He's always been erratic and ill-disciplined at CB for A**x, which was the very reason why they moved him to LB.

Also a reason why I was always against considering him as a CB option here.

Playing him at LB that moves into the LCB role of a back 3 when the RB overlaps is the most obvious tactical play but that would prevent TheBaldOne from having any of our full backs playing next to the CF so won't happen. If James isn't fit enough to overlap yet (does it fine for England) then play him at CB.

I am really disappointed in Hato.

He has all of the physique, the pace and the athleticism. You can see that the boy is a natural athlete, just from watching the way he carries himself and moves. I just cannot work out why he is underperforming on such a regular basis.

I really want this boy to be a success but frankly I'd take that Malick Diouf from West Ham over him in a heartbeat currently.

I don't think he was particularly bad first half. It's just he was being played as an inverted FB in midfield, so when West Ham broke quickly down the left, he wasn't there, and Garnacho offered no support either. That's always the problem with inverted fullbacks, you are open to wide counters.

2 minutes ago, Zeta said:

That's always the problem with inverted fullbacks, you are open to wide counters.

The problem with playing players in a position that takes them out of position is that they’re not in position when they need to be in position.

The 15 min midfield cameo against 10 man Palace gave LR confidence in his new inverted FB Hato. Just let him be a FB, and see how he does when not exposed playing next to Badiashile and Garnacho.

I rate him, and like the physicality. Today was a lesson though.

Was brilliant against Charlton and Arsenal playing as a full back. We need to stop trying to overcomplicate the full back role.

He was really lost today. And very weak.

He was hung out to dry by Garnacho. I felt sorry for the lad. I also felt a bit for Garnacho. His confidence is absolutely shot.

Match of the Day had a decent analysis of Garnacho’s defending. His lack of effort getting back to defend when he lost possession worries me more than his form though. It keeps happening and it keeps leading to goals.

4 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

He was hung out to dry by Garnacho. I felt sorry for the lad. I also felt a bit for Garnacho. His confidence is absolutely shot.

Match of the Day had a decent analysis of Garnacho’s defending. His lack of effort getting back to defend when he lost possession worries me more than his form though. It keeps happening and it keeps leading to goals.

He was called out by Man Utd fans on a regular basis for the same deficiencies.

All too often our SDs only look at the small sample size of what these players do on the ball, and completely disregard the huge amount of empirical data of what they fail to do off the ball. Garnacho, Neto and Gittens are like peas in a pod.

However Hato still looks miles out of his depth positionally as a defender regardless of the non existent assistance coming from in front of him.

Badiashille to the side of him, Garnacho in front. He was set up to fail from the start, was very impressive in his previous 2 appearances so will look at this performance as the outlier not the norm.

Too much, too soon. Nowhere near ready for this level.

Disagree. Hato is a good player. But he’s not a centre midfielder or a centre back. If our managers would just play him at LB in a run of games we’d see the difference

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:

Badiashille to the side of him, Garnacho in front. He was set up to fail from the start, was very impressive in his previous 2 appearances so will look at this performance as the outlier not the norm.

Nailed it. He was on a hiding to nothing with Badiashile and Garnacho for support. Or lack of.

We're all seeing what Cucarella had to contend with when he first arrived. Every situation he's slightly out of position because of the role asked of him. each time he has at least 2 choices of what to do in any defensive action. Without support he has to make a split second decision, make the wrong one or fret over it too long, you're slagged off as not good enough, a joke ( as Cucu suffered to extremes ). Make the right one and everyone calls you a defensive god. This is why nearly every team struggles to break down a low block, because the teams that play it well are well drilled and know their roles perfectly. This is why our wingers are usually facing 2 or more defenders every time we attack. As a team when we counter attack, hardly anyone can live with us, because the defence is not back into it's well rehearsed formation.

In every team you can only afford one "luxury" player. If you lose the ball all the others have to bust a gut, to get back into their defensie positions. We have too many who think of themselves as THE luxury player.

Perfect example of what a run of games does to boost a player's confidence and form. He has come along way. Held his own against Saka. Apart from being skinned by Bailey for the first goal, he recovered really well and was really solid. Is improving his overall attacking play too.

Still has some ways to go defensively but what I will say is his awareness of what is happening behind him is already extremely good. That alone is worth having considering how poor our other fullbacks are in this regard with crosses to back post, etc.

Amazing what happens when you don’t shoe horn a player into inverting, where they’re not comfortable. Hato solid and Gusto assist.

I really like him.

I actually wasn’t even counting down the days until Cucu returned which says it all for me.

He had good games against both Arsenal and Villa. There is a player in there.

Really what we have in him and Cucu, like with Reece and Gusto, is what any top team should have.

A talent player with a number of high level games under his belt as first choice and a talented, young understudy to learn off him and fill in when the main player is out/rested.

That's what we need in most positions, and is missing visibly at center back

9 hours ago, axman2526 said:

That's what we need in most positions, and is missing visibly at center back

CB?

Fofana, Chalobah, Colwill are very good.

Acheampong is fantastic talent.

4 hours ago, Bob stark said:

CB?

Fofana, Chalobah, Colwill are very good.

Acheampong is fantastic talent.

Colwill the only one good aerially. Sarr could become just as good if not better, but still far from it.

If Fofana is very good, then so is Enzo Fernandez.

44 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Colwill the only one good aerially. Sarr could become just as good if not better, but still far from it.

If Fofana is very good, then so is Enzo Fernandez.

And he's hardly top drawer aerially.

7 hours ago, Bob stark said:

CB?

Fofana, Chalobah, Colwill are very good.

Acheampong is fantastic talent.

Even if we all agree they are very good, then none of them is world class. James is. Need at least one in that position to lead and teach.

2 hours ago, dermott said:

And he's hardly top drawer aerially.

Last I checked think he was 78%.

Not great but still good.