Why not

[sxcobbler]

Speed is everything. Otherwise if the other guy is faster than you, you're in trouble from the word go. You ALWAYS require at least one defender with pace. We haven't got one and the result of that speaks for itself.

Rodgers has pace to burn and played centre back for Arsenal reserves...but can he read the game and keep concentration, not to mention keep errors to a minimum

[Power Football]

Rodgers has pace to burn and played centre back for Arsenal reserves...but can he read the game and keep concentration, not to mention keep errors to a minimum

I think he would be great as the right sided centre back in a back 3. Definately worth a shot.

[defender]

We have always played better in my opion with 3-5-2 so I am with you on this, or perhaps 4-5-1 with one midfielder as a link man for Harrad.

[Power Football]

I think Thornton would be absolutely perfect playing behind the strikers in this formation. It would really bring out the best of him....

[oldbloke]

Didn't think Thornton played that well on Tuesday to warrant his place. (Neither did many others), Looked uninterested and took well into the second half to get his kit dirty. I know he scored and he should have buried the one on one but on a horses for courses he ain't what we need on a wet midweek when the midfield is anonymous. I don't think he knows where he wants to play.

[ArmchairCobbler81]

I think Thornton would be absolutely perfect playing behind the strikers in this formation. It would really bring out the best of him....

As I said a few weeks ago, when McKenzie is unfit this would be my line-up.

                            Dunn

           Johnson  Tozer  Beckwith  Davis

               Osman               Walker                                     

  Laurent             Thornton                Jacobs

                            Harrad

Lots of pace and trickery down the flanks, passing abilty from Walker albeit in a deeper role, Osman as the anchor and Thornton free to roam....Harrad is also used to playing as the lone striker. The lack of a second striker is more than made up for with Thornton, Jacobs and Laurent joining up in advanced positions.

I'd love it Keegan style if I saw Sammo play this side 

[bungle]

Speed is everything. Otherwise if the other guy is faster than you, you're in trouble from the word go. You ALWAYS require at least one defender with pace.

I disagree with this. If defenders read the game effectively and make the right decisions they don't need to rely on pace to recover - particularly at League Two level. Our most successful centre-back pairing of modern times was Sammo and Razor - neither blessed with pace, but both excellent at reading the game.

None of Morecombe's goals on Tuesday were down to pace; they were caused by poor marking and poor decision making. The second and third goals in particular were down to a simple inability to get goalside of the striker. I don't know whether it's down to individual incompetence or poor coaching and organisation, but that's why we failed to win on Tuesday and it needs addressing.

     

[Deepcut Cobbler]

Speed at Centre Back isn't essential although it helps.  the biggest asset of a centre back apart from their size and tackling ability is their anticipation which can make up for any lack of speed.
Thats why you see a lot of slower centre forwards in their younger days who wouldn't have made it in the advanced position find themselves more at home in the centre back position and invariably prove more than capable.
The combination of the two centre backs, although not complete individually, together  providing a complete package is also important.  
Bruce/Pallister
Adams/Keown/Bould
Campbell/Toure
JT/Carvallio
Moore/Charlton
McLintock/Simpson

Pairings that individually have their drawbacks but together provide(d) the complete package.

[Marvo]

I disagree with this. If defenders read the game effectively and make the right decisions they don't need to rely on pace to recover - particularly at League Two level. Our most successful centre-back pairing of modern times was Sammo and Razor - neither blessed with pace, but both excellent at reading the game.

None of Morecombe's goals on Tuesday were down to pace; they were caused by poor marking and poor decision making. The second and third goals in particular were down to a simple inability to get goalside of the striker. I don't know whether it's down to individual incompetence or poor coaching and organisation, but that's why we failed to win on Tuesday and it needs addressing.

     

Put two blokes on the centre-line, one a slow defender, one a fast striker, then kick a ball over them and see who gets to the ball first. That is basically ALL that opponents have to do to get us into deep trouble.

[defender]

Can anyone else remember Frank Large playing at centre half at the county ground due to injured defenders? I've seen poorer defending from some so-called centre halves.

[guest216]

Put two blokes on the centre-line, one a slow defender, one a fast striker, then kick a ball over them and see who gets to the ball first. That is basically ALL that opponents have to do to get us into deep trouble.

Did you even read his post? Not if they anticipate and position themselves correctly, know when to drop off deeper against a pacey striker and stop the threat. Having athletes at CB with a lack of defensive awareness will always suffer more than a slow but intelligent CB. Football is nowhere as simplistic as you've made it out to be.

[TNFSpeed]

Surely changing a formation that the players are not used to will only unsettle them even more?

To be honest, from what I've seen, Harrard hasn't exactly been that great has he? Either that, or he's not really getting the support.

[DustCobb]

To be honest, from what I've seen, Harrard hasn't exactly been that great has he? Either that, or he's not really getting the support.

Isn't it your first game on Saturday? Not saying you can't have an opinion but surely a tad hard to judge Harrad..?

[Marvo]

Did you even read his post? Not if they anticipate and position themselves correctly, know when to drop off deeper against a pacey striker and stop the threat. Having athletes at CB with a lack of defensive awareness will always suffer more than a slow but intelligent CB. Football is nowhere as simplistic as you've made it out to be.

One word answer really, Barcelona. Did you see them last night, always playing up to the last man however deep that defender was. Then it was just a case of timing the run right and beating him for pace, there's no answer to it!

[Macc Cobbler]

To be honest, from what I've seen, Harrard hasn't exactly been that great has he? Either that, or he's not really getting the support.

He was poor on Tuesday, along with everybody else .......... but definitely looks the part.
He and McKenzie at Port Vale linked up really well together, and also with the midfield ......... that's one of the reasons I was disappointed Sammo changed the midfield so much to accommodate Thornton on the right.

[TNFSpeed]

It's just my way on trying to get to know the players. 6 months ago, I hadn't even expected to be following the cobblers, so getting to know the players, what the usual first 11 is. I'm just going by research and stats I've looked up over the past month or so in trying to see which players are good and not so good.

I know players go through fases on being good and being poor. I follow Liverpool, and I can be sure I know NT don't rely just on 1 player like we do over at Liverpool. If Gerrard doesn't score, he's had a sh*t game.

Like I said before, it's hard to know the players within a few weeks of actually following a team. It's even more harder when game aren't shown on TV and listening to a radio stream doesn't quite pull it off.

I'm hoping to get to a few cobbler games next season, so from now to the end of the season, is pretty much a hard point.

From stats I've seen of Harrad, 69 goals in around 6 seasons for Burton is pretty poor for a Striker. I'm just saying.

[TNFSpeed]

BUT again, I'm comparing those stats to a Premier League footballer. 69 goals in 6 seasons might be a decent record for a L2 side.

[DustCobb]

Wasn't having a pop at you, was just thinking quite hard to judge a player when you haven't seen him live, same for everyone really.

Harrad will be fine, he'll get us goals and is a decent addition.

[TNFSpeed]

It'll take me a while to know which players play where. Once I know that, then I can keep a look out.

[NTFC Nut]

BUT again, I'm comparing those stats to a Premier League footballer. 69 goals in 6 seasons might be a decent record for a L2 side.

He scored about 4 goals in his first two seasons at Burton, hence the below average overall record. In his 18 months as a League Two player with Burton he averaged a goal every two games. BTW a good striker at this level will normally score 15-20 league goals a season.