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Centre back


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The second goal was all Mulgrew's fault.

He hits a sloppy pass which get intercepted and then has to run back and straight-arm the English forward. He got booked, and was lucky not to be sent of! At the free kick is was Mulgrew who 'passed the ball' for Rooney to score rather than hoofing it out the park.

The first goal was Robertson's fault. As O-C moved into the middle of the field from wide right, Hanley was gesticulating to Robertson to follow him in rather than staying wide. The diagonal ball into the box was beyond Hanley, but Robertson wasn't close enough to O-C to put him off the header, at least, which was just a glance! O-C was Robertson's man, but he was not on top of him.

The third goal was the defence's fault. As the ball runs towards the bye-line everyone thinks it is going out, but the English forward gets it, and cuts it back for a Rooney tap-in. Nobody was attacking the ball to stop the cut-back as they all thought it would go out.

Or goal was the best of the lot, with some decent interplay between Russell and Robertson, and not due to a defensive mistake!

:unsure2:

While not due to a defender Sterling`s pathetic non-attempt to track Robertson was a big factor in our goal.

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As I said in the England match thread, my main worry is that Hanley doesn't appear to have improved very much over the past 3 years. I realise he's still only 22, but he has to be seen to be developing, because in 5 years when Russell Martin is nearing the end of his career, will Hanley be our first choice experienced centre back? That's scary. What's even scarier is I don't see anyone else that will be able to step in.

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Bit of a shame that neither Danny Wilson nor Darren Barr turned out anywhere near as good as we hoped.

Stephen McManus looked really good in the latter half of the euro 2008 qualifiers under McLeish but seems to be a shadow of his former self as well. Christophe Berra is another one like that

Murray Wallace at Huddersfield should get a shot as well IMO

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Bit of a shame that neither Danny Wilson nor Darren Barr turned out anywhere near as good as we hoped.

Stephen McManus looked really good in the latter half of the euro 2008 qualifiers under McLeish but seems to be a shadow of his former self as well. Christophe Berra is another one like that

Murray Wallace at Huddersfield should get a shot as well IMO

Wilson still has time and will develop through regularly playing at Hearts. Barr had potential but not the pace if I remember correctly. As for Berra.....I had high hopes for him as he was quick, could defend & read the game but he never kicked on.....he was all to easily bullied at times which I though a move down South would address.

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I didn't think our centre-backs were particularly bad at all last night. The first two goals were both errors by Robertson, though Hanley could maybe have done more with the first. I'm not too concerned about the third goal because that came when we were committing numbers to try and equalise.

Whittaker and Hanley seem to be easy targets, but both are capable players at our level. Whittaker had two superb games against Poland and Ireland.

I still think Greer is a bit better than Martin, but there's not a great deal between them.

I don't get the criticism aimed at Whittaker either, he's a good full back and has good close control. He was excellent vs Ireland I thought.

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Don't remember him having many problems v Walters, lewandovski, muller in terms of aerial challenge. Don't know where you're getting that from tbh.

In fairness the team as a whole played well in those games. I've seen him caught under the ball on a few occasions.....was it him or Hanley that was caught under Wiltshire's pass last night?

Don't get me wrong......I think they are both decent and the best that we have but the "weakest" link in our improving team.

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More to than that to play centre half.

He's no mark Reynolds that's sure.

I agree but it is a key attribute for that position. Look at England's first goal last night.....1 direct ball over the centre halfs and bang! We're 1-0 down.

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I agree but it is a key attribute for that position. Look at England's first goal last night.....1 direct ball over the centre halfs and bang! We're 1-0 down.

Invalid.

Martin was not at fault for the first goal it was Hanley and Robertson for ball watching.

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