Football Forum | Ticket Forum | Off-Topic Forum | All

tnb 4:12 Sun Oct 16
Full back options for Sunderland

No, not panicking, just interested.

What are our options at full back for Sunderland now? Do we know if Arbeloa is injured or just wasn't considered necessary on the bench yesterday given the system? I assume Masuaku won't be fit, and clearly Byram isn't plus that fucking suspension for Cresswell.

Were Masuaku available I guess we could go for the same system again with him and Antonio, but assuming he isn't then it seems to me our only option at left back is Ogbonna. He's many things but he isn't a wing back so presumably we are looking at reverting to a flat back four. Arbeloa if fit could play on the left but same thing really.

So in that case the question once again becomes what to do with Antonio. I can see 3 at the back becoming at least one of our go to set ups now and in that system I reckon Antonio has right wing back sown up, but in a back 4 is he (in an ideal world) still better suited higher up? Of course if Arbeloa isn't fit then there aren't really any other options (personally I don't think a few games at right back would do Oxford any harm, but it doesn't seem to be in Bilic's mind).

So it seems I've answered my own question at least if Arbeloa is injured - back 4 with Ogbonna left and Antonio right (of course then we have to decide whether to keep Kouyate at the back or push him forward and bring in Collins - personally I would do the former). Can anyone see any other possibilities?

If Arbeloa is fit, though, what would you go for? Put him at left back and keep Ogbonna in the centre, with Antonio on he right? Or put him at right back with Antonio further forward (but displacing who?) and Ogbonna on the left?

gph 4:21 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

I can't see the sense in leaving Arbeloa off the bench if he's fit, so I assume he was injured.

No clue if this injury, if my assumption is correct, is going to stop him from playing vs Sunderland.

Iron2010 4:26 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

I think you have to stick with yesterdays shape and shoehorn an attacking player into Cresswells position for the day. It's fortunate that we are playing a negative Sunderland side. I'd probably go for Fernandes.

tnb 4:27 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Nor can I, gph, but we've not heard anything about an injury if it is and physioroom doesn't have any info. All a bit vague.

tnb 4:28 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Fernandes is an interesting option.

Mart O 4:53 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Not convinced at all that you can just stick someone else in there and hope for the best. One of the reasons that it worked so well yesterday is that Cresswell was brilliant, tactically and technically.

Confidence is still fragile and Ogbonna looks the safest bet at LB to me.

tnb 4:57 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Mart O,

But you agree that if it's Ogbonna it has to be a back four?

the exile 5:00 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

I would stick with the same back three and have Antonio and Arbeloa as wing-backs. If Arbeloa is not fit I think Feghouli can play in that position, though I'm not sure which one would play on the left - probably Antonio as he seems to be our Mr Versatile.

tnb 5:05 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Exile,

Interesting. I guess Nortveidt would be another option on the right if you want to stick with the same system sans Arbeloa and have Antonio on the left...but please Slav, no.

Mart O 5:07 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Not sure tnb as Kouyate looked so much better yesterday. Interesting ideas from the exile though. Can't pretend I know the answer, tbh, or believe our luck.

Mart O 5:12 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

I do think Feghouli could do a job on the right. He's looked the best of our wide players defensively when he's played and he's got that whole Algerian thing going on.

Antonio at left WB makes me a little nervous but might be worth it as it allows Koutate at CB and Lanzini where he's best too.

tnb 5:18 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Mart O,

Nor me, hence asking the question. It's certainly a riddle.

Personally I would go back 4, purely because of the players available, of Ogbonna-Kouyate-Reid-Antonio as I agree on Kouyate yesterday, best game for a long time although obviously it's a slightly different job in a 4. That seems the least disruptive option in terms of personnel although that's the heart of the question really I guess - do you prioritise personnel and make the system fit, or system and make the players fit? For me it's always the former but I'm no manager.

Stick with Noble, Obiang, Lanzini, and Payet in midfield which means in effect Cresswell's place goes to an additional attacking midfielder. I like Lanzini central so if Arbeloa is fit I'd have him at right back and give Antonio that spot on the right. If he's injured, I guess it's Ferghouli.

Iron2010 5:29 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

I think the most important thing is to keep yesterday's shape. It would be a shame to revert to a formation that we have struggled with recently because one player is out for one game. It also needs to be an attacking player as the width Creswell gave us yesterday open the pitch up for Lanzini to play.

the exile 5:31 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Mart - not sure what you mean by "that whole Algerian thing"? Feghouli wouldn't let us down as a wing-back - pretty sure about that.No way should Ogbonna be used as a wing-back - not mobile enough. It's pushing it using him as a full-back too. Can't see Nordtveit in that role either. I think he should stick to his natural position in front of the CBs, so I suppose he is now competing with Obiang for that - Obiang has the shirt at the moment and deserves to keep it on yesterday's showing.

On the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" principle, we should definitely stick with the same back three. I'm a big fan of Ginge but he has been below his best this season and Kouyate was terrific yesterday - I think he has been poor in midfield this season and CB is probably his best position, especially in a three - one of them can burst forward on occasions and he is ideally suited to that. I'm sure Oxford will be delighted to have moved down the pecking order at CB but that's just tough shit. He'll just have to wait for injuries/suspensions, or a sub appearance in a game in which we're 3 - 0 up....ahem!

Iron2010 5:35 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Surely playing with 3 center backs is good news for Oxford.

Mart O 6:48 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

The exile - having watched a fair number of Algerian players, the one thing that strikes me is they don't lack commitment. Tend to like to get stuck in, by which I mean Feghouli would do a decent job for us at right WB.

I agree about not fixing what ain't broken, as well as Kouyate at CB, but still not sure about who would replace Cresswell.

Iron2010 6:55 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

There seems to be a lot of support for Zaza who finally seems to be benefitting from a prolonged run up top. Another big money summer move was Tore who may be worth a shout to cover Creswell next week. If he is keen to do well then he will put a shift in and he will certainly offer more going forward the Ogbonna.

Mart O 7:03 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

I think the shape yesterday meant Dimi and Lanzini were closer to Zaha. He's been poor, bar yesterday, but not sure any striker would have thrived given how we've been playing.

I'm not having Tore. He's fucking shit.

Iron2010 7:13 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

Five million is a lot of money for the club to just write off. Perhaps Tore will improve in a side playing with more confidence.

Mart O 7:17 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

He's fucking terrible, hope he never plays for us again. Not just that he's got the first touch of a rapist, he's fucking stupid and constantly makes the wrong choice. Can't abide seeing the cunt in the shirt.

Doesn't matter what he cost, he was a mistake.

Iron2010 7:28 Sun Oct 16
Re: Full back options for Sunderland

To be honest I have felt similar about Zaza. Although perhaps not quite as strongly ....

Let's hope we are both wrong.

Page 1 - Next