretty low (not much over head height) and accurate.

 

[Stavrogin]

Another 'truth' that simply isn't true. Dawson plays it simple most of the time. When he doesn't, it's because he has no outlet pass. If he hits a long ball, it's rarely 'useless'; it is usually hard, pretty low (not much over head height) and accurate.

yeah... remember when he first arrived he was touted as being comfortable on the ball - he is/was and his long passes are probably better than most defenders. Last season was tough as we switched from Huddlestone to Parker, which really monkeyed around with our innards.

 

[JimmyG2]

It seems odd to me too that Gallas who has severe limitations of pace and temperament should be preferred to Dawson.
It's probably about the money.
Gallas is worth zilch in the market so Levy probably thinks that we can squeeze another year out of him
and cash in on Dawson while we can.
The fact that all round Dawson is the better player, despite his limitations, has a longer shelf life and a better attitude
semmingly counts for nothing.

Cost of everything, value of nothing syndrome.
If Gallas stays fit for a full month I'll treat the wife.
That's how sure of his unfitness I am.

 

[NEVILLEB]

We're going to see how much King has been covering all our CB's this season

The man was a titan

 

[edson]

Do you need to be fast when Defending Corners?

 

[ShelfSide18]

To be fair, Daws would have been an asset in those last few minutes when they were slinging high balls into our box, for the other 85 minutes, nope, not for me.

 

[yanno]

I think Gallas is starting the season for the same reason that AVB allegedly wanted to sign Carvalho.

AVB is trying to impose a new defensive system, in particular with the high line. I suspect Gallas is in there as the organiser. I also suspect that if we'd let Gallas leave, Carvalho would have come in.

In pure business terms, keeping Gallas on an existing contract for a year must be cheaper than trying to get Carvalho out of Real Madrid - once you factor agent and signing on fees, plus his RM salary.

My instinct is that once AVB feels the defenders are drilled into playing the high line, our first three CBs will Kaboul, Verts and Caulker, with Gallas in the mix occasionally. However, whether it takes 10, 20 or 30 games is unknowable...

 

[Krafty]

I believe AVB is selecting Gallas now because of the assumption that he will deliver instantly. Long term obviously you want Caulker, Kaboul, Vertonghen, but just as Vertonghen wasn't risked for the Newcastle game, AVB knows that he needs results sooner rather than later, and with Gallas' experience he should adjust to AVB's system quicker.

However, yesterday showed why you need a Dawson type player, that no nonsense defender who thinks to clear the danger first, and try to retain the ball a more distant second.

 

[lenny7]

Apart from the injured Kaboul, I can't hand-on-heart say we've got a better centre back at the club.

 

[bubble07]

I think gallas and Dawson are fighting for 5th spot. Therefore it makes more sense to get 9m for Dawson then nothing for Gallas

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Yah, I think Dawson suffers from the reductionist nature of discourse here and elsewhere. He's not especially quick, so he's too slow; he smiles a lot, so he's dumb; he played a lot of useless long balls, so his distribution is terrible and he can't possibly change (remember, HE DUMB).

There seems to be a trend to view everything in terms of systems and attributes, where everything is quantifiable and logical and the players are reduced to little more than cones. Not only do you disregard the more nebulous, harder to quantify attributes, you start to believe that things can be perfect, that flaws cannot be overcome.

Ahh..the nebulous defence of the nebulous attributes from an expert in nebulism.

 

[Outnumbered]

The thing I can't understand is why is Gallas wearing the armband if he's 4th or 5th choice ?

 

[Damian99]

Ahh..the nebulous defence of the nebulous attributes from an expert in nebulism.

Whats the matter didn't he put enough pass completion stats in it for you??

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

Do you need to be fast when Defending Corners?

No, but a goalkeeper that is able to move off his line is always a help.

 

[YiddoJames]

I think Gallas is starting the season for the same reason that AVB allegedly wanted to sign Carvalho.

AVB is trying to impose a new defensive system, in particular with the high line. I suspect Gallas is in there as the organiser. I also suspect that if we'd let Gallas leave, Carvalho would have come in.

In pure business terms, keeping Gallas on an existing contract for a year must be cheaper than trying to get Carvalho out of Real Madrid - once you factor agent and signing on fees, plus his RM salary.

My instinct is that once AVB feels the defenders are drilled into playing the high line, our first three CBs will Kaboul, Verts and Caulker, with Gallas in the mix occasionally. However, whether it takes 10, 20 or 30 games is unknowable...

I can see the sense in that and why he might think he would be the right player to organise the defence. Sadly, there was very little evidence Gallas had any organisational/leadership skills when the defence was being terrorised by Drogba mark 2 on Saturday.

I'd have hoped he could have calmed the team, the defence in particular, with his experience and captain qualities but he didn't.

Whether Dawson would have managed to achieve this any better is obviously purely speculative but I rate him as a far more effective leader and personality than Gallas personally. In fact, as the original poster says I can not understand how Gallas appears no 1 choice because I believe his powers have severely faded even in the last 18 months, despite some good performances.

 

[YiddoJames]

No, but a goalkeeper that is able to move off his line is always a help.

I see your point but rather unfair for people in general to be blaming Brad. If it hadn't been for his saves before the last minute scrambles which led to the goal we could have been in a far, far worse state