Strength in depth

[clyne_mike]

While I was at the Sheffield Utd game, I looked at the bench and thought we dont have many options here. Fast forward a few weeks with the injuries subsiding and new additions, things look alot better. We could field these starting 11s

Benda
Williams Cooper Manning
Laird Bidwell
Grimes Downes
Ntcham
Obafemi Piroe


Hamer
Naugton Bennett Cabango Latibeaudiere
Patterson Smith Fulton Dhanda
Cullen Whittaker

With Liam Walsh and Dan Williams still available to replace anybody in the middle.

Obviously hoping our new signings are as good as we hope they are and trying not to fall into the trap of them being first picks. It looks like a good bit of depth now though.

 

[1964]

Am I the only one who can't see how Cooper (yet) should get in the starting eleven ahead of Cabango? Wales are hugely missing him, so he has to be ahead of Cooper surely? I'd probably also put Latibeaudiere in ahead of Bidwell, who hasn't offered much for quite a while now.

 

[Marchamjack]

We’ve got numbers. Not sure about the quality in there though, hopefully (as the OP says) the new recruits do bring some more quality

 

[Dr. Winston]

Am I the only one who can't see how Cooper (yet) should get in the starting eleven ahead of Cabango? Wales are hugely missing him, so he has to be ahead of Cooper surely? I'd probably also put Latibeaudiere in ahead of Bidwell, who hasn't offered much for quite a while now.

Cabango is a weird case.

To me he's never looked anything less than solid, but there's a lot of people out there who don't think he's up to much. I'd be playing him ahead of Cooper, at least to begin with.

 

[Ross]

Am I the only one who can't see how Cooper (yet) should get in the starting eleven ahead of Cabango? Wales are hugely missing him, so he has to be ahead of Cooper surely? I'd probably also put Latibeaudiere in ahead of Bidwell, who hasn't offered much for quite a while now.

Cabango is a weird case.

To me he's never looked anything less than solid, but there's a lot of people out there who don't think he's up to much. I'd be playing him ahead of Cooper, at least to begin with.

Agreed. I think the bar was set quite high with Rodon and the expectations for Cabango are too high as a consequence. He’s a very solid CB who’ll have a good career in the Championship. Whether he’s good enough with ball at feet to carve that career out here I’m not sure but he’s definitely a better choice than Cooper at the present time.

 

[MrSwerve]

Am I the only one who can't see how Cooper (yet) should get in the starting eleven ahead of Cabango? Wales are hugely missing him, so he has to be ahead of Cooper surely? I'd probably also put Latibeaudiere in ahead of Bidwell, who hasn't offered much for quite a while now.

Cabango is a weird case.

To me he's never looked anything less than solid, but there's a lot of people out there who don't think he's up to much. I'd be playing him ahead of Cooper, at least to begin with.

Cabango is a very solid CB in this league...I don’t understand his detractors, to be honest.

 

[K23]

Cabango is a weird case.

To me he's never looked anything less than solid, but there's a lot of people out there who don't think he's up to much. I'd be playing him ahead of Cooper, at least to begin with.

Cabango is a very solid CB in this league...I don’t understand his detractors, to be honest.

One thing I really like about Cabango is that he doesn't get bullied. There are a lot of bullies up front in the Championship and watching him & Guehi against Barnsley in the playoff semis was a masterclass in how to play against the more physical teams. It's horses for courses I guess but against hoofball teams with a bully up front as the focal point, I'd always have Cabango in my team.

 

[Baron Goblet]

Cabango may have hard time this season. Similar to Bennett last season. Would not be surprised to see Williams and Cooper get a lot of game time. Or we change the style ala Flint and Morrison who are good defenders in a different system.

 

[JackBaston]

I think Cabango and Cooper could be 2 of the best center backs in this division by the end of the year, and both would be ours
I think them 2 with a mix of Williams/Bennett would be ideal, especially if we're all agreeing this is a transitional year
Lati for me just isnt a center back, and it looks like Martin feels the same as hes been using him in the rwb spot
He's ok for cover as a last resort but he gets bullied so easily, especially in those friendlies

 

[JonTheJack]

Without wanting to sound like a Cabango detractor, I think he is an excellent defender. However his footballing ability comes under question and it looks like Cooper has been given an opportunity due to Martin thinking he offers more with the ball which remains to be seen so early on.

Harsh on Cabango, because I'd like to think he can have it coached into him.

 

[Neath_Jack]

Cabango is okay, nothing great though. He's not a patch on Rodon, who wasn't a patch on Guehi.