A few 'What ifs'

Ok - So Roy has put together a strong back line and organized the team to keep things tight.

I am not sure of the exact number, but he has named an unchanged back line for as long as I can remember.

So here is my 'What if:'

Lets say Hangeland or (Yikes), both he and Pantsil or he and Konchesky come up lame.

Are we going to have a house of cards come tumbling down around us?

I am not trying to jinx it - but with the fact that nobody else plays I wonder what might happen...

Who steps in for the big man?

 

RE: A few WHAT-IFS

If I can transplant what I've seen locally*, the more the 'subs' get to see and practice against the set line of starters, the better they become themselves.

*That was the case with the Crew and level of competition has less to do with this than coach/team outlook and demeanor.

 

RE: A few WHAT-IFS

If anything happens to Hangeland (dear lord I hope it doesn't) I guess it'd be Kallio stepping in for him. He was the only center back named as a sub at Villa; Roy has shown an inclination to use Baird as a defensive midfielder rather than a center back; if I recall correctly Roy also doesn't think very highly of Leijer; and Kallio is about the same height as Hangeland and significantly taller than the other options.

 

RE: A few WHAT-IFS

I proceed to have a heart attack and stroke simultaneously and I don't live to see who steps in for Hangeland

 

Well thats not a very pleasent thought Jensers!

 

RE: A few WHAT-IFS

Come on guys! I was hoping someone was going to tell me that we have everything that we need, and that if something were to happen at the back we wouldnt skip a beat.

Sky is reporting his possible transfer to either Spurs or Arsenal...

His departure would surely drag Fulham into yet another disaster.

I have been unhappy with the selling nature of Fulham. I understand - of course - that this is part of being a 'smallish' club in the modern game... As soon as you pick up someone who is of value that catches the eye of one of the bigger clubs, the profit to the club and the stars in the eye of the player are overwhelming, and off they go - leaving the poor 'smallish' club scrambling for answers.

So how do you get to become a bigger club if you dont keep ahold of the players that are going to move you up the table and increase your revenue so that you can build the stadium we keep hearing about from Fulham?

At some point the club has to put its foot down and demand that players work out their contract, and if the player wants to be a crybaby about it - then they should just sit and they should have a clause in the contract that refusal to play carries a stiff fine.

As it sits - contracts seem to be almost worthless.

 

RE: A few WHAT-IFS

Here's my guess - I haven't actually calculated anything based on this season, but will be doing so soon:

The good thing is that no one player can cause a huge difference - it really is a team effort. Last season, Hangeland prevented just under 2 goals by himself - that means that replacing Hangeland with a generic reserve player would have resulted in us conceding two more goals in the season. Let's say he's a little bit better this year (which I think is fair), and stretch it out over a full season, that gives us maybe 5 goals better than the replacement player. That's pretty significant, but we also have to consider that our backup (Kallio, most likely) may also be better than the replacement player. If Kallio can play at the level of a Bocanegra/Stefanovic, the impact of Hangeland's loss is only a couple of goals over the entire season.

Our defence has been incredible, and nobody outside of Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd is even that close. Even if we replaced Hangeland with someone like Dean Leacock, we could still have the 4th or 5th best defence in the league.

 

Is there any doubt,........Chris Baird.

























:3d smile:

 

Is there any doubt,........Chris Baird.


:shock: :? :twisted: :| :cry:

Somebody pass the Jim Beam

 

RE: Re: A few

Well - I guess my question has been answered. If someone goes down... We are in trouble.

Seems like the Christmas run of matches will be the big test.

 

RE: Re: A few

I'm passing the beam. I've got the feeling and I too, believe he's off, if not in jan, then this summer. Lord, I hope its this summer,,,

What would the season be without a relegation dogfight?

Brede!!! Come on, stay Brede!!!