Dawson

[Flatters]

Dawson is a much better defender than we are currently seeing. It is no coincidence that he looks very shaky partnering Kaboul. Younis wanders off during games leaving Dawson confused looking like a rabbit in headlights. This partership simply isn't working. Daws looks much better partnering AG or obviously Ledders.

:clap:

He is doing what all of our young players do under Hughtons coaching. Gets steadily worse after initial promise.

:lol:

headless chicken.

clumsy oaf

It was mostly embarrassing to see him on the pitch yesterday

Supporters, are you?

 

[nidge]

Dawson has gone backwards in his development at the club and for me questions should be directed towards the coaching staff. Not only Dawson, Lennon is another player who hasn't really kicked on.Tony Gardner makes lets mistakes than Micheal Dawson but gets more flank.

The whole defensive unit has to be looked at seriously by Jol, the blend of defenders at the back on paper look okey but in reality very crap. Dawson and Kaboul shouldn't be playing together both inexperienced defender both in need of an experienced centre back i.e Gardner, Rocha, King (all injured). Chimbonda and Lee big question marks IMO on there positional defensive play at set pieces, to many times we've been caught out because of poor marking and timid aggression in the tackle.

Jol i starting to believe has lost the plot... he made a silly statement in the week about Newcastle and then got spanked by two clear goals....not good enough.

The bit in bold is the something we finally agree on. A back four of Chimbonda, Dawson, Kaboul, Lee looks fine on paper but, unfortunately football isn't played on paper or reputations.

Chimbonda simply isn't good enough at doing his primary job of defending, he is lazy, doesn't chase back and only seems able to win the ball in the air when we are attacking.

Dawson just makes to many silly errors and for the last 2 years hasn't had King or Stalteri to clean up his mistakes.

Kaboul for me looks more suited to play in midfield than he does at the back, wonders around too much for my liking. He looks good on the ball and strong in the challenge but, lack the vision to successfully cover Dawson along side him.

Lee is about the only player in the defense at the moment that I actually think is doing an ok job its just a shame that he doesn't have a really good left foot. Also his play with Bale at LM has looked really promising.

At this time I would look at having a defensive unit of

Stalteri, Dawson, Gardner, Lee

Kaboul

Now for me that would be a lot more solid than what we have at the moment.
​

 

[Flatters]

At least when Ledley's fit, we'll need no one else in defence.

 

[ChubbSpur]

:clap:



:lol:







Supporters, are you?

Are any of them wrong based on last nights performance? People can try and cover it up however they like but he had an absolute stinker. Granted it wasnt only him and im about to go and say the same thing in the Jenas thread but he was all over the shop last night.
I dont really buy into the 'He plays better next to King' idea either. What good are players that only perform well when next to a player with the worst injury record since Anderton. He's got 2 years of prem experience now and really needs to start stepping up on his own, people were calling for him as Captain a very short time ago.

 

[matjcole]

I guess playing with Ledley papered over the cracks of Daws failings - shame.

Thing is it's going to take King time to get up to his normal level, and will he do so whilst the rest of the team falls away around him?

 

[Flatters]

He had a very bad game last night. I agree with that. What I don't agree with is just throwing abuse at him.

 

[easiman]

At this time I would look at having a defensive unit of

Stalteri, Dawson, Gardner, Lee​

Kaboul​

Now for me that would be a lot more solid than what we have at the moment.​

Interesting, I had the same thought. We are certainly missing a good holding / tackling midfielder to play in front of the defence.

 

[ChubbSpur]

Interesting, I had the same thought. We are certainly missing a good holding / tackling midfielder to play in front of the defence.

My only worry with Kaboul as DM is that his instincts are to play CB and when the pressure comes he'll be slotting back into defence and pulling the rest of the midfield deeper with him.

 

[easiman]

Dawson has gone backwards in his development at the club and for me questions should be directed towards the coaching staff. Not only Dawson, Lennon is another player who hasn't really kicked on.Tony Gardner makes lets mistakes than Micheal Dawson but gets more flank.

The whole defensive unit has to be looked at seriously by Jol, the blend of defenders at the back on paper look okey but in reality very crap. Dawson and Kaboul shouldn't be playing together both inexperienced defender both in need of an experienced centre back i.e Gardner, Rocha, King (all injured). Chimbonda and Lee big question marks IMO on there positional defensive play at set pieces, to many times we've been caught out because of poor marking and timid aggression in the tackle.

Jol i starting to believe has lost the plot... he made a silly statement in the week about Newcastle and then got spanked by two clear goals....not good enough.

I agree with all of that.
Unfortunately, we are now at a point where something has to give, one way or another I reckon it will be Jol. Maybe wider backroom staff and assistants / coaches need a shake up as well.

 

[OllieD]

I hate this "oh you're not supporters because you criticising a player". The fact of the matter is: DAWSON IS CRAP. I've been saying it intermittently for over a year now. He just isn't INTELLIGENT enough. He also isn't FAST enough to make up for his lack of intelligence.

Kaboul also is shite but he has an excuse and clearly has more potential than Dawson ever did. You can tell that Kaboul has a little more smarts about him.

Add Chimbonda to that list of liable defenders. He just isn't that good. Or doesn't look that good.

Jenas... I know this isn't the thread but seriously I have been one of his biggest supporters to anyone that bashes him but he looked absolutely shite last night. I don't know if it was the fact he played with Zokora or the fact he is an inconsistent bastard. We desparetely need an experienced centre midfield maestro.

 

[justfookinhitit]

Don't bank everything on Ledley. We have no idea if he is going to come back and if he does how long he is likely to last before picking up another injury.

His track record over the past couple of seasons isn't great and I think we need to work on strengthening the squad based on him never coming back. If he does come back then great, we have a surplus of riches, but we just can't go on without one of our main centre backs for 5 months of the season. No other big club would do what we have done, it would be suicidal, so we just need to put emotion aside and sign up a top CB and fast.

And can we please get a specialist defensive coach in at the club and fast????? I've been shouted down before by questioning whether we need specialist coaches but now I think the need for one is clearer than ever. Hughton certainly isn't it so lets get someone in who knows how to pull a defence together. And before I get shouted down because the problem isn't just with our defenders, a defensive coach would work with both the defence and midfield to build one cohesive defensive unit which clearly we don't have at the moment.

Rant over.

 

[alfiespurs]

Dawson looks like a joker ! typical chamionship Defende ... mind u chimbonda is the same ... Bring back Bamaby !

 

[yiddotilidie]

Dawson is a much better defender than we are currently seeing. It is no coincidence that he looks very shaky partnering Kaboul. Younis wanders off during games leaving Dawson confused looking like a rabbit in headlights. This partership simply isn't working. Daws looks much better partnering AG or obviously Ledders.

:clap:
Its not that Kaboul is a bad player cos he isnt, its just both Dawson and Kaboul need experience alongside them. There isnt a younger pairing in the division at centre half, and theres a reason why!!

 

[Flatters]

I hate this "oh you're not supporters because you criticising a player". The fact of the matter is: DAWSON IS CRAP.

By all means criticise the players, but what's the point in just saying they're crap? Maybe it's tongue in cheek, but I doubt it.

 

[orkneyspur]

He had a very bad game last night. I agree with that. What I don't agree with is just throwing abuse at him.

Can we throw abuse at you instead? :evil:

 

[Insomnia]

He had a very bad game last night. I agree with that. What I don't agree with is just throwing abuse at him.

Agreed:clap:

 

[SpurSince57]

Whatever, for better or worse, for the immediate future we have little real option but to persist with Dawson and Kaboul.

 

[Flatters]

Can we throw abuse at you instead? :evil:

By all means. :up:

 

[Stoof]

Ricardo Rocha is the only defender we have who has any sort of CV's worth of experience playing the game at a high level.

He was injured last night I assume? But he needs to be in that team quickly. He's no better/worse than what we have, but he has a more calming influence on the team - underrated and underused. Until Captain King comes back, we need experience and the only one who can offer that is him.

Please bear in mind I haven't seen any of the game last night. Thanks for listening innit.

 

[alfieconnshair]

Dawson is fantastic. I love the way he is always out of position and the way he loses his man at set pieces. I love to see him hoof the ball upfield straight to the opposition. I love to see him rush out of defence to miss a tackle in the midfield and then get bypassed. Dawson is great.