Tekel Towers » What is our best back 4?

Tek · 12/10/2016 9:04 am

As things stand in mid-October?

I think it would be this ....

Spittal..Durnan...Edjenguele..Robson

I simply don't rate Toshney ,Donaldson or VDS (though early days i s'pose).And Dillon and Dixon are finished imo.

But what say you Gentlemen?

P.s. be interesting to look back at this thread towards the seasons end, particulary if we sign this Lang fae Sevco.

12/10/2016 9:30 am

Bit harsh on the 5 you either don't rate or 'are finished' Tek.
VdS, Toshney & Donaldson deserve more scrutiny like Durnan who was getting ridiculed on the forums as recently as a fortnight ago.
And no way is Dixon finished, he's still got a lot to offer, he's been one of our better performers recently & he's keeping Jamie Robson out of the team. Neither is Dillon 'finished', he played RB in a shut-out back five last week. He's going to be a very handy utility back four player for us this season.
And where's the certainty that Spittal can hold down our RB position? I can only remember him being tried there once, Hibs Lge Cup away 2 seasons ago (won on pens).
Btw looking forward to seeing Robson at left central defence again in the Devs, could be his position.

SlatefordArab · 12/10/2016 9:37 am

I thought Toshney looked much better in midfield the last couple of games he played there, agree he's never a full back in a million years though - no pace and can be really rash in the tackle - gives away to many free-kicks in dangerous areas. I'd pretty much agree with your back 4 Tek, would really like to see Spittal given a few games at right back again.

SlatefordArab · 12/10/2016 9:39 am

Have read a few folk now saying Robson has played really well at CH for the dev squad. That's great to hear but I honestly think he'd be wasted at CH in the first team, he played very well at LB when Dixon was out and has been very harshly dropped from the team since Dicker has been back fit IMO.

Arab_plumber · 12/10/2016 10:07 am

Toshney is a horrendous right back, complete bomb scare there and should never play RB again for us......he's clearly a big favourite with the manager though

Can't agree about Dixon being finished or Spittal at RB...LOL

Frank Durnan Willy Dixon is the back 4 right now all day long

lifesanocean · 12/10/2016 11:49 am

VDS Toshney. Edge. Dixon

bowers · 12/10/2016 11:55 am

Vds durnan wullie dixon

Tek · 12/10/2016 7:04 pm

smedDUm wrote:
Bit harsh on the 5 you either don't rate or 'are finished' Tek.
VdS, Toshney & Donaldson deserve more scrutiny like Durnan who was getting ridiculed on the forums as recently as a fortnight ago.
And no way is Dixon finished, he's still got a lot to offer, he's been one of our better performers recently & he's keeping Jamie Robson out of the team. Neither is Dillon 'finished', he played RB in a shut-out back five last week. He's going to be a very handy utility back four player for us this season.
And where's the certainty that Spittal can hold down our RB position? I can only remember him being tried there once, Hibs Lge Cup away 2 seasons ago (won on pens).
Btw looking forward to seeing Robson at left central defence again in the Devs, could be his position.

SmedDum i know you're a tangerine tinted specs kinda guy and fairplay to you for that but fkn LOL at a lot of that.

Harsh on the 3 players i don't rate?

Donaldson is genuinely one of the worst Centre Halves I've ever seen at the club.

Toshney and VDS have been horrendous at RB.That's not just my opinion, that's fact.

As for Dillon and Dixon they were 2 of the backline in the team which seen us relegated let's not forget.The worst Utd team and defence I've had the misfortune of witnessing.

One semi- decent performance against the mighty Stranraer in the Irn Bru Cup can scarcely be used as evidence to the contrary.

If they played half a dozen to 10 games in a row at a decent standard and started stringing together clean sheets as part of the back 4 then (and only then) could it be argued they were in anyway 'back'.

I don't particulary rate Durnan either btw.But feel he is the best of a bad bunch at the moment (alongside Willy).

Spittal at RB is just a gut feeling.Not sure how Arabplumber can LOL at that btw because he's never even had a chance to be discredited at that position,yet.

blackandtangerine · 12/10/2016 7:29 pm

Heard Robson had been dropped as he was getting a bit too big for his boots.

Tangy · 12/10/2016 7:48 pm

bowers wrote:
Vds durnan wullie dixon

Not often I agree with bowers but this.

Durnan needed a guiding figure beside him for stepping up and instead he had donaldson and swick. Maybe he's got that in wullie.

Vds is steady and experienced.

Wullie is our no 1 centre back - not without his faults but still a good way up there.

Dixon has the ability. Not a knock on Robson but id rather have experience in there over youth in such a vital position

Arab_plumber · 12/10/2016 7:57 pm

Having a wee LOL about Spittal at right back for the reason he's played under 3/4 managers at the club and not one off them have played him there and also he gives no indication he's a potential right back the way he plays for us.

Smedders is like Shedka on MAD, absolutely blinkered beyond belief at times regarding Managers players tactics etc, great to be positive but sticking to reality is much more advisable.

Ex Houston Arab · 12/10/2016 8:05 pm

Tek wrote:
smedDUm wrote:
Bit harsh on the 5 you either don't rate or 'are finished' Tek.
VdS, Toshney & Donaldson deserve more scrutiny like Durnan who was getting ridiculed on the forums as recently as a fortnight ago.
And no way is Dixon finished, he's still got a lot to offer, he's been one of our better performers recently & he's keeping Jamie Robson out of the team. Neither is Dillon 'finished', he played RB in a shut-out back five last week. He's going to be a very handy utility back four player for us this season.
And where's the certainty that Spittal can hold down our RB position? I can only remember him being tried there once, Hibs Lge Cup away 2 seasons ago (won on pens).
Btw looking forward to seeing Robson at left central defence again in the Devs, could be his position.

SmeDum i know you're a tangerine tinted specs kinda guy anf fairplay to you for that but fkn LOL at a lot of that.

Harsh on the 3 players i don't rate?

Donaldson is genuinely one of the worst Centre Halves I've ever seen at the club.

Toshney and VDS have been horrendous at RB.That's not just my opinion, that's fact.

As for Dillon and Dixon they were 2 of the backline in the team which seen us relegated let's not forget.The worst Utd team and defence I've had the misfortune of witnewitnessingOne semi- decent performance against the mighty Stranraer in the Irn Bru Cup can scarcely be used as evidence to the contrary.

If they played half a dozen to 10 games in a row at a decent standard and started stringing together clran sheets as part of the back 4 then (and only then) could it be argued they were in anyway 'back'.

I don't particulary rate Durnan either btw.But feel he is the best of a bad bunch at the moment (alongside Willy).

Spittal at RB is just a gut feeling.Not sure how Arabplumber can LOL at that btw because he's never even had a chance to be discredited at that position,yet.

If he's not had a chance to be discredited, he clearly hasn't had a chance to merit a place in our best back 4.
His tackling hasn't really stood out at midfield.
I don't understand united supporters fascination with trying to play players in different positions. Not a dig at you TEK, but have seen other boards saying robson should be at LM amongst other things.
Never seems to be a success. GMS was ruined when he moved to the right, VDS was poor at CM and toshney not good at RB, both better in their actual positions.
Only seems to work with top level players, which we clearly don't have - sadly

lifesanocean · 12/10/2016 9:45 pm

Where I sit at games more than once I have heard Cammy Bell doing his dinger at Robson this season about his positional play. On one occasion you actually heard Bell's exasperation at him. Its just inexperience granted but for now I'd say Dixon just shades it.

As for Spittal, he's fucking shite whatever position you play him in imho.

VDS said himself he wasn't anything like match fit or sharp when he signed. He's just getting up to speed now.

Last edited by lifesanocean (13/10/2016 7:35 am)

Tek · 12/10/2016 10:13 pm

Ex Houston Arab wrote:
Tek wrote:
smedDUm wrote:
Bit harsh on the 5 you either don't rate or 'are finished' Tek.
VdS, Toshney & Donaldson deserve more scrutiny like Durnan who was getting ridiculed on the forums as recently as a fortnight ago.
And no way is Dixon finished, he's still got a lot to offer, he's been one of our better performers recently & he's keeping Jamie Robson out of the team. Neither is Dillon 'finished', he played RB in a shut-out back five last week. He's going to be a very handy utility back four player for us this season.
And where's the certainty that Spittal can hold down our RB position? I can only remember him being tried there once, Hibs Lge Cup away 2 seasons ago (won on pens).
Btw looking forward to seeing Robson at left central defence again in the Devs, could be his position.

SmeDum i know you're a tangerine tinted specs kinda guy anf fairplay to you for that but fkn LOL at a lot of that.

Harsh on the 3 players i don't rate?

Donaldson is genuinely one of the worst Centre Halves I've ever seen at the club.

Toshney and VDS have been horrendous at RB.That's not just my opinion, that's fact.

As for Dillon and Dixon they were 2 of the backline in the team which seen us relegated let's not forget.The worst Utd team and defence I've had the misfortune of witnewitnessingOne semi- decent performance against the mighty Stranraer in the Irn Bru Cup can scarcely be used as evidence to the contrary.

If they played half a dozen to 10 games in a row at a decent standard and started stringing together clran sheets as part of the back 4 then (and only then) could it be argued they were in anyway 'back'.

I don't particulary rate Durnan either btw.But feel he is the best of a bad bunch at the moment (alongside Willy).

Spittal at RB is just a gut feeling.Not sure how Arabplumber can LOL at that btw because he's never even had a chance to be discredited at that position,yet.
If he's not had a chance to be discredited, he clearly hasn't had a chance to merit a place in our best back 4.
His tackling hasn't really stood out at midfield.
I don't understand united supporters fascination with trying to play players in different positions. Not a dig at you TEK, but have seen other boards saying robson should be at LM amongst other things.
Never seems to be a success. GMS was ruined when he moved to the right, VDS was poor at CM and toshney not good at RB, both better in their actual positions.
Only seems to work with top level players, which we clearly don't have - sadly

No he hasn't merited being in our first choice back 4 mate,you are correct.

But i fail to believe he could be any worse than those who have played that position over the past 18 months.

Technically he has more ability than those other players (Dillon,Toshney and VDS).

If he just stuck to the basics of the role i think he coyld be ok there.But it's just a gut feeling on my part,admittedly.

Ex Houston Arab · 12/10/2016 10:38 pm

Tek wrote:
Ex Houston Arab wrote:
Tek wrote:

SmeDum i know you're a tangerine tinted specs kinda guy anf fairplay to you for that but fkn LOL at a lot of that.

Harsh on the 3 players i don't rate?

Donaldson is genuinely one of the worst Centre Halves I've ever seen at the club.

Toshney and VDS have been horrendous at RB.That's not just my opinion, that's fact.

As for Dillon and Dixon they were 2 of the backline in the team which seen us relegated let's not forget.The worst Utd team and defence I've had the misfortune of witnewitnessingOne semi- decent performance against the mighty Stranraer in the Irn Bru Cup can scarcely be used as evidence to the contrary.

If they played half a dozen to 10 games in a row at a decent standard and started stringing together clran sheets as part of the back 4 then (and only then) could it be argued they were in anyway 'back'.

I don't particulary rate Durnan either btw.But feel he is the best of a bad bunch at the moment (alongside Willy).

Spittal at RB is just a gut feeling.Not sure how Arabplumber can LOL at that btw because he's never even had a chance to be discredited at that position,yet.
If he's not had a chance to be discredited, he clearly hasn't had a chance to merit a place in our best back 4.
His tackling hasn't really stood out at midfield.
I don't understand united supporters fascination with trying to play players in different positions. Not a dig at you TEK, but have seen other boards saying robson should be at LM amongst other things.
Never seems to be a success. GMS was ruined when he moved to the right, VDS was poor at CM and toshney not good at RB, both better in their actual positions.
Only seems to work with top level players, which we clearly don't have - sadly

No he hasn't merited being in our first choice back 4 mate,you are correct.

But i fail to believe he could be any worse than those who have played that position over the past 18 months.

Technically he has more ability than those other players (Dillon,Toshney and VDS).

If he just stuck to the basics of the role i think he coyld be ok there.But it's just a gut feeling on my part,admittedly.

It's a fair suggestion. They should give him a run out in the U20's and see if he has any aptitude for the role.
My big fear is he has regressed over the past year.
He has the tools but his head is in a bad place.
I don't think we are a good developer of talent at this point in time so it would be a sink or swim approach with it!

Waffelz · 13/10/2016 7:33 am

Frank, Durnan, Willie, Robson

Not too fussed on left back though

Dragoodane Ristic · 13/10/2016 8:21 am

Spittal got beaten on the outside time and again when he placed in a midfield 5 under Mixu. I'd suggest he'd be similar playing at full back. His lack of pace over a short sprint is one of his major weaknesses. For a team that loses so many goals from wide positions, having to defend even more crosses into the box isn't something we need.

SuperMario · 13/10/2016 9:37 am

Spittal is fucking horrendous and shouldn't be no where near our first team

13/10/2016 10:14 am

The thread is best back four not worst

13/10/2016 11:17 am

In alphabetical order Dillon, Dixon, Donaldson, Durnan, Edgy, Robson, Toshney, Van der Strike.
Perm any four from eight & good luck!

SuperMario · 13/10/2016 11:20 am

Right okay my back four would be;

VDS Durnan willy Dixon

13/10/2016 1:35 pm

SuperMario wrote:
Right okay my back four would be;

VDS Durnan willy Dixon

I agree with that but Robson is pushing Dixon for the LB berth

13/10/2016 2:09 pm

I concur with a slight reservation about the Dutch RB who displayed a rank bad bit of amateur defending late in the Hibs game which left me wondering. So finger out Frankie, we'll put it down to lack of matches.

bowers · 13/10/2016 2:11 pm

Robson is pushing dixon and rightly so come dec/jan i think Robson will be getting more game time. A cracking prospect which showed in the games he played for us