Embarrassment of riches: centre half

**Razors left peg** · 01/04/2022, 4:46 PM

Originally Posted by ColourfulPeanut

People vastly understimate how hard it is and how different a skillset it is to play in midfield at the top level. Just because a centre back has a bit of football about them, doesn't mean they can just play in midfield and succeed.

Agreed, theres the obvious one in recent years who seems to be able to do it, his name rhymes with Spice.

**JR89** · 01/04/2022, 5:03 PM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Agreed, theres the obvious one in recent years who seems to be able to do it, his name rhymes with Spice.

Wasn't Rice a midfielder that could also play CB. Just played CB until Kouyate was sold to Palace.

**Razors left peg** · 01/04/2022, 5:13 PM

Originally Posted by JR89

Wasn't Rice a midfielder that could also play CB. Just played CB until Kouyate was sold to Palace.

I think I remember that he started as a defender but I could be wrong

**JR89** · 01/04/2022, 5:57 PM

Originally Posted by kennedmc

What about James Abankwah? I thought he was a centre half.

To me the fact that clubs are spending decent money on Abankwah (at only 18) and McNally (Assuming it happens) is a big positive sign. Because they are both playing senior ball and all clubs analyse player performance to death now with analytics / big data tools etc - they have obviously identified something in these players.

The reality is it is much harder to asses how good a player is between 15 and 17 or if they are playing U19 / PL2 or U21 level. No hiding place in senior ball.

Potentially use of our centre halves include:
Oshea - can do a job at full back
Collins - can do a job at full back / potentially midfield although need to see more
Lenihan - I think he has played FB for rovers
Manning - can do a job full back / LWB
Abankwah - listening to Stewie Byrne (I think) on OTB last weekend he was 100% convinced that he will end up as a midfielder (He didn't elaborate why!)
Omobamidele - looks good on ball but haven#t seen enough of him yet

Of course no idea if above can play FB to international standard. Also even if you have a very good ball playing centre half it doesn't mean they make it as a midfielder even a defensive mid. Totally different skillset

Like Sean Roughan I think long term Abankwah's position will be CB. The way we set up now at senior level is probably the best set up for us to use long term and should be something the FAI consider whenever time comes to appoint the next manager.

Bosun Lawal is another lad that plays CB but played midfield before moving to Celtic. Think we should keep playing him in midfield rather than CB given the abundance of CBs we've got already. Unlike CB we don't have that many defensive midfielders and outside of Cullen it's all young lads in the underage. He'd also be more defensively minded than someone like Kilkenny whose more a ball player when playing as the 6.

**Trequartista20** · 02/04/2022, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Paddy Garcia

It was the Anfield Holland play off

Four fullbacks, Six defenders.

Staunton (Another fullback) was missing and Phelan took his place on the left of midfield, though there was no need to pick Kenna ahead of McAteer and Houghton. I think Jack was worried about the pacy Dutch wingers after what had happened in the World Cup defeat.

**Eirambler** · 04/04/2022, 6:38 PM

Mazeed Ogungbo on the bench for Arsenal tonight. Was with our Under 20s last week. Good to see an Irish player making the bench for Arsenal in the league, but he is, of course, a centre back.

**JR89** · 04/04/2022, 7:22 PM

If he plays for us and makes it at senior level would slot in nicely at LCB. Played LB with the 19s just before underage footballer came to a halt and has played LB/LWB for Arsenal 23s this season.

**John83** · 05/04/2022, 1:39 AM

A good left wing back would be even more welcome, of course, but Arsenal seem to really have gotten their act together, so him making their bench is no small achievement.

**Stuttgart88** · 05/04/2022, 8:23 AM

Originally Posted by John83

A good left wing back would be even more welcome, of course, but Arsenal seem to really have gotten their act together, so him making their bench is no small achievement.

You obviously didn't see them last night! Tierney injured, possibly for the season. His replacement Tavares was subbed early having had a tough time.

**John83** · 05/04/2022, 8:29 AM

That might be an opportunity for Ogungo, no?

**Stuttgart88** · 05/04/2022, 9:10 AM

You'd think so, though I'd say an improvised solution like Zhaka at LWB is more likely.

**Eirambler** · 25/06/2022, 12:53 PM

I'm not sure if you'd call it an embarrassment of riches - maybe an embarrassment of depth - but by my count 23 clubs in the Championship and League 1 now have at least one Irish centre back in their first team squads (in some cases more than one). Will probably be more by the time the season starts.

**seanfhear** · 25/06/2022, 1:10 PM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

I'm not sure if you'd call it an embarrassment of riches - maybe an embarrassment of depth - but by my count 23 clubs in the Championship and League 1 now have at least one Irish centre back in their first team squads (in some cases more than one). Will probably be more by the time the season starts.

In centre-back terms for a small football country like Ireland that is Riches.

**dr_peepee** · 26/06/2022, 11:41 AM

I’m nearly sure there was a weekend soon after WC2002 where we had 7 CBs play in a Premiership fixture. I think….
Steve Staunton
Phil Babb
Gary Doherty
Andy O’Brien
Kenny Cunningham
Gary Breen
Richie Dunne

**Trequartista20** · 26/06/2022, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

I’m nearly sure there was a weekend soon after WC2002 where we had 7 CBs play in a Premiership fixture. I think….
Steve Staunton
Phil Babb
Gary Doherty
Andy O’Brien
Kenny Cunningham
Gary Breen
Richie Dunne

John O'Shea made 32 league appearances for United in 2002/03 and I think Kenna was playing at centre-back for Birmingham that season, too.

**third policeman** · 26/06/2022, 8:16 PM

Originally Posted by dr_peepee

I’m nearly sure there was a weekend soon after WC2002 where we had 7 CBs play in a Premiership fixture. I think….
Steve Staunton
Phil Babb
Gary Doherty
Andy O’Brien
Kenny Cunningham
Gary Breen
Richie Dunne

Think it’s fair to say one or two of those guys wouldn’t be playing in the PL if they were playing today.

**Fixer82** · 27/06/2022, 8:24 AM

Was Gary Doherty playing CF or CB that week?

**third policeman** · 27/06/2022, 1:06 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

Was Gary Doherty playing CF or CB that week?

From what I remember it was often hard to tell where he was playing and who for. Had him and Babb in mind with the last post. Babb looked decent early on for us and Liverpool, but seemed to unwind and became a bit of a liability.

**Trequartista20** · 27/06/2022, 2:21 PM

Originally Posted by third policeman

Think it’s fair to say one or two of those guys wouldn’t be playing in the PL if they were playing today.

Would any of those players, at that point in their careers, be capable of playing at PL level now?

Maybe Dunne.

**Eirambler** · 27/06/2022, 2:40 PM

Staunton was well into the veteran stage at that point, may have been a squad player in the Premier League today, similar to Coleman at Everton.

Babb was over promoted with the Liverpool move in the 90s, I don't think he'd have been good enough for the league today. I'm not sure he even was back then.

Doherty was a Championship standard player then, let alone now. No way he'd get near a Spurs team today.

Andy O’Brien was actually quite well regarded at that point, maybe a bottom 6 EPL team if he was around now?

Cunningham would be a good EPL squad player if he was at his peak today I think.

Breen probably mid table Championship, I like the guy but he always had a mistake in him.

Richie Dunne was still in his early career status in terms of fitness at that point (overweight and under conditioned). He'd probably have been on loan in the Championship in today's league in that condition - but would go on to be a great EPL player in time.