No competition at left back?

Glen Johnson CAN play left back but he is better on the right.

If everytime Jose Enrique is out we have to rotate our right back to left back then we will continue to give ourselves problems.

How about we either use Robinson or even Flanagan there or go out and F***ing buy some one.

How difficult can it be?

When will we learn?

Seems like we're making do again!

In the couple of games Robbo has played when he's been called upon he's done alright, should be used more now as a back-up to Enrique.

So at the moment that's a left-back and an out and out goalscorer we need?

Glen Johnson CAN play left back but he is better on the right.

If everytime Jose Enrique is out we have to rotate our right back to left back then we will continue to give ourselves problems.

How about we either use Robinson or even Flanagan there or go out and f**king buy some one.

How difficult can it be?

When will we learn?

I think there's still question marks about Enrique too. His form dipped badly last season and in pre season he looked dodgy in some games.

We got rid of Riise a good few years ago now and never replaced him with a player as good.

I think there's still question marks about Enrique too. His form dipped badly last season and in pre season he looked dodgy in some games.

We got rid of Riise a good few years ago now and never replaced him with a player as good.

Aurelio was a better left-back than Riise.

no offence but Riise wasn't even that good a full-back, got rinsed plenty of times by any number of attacking wingers and don't even get me started on his non-use of that right foot, the amount of times he fu**ed up trying to get it onto his left foot. Yeah scored great goals, but his actual job of defending left a lot to be dsired.

What annoys me is Robinson is a top player from what I have seen, I remember him having Walcott in his back pocket one game. He could become a major player given the chance.

Aurelio was a better left-back than Riise.

And a better left back than Enrique as well.

As much as I rate Kelly as a player I'd still much rather leave Johnson on the right and play Robinson, especially the way Brendan likes his full backs to play.

Aurelio was a better left-back than Riise.

no offence but Riise wasn't even that good a full-back, got rinsed plenty of times by any number of attacking wingers and don't even get me started on his non-use of that right foot, the amount of times he fu**ed up trying to get it onto his left foot. Yeah scored great goals, but his actual job of defending left a lot to be dsired.

Riise was more solid than Enrique, IMO. We won't mention Dossena. Aurelio at his best was probably better alright, but he was injured so often his consistency was hard to judge.

Would use Robinson myself, shown a few times that he plays more maturely than his age would suggest.

From what I've seen, Robinson is good enough to compete for it and should have gotten the start today in my opinion.

Oh how one yearns for the simple days of Riise and Finnan again.

What happen to Jose Enrique? Injured?

Riise was more solid than Enrique, IMO. We won't mention Dossena. Aurelio at his best was probably better alright, but he was injured so often his consistency was hard to judge.

Not by me, very consistent in our title challenge in 08/09, in fact his poorest game that season was the CL game against Chelsea when they beat us 3-1 at Anfield.

IMO it's really need of competition for Enrique, and must be a quality competitor one.

We all know Kelly never have a proper chance so when he started vs West Brom and not play good, GJ on the left then we only has JC on the bench make me question myself about BR's selection of players. Enrique not available and Jack Robinson our best young prospect LB still not include in the squad is beyond me.

But we all just on the beginning, we know BR and the team need time and we still have time to correct things, so I hope we can do better and better.   

I agree with the pro-Robinson crowd. I would have started him today in Enrique's absence.

I am a shithouse of a thread starter me BUT I've posted about this a few times and referred to it in a post in tonight's match thread. Pissed now as you do but will quote that post sometime tomorrow.

Good thread and simply put - how F***ing hard can it be?

And what does it say about our team when our right back playing on the left creates more chances than all our attacking players (with the exception of Suarez)?

I actually think we have a very good understudy at left back in Jack Robinson. Against WBA though would you choose Robinson/Johnson or Kelly/Johnson, most would surely have chosen the same as Brendan I just think Kelly performed really badly which is a surprise because I like the lad.

I think since the season when Flanno and Kelly broke through though and many were saying Flanno was the stand out performer where I thought Kelly was I haven't seen his level improve at the rate you'd want and he's pretty much stayed as he was. Still has lots of potential and the physical frame of a tank but going forward his skill set is still very one dimensional and defensively does get caught out too often. So where I'm not going to knee-jerk and make judgements purely on 1 match Kelly does need to start to show improvement because a couple of years ago I thought we could have a serious player in Kelly where that excitement is dwindling as he remains on the same level he was.

I also mentioned this in the match thread.  While Johnson can do a job at left back, for me having a right footed leftback upsets the balance of the team and it can often cause difficulties for the defender trying to tackle on the opposite side - I think that contributed to the free kick, which won the corner for their first goal.  Just picking who you think are the 2 best fullbacks and then putting one out of position is not necessarily the best option.

I thought Johnson did alright yesterday?

I'd love to see Robinson in the team don't get me wrong, but we failed in other areas yesterday rather than LB.

Robinson was good at his debut season. he's better than Flannaghan for example. Should consider him.

It was one of the areas I'd hope we'd look for an old head in, as cover, as I think Robinson will make the grade & I don't want his way blocked.  Like others, I've had my concerns about Enrique, he started off really well, but by January, he settled and hasn't shown that early form since.  His distribution and his ability to run in to blind alleys worry me, but maybe with some competition, he'd raise his game.

Personally I think Johnson is better on the left than the right. Johnson left back, Kelly right back would be my preferred full backs. If Johnson is to play on the right though then I'd have Robinson as first choice on the left.

Either way, Enrique would be the back up in my side (well actually he'd of been sold had I been in charge) because I just don't rate him.

Really like Robinson....the arsenal game back in 2011 showed his class and he has been quite good in preseason too.

To be honest if I was him I would be in Brendan's office today and I would be steaming. Enrique unfit...no left backs available and still Robinson doesn't even make the bench.

He is at that age now where he needs to be playing. For me Robinson, Sterling and Suso should be in the matchday squad every week.

As for left back...its similar to our goalkeeping situation. Pepe has been poor these last 2 years but doesn't have a quality young keeper snapping at his heels. Robinson is good enough to be playing and keep Enrique honest at the very least.

Why Brendan did not pick him yesterday is a mystery to me.

Johnson did have a decent game though at left back to be fair. But he should be o n the right if selected with Kelly as his competition. On the left it should be between Enrique and Robinson.