5-0, 5-2...Are there any Defenders left in the EPL/NDL?

[Kabalega]

3-3 score lines are now common.
Giving up goals 2-3 goals in 5 minutes is not unusual anymore.
Kane is scoring hat-tricks with abandon.
Man City has a +48 goal difference!
Even Mourinho's park the bus, slow down the game tactics are not working anymore.

Is there an invisible hand conspiring against defenders in the EPL?

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Money is damaging the game. A team can go out and buy the best players in every position and use them to beat up on the small teams whose goals are just to stay up and not get relegated. The relegation battle is now more exciting than winning or CL quali.

[balo]

The gap widens further. But there are still the occasional surprises.

See Man U vs. Burnley. In the EPL, "occasional" is becoming rampant.

[Kabalega]

Money is not such a big problem because even the small EPL teams get enough to buy decent players.
They may not have talented deep squads but at least they should have decent first 11.

The poor defending issues transcend money because Liverpool are the poster club for poor defending.
The Spurs' defense has started crumbling too.

Heck, the goal keeping seems to be getting worse, too!

I suspect that teams are ignoring traditional defending.
Big Sam went to Everton and had them playing defense again.

It may well be that the game's defensive play is in transition and teams are struggling with the changes.

[pajimoh]

5-0, 5-2...Are there any Defenders left in the EPL/NDL

Zanzi "4-king wine" bar, are there any footballers in Uganda?

[wiseone]

The standard of attackers in the EPL has never been higher (because even teams at the bottom can go out and buy 25million strikers). Crystal Palace are fighting relegation...with a 35 million striker, a former Man Utd attacker, a former Spurs winger, and a former PSG midfielder in their squad.

[Kabalega]

The standard of attackers in the EPL has never been higher (because even teams at the bottom can go out and buy 25million strikers). Crystal Palace are fighting relegation...with a 35 million striker, a former Man Utd attacker, a former Spurs winger, and a former PSG midfielder in their squad.

So teams are spending more on their attacking game than building balanced teams?

That's what Liverpool have done but they are still rebuilding and Klopp is notorious for waiting for the right player to show up instead of buying any available good player.

[wiseone]

I am all for it actually. Brilliant attackers + bobbins defending = absolute crackers like that 3-3 draw between Arsenal and Liverpool. Plus the standard of defending has receded.

So teams are spending more on their attacking game than building balanced teams?

That's what Liverpool have done but they are still rebuilding and Klopp has is notorious for waiting for the right player to show up instead of buying any available good player.

[metalalloy]

The narrative changes.. We all saw thread after thread about Ronaldo's hat tricks last season. The red hypocrite on this site has done all he can do to downplay Harry Kane's amazing feats this season

[Kabalega]

I am all for it actually. Brilliant attackers + bobbins defending = absolute crackers like that 3-3 draw between Arsenal and Liverpool. Plus the standard of defending has receded.

So teams are spending more on their attacking game than building balanced teams?

That's what Liverpool have done but they are still rebuilding and Klopp is notorious for waiting for the right player to show up instead of buying any available good player.

Well, Man City is covering all positions and it shows.
They're not even done yet. They are looking to shore up their defense with new players next month.

[wiseone]

Man City's defenders are more attackers than proper defenders. Heck even their GK is used as an attacking weapon with his excellent distribution. Their FBs spend most of the game in the opposition half, they play with 2 attacking CMs, and a front 3. The only players in the 11 who spend time defending are Kompany, Otamendi, and Fernandinho. They spend so much time attacking that no one gets to exploit that though. Man City versus PSG (with fair tackling) would be dynamite.

Well, Man City is covering all positions and it shows.
They're not even done yet. They are looking to shore up their defense with new players next month.

[Kabalega]

Man City's defenders are more attackers than proper defenders. Heck even their GK is used as an attacking weapon with his excellent distribution. Their FBs spend most of the game in the opposition half, they play with 2 attacking CMs, and a front 3. The only players in the 11 who spend time defending are Kompany, Otamendi, and Fernandinho. They spend so much time attacking that no one gets to exploit that though. Man City versus PSG (with fair tackling) would be dynamite.

Well, Man City is covering all positions and it shows.
They're not even done yet. They are looking to shore up their defense with new players next month.

It's a team sport.
Defenders attack and attackers defend.

Liverpool know they have a problem and hope £75m for Van Dijk is an answer.

[Coach]

West Brom 0 - Everton 0
One word. Big Sam.

[wiseone]

You know the Apocalypse is nearly upon us when football clubs are willing to pay 75 million for VVD.

How much would a Nesta, Cannavaro, Baresi, Maldini, Stam, Vidic, or Puyol go for nowadays?

Liverpool know they have a problem and hope £75m for Van Dijk is an answer.

[Kabalega]

West Brom 0 - Everton 0
One word. Big Sam.

Geez, they still have 0-0 score lines in the EPL?

Big Sam, like a hometown prophet, is not given the respect he deserves.

[Kabalega]

Their "Fab Four" cannot guarantee them wins.

VVD has proven himself and has lots of room for improvement.
In a few years his deal will look like a steal.

You know the Apocalypse is nearly upon us when football clubs are willing to pay 75 million for VVD.

How much would a Nesta, Cannavaro, Baresi, Maldini, Stam, Vidic, or Puyol go for nowadays?

Liverpool know they have a problem and hope £75m for Van Dijk is an answer.