Who would you pick as our permanent starting pair?

Terry and Alex for me. Ive maintained, ever since he was regularily used by Guus, that Alex is preferable to Carvalho especially in EPL games.

Now correct me if Im wrong, but did we not only conceed about 9 goals in many months when it was Alex starting over Carvalho? In all competitions including games vs Barca etc

Also, I feel Alex just bring more stability.

Imagine our troubles with set plays and playing Stoke....with Hilario!

but wait......no problems? A stable display of defence that didnt have us bitting our nails to they bleed?

I think we can look back and see that every game (or nearly) where we lost points due to set pieces/calamity defending in the box, Alex was not on the field.

So I ask myself, why is Carlo not picking him more? Alex can shoot, head, and even make drives.....what does Paulo have over Alex (other than older legs)?

I think Carlo is making a mistake, not picking up on something that Guus figured out very quickly here.

Or am I wrong? Is there a good reason why Carlo isn't pickign Alex more often?

I would like to hear your opinions!

Edited March 9, 201016 yr by ethicalstrategy

My opinion is that Alex is superior, but Riccy must practice better. RC is either preferred by Terry & Cech in the d-unit, or by management.

Ricardo is ( or in memory was) faster and more mobile than Alex, with his vast expereince in CL, he is ahead of Alex in the pecking Order. I think Ivanoic and JT should be first choice next season, JT needs a fast guy to help him out. I think Alex has been under used under Carlo, I honestly believe we got have got something out of the Everton matches had we played him. I remember the last league match he played, he had a shocker against Burnley, but a lot worse has happened to other players since then. His long range free kick is just a joy to watch, you can just see the players forming the wall are S** in their shorts.

Has to be Terry + Bruma

I PREFER ALEX ,,

I FEEL COMOFTABLE WHEN I SEE ALEX, I DO NOT KNOW WHY :P

RC IS GREAT BUT, WE CAN GAIN A LOT OF +IVE THINGS

SUCH AS , HEADER, STRONG SHOOT, BODY AND OTHER THINGS

THEY ARE VERY NEAR TO EACH OTHER BUT TO ME I PREFER ALEX :P

I PREFER ALEX ,,

I FEEL COMOFTABLE WHEN I SEE ALEX, I DO NOT KNOW WHY :P

RC IS GREAT BUT, WE CAN GAIN A LOT OF +IVE THINGS

SUCH AS , HEADER, STRONG SHOOT, BODY AND OTHER THINGS

THEY ARE VERY NEAR TO EACH OTHER BUT TO ME I PREFER ALEX :P

We all prefer lower case.

Honestly I think it's a bit of a case of six of one half a dozen of the other. They are pretty similar in terms of overall ability in my belief. I have all confidence in both. I'd imagine that one will probably leave at the end of the season, both deserve first team football and sadly as long as JT is around only one is going to get it each week.

Ricardo is ( or in memory was) faster and more mobile than Alex, with his vast expereince in CL, he is ahead of Alex in the pecking Order. I think Ivanoic and JT should be first choice next season, JT needs a fast guy to help him out. I think Alex has been under used under Carlo, I honestly believe we got have got something out of the Everton matches had we played him. I remember the last league match he played, he had a shocker against Burnley, but a lot worse has happened to other players since then. His long range free kick is just a joy to watch, you can just see the players forming the wall are S** in their shorts.

I am an Alex convert, having warmed to him mid-last season and now feel he's a top class centRE back (sorry!!). Having said that, I haven't quite got over the amount of times he looked desperate and rash as the last man, and the amount of clumsy challenges he seemed to make.

I realise he was probably never as bad as I thought, but I'd expected so much and he took so long to deliver that I think I remained a sceptic long past the point he'd proven himself. However, like you say I think Riccy on his day is much more dynamic and able to cope with pace. Despite Alex's eye for goal and pretty solid defending, I often feel more comfortable with an on-form Riccy partnering JT.

BUT: The biggest thing is Carv's longevity - as much as I rate him, I still think Alex is the (near) future for us at CB along with JT, perhaps Ivan, and Bruma, and I'd rather we cash in on Carv while we can and fully integrate Alex as a first team player.

I am an Alex convert, having warmed to him mid-last season and now feel he's a top class centRE back (sorry!!).

me too mate, i honestly thought he would never be good enough for us because of his brain explosions but he was our best defender last year in my opinion.

Definatley JT and Alex. In our title winning seasons Carvalho was class and him and JT complemented each other well. But he is too injury prone now and imo hasnt been able to get 100% since. I think a centre back partnership that is consistent gives a lot of stability to a team. Alex also deserves his place in the team through his performances under Guus and now.

you have to read this thread!!

http://www.hof.org.uk/showthread.php?t=2403&page=5

Ivan and JT when Bossy is back.

Tough call between Alex and Ivan, but if Ivan is given a run of games at CB, he will take to it, better than he did at RB.

Ivan and JT when Bossy is back.

Tough call between Alex and Ivan, but if Ivan is given a run of games at CB, he will take to it, better than he did at RB.

i would like to see Ivan get a run at CB just so we can see how good he really is. he`s looked decent when played there but has never had the chance to build into it.

i would like to see Ivan get a run at CB just so we can see how good he really is. he`s looked decent when played there but has never had the chance to build into it.

Yeah, spot on. He's been a revelation at RB, but it seems like it should be a secondary position if we are going to continue using attacking full-backs, which Bossy is better at, due to his pace.

Ivan needs a string of games so he can get his CB groove on. He's big and strong, and quite quick as well. He would be an ideal centre back.

Ricardo is ( or in memory was) faster and more mobile than Alex, with his vast expereince in CL, he is ahead of Alex in the pecking Order.

Sums it up for me. The reason RC is often preferred to Alex is because at full form, I think he and JT compliment eachother the best.

But its becoming clear the days when RC is at his best are getting fewer in number. I think this might be his last season for us, which is a shame because he's been an absolutely titanic player for us

Alex and JT for me, Alex has never let us down. He may be less mobile, but he's more physical than Riccy, much better tackler, he's bigger and he has an epic free kick in his arsenal.

Riccy's a great defender, but I think we get more out of Alex in the long run.

Play Terry and Alex (Bruma as understudy) and put Ivan the Great in the holding role; wave goodbye to the Riccy

Play Terry and Alex (Bruma as understudy) and put Ivan the Great in the holding role; wave goodbye to the Riccy

:P

Ive maintained for a while now that Riccy should be sold this summer, purely to recoup investment as we have more than enough depth at CB (when our wingbacks are healthy).

Also, for the past month or so, Ive been entertaining the idea of wanting to see Ivan play a holding role over Mikel.

I mean why not? He is defencively sound, can makee good runs. his passing is solid, an he has a lil pace when needed.

Be worth a try IMO, when healthy bodies permit us to have adequate back 4 coverage without Ivan.

I mean why not? He is defencively sound, can makee good runs. his passing is solid, an he has a lil pace when needed.

the biggest part of playing the holding role is being disciplined enough not to go wandering, and ive no idea whether ivan could do that. it really is a very difficult position to play, i spent the last season i played (2 seasons ago) playing it and its really hard not to follow the ball and to know when to cover a full back who goes forward.

As a CB, you'd think he would already have that disciplined instilled in him, as well as having "inside info" on how to position himself in a holding role that will best allow him to help the D.

But, you never know. Sometimes the other shoe just doesnt drop.

http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headline...1988283,00.html

JT & Alex for definite!!

RC has been a brilliant servant to the club :P , but i fear his legs are giving up on him, and he's struggling to remain fit for any prolonged periods now, maybe a slower pace league would suit him.

Maybe we should have sold him to Inter when JM wanted him.