Duff to left back?

we all know the left back spot has been a problem area for us, but surely playing duff there is going a step too far, robbing peter to pay paul kind of thing?

or should stan take a leaf out of glenn roeder's book and move the duffster to left back. i only saw the highlights of newcastle's game yesterday but according to sky sports duff did make some marauding runs forward and was pretty solid in defence. its probably only a stop-gap measure for the magpies but huntington(who has played quite well in a good few games at LB this season) was left on the bench yesterday.

what will the upshot of this be?

duff's confidence further eroded, the find of the season, newcastle to concede ten goals in their next two games, the end of ian harte's ireland days, or damn all, once off, this is a stupid thread?

Duff doesn't seem to have the legs to go past defenders any more, hence the experiment of Newcastle playing him at left back.

We have a left-back playing regularly in the Premiership, Geary at Sheff. Utd. But he's not in the squad :eek:

Geary is rubbish to be honest. Any time I see him i see he is at fault for goals. Just because Neil Warnock thinks he can do a job at Sheff Utd does not mean he should be in the squad. I dont rate him at all and Staunton doesnt either.

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Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Geary is rubbish to be honest. Any time I see him i see he is at fault for goals. Just because Neil Warnock thinks he can do a job at Sheff Utd does not mean he should be in the squad. I dont rate him at all and Staunton doesnt either.

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would you rather ian harte there cause he's about the worst player to wear the green in good knows how long!

Wow. Four replies, and no 'Yeah, left back in Newcastle' joke.

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Originally Posted by stojkovic

We have a left-back playing regularly in the Premiership, Geary at Sheff. Utd. But he's not in the squad :eek:

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Geary is playing right-full for sheff utd at the moment. he was only used as a left-full as cover for yer man Armstrong who was injured. From what I've seen of him he looks pretty average....

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Originally Posted by Dr. Ogba

Geary is playing right-full for sheff utd at the moment. he was only used as a left-full as cover for yer man Armstrong who was injured. From what I've seen of him he looks pretty average....

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Yeh, i think he's pretty average to, but being pretty average would entitle you to a place in the ireland squad at the moment.

I would have Stephen Kelly at left back ahead of anybody at the moment.

what a freefall the poor duffer has suffered since WC02!! now he is being touted for LB!! he has been marked out of games too easily against any half-decent opposotion for a while now and now is being shunted into LB at his club. he seems to lack any real pace or guile out wide anymore. a pity but it does happen to wingers and pacy strikers when they push on. what age is he now, i know he is not old by any means by he is 26/27. unfortunately mr. duff may have seen his best days and only enjoy the odd glimmer of the old duffer from time to time. ryan giggs is a total one off for his staying at the top of his game for so long. if it is the end of duffer at the top it is not totally unusual. how many wingers have come and gone in the last 10 years? defenders tend to stick around much longer but as alex ferguson said very recently wingers come and go very frequently.

He recently turned 28. From some of the things himself and Roeder have said about his form, it sounds like more of a psychological hinderance, so I'd hope he can come through that and find a bit of quality still.

How many players when having a terrible time at their clubs, have come in and put in big performances for Ireland - come on duffer, sat is your chance!

Duffs tracking back is excellent. Especially when he was at Chelsea but putting him into left back would damage his confidence. He would realise that having him as an attacking threat isn't a priority anymore.

Duff has been fairly dissapointing over the last couple of years and hopefully he will find some form. We need the young Duff from the WC2002 to return badly.

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Originally Posted by kingdom hoop

we all know the left back spot has been a problem area for us, but surely playing duff there is going a step too far, robbing peter to pay paul kind of thing?

or should stan take a leaf out of glenn roeder's book and move the duffster to left back. i only saw the highlights of newcastle's game yesterday but according to sky sports duff did make some marauding runs forward and was pretty solid in defence. its probably only a stop-gap measure for the magpies but huntington(who has played quite well in a good few games at LB this season) was left on the bench yesterday.

what will the upshot of this be?

duff's confidence further eroded, the find of the season, newcastle to concede ten goals in their next two games, the end of ian harte's ireland days, or damn all, once off, this is a stupid thread?

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This is a very stupid thread. He's a left winger, and an excellent one when on form. He's not, and never will be, a left back

Mourinho used him at left back a couple of times. He certainly seems capable there (something I really hesitate to say about our other options there) but I don't think we're so blessed with wingers that we can drop him back without consequence.

He is the only attacking option in the Irish team and has been for the last few years. Just get him out on the left wing and get the our left full back to go past him to take one of the two markers off him and he will do the goods from Ireland.

I never understood why he went to Newcastle, that club have constant injury problems because of terrible training methods that have ruined players in the past. He should get away from there and go to somewhere like Spurs where thay use attacking players properly!

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Originally Posted by lionelhutz

This is a very stupid thread. He's a left winger, and an excellent one when on form. He's not, and never will be, a left back

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oi you, no need for that:)

if you want to be smart, then he was in fact a left back just two days ago! which i'm sure a good few people weren't aware of so its good someone brought it up. the club form/positions of our players are always important.

while its v.unlikely he'll play left back in a 442 maybe he could do a good job as a left wing-back in a 532.

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Originally Posted by sheepstealer

Am i the only person who saw stephen kelly playing out of position at left back for ireland and playing superbly

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I wouldn't go as far as superb, many have already said he did quite well.
He was adequate to good at LB with the bonus of having Finnan at RB where he belongs.

Yeah I thought Stephen Kelly was very good at left back and should start and so shoudl Mc Shane and Carsley and Douglas. They should all be rewarded for their performances V Czech Rep.

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Originally Posted by sheepstealer

I just think he might be ever so slightly better than Harte Duff or O'Shea but as you say what do i know

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That's the you plural of course :) I wouldn't say such a thing.

Thinking about it more, considering Kelly for a RB playing at LB (in his 2nd start?) some time after his terrible debut, performed very well, beyond most peoples expectations. I would have him in pole position for LB with O'Shea as deputy. I like Harte but even his prize asset, his crossing and dead ball ability, is letting him down now.