Matt Clarke

I think we have 4 very competent CBs at this level in Clarke, VDB, Lenihan and Fry. They all bring different qualities to the team and arguments can be made for each, None of them are crap despite what you read on here.

I think Clarke is the best outright defender out of the 4 of them. Lenihan is the best ball player.

It's probably about finding the right partnership and the two that compliment each other the best, Clarke and VDB have looked very good together but I do think Carrick will try and bring Lenihan back in next season. It's a nice problem to have. Genuine competition for places. It could be VDB that drops out.
 
Marvanelli said:
Fry better than Clarke in all departments? Just spat my coffee out.

:LOL: Give your head a wobble.
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Football is all about opinions. I would suggest looking at our highlights for each game to see how many goals Clarke is at fault with. If you are happy for us to conceive goals, lets stick with Clarke.
 
Norman_Conquest said:
Football is all about opinions. I would suggest looking at our highlights for each game to see how many goals Clarke is at fault with. If you are happy for us to conceive goals, lets stick with Clarke.
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I don't need to trawl back through highlights.

In fact, I think you need to familiarise yourself with how Fry defends.

Clarke isn't perfect. Very far from it.

But he is much better than Fry. In fact he's better than Fry at almost everything Carrick wants in a defender. Composure on the ball, passing out from the back, presence at the back....on top of the usual defensive attributes a CB needs.
 
B_G said:
I think we have 4 very competent CBs at this level in Clarke, VDB, Lenihan and Fry. They all bring different qualities to the team and arguments can be made for each, None of them are crap despite what you read on here.

I think Clarke is the best outright defender out of the 4 of them. Lenihan is the best ball player.

It's probably about finding the right partnership and the two that compliment each other the best, Clarke and VDB have looked very good together but I do think Carrick will try and bring Lenihan back in next season. It's a nice problem to have. Genuine competition for places. It could be VDB that drops out.
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I agree none are crap, but none are quite stand out players at this level, they're play off level CBs. I'd be happy to sacrifice one of them (not Rav) for a younger 4th choice prospect player, and invest the money in a defensive midfielder.

I agree Clarke and Rav have been the best pairing so far....I'd be interested to see how Clarke-Lenihan or Rav-Lenihan works
 
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I think Clarke - Lenihan could be the best pairing right now. Lenihan has usually played left side so would go across to the right side.
Rav is a great prospect and could/should become the best out of the lot, but right now I think he's probably slightly behind Clarke and Lenihan.

There'll be at least 3 CBs that get plenty of game time next season though.
 
B_G said:
I think Clarke - Lenihan could be the best pairing right now. Lenihan has usually played left side so would go across to the right side.
Rav is a great prospect and could/should become the best out of the lot, but right now I think he's probably slightly behind Clarke and Lenihan.

There'll be at least 3 CBs that get plenty of game time next season though.
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Aslong as Fry isn’t one of them 👍
 
B_G said:
I think Clarke - Lenihan could be the best pairing right now. Lenihan has usually played left side so would go across to the right side.
Rav is a great prospect and could/should become the best out of the lot, but right now I think he's probably slightly behind Clarke and Lenihan.

There'll be at least 3 CBs that get plenty of game time next season though.
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You may well be right about the best pairing but unless Rav gets the games that he needs to continue his improvement we will risk losing him as well as hindering his development.
 
Gramsci said:
You may well be right about the best pairing but unless Rav gets the games that he needs to continue his improvement we will risk losing him as well as hindering his development.
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That's where good management comes in. He may well accelerate past Clarke and Lenihan next season. It'll be interesting to see what the CB pairing is on the opening day of the season if all 4 are fit.
There'll be at least 3 CBs who get plenty of games though. There always is.

23/24
VDB - 32
Fry - 28
Clarke - 18
McNair - 20
Lenihan - 8

22/23
Lenihan - 40
Fry - 26
McNair - 26
Clarke - 6

21/22
McNair - 42
Dijksteel - 34
Fry - 32
Bamba - 18
Peltier - 17
Hall - 8
 
B_G said:
That's where good management comes in. He may well accelerate past Clarke and Lenihan next season. It'll be interesting to see what the CB pairing is on the opening day of the season if all 4 are fit.
There'll be at least 3 CBs who get plenty of games though. There always is.

23/24
VDB - 32
Fry - 28
Clarke - 18
McNair - 20
Lenihan - 8

22/23
Lenihan - 40
Fry - 26
McNair - 26
Clarke - 6

21/22
McNair - 42
Dijksteel - 34
Fry - 32
Bamba - 18
Peltier - 17
Hall - 8
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just looking at that 21/22 season......our CB options are far superior today
 
I've done some analysis on our CD's this season.

1. Our best record has been when playing a Back 3, whether by choice or necessity.
Played 5, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 0, Points 13, GF 8 GA 2. Automatic promotion form.
McNair and Clarke played all of those matches.
VdB played in the 4 wins and missed the draw.
Fry and Lenihan have never been fit when that system has been played.

2. McNair has easily the best record this season in CD.
Played 17, Won 11, Drawn 2, Lost 4, Points 35, GF32, GA18. Automatic promo form when he has played
Other than thriving in a back 3:
His record with Fry is excellent P9, W6, D1, L2, Points 19, GF18, GA11
His record with VdB is not so good P3, W1, D0, L2, Points 3, GF6, GA5, includes tight match Leeds away.

3. Howson has done very well in an emergency back 2 with Clarke in 3 matches gleaning 7 points.

4. Van den Berg has done well in a back 3, played well with Fry in a 2 P7, W4, D1, L2, Pts 13
But has not done well in a 2 with either Clarke P6, W1, D2, L4 Pts 5, or McNair P3, W1, D0, L2, Pts 3.

5. Fry played well with both McNair and VdB in a 2. P16, W10, D2,L4, Pts 32. Auto form.
The start with Lenihan was awful P8, W1, D2, L5, Pts 5 GF 7, GA15. Relegation form, but not all their fault.
The 4 matches with Clarke in a 2 were also shockers P4, W0, D1, L3, GF 2, GA7

6. Clarke has done well in a back 3, but has not done well in a 2 at all, with either Fry as above, or VdB.
With VdB has P6, W1, D2, L3, Pts 5, GF11, GA12.
He strolled through with Howson or in back 3, but struggled with VdB and Fry.
He has not played with McNair or Lenihan this season.

7. Lenihan has by far the poorest record, with 5 points and just 1 win from his 8 starts at the beginning of the season.

OBVIOUSLY there are many other factors that contribute to the results we have had, but the above might surprise you.

My personal opinion is that we should try very hard to retain Paddy McNair.
He is ideal for a back 3 and I think plays well with Fry. I think he could play well with VdB in a back 2.
I'd obviously keep Fry as he can play well with either McNair or VdB and I'm sure could play well in a back 3.
Van den Berg has masses of potential and is the only defender we currently have who has big resale value. I'd therefore be starting him whenever fit.
Clarke needs a back 3 for him to play, where he offers natural balance and is not exposed. He looks the weakest in a back 2. Baldino is there as cover for me.
Lenihan seems very expensive cover for me. He is not rubbish, but is the weakest link to me. I would far rather retain McNair and Fry over him.
 
B_G said:
I think we have 4 very competent CBs at this level in Clarke, VDB, Lenihan and Fry. They all bring different qualities to the team and arguments can be made for each, None of them are crap despite what you read on here.

I think Clarke is the best outright defender out of the 4 of them. Lenihan is the best ball player.

It's probably about finding the right partnership and the two that compliment each other the best, Clarke and VDB have looked very good together but I do think Carrick will try and bring Lenihan back in next season. It's a nice problem to have. Genuine competition for places. It could be VDB that drops out.
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We could sell VDB for 30m and have Clarke lenihan and fry with Ayling as back up whilst he battles for the right back position with smith
More than enough cover to get out of the championship if someone big comes knocking for VDB

I’m assuming the paddy decision has been made already hence why we ain’t seen him at all after recovering from injury
 
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indeedido said:
I've done some analysis on our CD's this season.

1. Our best record has been when playing a Back 3, whether by choice or necessity.
Played 5, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 0, Points 13, GF 8 GA 2. Automatic promotion form.
McNair and Clarke played all of those matches.
VdB played in the 4 wins and missed the draw.
Fry and Lenihan have never been fit when that system has been played.

2. McNair has easily the best record this season in CD.
Played 17, Won 11, Drawn 2, Lost 4, Points 35, GF32, GA18. Automatic promo form when he has played
Other than thriving in a back 3:
His record with Fry is excellent P9, W6, D1, L2, Points 19, GF18, GA11
His record with VdB is not so good P3, W1, D0, L2, Points 3, GF6, GA5, includes tight match Leeds away.

3. Howson has done very well in an emergency back 2 with Clarke in 3 matches gleaning 7 points.

4. Van den Berg has done well in a back 3, played well with Fry in a 2 P7, W4, D1, L2, Pts 13
But has not done well in a 2 with either Clarke P6, W1, D2, L4 Pts 5, or McNair P3, W1, D0, L2, Pts 3.

5. Fry played well with both McNair and VdB in a 2. P16, W10, D2,L4, Pts 32. Auto form.
The start with Lenihan was awful P8, W1, D2, L5, Pts 5 GF 7, GA15. Relegation form, but not all their fault.
The 4 matches with Clarke in a 2 were also shockers P4, W0, D1, L3, GF 2, GA7

6. Clarke has done well in a back 3, but has not done well in a 2 at all, with either Fry as above, or VdB.
With VdB has P6, W1, D2, L3, Pts 5, GF11, GA12.
He strolled through with Howson or in back 3, but struggled with VdB and Fry.
He has not played with McNair or Lenihan this season.

7. Lenihan has by far the poorest record, with 5 points and just 1 win from his 8 starts at the beginning of the season.

OBVIOUSLY there are many other factors that contribute to the results we have had, but the above might surprise you.

My personal opinion is that we should try very hard to retain Paddy McNair.
He is ideal for a back 3 and I think plays well with Fry. I think he could play well with VdB in a back 2.
I'd obviously keep Fry as he can play well with either McNair or VdB and I'm sure could play well in a back 3.
Van den Berg has masses of potential and is the only defender we currently have who has big resale value. I'd therefore be starting him whenever fit.
Clarke needs a back 3 for him to play, where he offers natural balance and is not exposed. He looks the weakest in a back 2. Baldino is there as cover for me.
Lenihan seems very expensive cover for me. He is not rubbish, but is the weakest link to me. I would far rather retain McNair and Fry over him.
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Clarke has been fine with VDB so your research isn’t upto scratch 👍 watch the games instead of just looking at stats.

Next
 
Looks like it is VDB who struggles the most in a back 2. Clarke showed he is fine with Howson. And had an excellent couple of matches why paired with VDB.
 
Ex Footy Legs said:
We could sell VDB for 30m and have Clarke lenihan and fry with Ayling as back up whilst he battles for the right back position with smith
More than enough cover to get out of the championship if someone big comes knocking for VDB
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I would think tops at the moment would 15 + add-ons. He is way ahead of his peers, there really can't be many teenage CBs playing at this level in europe. But at the same time, it's a limited number of games, 20 starts as a CB, and although we've seen enough to know how good he can be, as a buyer, there would be some reservations still, they would want any purchase to be massively weighted to achievements, e would want more up front.

For the record he stated he came rather than big clubs, so that he could play games. He is unlikely to go anywhere for another year because he isn't premier league ready yet, he could hold his own, but isn't good enough yet to start for an Arsenal or City, that'll come.

Another 40 league games under his belt in the champo and I think he will have his pick of clubs, there will be 5 or 6 big clubs trying to outbid each other.
 
Diego said:
Clarke has been fine with VDB so your research isn’t upto scratch 👍

Next
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OK.

Clarke has started 6 times with Van den Berg in a back 2 this season.

We have won once on saturday, which was encouraging.
We drew at Hull and Ipswich.
We lost at home to Leeds 4-3, away at Preston 2-1 and sickeningly 2-0 at Stoke.

We have 5 points from their 6 matches started together as a back 2 and conceded 12 goals.

Other than that my research is awful I guess.

You have decided Clarke is a follically challenged Maldini, I guess because Bald crucially rhymes with Mald?

Next
 
indeedido said:
OK.

Clarke has started 6 times with Van den Berg in a back 2 this season.

We have won once on saturday, which was encouraging.
We drew at Hull and Ipswich.
We lost at home to Leeds 4-3, away at Preston 2-1 and sickeningly 2-0 at Stoke.

We have 5 points from their 6 matches started together as a back 2 and conceded 12 goals.

Other than that my research is awful I guess.

You have decided Clarke is a follically challenged Maldini, I guess because Bald crucially rhymes with Mald?

Next
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You said it. Rock on Baldini.

Player of the season next season 👍
 
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