by Stu the Red » Fri Sep 13, 2013 5:21 pm
Ace fair enough, you've clearly got your opinion on Cannavaro who for me is without a doubt the best I've ever seen and I have my opinion. I don't think we're going to agree (also for me Jagielka is shocking on the ball, lets him down big time).
But what I will say is I think we're singing from the same sheet but wording things differently. Of course I want my defenders to defend. But I think the most important attributes are always the ability to play. I think without those, you're wasting your time. As I said earlier though mate, I count those as basics. Johnson for me lacks all of those attributes. But he's physically as good as there is out there and defensively he's not as bad as people make out.
What annoys me is attacks breaking down constantly, possession given away cheaply. Its criminal and players on £90,000 a week shouldn't be amateurish in these departments. At the end of the day, if your team has the ball, the opposition isn't going to score. The more starved of possession someone is, the more anxious to make it count when they get it and so on.
Also, if you have someone behind you who keeps making incorrect decisions, it effects your game to, you wouldn't make that run because you know you won't get found, you don't try the one two because you won't get it back... etc etc etc.
Players obviously have difference strengths, maybe centre half is the exception to the rule where those things aren't "AS important" but you still need to have these things to be a truely great side. You look at Sami at his best, the lad was exceptional, he was like a midfielder at times with his ability on the ball. Thats what made him stand out for me. He had fantastic defensive attributes, but could also pass and play too.