New full-back if Brown and O'Shea go?

sincher

"I will cry if Rooney leaves"
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
Messages
25,680
Location
YSC
It looks like Brown, Gibson and to my surprise O'Shea could well be on their way, and Ritchie De Laet will be on loan.

I think this leaves us with a little gap in the squad to cover the full back positions.

We have Rafael, Fabio and maybe Smalling and Valencia who can play right-back, and Evra, Fabio and Evans who can play left-back (Rafael as well at a push). I'm not sure this is enough, especially given how much the twins seem to get injured.

I wouldn't be surprised if we were in the market for a young full-back. Any ideas, my fellow muppets?
 
Fletcher can play RB too, we'd miss the LB cover more than the RB.
 
Maybe Jones can. Never seen him play there. Suspect he could fill in at right-back... but we're definitely short of specialists - only three specialist full backs in the squad.
 
I'm sure we will sign a young replacement. If they go we have Rafael, Fabio and Evans who can play Right Back, unless of course we give Michael Keane a chance too.
 
sdb4884 said:
I'm sure we will sign a young replacement. If they go we have Rafael, Fabio and Evans who can play Right Back, unless of course we give Michael Keane a chance too.
Click to expand...

We haven't even signed young yet and you want a replacement?! hehehe
 
We don't need any more Full backs.. We are well sorted..

Rb: Rafael, Fabio, Jones, Evans. Incase: Fletcher, Valencia, Smalling, Evra, Park.
Lb: Evra, Fabio, Evans, Rafael, Jones Incase: Giggs, Park.
 
Chirag said:
We don't need any more Full backs.. We are well sorted..

Rb: Rafael, Fabio, Jones, Evans. Incase: Fletcher, Valencia, Smalling, Evra, Park.
Lb: Evra, Fabio, Evans, Rafael, Jones Incase: Giggs, Park, Anderson
Click to expand...

Fixed for Scholesy.
 
Sheazy sale is a mystery. Maybe he wants to go?
 
I think we need a left-back if O'Shea leaves. Fabio hasn't looked comfortable playing on the left and you wouldn't want Evans to play more than a handful of games there during a season. Agree that the O'Shea sale is very odd. We already have five young defenders in the first team squad and you'd think keeping O'Shea would make a lot of sense given the other departures.
 
GCHQ said:
I think we need a left-back if O'Shea leaves. Fabio hasn't looked comfortable playing on the left and you wouldn't want Evans to play more than a handful of games there during a season. Agree that the O'Shea sale is very odd. We already have five young defenders in the first team squad and you'd think keeping O'Shea would make a lot of sense given the other departures.
Click to expand...

Now there is a lie
 
I would be very disappointed if we sign another fullback as that would mean less playing time for the twins.. I think they are ready and have proved last season that they are good enough to be 1st choice for us.. As for cover for the fullback spots.. My post 10 posts up shows that we have more than enough cover incase there are injuries..
 
Chirag said:
I would be very disappointed if we sign another fullback as that would mean less playing time for the twins.. I think they are ready and have proved last season that they are good enough to be 1st choice for us.. As for cover for the fullback spots.. My post 10 posts up shows that we have more than enough cover incase there are injuries..
Click to expand...

There's a big difference between having ''cover'' and having actual specialist full-backs. To go into a potentially 60 game long season with Evra and two young players who struggle to complete 90 minutes is a risk.
 
Chirag said:
We don't need any more Full backs.. We are well sorted..

Rb: Rafael, Fabio, Jones, Evans. Incase: Fletcher, Valencia, Smalling, Evra, Park.
Lb: Evra, Fabio, Evans, Rafael, Jones Incase: Giggs, Park.
Click to expand...



No chance. You can't risk using "just in case" players. We'd be going into next season with:


RB: Rafael, Fabio

LB: Fabio, Evans, Evra


A long term injury to Fabio (3-4 months out) and suddenly we're looking very fragile.
 
Twigginater said:
No chance. You can't risk using "just in case" players. We'd be going into next season with:


RB: Rafael, Fabio

LB: Fabio, Evans, Evra


A long term injury to Fabio (3-4 months out) and suddenly we're looking very fragile.
Click to expand...

i agree with twigginater. and i hope o'shea is not moving. he is the perfect cover at the back for us.
 
Selling O'Shea still makes no sense to me, unless we bring someone who can cover at full back in. After the injury issues we have had at the back last season I would have thought keeping O'Shea imperitive.
 
Unless he wants to leave. Maybe with Rafael and Fabio in the wings he perceives a lack of playing opportunities.
 
E6FFB5A7D2264847B95425995ACA857A.ashx
 
would be silly to get rid of o shea

not special but solid - can fill in anywhere around the back or midfield

he's not on a big wage i imagine and we won't get a big transfer fee

de laet is out on loan - rafael/fabio aren't always fit

we've lost brown/neville

I'm pretty sure o shea wants to stay as part of the squad and is happy to warm the bench and fill in where he's needed

He's hugely experienced - its stupid to consider fletcher as one of our right back options - he should only play there in emergencies

I can't see the sense in letting o shea leave - it seems a lose lose situation
 
If O'Shea goes, we could use another LB. But it would be hard to find a good fit. We have enough first-choice starters, and we have enough up-and-comers who can take over from them in the next 1-3 years.

A flexible journeyman like O'Shea is perfect. I doubt we'll sell him.
 
Cleverley played mainly as a fullback for the reserves. I'm sure he'll be considered as cover should we need it
 
snootyjim said:
Unless he wants to leave. Maybe with Rafael and Fabio in the wings he perceives a lack of playing opportunities.
Click to expand...

I really doubt it. He started 30 games last season, captained the side in a Champions League semi-final and has been at the club since he was 17. You'd have to be mad to give that up just so you could start a few more games for mid-table Sunderland.
 
Ekeke said:
Cleverley played mainly as a fullback for the reserves. I'm sure he'll be considered as cover should we need it
Click to expand...

Come on, we need better than that. 20 or so games at full-back for the reserves three years ago? How about we keep the 30 year old bloke who has made nearly 400 Manchester United appearances and has proved time and again that's he far better than merely ''cover'' for both full-back positions. His name is John O'Shea and it would be a fecking odd decision to sell him.
 
Sakho would be my choice if we were to buy a fullback even though he plays centrally now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.