Isla

[nasser95]

A wing back is a wing back regardless of what league

You obviously haven't watched the serie A then. No team really successfully plays a 4 at the back. The game is very defensive and if there are full backs, they don't ever run forward. Wing backs in serie a run forward and back all match, but are not defensively weak by any means, in fact, they are arguably the most important defensive players in the squad. The wing back role in Serie A is the Full back role in England and all around the world.

[Taarabt]

I don't disagree with what your saying, I agree Serie A is very tactical. The gameplay is a lot slower to the prem and less direct. Isla was brought in to play wingback in a 3-5-2 not to play as a Right back. With the same logic as your what is an EPL box to box midfielder equivalent too? a DM? a CAM?


Also look at how many games ashley cole has played at roma? 8

[jmelanie]

For some reason he seems to play better when Vargas is playing.

[MaineHoopsFan]

Isla been one of our best players all year. Would actually love to see us sign him if we stay up.

Add the fact it's his first experience of the premier league and it often take time to get use to the pace and aggressive nature of this league I think he has settled in exceptionally well.

I thought the same.

[dsqpr]

I have a hard time making up my mind about Isla. He is certainly not rock solid at the back and is prone to crazy mistakes. However, he does offer quite a bit going forward. On balance he is probably one of our best eleven but only if we are not trying to keep it tight at the back.

[Mattyqpr]

Just remind me of the score?

Derby 0-1 QPR

What's your point? Or do you have to be the dominant team to win?

[Mattyqpr]

You obviously haven't watched the serie A then. No team really successfully plays a 4 at the back. The game is very defensive and if there are full backs, they don't ever run forward. Wing backs in serie a run forward and back all match, but are not defensively weak by any means, in fact, they are arguably the most important defensive players in the squad. The wing back role in Serie A is the Full back role in England and all around the world.

Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio do well enough to name a few! If you think a wing back in Italy, especially at a club like Juventus, is the same as a full back here for a team fighting relegation, then you need to swot up on your football more. How many times does a traditional wing back find himself having to cover at say the position Isla was found wanting for Wickham's header on Tuesday? Very, very rarely due to a wing back having three centre halves to rely on.

Isla quotes from a few days ago. “I’ve played at right-back for most of the season. It’s a role I haven’t fulfilled in a very long time.

“At Juventus we played with three at the back and I was used to playing at wing-back, more in midfield. It’s the same for the national team.

“I’ve had to train extra to go back to playing in this position but I feel comfortable with it now. It’s for the best of the team and me.”

[lymehoop]

For some reason he seems to play better when Vargas is playing.

agree with this, if we had a recognised right back, we could push Isla up as a wing-back and him and Vargas could create mayhem in the oppositions half

[nasser95]

Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio do well enough to name a few! If you think a wing back in Italy, especially at a club like Juventus, is the same as a full back here for a team fighting relegation, then you need to swot up on your football more. How many times does a traditional wing back find himself having to cover at say the position Isla was found wanting for Wickham's header on Tuesday? Very, very rarely due to a wing back having three centre halves to rely on.

Isla quotes from a few days ago. “I’ve played at right-back for most of the season. It’s a role I haven’t fulfilled in a very long time.

“At Juventus we played with three at the back and I was used to playing at wing-back, more in midfield. It’s the same for the national team.

“I’ve had to train extra to go back to playing in this position but I feel comfortable with it now. It’s for the best of the team and me.”

Yes, he isn't used to being in the middle, not many prem full backs are. could you imagine Baines having to cover a header from wickham?

Also, with regards to the teams you have named, Sampdoria and Lazio's full backs are extremely defensive players (Radu almost never rushes forward and was originally a centre back for example). Roma is the only team you have named who actually have attacking style full backs.

Yes, positionally it is different playing wing back anywhere and full back anywhere, but the role is the difference. He will have to be back more often than he is used to, but defensively he is good enough and offensively he is excellent. That is what a prem full back offers. Again, I take you to the Baines example who is considered to be one of the best, he is excellent going forward but ok defensively.

[Mattyqpr]

Yes, he isn't used to being in the middle, not many prem full backs are. could you imagine Baines having to cover a header from wickham?

Also, with regards to the teams you have named, Sampdoria and Lazio's full backs are extremely defensive players (Radu almost never rushes forward and was originally a centre back for example). Roma is the only team you have named who actually have attacking style full backs.

Yes, positionally it is different playing wing back anywhere and full back anywhere, but the role is the difference. He will have to be back more often than he is used to, but defensively he is good enough and offensively he is excellent. That is what a prem full back offers. Again, I take you to the Baines example who is considered to be one of the best, he is excellent going forward but ok defensively.

So Baines is only ok defensively? Massively disagree.

Full backs should be defensive when in the predicament we find ourselves in. Maybe having attacking full backs is a huge contribution to having the joint highest conceded goals amount in the league? It certainly doesn't help. How many assists does Yun have this season for example? Isla is decent going forward, I agree, but for me he's kamikaze like. Personally I think he's a liability away from home, time and a place for attacking full backs and it's no coincidence Ramsey dropped him for a more defensive minded Ned against Southampton.

Brilliant wing back but I can't see us playing that next season, so I think we'd be bonkers to pay the £8m asking price, should we stay up.

[nasser95]

So Baines is only ok defensively? Massively disagree.

Full backs should be defensive when in the predicament we find ourselves in. Maybe having attacking full backs is a huge contribution to having the joint highest conceded goals amount in the league? It certainly doesn't help. How many assists does Yun have this season for example? Isla is decent going forward, I agree, but for me he's kamikaze like. Personally I think he's a liability away from home, time and a place for attacking full backs and it's no coincidence Ramsey dropped him for a more defensive minded Ned against Southampton.

Brilliant wing back but I can't see us playing that next season, so I think we'd be bonkers to pay the £8m asking price, should we stay up.

Once again, I think you need to look at that list I put of prem full backs and see the different things they offer and what makes the best one. I personally feel that Azpi is the best full back in the league because he is very good offensively and defensively. Clichy and Gibbs come just behind him as they offer the most in both directions. Baines then Cresswell and rose are more offensive but have some good defensive qualities like their energy, Bertrand is a very middling player, but works well in a possession game. Moreno is a fast player who lacks technique and tactical awareness. The rest cannot attack for their life except Aanholt and maybe ben mee and Robertson, but they aren't that great.
Isla is a player in that Baines, cresswell mould who offers excellent offensive support while being solid defensively. He knows how to set up the players around him to quell the threat which I think is huge for a full back. You can see him in matches always telling those covering exactly what he wants them to do. That level of organisation as well as his attacking ability for me makes him one of the better full backs in the league. We would be stupid to skip over the opportunity to buy him because he seems to have settled and he brings quality and experience to our side at a good age.

[Mattyqpr]

Once again, I think you need to look at that list I put of prem full backs and see the different things they offer and what makes the best one. I personally feel that Azpi is the best full back in the league because he is very good offensively and defensively. Clichy and Gibbs come just behind him as they offer the most in both directions. Baines then Cresswell and rose are more offensive but have some good defensive qualities like their energy, Bertrand is a very middling player, but works well in a possession game. Moreno is a fast player who lacks technique and tactical awareness. The rest cannot attack for their life except Aanholt and maybe ben mee and Robertson, but they aren't that great.
Isla is a player in that Baines, cresswell mould who offers excellent offensive support while being solid defensively. He knows how to set up the players around him to quell the threat which I think is huge for a full back. You can see him in matches always telling those covering exactly what he wants them to do. That level of organisation as well as his attacking ability for me makes him one of the better full backs in the league. We would be stupid to skip over the opportunity to buy him because he seems to have settled and he brings quality and experience to our side at a good age.

We'll agree to disagree because I'll never agree Isla is solid defensively. If you think he's worth anything near £8m then we're on a different wave length, but that's what football brings to the table, lots of opinions.

[Del]

So Baines is only ok defensively? Massively disagree.

.

I don't. Baines is nothing special defensively, and often pretty poor. You only have to look at his average performances for England to see that. At Everton he attacks a lot more and it gets positive reviews as that's his strength, but for England he's a lot more reserved and looks average. His World Cup was awful. Just look how he gave the Italian way too much space and room to freely cross for Balotelli's goal.... Hardly text book defending, and what some are criticising Isla for the other night.

[Del]

Isla been one of our best players all year. Would actually love to see us sign him if we stay up.

Add the fact it's his first experience of the premier league and it often take time to get use to the pace and aggressive nature of this league I think he has settled in exceptionally well.

Totally agree.

Look at how poor Evra and Vidic were in their first games for United and how thy turned out as a prime example.

Isla has been fine, especially considering playing for one of the worst sides, plus he's been expected to be one of our main attacking outlets too.

[Mattyqpr]

I don't. Baines is nothing special defensively, and often pretty poor. You only have to look at his average performances for England to see that. At Everton he attacks a lot more and it gets positive reviews as that's his strength, but for England he's a lot more reserved and looks average. His World Cup was awful. Just look how he gave the Italian way too much space and room to freely cross for Balotelli's goal.... Hardly text book defending, and what some are criticising Isla for the other night.

Did anyone have a good world cup?