Tweet
There's a saying strikers win you matches but defenders win you Championships.
Like, Newcastle we've played 25 matches this season but how do our defences compare? Firstly, how many defenders have played more than 75% (19 matches) of the league fixtures?
Newcastle:
Sanchez Jose Enrique - 24
Steven Taylor - 21
Danny Simpson - 20
Fabricio Coloccini - 19
QPR:
Kaspars Gorkss - 19
Leigertwood has played 21 but 19 of them weren't in the defence, Borrowdale has played 18, Stewart 16, Ramage 15, Hall 12 and Connolly just 5 starts.
Before Blackpool, Cerny had played in 24 of the 25 matches (Harper has played in all 25) but as the stat above shows the 4 men in front of him aren't always the same. Harper has kept 14 clean sheets and is yet to have conceded 3 goals or more in a match. QPR have kept just 3 clean sheets and on 2 occassions we've conceded 3 goals or more in a match (5 against Boro and 3 against Watford).
Newcastle have scored just 1 goal more than us this season and only on 3 occassions have they failed to score losing once and drawing twice. On the 4 occassions we've failed to score we've lost. We've conceded 22 goals more than Newcastle.
Like you, I want us to sign a striker but we've actually scored more than Nottingham Forest this season the difference is the defence. No longer can we play midfielders or centre backs in a key position like right back. It's like asking a lock to play scrum half. Harford needs to pick his back 4 and run with it. I'm glad we've signed Hill to compete for the left back slot as he is a proper left back but we need the same on the other flank.
Like, Newcastle we've played 25 matches this season but how do our defences compare? Firstly, how many defenders have played more than 75% (19 matches) of the league fixtures?
Newcastle:
Sanchez Jose Enrique - 24
Steven Taylor - 21
Danny Simpson - 20
Fabricio Coloccini - 19
QPR:
Kaspars Gorkss - 19
Leigertwood has played 21 but 19 of them weren't in the defence, Borrowdale has played 18, Stewart 16, Ramage 15, Hall 12 and Connolly just 5 starts.
Before Blackpool, Cerny had played in 24 of the 25 matches (Harper has played in all 25) but as the stat above shows the 4 men in front of him aren't always the same. Harper has kept 14 clean sheets and is yet to have conceded 3 goals or more in a match. QPR have kept just 3 clean sheets and on 2 occassions we've conceded 3 goals or more in a match (5 against Boro and 3 against Watford).
Newcastle have scored just 1 goal more than us this season and only on 3 occassions have they failed to score losing once and drawing twice. On the 4 occassions we've failed to score we've lost. We've conceded 22 goals more than Newcastle.
Like you, I want us to sign a striker but we've actually scored more than Nottingham Forest this season the difference is the defence. No longer can we play midfielders or centre backs in a key position like right back. It's like asking a lock to play scrum half. Harford needs to pick his back 4 and run with it. I'm glad we've signed Hill to compete for the left back slot as he is a proper left back but we need the same on the other flank.
Comment