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Alex V 7:36 Sat Aug 4
Do we need new full-backs?

I think we're worrying too much about the standard of our full-backs. I thought I'd make it a thread on its own for the discussion.

My view is that if Sam was very worried about the right-back position, for example, he would be trying to offload O'Brien or Demel. I think Demel has a lot of experience and is probably good enough for the Prem. We know McCartney can play in the Premiership, because he did so for both us and Sunderland. I'm not doing cartwheels about any of the options, but I think we can get by.

Remember when we spent six months with Faubert trying to learn the position. Or Spector or Dailly filling in.

I think we've started Premiership campaigns with much worse options at full-back.

Seamouse 11:41 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

I think our options at fullback are so alarmingly scary that FS may have to resort to Tomkins at Right Back and Reid and Collins in the middle. At least there is a moderate feeling of solidity then. Frankly after the Play-off final, Demel and O'Brien scare the hell out of me.

hammer 74 11:37 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

well i thin taylor has been one of their better players since promotion, and whether you think the olympics matter or not he has performed well. both olsson and ridgewell can play left back and have done. chucking potts into the equation is meaningless, he has little experience and you have already said there are two left sided players ahead of him, one who has rarely played left back in the last 5 seasons or so. taylor is much more a winger now, has even spent time in central midfield, but mainly a wingback during his time at bolton. as for linda, i hope you are right, but he hasnt played in the premiership for 2 seasons so lets keep our fingers crossed.

pablo.escobarr 11:33 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

hammer74 : fair point about figueroa, i don't rate swansea taylor that much (OG don't prove anything really), olsson is not left back, we have matty&young potts as cover and i still think linda can do at least as good as Shorey, Ridgwell, Tierney...the money should b spent elsewhere (e.g.RB!!!!)

Goat Boy 11:32 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Fair point

hammer 74 11:31 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

you could say that about many positions on the pitch.

Goat Boy 11:27 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Anyway, splitting hairs. West Ham & proper/good FB's don't really have much (recent) history together, the list of players that were either shit, or shoehorned in is a lot longer than the players we've had to competently fill the spots.

hammer 74 11:21 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

and pearce, when he scored that cracker against blackburn (I think)!

Goat Boy 11:20 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Don't forget Lomas playing there..

hammer 74 11:18 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

lets also not forget that for several seasons we didnt have fullbacks, harry played wingbacks, with the likes of lazaridis and sinclair playing, both whom i thought were pretty great in the role.

hammer 74 11:16 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

GB

Potts played the majority of his career for us a right back, you dont have too many 5'7" centrebacks mate, not when we had the likes of rieper, bilic, rio etc playing centrally during his time. other names i mentioned were breaker and winterburn.

as i said, it didnt help that we got relegated and had a big turnaround of players over the past ten years, but also the fact that we really have had very little in term of investment until the icelandics.

Goat Boy 11:13 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

hammer 74 11:04 Tue Aug 7

But you're struggling to name any after Dicks (Pearce & Potts weren't specialist FB's so them having to fill in there kinda reinforces the point if anything)

Johnson was in the first team for barely 4 months so he can't really count.

Over the past 20 years we've had one & a half (Dicks & Johnson) actual FB's and 2 or 3 that could do a job (Potts, Pearce, Repka?), point remains if you ask me, we're practically allergic...

hammer 74 11:04 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Goat Boy

20 odd years? I thought dicksie was a superb left back, and pottsy was always reliable on the right have side too as was breaker. ian pearce was a decent right back when selected there. I must admit we did have a problemcoming into the millenium with impey, minto, charles etc but pearce and winterburn were good performers for us even at their age. sadly since then we do seem to have had a few one hit wonders, like schemmel and konchesky. shame we got relegated and lost johnson and since then have had quite a turnaround all over the pitch.

Goat Boy 10:48 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

West Ham genuinely do seem to have some weird aversion to ever (properly) sorting out the FB slots, goes back 20 odd years.

hammer 74 10:39 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

pablo

matty taylor isnt a left back, not really, too attacking for that defensive role. mccartney hasnt player Pl football for a couple of seasons.

wba have olsson and ridgewell that play lb i think? figueroa at wigan. swansea have taylor who has impressed for team gb. you might be right about reading though ;-)

pablo.escobarr 10:34 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

boleyn : agree bout demel&o'brian, but i think u r too harsh to linda&taylor. what is premiere league standards?look at wba, wigan, swansea, reading and the rest of our realistic competition. linda&matty r better then what they got.

boleyn8420 9:53 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Well, lets see we have Demel who can only last 60 minutes in a match or O'Brien who is Championship standard. On the Left McCartney and Taylor, neither are exactly premier league standard full backs. So YES we do need two full backs and if Tomkins even thinks about playing like he did for GB then we need a new one of those as well. The midfile... oh fuck it

Ant L 9:37 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

In answer to the title of the original post: YES.

The premier league has changed a lot since Dailly was playing at right back.

pablo.escobarr 7:35 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

got awkward feeling that we'll end up with Hutton on the right...just me?

David L 6:55 Tue Aug 7
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Could Carlton do a job there?

Sir Alf 11:11 Mon Aug 6
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Demel is a big lump but like so many in our team looks vulnerable to pace. Like what he added going forward but defensively.... not so much.

mallard 10:05 Mon Aug 6
Re: Do we need new full-backs?

Demel, O'Brien and McCartney are solid but lack pace.

There are some lighting quick wingers in the Premier, so in response to the original post,


Yes we do

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