[Lentwood]

Suffers from the fate many left footed players suffer whereby because they are fairly rare they end up being shoved from centre positions into wide left positions

I also dont understand how people can be so ignorant of the difference between the CB and the LB position. Most LBs will spend the game fronting up an attacker running directly at them with the ball or attempting a cross, hence the key attribute being speed. Most CBs will spend the game touch tight to a CF who has his back to goal and the majority of the duels will come down to strength, anticipation, aggression and reading of the game.

 

[Mr Smith]

Suffers from the fate many left footed players suffer whereby because they are fairly rare they end up being shoved from centre positions into wide left positions

I also dont understand how people can be so ignorant of the difference between the CB and the LB position. Most LBs will spend the game fronting up an attacker running directly at them with the ball or attempting a cross, hence the key attribute being speed. Most CBs will spend the game touch tight to a CF who has his back to goal and the majority of the duels will come down to strength, anticipation, aggression and reading of the game.

Excellent post.

 

[#07]

Suffers from the fate many left footed players suffer whereby because they are fairly rare they end up being shoved from centre positions into wide left positions

I also dont understand how people can be so ignorant of the difference between the CB and the LB position. Most LBs will spend the game fronting up an attacker running directly at them with the ball or attempting a cross, hence the key attribute being speed. Most CBs will spend the game touch tight to a CF who has his back to goal and the majority of the duels will come down to strength, anticipation, aggression and reading of the game.

This. Rojo is no left back. He didn't play there at Sporting. The whole idea he's good there comes off a decent World Cup. He is a centre half. Blind would have been much better.

 

[MadMike]

Suffers from the fate many left footed players suffer whereby because they are fairly rare they end up being shoved from centre positions into wide left positions

I also dont understand how people can be so ignorant of the difference between the CB and the LB position. Most LBs will spend the game fronting up an attacker running directly at them with the ball or attempting a cross, hence the key attribute being speed. Most CBs will spend the game touch tight to a CF who has his back to goal and the majority of the duels will come down to strength, anticipation, aggression and reading of the game.

This. Rojo is no left back. He didn't play there at Sporting. The whole idea he's good there comes off a decent World Cup. He is a centre half. Blind would have been much better.

Just playing devils advocate a bit, but Blind is also horrendously slow. He's got a sweet left foot, decent positioning for left-back and much more composure on the ball than Rojo, but he does lack strength and pace (Valencia's 2 main attributes) which are essential.

Hell, even Bertrand for the Saints looked better than anything we've got at LB currently. Almost every second game we play the oppo LB is better than ours. If Mou doesn't see in Shaw the mentality he wants from a United player, then we better move for someone urgently in the summer. It's becoming almost as urgent as Carrick's replacement we keep talking about.

 

[Jaybomb]

It pains me that this guy was putting in immense performances at CB all season alongside Phil Jones, yet for some reason we decide to put the clumsy Chris Smalling back in and shift Rojo out to LB, where he's completely out of his depth.

Seriously, I don't get it. Rojo and Jones were brilliant together. So why change it? Bailly, I get. But what has Smalling done to convince anybody he should be our first choice CB, let alone captain? He was crap today.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Hell, even Bertrand for the Saints looked better than anything we've got at LB currently.

That's bit of an odd comment as he's probably one of the best left backs in the league. Sure there's not much competition but he would fit in very well in pretty much every team in the league and you wouldn't see much of a drop of quality. Well, at the very least going forwards as defensively from what I've seen he's decent when he wants to be.

 

[MadMike]

That's bit of an odd comment as he's probably one of the best left backs in the league. Sure there's not much competition but he would fit in very well in pretty much every team in the league and you wouldn't see much of a drop of quality. Well, at the very least going forwards as defensively from what I've seen he's decent when he wants to be.

Is he? I haven't seen much of him recently to know but until he found his place at Soton he was a loanee journeyman. He is 27 and hasn't had 2 years in the same team yet.

 

[ti vu]

Wank as LB. Our LB is definitely cursed since Evra left. Even Buttner was able to put a master class vs Robben. Now everyone shite themselves playing there.

 

[stu_1992]

I feel like it was almost sentiment that he was given a game today. Unless Blind had a knock which I haven't heard. But it really felt like he was shoe-horned in today because he was good at centre-back earlier in the season. Awful performance, I thought he may cost us the game at one point.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Is he? I haven't seen much of him recently to know but until he found his place at Soton he was a loanee journeyman. He is 27 and hasn't had 2 years in the same team yet.

Well I could very well be wrong as I don't watch every Southampton game but I think he's been a very good player for them since he joined 3 years. He's your archetypal modern day full back. Fast, good first touch, can dribble, makes good overlap choices, can press well, can pass and receive under pressure and can defend when he puts his mind to it (remember him keeping Martial very quiet last year).

He would compliment most of the top teams in the league very well imo,

 

[lopiop]

Well I could very well be wrong as I don't watch every Southampton game but I think he's been a very good player for them since he joined 3 years. He's your archetypal modern day full back. Fast, good first touch, can dribble, makes good overlap choices, can press well, can pass and receive under pressure and can defend when he puts his mind to it (remember him keeping Martial very quiet last year).

He would compliment most of the top teams in the league very well imo,

Quite similar to danny rose then, almost the same age also.

Shocking that the lb position was never addressed by mourinho, I feel this is where our side lacks balance now, especially with a left full back with recovery pace (a fit shaw would have been great)

 

[Seij]

Horrendous today. Would rather not see him play LB again.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

We've got to stop pretending that Rojo is a left back. He's a very good centre half and a very bad full back.

 

[Listar]

We've got to stop pretending that Rojo is a left back. He's a very good centre half and a very bad full back.

This, this and this. Facepalm every time the opponent have a run at him from the wings. And consistently forgot he wasn't the centre back today and left so much space on the left.

 

[Lawman]

We've got to stop pretending that Rojo is a left back. He's a very good centre half and a very bad full back.

He's average at centre back let's be honest

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

He's average at centre back let's be honest

Rate him where you like but in all honestly there aren't many a whole lot better than him in the league.

The Tottenham lads, Luiz, Koscielny, Van Dijk... All better and I'm sure I miss one or two but the list doesn't get a lot longer before he's part of the equation.

There aren't many great centre halves in world football, let alone the PL.

Point remains though, he's not a left back.

 

[Lawman]

Rate him where you like but in all honestly there aren't many a whole lot better than him in the league.

The Tottenham lads, Luiz, Koscielny, Van Dijk... All better and I'm sure I miss one or two but the list doesn't get a lot longer before he's part of the equation.

There aren't many great centre halves in world football, let alone the PL.

Point remains though, he's not a left back.

Yes he's definitely not a left back. But if you think he's around the 6th best centre back in the EPL then you have lost the plot.

 

[ti vu]

Yes he's definitely not a left back. But if you think he's around the 6th best centre back in the EPL then you have lost the plot.

So at least give us your top 10 list of best CB in the league

 

[Infordin]

Yes he's definitely not a left back. But if you think he's around the 6th best centre back in the EPL then you have lost the plot.

He was genuinely excellent alongside Jones before he was moved back to LB

The whole idea of Rojo at left back comes from one decent World Cup, where Argentina played cattenaccio. Guess what? Club football is much more fast paced than international football, and Rojo just isn't a LB.

The fact that Pogba and Martial gave him no support didn't help.

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Yes he's definitely not a left back. But if you think he's around the 6th best centre back in the EPL then you have lost the plot.

You know that my post doesn't suggest that. Hell, we have at least 2 if not 3 better than he is.

But would you honestly not say that there's a whole chunk of 'Very good' centre halves that he's in a group with?

Hard to say if he'd get a game at Chelsea as it's an odd system but he'd play at City, Arsenal, Liverpool. Other sides may have one centre half better than him but few, if any have two better.

Absolutely acknowledge that it's a bad time for defenders. It's a low water mark. He's good though. He and Bailly/Jones look more comfortable than Smalling/Bailly for me.

Each to their own though.

 

[Lawman]

So at least give us your top 10 list of best CB in the league

Rojo is arguably 4th best at United so go and figure the rest. If he is 4th best at United then he's not going to be in the top 10 in the league ffs. Already we have moved the goal posts from 6th to 10th but then he's that average the statement still stands.

 

[Lawman]

He was genuinely excellent alongside Jones before he was moved back to LB

The whole idea of Rojo at left back comes from one decent World Cup, where Argentina played cattenaccio. Guess what? Club football is much more fast paced than international football, and Rojo just isn't a LB.

The fact that Pogba and Martial gave him no support didn't help.

He was steady I seen nothing more to be honest and the fact it was a surprise after him being so bad previously has now seen it hyped up. Yes he did well for those games but excellent not quite.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

That was a full on horror show.

Yet he assisted a goal, so it still ranks above your typical Darmian outing.

 

[Anduin]

Very bad at left-back, excellent when given a run of games at centre-back. I don't blame him for yesterday, it's up to Mou to stop using him out wide. He's simply not up to our standard on the left. I'd have him in a centre-back partnership with Bailly or Jones, ahead of Smalling.
Still assisted Lingard's goal, so there is that.

 

[FacerTheRed]

I just really dont understand how Rojo got in front of Luke Shaw to play in the final.. twice Rojo got put on his arse and luckily the first goal got disallowed. Poor decision to put him in there, he could of cost United the game. Didnt Mourinho see last season footage of Rojo playing left back?! come on... Rojo is a CB. Period.

 

[Lentwood]

I would be surprised if Mourinho were ignorant of Rojo's deficiencies at LB. I think Jose probably just felt Rojo deserved to get the nod over Blind, who lets face it is no long-term solution either, on the back of his excellent performances earlier in the season at CB

What is clear is that we have four very capable CBs and no real standout option at LB so I am sure this is an area Mourinho will look to strengthen in the summer. That doesn't mean the end of Shaw, just that we need a senior LB right now if we are to challenge for the bigger trophies

 

[Jig1234]

Car crash LB. Should never play there. I only Judge Rojo as a CB. He's been fairly solid at CB. Not great by any means but decent

 

[Robbie Boy]

Poor Luke

 

[Adam-Utd]

It's like there's 2 completely different Rojo's. We desperately need a new LB as Rojo, Blind and Darmian just aren't cutting it. Shaw has the ability but whatever is going on with him, we can't take him into the equation.

 

[ti vu]

Rojo is arguably 4th best at United so go and figure the rest. If he is 4th best at United then he's not going to be in the top 10 in the league ffs. Already we have moved the goal posts from 6th to 10th but then he's that average the statement still stands.

Sorry for late response. Have other priority.

Your response confirmed what I think of your thinking. You want to have a clear standing/ ranking, but at the same time don't offer standard to judge them.

Football is a team game. Judging individual without taking tactic, how team approach never works. For example, Smalling can excel in certain type of games/ vs certain type of attacker. However, noone would wants him in game vs teams who never intend to come out & attack us but aim to disrupt our passing, since his distribution is subpar & his defending ability is just overkill/ uninvolved. In those games, Rojo along side Jones were better. The rank can suddenly change. Bailly for all his potential still inconsitent & inexperienced. Jones is similar.

The point is there is no clear cut between them & anyone can swing thus change the ranking.

Similarly is the standard of CB in PL in recent year. The gap in quality is too narrow. David Luiz had the benefit of the system that allowed him to play freely. He is the type of defenders with a wild style with skills set of both defender & defensive midfielder. The 3 at the back system cover for his tendency to leave the defensive unit & step into midfield (at times wrongly). Koscielny has Arsenal to play & defend on front foot. Against team Arsenal can't be afforded to play on front foot, he's exposed as not top notch in pure defensive job. Toby has good partners in his defensive units. Also has the & approach that offer enough cover: a defensive midfielder; energetic players even in attacking positions trying hard to help in defensive phase... Again when his team is outclassed by superior teams, he couldn't standout like a class CB should be...

Again the point is same: the quality gap between these guys is very narrow. In case we're on budget & have no mean to upgrade on someone like Rojo, Smalling... we're stuck to build a system to get the best out of them, then they can look up there with the best the league has in recently year. Smalling last year is evidence. Blind can match the world most expensive CB as ball playing CB... Rojo in his pomp when we set up the right way can perform to a level matching any of these best CBs in the league.

When I asked you for top 10, the meaning is to help you look out see the bigger picture. I was not trying to move the goal post.

 

[Lawman]

Sorry for late response. Have other priority.

Your response confirmed what I think of your thinking. You want to have a clear standing/ ranking, but at the same time don't offer standard to judge them.

Football is a team game. Judging individual without taking tactic, how team approach never works. For example, Smalling can excel in certain type of games/ vs certain type of attacker. However, noone would wants him in game vs teams who never intend to come out & attack us but aim to disrupt our passing, since his distribution is subpar & his defending ability is just overkill/ uninvolved. In those games, Rojo along side Jones were better. The rank can suddenly change. Bailly for all his potential still inconsitent & inexperienced. Jones is similar.

The point is there is no clear cut between them & anyone can swing thus change the ranking.

Similarly is the standard of CB in PL in recent year. The gap in quality is too narrow. David Luiz had the benefit of the system that allowed him to play freely. He is the type of defenders with a wild style with skills set of both defender & defensive midfielder. The 3 at the back system cover for his tendency to leave the defensive unit & step into midfield (at times wrongly). Koscielny has Arsenal to play & defend on front foot. Against team Arsenal can't be afforded to play on front foot, he's exposed as not top notch in pure defensive job. Toby has good partners in his defensive units. Also has the & approach that offer enough cover: a defensive midfielder; energetic players even in attacking positions trying hard to help in defensive phase... Again when his team is outclassed by superior teams, he couldn't standout like a class CB should be...

Again the point is same: the quality gap between these guys is very narrow. In case we're on budget & have no mean to upgrade on someone like Rojo, Smalling... we're stuck to build a system to get the best out of them, then they can look up there with the best the league has in recently year. Smalling last year is evidence. Blind can match the world most expensive CB as ball playing CB... Rojo in his pomp when we set up the right way can perform to a level matching any of these best CBs in the league.

When I asked you for top 10, the meaning is to help you look out see the bigger picture. I was not trying to move the goal post.

Feck me was your priorities writing this long post? A lot of it is just wrong are you saying Rojo is much better on the ball than Smalling?
I said Rojo wasn't in the top 4-6 central defenders in the league and if you believe that then what is the point! You are over complicating things we never had to chop and change Rio and Vidic or Bruce and Pallaster! Rojo is a very average centre half period.

 

[ti vu]

Feck me was your priorities writing this long post? A lot of it is just wrong are you saying Rojo is much better on the ball than Smalling?
I said Rojo wasn't in the top 4-6 central defenders in the league and if you believe that then what is the point! You are over complicating things we never had to chop and change Rio and Vidic or Bruce and Pallaster! Rojo is a very average centre half period.

Please don't spin it around (bolded part). I didn't have time for this discussion before, not it's priority of my life, mind you.

The thing is no CBs in the league is in Rio Vidic Pallister mould nor their partnership is Rio& Vidic or Bruce & Pallister level. The latter part is important as good partnership elevate players to another height which individually they can't reach on their own.

These so called best CBs in the league that the moment, used to be average too until they meet favorable conditions. My point stand, there is no Rio Vidic level of players around. The gap in quality is narrow & overcome-able. I am talking about actual performance not potential mind. Someone like Bailly definitely has the vast potential to cut ahead & being mentioned in same mold of Jerome Boateng (damn shite with his time at City) if he can stay in the right track with his development.

 

[criticalanalysis]

Quite similar to danny rose then, almost the same age also.

Shocking that the lb position was never addressed by mourinho, I feel this is where our side lacks balance now, especially with a left full back with recovery pace (a fit shaw would have been great)

Yeah kind of. I don't watch much of Spurs but my lasting impressions of Rose is that he's more of an athlete playing in a orthodox position doing a very good job. A bit like Valencia.

Bertrand seems more tactically on point and blends in well. Less of an 'individual' if you get what I mean lol.

I'd prefer to have him in my team.

 

[Jaybomb]

He was steady I seen nothing more to be honest and the fact it was a surprise after him being so bad previously has now seen it hyped up. Yes he did well for those games but excellent not quite.

He kept Kane, Lukaku, Sanchez and others quiet. Hes been our best CB this season. Its frustrating to see the shaky Smalling there when Rojo was performing so well.

 

[Giggs86]

Gotta admit, I almost shat myself when Marcos Loco dived into that challenge on the edge of the box.

 

[Mockney]

We seem to have a lot of important players, Rojo, Baily and Herrera in particular, that give the consistent impression that theyre never more than one tackle away from a red card.

Whenever any of those players get a yellow, I'm instinctively terrified, because none of them seem to have any strategic filter at all. They'll all gladly steam into a 50/50 challenge mere seconds after a booking, as if the very concept of it is incomprehensible to them.

Rojo should've been off twice, Herrera had been, with at least one other lucky escape, and Bailys recent red was the most inevitably thing all season. We were just lucky it came in such a dead rubber.

The weird thing is I quite like it.

 

[ti vu]

We seem to have a lot of important players, Rojo, Baily and Herrera in particular, that give the consistent impression that theyre never more than one tackle away from a red card.

Whenever any of those players get a yellow, I'm instinctively terrified, because none of them seem to have any strategic filter at all. They'll all gladly steam into a 50/50 challenge mere seconds after a booking, as if the very concept of it is incomprehensible to them.

Rojo should've been off twice, Herrera had been, with at least one other lucky escape, and Bailys recent red was the most inevitably thing all season. We were just lucky it came in such a dead rubber.

The weird thing is I quite like it.

Must be having a bad Spanish- English teacher. Must have been taught the wrong meaning of being red all this time. Damn rag

 

[Lawman]

Please don't spin it around (bolded part). I didn't have time for this discussion before, not it's priority of my life, mind you.

The thing is no CBs in the league is in Rio Vidic Pallister mould nor their partnership is Rio& Vidic or Bruce & Pallister level. The latter part is important as good partnership elevate players to another height which individually they can't reach on their own.

These so called best CBs in the league that the moment, used to be average too until they meet favorable conditions. My point stand, there is no Rio Vidic level of players around. The gap in quality is narrow & overcome-able. I am talking about actual performance not potential mind. Someone like Bailly definitely has the vast potential to cut ahead & being mentioned in same mold of Jerome Boateng (damn shite with his time at City) if he can stay in the right track with his development.

I was having a laugh with you at the length of your post. Anyhow I don't really get your point and I ain't turning anything around. My original point was asking if someone actually rated him as 4-6 best in the league cause I said he wasn't. I then got asked by you for some reason to name not 4 or 6 but 10 better repeatedly (why) I'm not sure. So if anyone has moved the goalposts it is not me.
Anyhow reluctantly here you go:

Koscielny
Alderwierld
Vertonghen
Reid
Luiz
Cahill
Van Dijk
Maguire
Smalling
Bailly

That list could be extended further!

Williams
Jagielka
Matip
Stones
Otamendi
Jones
Keane
And I have probably missed a few!

 

[3KDré]

I was having a laugh with you at the length of your post. Anyhow I don't really get your point and I ain't turning anything around. My original point was asking if someone actually rated him as 4-6 best in the league cause I said he wasn't. I then got asked by you for some reason to name not 4 or 6 but 10 better repeatedly (why) I'm not sure. So if anyone has moved the goalposts it is not me.
Anyhow reluctantly here you go:

Koscielny
Alderwierld
Vertonghen
Reid
Luiz
Cahill
Van Dijk
Maguire
Smalling
Bailly

That list could be extended further!

Williams
Jagielka
Matip
Stones
Otamendi
Jones
Keane
And I have probably missed a few!

That list is laughable.

 

[Lawman]

That list is laughable.

Who do you rate Rojo higher than on that list?