We also only played out first choice back four together 17 times last season. I've just sat there and worked it out. I'll give a more detailed breakdown when I'm home, but I suspect that also played into it a bit. Other than the Chelsea game, which was a complete anomaly the only game in the 17 that we got a trouncing when all four played was Newcastle away.
Right, replying to Matt but I suppose this is for everyone, perhaps nobody more than myself.
In the first ten games last season we managed to play our first choice back four eight times. We started the season with Emerson at RB but Porro then came in against United, and for 8 consecutive matches we played Porro, Romero, Van de Den and Udogie. The tenth game in that sequence was Palace, which Udogie missed. We sat 1st after that sequence, with 26 points only topping points against Brentford and Woolwich. Then came Chelsea.
10 Games, 26 Points, 8/10 matches with preferred defence.
In the following ten matches we suffered from Romero's three match suspension, Van de Ven's hamstring injury and Udogie's initial suspension, playing an absolute makeshift defence. In fact the only match in the run we played all four of our defenders was the Chelsea game, and the preferred defensive unit would not return until United in January. In this run we obviously fell apart at Chelsea, lost to Wolves, Villa and West Ham with a brave fightback against City in there too. We then managed a few wins before collapsing against Brighton, with a tanking of Newcastle the highlight, ending the year beating Bournemouth. With four wins and a draw, the results were only half as good as the run before.
9 Games, 13 Points, 1/10 matches with preferred defence.
Happy New Year! We were lucky with the league fixtures here, only two games in January and the first ensured that we had a full defence back for the first time since November as Porro, Romero, Van De Den and Udogie all lined up against United. Wins against Brentford, Brighton, Palace and Villa, arguably our strongest performance of the season saw us pick up 19/27 points, although we lost to Wolves again. And Fulham. These nine matches saw the preferred defence 5/9 times.
9 Games, 19 Points, 5/9 matches with the preferred defence.
With admittedly a nasty run of fixtures to finish the season, the wheels well and truly came off. In nine matches we lost FIVE of them, four in a row. It wasn't helped by Udogie picking up an injury which meant that the first choice back four played just three times.
9 Games, 10 Points, 3/9 matches with the preferred defence.
TOTAL 38 games, 66 Points, 17/38 matches with the preferred defence.
So, less than half of the games with our first choice defence. Now, how many of those games did with lose with our first choice defenders? Only TWO. The Chelsea game, which, let's be honest, was an absolute anomaly and we lost with 9 men and only Porro still in the defence as we capitulated. And Newcastle away, which although a disgrace of a performance, sometimes you lose to a better team and get caught out. Sure, we massively rode our luck as times, and needed Micky to rescue us - which, lets face it, is most of the tactical thinking - but two losses in 17 isn't bad at all. Imagine what would happen if we actually had them available more of the time, or had dependable back-ups that can fill in.
1. Chelsea - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie.
2. Wolves - Porro, Dier, Davies, Emerson
3. Villa - Porro, Emerson, Davies, Udogie
4. West Ham - Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie
5. Brighton - Porro, Emerson, Davies, Udogie
6. Wolves - Emerson, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies
7. Fulham - Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Udogie
8. Newscastle - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie
9. Woolwich - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Davies
10. Chelsea - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Emerson
11. Liverpool - Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Emerson
12. City - Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Van de Ven
Yes, we had 3/4 in many of the games in various combinations and it was largely in these games that our frailty from set pieces was exploited, but it's also fair to say that in some we just didn't turn up. Chelsea, Fulham, Newcastle. But it IS clear that a lack of cover at CB in the second phase of games (cheers Daniel) fucked us as much as losing both Udogie AND Davies for the run-in.
Anyway, this is my long way of saying sorry, Ange, actually it might be ok if you can keep the defence fit. And more importantly perhaps why it is imperative that we sign a left back to rotate/compete with Udogie.
And that if the bastard Chelsea game hadn't happened and played out that way we would have won the league. lol.
TL;DR we won more points with our first choice defence. Who knew?
SeeSpotRun
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