Flop of the Season

Who has been the biggest flop this season?


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Dec 21, 2018
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It's definitely a myth. He can be caught out of position because he plays so high but that's system based, not his abilities. One on one defending, he's totally fine.

I dont worry too much if a tricky winger has him one on one. It's not often he gets skinned. He's quick and strong and defends pretty well.

People just hold onto the things they first learn about a player and never change their opinion, like you for example on this issue. Everyone remembers TAA as an inexperienced teenager playing against vastly experienced grown men and that's just how things stayed.

But fast forward 5 years from an 18 year old to a 23 year old and 204 appearances for Liverpool and he's a much, much better footballer all around and a better defender.

But everybody just sticks to the myth that he's a liability and he cant defend. I've seen countless times teams figure him to be a weak link and attack down the right only to never find any joy.

Is he the best defender in world football? No.

Is he a liability? Lol... no.

He's actually a pretty good defender, and overall the worlds best RB.
I know a particular winger that has skinned him a few times.
 
Dec 21, 2018
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Sancho and Varane have been the standout flops this season. Both earning in excess of 300k per week puts them in the top 4 earners at manu. Team wise it would have to be manu as the flop of the season.
How has Varane been a flop?
 
Dec 21, 2018
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Don't feed the troll
Damn scousers.

I do get a kick out of the stupid reasons they provide about either our players and our club.

Make themselves look like complete idiots.
 
Apr 8, 2007
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Aside from his first game back from injury, Varane has been class this season. Would have been nice if he had played more than 12 games in the prem.
He's made plenty of mistakes and looked lost as a leader of the line. He's definitely been near flop levels even discounting his injuries.
 
Dec 21, 2018
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He's made plenty of mistakes and looked lost as a leader of the line. He's definitely been near flop levels even discounting his injuries.
troll dancing GIF
 

CFC_JP

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Jun 21, 2011
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How has Varane been a flop?
For someone who is a top 4 earner and was brought in to lead the defense he has certainly flopped. Playing in manu's defense has exposed him for the average player he is. He was protected at madrid because of the good players around him but at manu he has to rely on his own ability and I'm not saying he's a terrible player like slabhead but for a player earning what he is and what the club expects of him he is a flop.
 
Dec 21, 2018
14,035
9,123
Bay 314
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Port Adelaide
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Man Utd, Boston Celtics, Patriots
For someone who is a top 4 earner and was brought in to lead the defense he has certainly flopped. Playing in manu's defense has exposed him for the average player he is. He was protected at madrid because of the good players around him but at manu he has to rely on his own ability and I'm not saying he's a terrible player like slabhead but for a player earning what he is and what the club expects of him he is a flop.
Because I know you don't have any reasons or facts to justify what you're trying to say and only have opinions let me give you one, VVD in our defense is a flop too.
 

jd2010

Well done boys. Good process, carry on
Feb 1, 2010
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It's definitely a myth. He can be caught out of position because he plays so high but that's system based, not his abilities. One on one defending, he's totally fine.

I dont worry too much if a tricky winger has him one on one. It's not often he gets skinned. He's quick and strong and defends pretty well.

People just hold onto the things they first learn about a player and never change their opinion, like you for example on this issue. Everyone remembers TAA as an inexperienced teenager playing against vastly experienced grown men and that's just how things stayed.

But fast forward 5 years from an 18 year old to a 23 year old and 204 appearances for Liverpool and he's a much, much better footballer all around and a better defender.

But everybody just sticks to the myth that he's a liability and he cant defend. I've seen countless times teams figure him to be a weak link and attack down the right only to never find any joy.

Is he the best defender in world football? No.

Is he a liability? Lol... no.

He's actually a pretty good defender, and overall the worlds best RB.
So he can defend when he wants to defend but so regularly doesn't and is out of position. So he's caught out of position isn't a sign of bad defending
 
Apr 2, 2000
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So he can defend when he wants to defend but so regularly doesn't and is out of position. So he's caught out of position isn't a sign of bad defending
Being caught out of position is a system thing. Not bad defending. We counter that by dropping Henderson or Fabinho back to cover.

But if you guys all wanna hang onto the myth that he's a terrible defender, be my guest.

🤷‍♂️
 
Dec 22, 2009
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So he can defend when he wants to defend but so regularly doesn't and is out of position. So he's caught out of position isn't a sign of bad defending

It's the the tactics. Be ready in a high up position for the ball to be moved quickly to him. Drive forward attacking the LB or put an early ball into the forwards before opponents can get their defense set. It definitely pays off even if it means he'll be caught out up the field here and there. The alternative is just to sit deep just to the righit of CBs and waste his talent. Less goals conceded but many, many less goals scored and attacking opportunities created.
 

jd2010

Well done boys. Good process, carry on
Feb 1, 2010
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Being caught out of position is a system thing. Not bad defending. We counter that by dropping Henderson or Fabinho back to cover.

But if you guys all wanna hang onto the myth that he's a terrible defender, be my guest.

🤷‍♂️
Positioning is a defensive skill in itself. Sure he is being asked to play a role, but so is Robertson who doesn't get caught out half as much
 
Apr 2, 2000
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Positioning is a defensive skill in itself. Sure he is being asked to play a role, but so is Robertson who doesn't get caught out half as much
I dont think TAA gets caught up field anymore than Robbo does. I watch a lot of Liverpool too. But believe what you will.

TAA though absolutely gets way further forward than Robbo does. Robbo loves a good marauding run but A LOT of what we do runs through TAA.
 

jd2010

Well done boys. Good process, carry on
Feb 1, 2010
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I dont think TAA gets caught up field anymore than Robbo does. I watch a lot of Liverpool too. But believe what you will.

TAA though absolutely gets way further forward than Robbo does. Robbo loves a good marauding run but A LOT of what we do runs through TAA.
Only going off our last game and our whole game plan was built on exposing him being out of position. If I was to hazard a guess we built that plan because it happens a little more than you've noticed
 
Apr 2, 2000
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Only going off our last game and our whole game plan was built on exposing him being out of position. If I was to hazard a guess we built that plan because it happens a little more than you've noticed
Yep. We've established he gets further forward than Robbo and engineers a lot of our attacks. It's system based. We could ask him to sit on the half way line so we dont get countered but that's wasting his brilliant attacking prowess.

A lot of team favour attacking down the right against us because TAA is often always quite far forward and its the opposite side of the pitch to where VVD is.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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Only going off our last game and our whole game plan was built on exposing him being out of position. If I was to hazard a guess we built that plan because it happens a little more than you've noticed

It helps when our entire midfield is rubbed out with covid the day before the game.

TAA's positioning high up the field is definitely worth it. Theres no other fullback aa devastating as he is in a quick transition. We have VVD & Ali sweeping to clean up.
 
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