The Great Right Back Conundrum

[HanoiVillan]

I don't think there's much of a conundrum.

We obviously wanted to strengthen here in the window, but for reasons that have been endlessly hashed out we did not succeed. At the same time, Emery made a remark in an interview about Konsa feeling 'more comfortable' playing at CB now, which - given he certainly doesn't *look* uncomfortable when he plays at right-back - I take to mean as Konsa having expressed a preference behind the scenes for playing more games at CB and fewer at RB this season. We might still use him at RB for some big games but I think it'll be much less regular this season. 

Which means the answer is that Cash is our number 1 choice at RB, not really a surprise. I know many think he's the weakest link in the side - and perhaps he is - but he's also a full international with 15 caps and 110 top flight appearances, nearly all of which have been at RB. Emery is a great coach, so he can keep working on improving Cash's game. We make do. 

Nedeljkovic and Bogarde seem likely to get the nod a] while Cash is injured and b] perhaps during cup games or odd matches against weaker sides, probably with a view to whoever the 'loser' of that battle is going on to be loaned out in January. 

Edited September 1 by HanoiVillan

[It's Your Round]

Cash when fit will be fine for the season, he was a big part of the team that secured 4th and got to the semis of the Conference League. He is a good player, albeit not perfect and capable of the odd brain fart. 
 

I’m fairly happy with using this season to bring Ned through as Cash’s eventual successor. 

[Hobsons Choice]

3 hours ago, villa4europe said:

Konsa is our best RB

Konsa is our best CB

So the question is are we as a unit better with Konsa + cash or Carlos + Konsa

Personally I think we're better with Konsa at CB no matter who plays RB

This. Really we either needed to get a quality CB upgrade to replace Konsa there, or a quality RB upgrade to allow Konsa to switch back. I'm not writing off Ned yet though, with a bit of time I think he could be just what we need. Tbh even if he is, I'd have liked another option there instead of Cash given the teams we'll be facing in the CL. 

[Tomaszk]

1 hour ago, HanoiVillan said:

I don't think there's much of a conundrum.

We obviously wanted to strengthen here in the window, but for reasons that have been endlessly hashed out we did not succeed. At the same time, Emery made a remark in an interview about Konsa feeling 'more comfortable' playing at CB now, which - given he certainly doesn't *look* uncomfortable when he plays at right-back - I take to mean as Konsa having expressed a preference behind the scenes for playing more games at CB and fewer at RB this season. We might still use him at RB for some big games but I think it'll be much less regular this season. 

Which means the answer is that Cash is our number 1 choice at RB, not really a surprise. I know many think he's the weakest link in the side - and perhaps he is - but he's also a full international with 15 caps and 110 top flight appearances, nearly all of which have been at RB. Emery is a great coach, so he can keep working on improving Cash's game. We make do. 

Nedeljkovic and Bogarde seem likely to get the nod a] while Cash is injured and b] perhaps during cup games or odd matches against weaker sides, probably with a view to whoever the 'loser' of that battle is going on to be loaned out in January. 

Cash has no weakness in his game other than the empty space where his brain should be.

I keep thinking the penny will drop as Emery is such a great coach, but I've bit a bit disappointed by Cash standing still.

High hopes for Ned going forward. If we can get through this awkward time without it killing us, hopefully Ned will be ready to start 35+ games from start of next season.

[MattVillaPortsmouth]

We needed to give Bogarde minutes, as we may need him this season, good opportunity against a poor team, better at RB than CB, so couldn’t really play both him and Ned - Ned has had minutes first 2 games, and will (imo) take the spot from cash before the season is out.  I’m not overly concerned about RB, cash is really not that bad - a tad rash sometimes, but gives it his all and often gets doubled up on. Cover at CB is more a concern - getting Bogarde minutes (even at RB) helps a little there also.

[gwi1890]

I think we just have to be patient let Nedelkovic & Bogarde get up to speed. We’ve all mentioned Ramsey & Rogers being written off but it also took some time for Pau & Alex Moreno getting up to speed with the premier league. We have good coaches to guide these players.

[mikeyp102]

You could argue there are very few good rbs across football at the moment. Arsenal play a cb there, Liverpool have TAA who gets criticised defensively. 
I saw an article a few months ago which was talking about lbs and how few out and out ones there are. It talked about how in days gone by, many fullbacks would start as wingers at youth level but drop back when not quite good  bough attacking wise. However that has stopped a lot now because of inverted wingers, so it’s harder to say go from being a left footed right winger to a left back. 

[VillaTO]

I have a hunch (based on nothing at all), that there was a degree of protecting Ned yesterday. I think it will his spot longer term, but clearly away to Leicester is a tough place to go in terms of their shithousery and the atmosphere. Could damage his confidence if it went badly. Bogarde is that little bit older so maybe the thinking is that he could shoulder that pressure a bit more. I feel Ned could start vs Everton.

[pete101]

So if Mings were to come back in and push Konsa to RB , is it Pau or is it Mings that plays RCB?

[VillaTO]

1 minute ago, pete101 said:

So if Mings were to come back in and push Konsa to RB , is it Pau or is it Mings that plays RCB?

I would guess Ming plays RCB. Torres playing passes and making runs down the left is pretty critical to how we play.

Edited September 1 by VillaTO

[Colin79]

5 hours ago, villa4europe said:

Konsa is our best RB

Konsa is our best CB

So the question is are we as a unit better with Konsa + cash or Carlos + Konsa

Personally I think we're better with Konsa at CB no matter who plays RB

Agree. 
 

Carlos at CB scares me more than Cash at RB. 

[nick76]

 

[Chine]

22 hours ago, MattVillaPortsmouth said:

We needed to give Bogarde minutes, as we may need him this season, good opportunity against a poor team, better at RB than CB, so couldn’t really play both him and Ned - Ned has had minutes first 2 games, and will (imo) take the spot from cash before the season is out.  I’m not overly concerned about RB, cash is really not that bad - a tad rash sometimes, but gives it his all and often gets doubled up on. Cover at CB is more a concern - getting Bogarde minutes (even at RB) helps a little there also.

Someone gets it ,

[VillaChris]

On 01/09/2024 at 12:10, HanoiVillan said:

I don't think there's much of a conundrum.

We obviously wanted to strengthen here in the window, but for reasons that have been endlessly hashed out we did not succeed. At the same time, Emery made a remark in an interview about Konsa feeling 'more comfortable' playing at CB now, which - given he certainly doesn't *look* uncomfortable when he plays at right-back - I take to mean as Konsa having expressed a preference behind the scenes for playing more games at CB and fewer at RB this season. We might still use him at RB for some big games but I think it'll be much less regular this season. 

Which means the answer is that Cash is our number 1 choice at RB, not really a surprise. I know many think he's the weakest link in the side - and perhaps he is - but he's also a full international with 15 caps and 110 top flight appearances, nearly all of which have been at RB. Emery is a great coach, so he can keep working on improving Cash's game. We make do. 

Nedeljkovic and Bogarde seem likely to get the nod a] while Cash is injured and b] perhaps during cup games or odd matches against weaker sides, probably with a view to whoever the 'loser' of that battle is going on to be loaned out in January. 

Great post. The sooner Cashy gets fit the better. He has many critics on this site but he's vastly experienced now at prem level and been playing in Emery's system for two years.

I think after the summer Ez just wants to have a real go at trying to break into the England backline in next 12 months. He's done a great job at RB in last year but he's not going to get more chances for England in near future constantly playing RB. Maybe we'll see Diego Carlos fill in for the odd game instead, not sure if he ever played full back for Bordeaux or Sevilla?

[VillaChris]

22 hours ago, pete101 said:

So if Mings were to come back in and push Konsa to RB , is it Pau or is it Mings that plays RCB?

Mings even when fit again will not be starting for many months. He basically takes over Lenglet's role who was bench warming from September up to late December.

[Delphinho123]

54 minutes ago, nick76 said:

 

The fact Rogers wasn't included in it last week tells you all you need to know about BBC's TOTW. 

[Adam2003]

On 01/09/2024 at 09:59, Delphinho123 said:

Nedelkovic doesn’t seem ready? Perhaps unfair? Still so young.

He’ll sew that position up so firmly by the end of the season that this thread will be bumped every game like the Relegation thread last season

[bobzy]

I think it's been an almost replica of the Mings/Torres situation last season.

The idea will have been for Cash (Mings) to continue as first choice whilst Nedeljkovic (Torres) gets used to his surroundings and settles in.  Nedeljkovic (Torres) gets more and more minutes as the season progresses and, by the end, is the regular first team player.

I have a feeling Bogarde is going to be a utility player for us this season, so Emery was happy for him to get uncomfortable, nervy minutes in a game we were likely to win.

[El-Reacho]

On 01/09/2024 at 11:30, GingerCollins29 said:

Could Maatsen not play there? Just to fill a gap

Was thinking this too - maybe even McGinn?

[tomav84]

On 01/09/2024 at 09:59, Delphinho123 said:

Given the amount we’re all talking about it, thought I’d start a thread on it. It appears to be our Achilles heal at the moment.

Bogarde was poor yesterday, but understandable given it’s his debut and playing out of position.

Cash I think is rash and was clearly a weak link for the last season.

Nedelkovic doesn’t seem ready? Perhaps unfair? Still so young.

So what do you do, play one of the above? Move Konsa over there and bring Carlos in?

We haven’t kept a clean sheet yet this season and I’m of the persuasion that we need to score at least 2 to win every match at the moment (we’re not doing a bad job of that).

It’s a problem. It was a problem last season and it hasn’t been fixed in the summer.

Talk to me. I’m here to hear. 

IMO i don't think it is our Achilles heel at the moment. cash had a great game vs west ham, containing kudos most of the game, and pen was harsh in most people's eyes

neither of the arsenal goals can be attributed to ned IMO and overall, in his first appearances of PL football, he's done well.

we'll never know how saturday would've gone if ned had started as everyone expected. overall i think bogarde did OK when you add the mitigating factors of it being his debut and him being out of position but it's not even a discussion we should be having when you have an out and out RB fit and ready to play. the fact remains that the goal came from bogarde's side though. ultimately emery has that tactical knowledge that the rest of us don't have and feels like there's areas of his game he needs to work on.