" OUR LACK OF CLEAN SHEETS "

Is worrying, only one clean sheet in 16 games, we are not always going to score freely so its time we tightened up at the back, it could make the difference between Championship and Premiership football next season.

Another defender needed this transfer window in my opinion.

Great win today by the way but were always vulnerable at the back.

Is worrying, only one clean sheet in 16 games, we are not always going to score freely so its time we tightened up at the back, it could make the difference between Championship and Premiership football next season.

Another defender needed this transfer window in my opinion.

Great win today by the way but were always vulnerable at the back.

Dai, Very worrying, I really enjoyed todays game, but our defence terrified me and we could have lost the game.

Think he`s been chatting to Holloway you score 2 we`ll score three attack, attack, attack!!!!!!!

like watching kevin keegans Newcastle old team in parts today

your right tho bit worrying to say the least

I maintain the reason we struggle at the back is because our midfield is not commanding enough. Our back 4 aren't superstars (only Super Kev has that mantle) but the way the opposition run through the middle is always putting them under pressure.

More defenders are fine if they are genuinely better than we've got now but you wait til Ramsey gets his foot on the ball and the oppo can't get hold of it. Different side then.

A permanent midfield replacement for Whittingham is far more important.

Is worrying, only one clean sheet in 16 games, we are not always going to score freely so its time we tightened up at the back, it could make the difference between Championship and Premiership football next season.

Another defender needed this transfer window in my opinion.

Great win today by the way but were always vulnerable at the back.

Dai, Very worrying, I really enjoyed todays game, but our defence terrified me and we could have lost the game.

We need to strengthen in my opinion, school boy errors are costing us too many goals at present.

Think he`s been chatting to Holloway you score 2 we`ll score three attack, attack, attack!!!!!!!

Its not always going to happen though, thats the worry.

Nobly we are defending badly as a team, I thought Hudson, mcnaughton and Quinn all had good games

I fully agree with Howey1927. In my opinion our biggest problem is the midfield. I said the same last season and I believe it's the same this season. Other teams just dominate midfield and I don't care who we had in defence, when you are continually under pressure as our defence constantly is, then you going to concede goals.

like watching kevin keegans Newcastle old team in parts today

your right tho bit worrying to say the least

Rob, I was about to say that

There times in the game when we need to just keep position and take the sting out of the game especially when we are winning, we don't have to try and play the killer ball everytime

By all account, Hudson et all have been working their bollocks off in defence. But the lack of clean sheets annoying. Coventry at home was the last one. I think the midfield need to take more responsibility in tracking back. After all, the full backs help out the wingers. Its about time the wingers started to help out the full backsm

I fully agree with Howey1927. In my opinion our biggest problem is the midfield. I said the same last season and I believe it's the same this season. Other teams just dominate midfield and I don't care who we had in defence, when you are continually under pressure as our defence constantly is, then you going to concede goals.

Agree with you both regarding midfield being the problem. I'm still not sure whether the problem is personnel or whether it's just the way we set up.

Using today as an example, how often did you see JET or Bellamy track back? Our wingers play very high up the pitch, we almost play 4-2-4, this puts our central midfielders under pressure which in turn puts our defence under pressure.

Maybe the solution is to reign in the wingers a bit and start playing as a bank of 4 in midfield. The workrate and teamwork of the Watford midfield from 30 mins onwards showed us how it should be done imo.

I fully agree with Howey1927. In my opinion our biggest problem is the midfield. I said the same last season and I believe it's the same this season. Other teams just dominate midfield and I don't care who we had in defence, when you are continually under pressure as our defence constantly is, then you going to concede goals.

Agree with you both regarding midfield being the problem. I'm still not sure whether the problem is personnel or whether it's just the way we set up.

Using today as an example, how often did you see JET or Bellamy track back? Our wingers play very high up the pitch, we almost play 4-2-4, this puts our central midfielders under pressure which in turn puts our defence under pressure.

Maybe the solution is to reign in the wingers a bit and start playing as a bank of 4 in midfield. The workrate and teamwork of the Watford midfield from 30 mins onwards showed us how it should be done imo.

Fair point. I guess it's reigning them in when needed and unleashing them when we can!

I think our defence have been superb considering that virtually every opposition attack gets past our midfield.

Olly and Witts are good in the oppositions half but very poor in ours, think a defence minded approach is needed.

What a rollcoaster we're on tho eh?? Its fun!!

never mind about defence. Scoring goals gets u out.of this league and a good defence keeps u up. Very rarely are the teams who.are promoted are the teams who concede the least.

We are playing as two units.
Midfield and strikers play together. Defense stands alone.
Doesnt matter how good your defenders are they need protection. And ours arent getting it.

never mind about defence. Scoring goals gets u out.of this league and a good defence keeps u up. Very rarely are the teams who.are promoted are the teams who concede the least.

Scoring goals does get you up but you only have to look at Newcastle last season to see how effective a good defence can be. They did it with two dogs in midfield bossing everything and that's something we don't do. Naylor in my opinion is still weak and the opposition can easily exploit him because of his lack of pace. As a team we tend to think the game is won and switch off too soon. Some of our players are under the illusion that they only have to turn up and they think they are better than what they really are. Often we don't play like a team, we play like a group of individuals. To get promoted they all need to work together for the whole 90 mins not just the first 30 like yesterday.

Best game of the season Yesterday, Watford are a decent side. Cardiff`s attitude of you score 1 we`ll score 2 is really entetaining, we are the best attacking outfit in the league, however how can anyone have a go at the defence. Hudson has played consistantly well recently, Gypes never lets anyone down, Kev is always class and Naylor`s performances are improving (although they needed to). I think Jonesy needs to get the balance right in midfield, When Rae came on Yesterday the shape seemed to come with him, he is a natural central midfielder, again a player who never lets anyone down. Jonesy Im sure will make sure the midfield remember their defensive duties and protect the back 4 a bit. With all the attacking quality we should not have a worry. ps Jay Boothroyd must be worth at least £10 million and should never ever be even allowed to think about leaving, he is by far the best striker in the championship, every effort must be made to keep him for at least another 5 years (Cantona for Man utd = Boothroyd for Cardiff)

i cant understand how people keep on slagging our defence off when its so obvious the midfield are not tight enough, theres huge gaps for the opposition midfield to run the show for parts of the game, i agree its not the best defence iv seen but lets share the blame around a bit more when we defend from the front on occasions we look ok when we dont we look awful

Remember the old saying "Games are won and lost in midfield "
We need a Kavanagh type player

Nobly we are defending badly as a team, I thought Hudson, mcnaughton and Quinn all had good games

hudson & mcnaugton were great & thought gyepes was descent when he came on but quinn was shocking from where i was sitting!! letting players run around him, not tackling, just didnt look comfortable on the ball either!!

Remember the old saying "Games are won and lost in midfield "
We need a Kavanagh type player

brown from portsmouth springs to mind!!

At the risk of repeating :
We need a ball winning defensive midfielder to break up these runners (oppositions midfield who keep running through our midfield and putting pressure on our back four) my vote goes for Brown he is not going to give you a 40yds defence splitting pass but he may stop the other teams midfield .Once the ball is won then our more creative players can get on with what they do best.

He seems to be out of the reckoning but I thought Drinkwater played
really well against Stoke. Sit him in front of the back four. He is fast,
he is great on the ball and will stick a foot in, give it a go Dave Jones.
Then Oli and Rambo can concentrate on offensive football. Jones HAS
to address this, because one thing Ramsey does NOT do very well is
track back. Drinkwater is a bit like Gavin Rae on speed. Try it DJ!!!

You lot would moan if we won one nil and played boring defensive Arsenal 90`s football .

The team you all wish for does not exist - yes we have defensive worries but we are now winning and scoring freely -

You lot would moan if we won one nil and played boring defensive Arsenal 90`s football .

The team you all wish for does not exist - yes we have defensive worries but we are now winning and scoring freely -

The second goal that watford scored yesterday was totally Heatons fault he had nightmares over that last night im sure, he slipped and the ball just went in thankfully we didnt draw but they scored but luckily it was not aloud and they hit the post so poor Tom.

but our concerns are right look at the goal dif that QPR have to us
Queens Park Rangers 48 goals for and 19 against
2 Cardiff City 45 goals for and 33 against
We have scored nearly as many but we have let in 14 goals more than QPR so it is clear if we are going to go automatic then our defence and goal keepers have to improve

Great Debate Dai (Nobby)