In my mind behind VVD there is not a centre back on their level in England. Laporte is the only one that even comes close IMO
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Really quite upset with Toby now.
He's gone from one of the best in the world to some guy that can't get the basics right.. then on top of that he has no pace whatsoever.
The way he steps out - the lumbering nature, never on his toes - it's like a poor mans Michael Dawson, without the desire.
His passing has declined in a way I would never imagine possible - when under no pressure.
Lots of players to blame for things today.. I'm not putting blame on Toby. I just feel sorry for him because I believe his career at the top level looks over.
He should be begging for a 50% pay cut contract now.
He's gone from one of the best in the world to some guy that can't get the basics right.. then on top of that he has no pace whatsoever.
The way he steps out - the lumbering nature, never on his toes - it's like a poor mans Michael Dawson, without the desire.
His passing has declined in a way I would never imagine possible - when under no pressure.
Lots of players to blame for things today.. I'm not putting blame on Toby. I just feel sorry for him because I believe his career at the top level looks over.
He should be begging for a 50% pay cut contract now.
Why the shock, he was winding down last season too.
This season he's been a fucking shambles.
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Wouldn't say I'm in shock.
But as centre backs near the end of their careers, usually you can expect some aspects of their game to remain solid.
I said, around this time last year, Toby was a shadow of his former self. Not winning headers, never attacking the ball, a one trick pony that got found out more and more, poor at holding a line and his speed was gone.
Since then he's got worse.
Sad to see really.
Can't get the Tony Adams gif out of my head when players are coming at Toby & Jan
Back-peddle, side step, but never actually step in for a tackle
Oh he definitely can be worse. Way, way worse.
People blaming individual defenders every week are funny - it's obviously a systemic issue that keeps putting our defenders under pressure and in unfavorable 1v1 situations that inevitably leads to mistake.
We're defending like Woolwich ffs.
Since our press is totally ineffectual and we have no cohesion our defenders look like deer in the headlights but we really should stop blaming Toby one week, Jan the next, Davies today. It's not just one persons' fault most of the time, but a coaching/systemic/tactical one.
Unless it's Aurier, he's a brainless lost cause. But hey.
Lol so the fact that we don't press from the front anymore suddenly make the defenders fucking shit? Defenders should be able to defend 1v1s regardless of the football style, don't fucking bullshit me on this with muh tactics.
If the defender is put 1v1 against a runner 3-4 times a game they will most likely fail at least once.
Especially when they are low on confidence and in poor form.
Our defense is put under SO much more pressure than they were 2/3 years ago.
Was just thinking this....
I'm expecting a pair of Eriksen hatricks, but it'll be interesting to see how the Belgian lads fair....
Checks fixtures....
Then again, they face San Marino & Khazakstan... They'd best take some deck chairs.
I'd be expecting more "Ah, Toby's still as fantastic as he ever was. Did you see him against San Marino"?
I’ve given out to you for your obvious anti Toby agenda, but you are finally correct. He’s been abysmal this season.
Nowhere near the poor level you’ve had him at for years, but awful recently. Age appears to have smacked him full in the face. And the legs.
You couldn't see it, many couldn't but Toby is actually our worst defender. Let me elaborate
If you play a back four and they are to hold a line you take the line from someone, normally Jan. Toby has been playing to his own line which confuses those round him (especially Dav), not only that he creates a pocket of space in behind the other defenders allowing players to get behind the other defenders while they think they are playing the opposition offside. Watch the back four on numerous occasions thirty yards out, then come forward except for Toby who has turned his body ready to go back towards goal. There are many examples of this.
Toby is confusing his fellow defenders and I think it's all down to the fact he knows his pace has gone. But you defend as a unit and Toby has been defending as an individual.
Sanchez was excellent when Toby was on the naughty step.
Guess who stifled his development to pander to a player who wouldn’t sign a contract and we can not even get 25M for now?
Hmmmmmmm
Guess who stifled his development to pander to a player who wouldn’t sign a contract and we can not even get 25M for now?
Hmmmmmmm
The same person who dropped Toby for a prolonged period in order to play Sanchez in the first place?
Yeah and then undone all the progress Sanchez made and now we have ended up with two poor CBs instead of one who could have been our Ledley King by now with two straight years as first choice under his belt.
We all shook our heads in bemusement when that summer we made our all time record signing a CB.
Then we went ahhhhhh when it became clear that he was going to be Tobys long term replacement and expected us to pocket 60M for Toby who wouldn’t sign and was dropped with the manager claiming he’s injured and himself and Martinez saying he’s fine, while he played games for Belgium.
But what happens next? Poch “wipes the slate clean” in the summer (his words) and drops Sanchez. Just like he did with Davies and Rose
Commitment, good form and quietly getting on with it means fuck all in this regime and it’s all about your name.
But go ahead and big up Poch for half the story.