Composure and calmness.

[benni...]

I hear a lot of people complaining about players like Rio being nonchalant, or looking like he doesnt care because he is composed and calm in a game. What is wrong with that?

Once more, it seems to be only my english friends who have a problem with it? Is it up to expectations and such? He isnt a typical English center halve obviously, but isnt composure part of the game that you need at times? Especially instead of running around like a made man, diving into challenges head first only to get beaten.

Someone explain to me, why being composed is a bad thing.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Composure is great, if you can back it up with good performaces. The problem is he acts far too laid back and then makes stupid mistakes, which only look worse because of his style...

[Motterman]

Well, being composed is great, not showing an ability or motivation to get stuck in, pretty much ever, gives the impression that you aren't giving your all to the club.

Heck, look at Stam - he was calm, cool and collected, but when it came time to do the business, he was a player you wanted to go to war with. Rio looks like he'd be more comfortable at a tea party.

[littleman]

Rio had a I-am-fcuked ;_; face during the Boro match. He knew he was shiet.

[StrikerCW]

Confidence is a key to play CB. I have to know when you can make the tackles and when you must wait for help.

HOWEVER, whenever you know you can make the tackles, or whenever the time comes where you MUST make tackles because you are the last man.. When by damn you must do it. You can't just get schooled like a little girl and stand there and look like an idiot afterwards. Sometimes you just have to get down and break some legs (not literaly).

[jayro75]

Well, being composed is great, not showing an ability or motivation to get stuck in, pretty much ever, gives the impression that you aren't giving your all to the club.

Heck, look at Stam - he was calm, cool and collected, but when it came time to do the business, he was a player you wanted to go to war with. Rio looks like he'd be more comfortable at a Pot party.

FYP.... :p

But in answer to the question composure is a key attribute you would look for in a center back... I don't think Rio has been composed lately his mistakes are not made ny a calm secure player... They are the mistakes of someone whose head is somewhere else..

[Vermont Red]

Like I said on another thread, I just want to see Rio really rattle an opposing player every once in a while, just to put the idea in their heads. Look at Sol Campbell or John Terry, forwards never know when they're going to be force-fed an elbow. It makes a difference.

[NYCgeezer]

Exactly - sometimes it seems like Rio is more concerned with gracefulness than result. Terry isn't. And when you're facing strong strikers like Hasselbank, you have to abandon grace and ********in get in there. Simple as that.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Which Man Utd defender has the most talent? Ferdinand.
Which Man Utd defender is the most effective? Heinze.

That says it all.

[StrikerCW]

Which Man Utd defender has the most talent? Ferdinand.
Which Man Utd defender is the most effective? Heinze.

That says it all.
Even when injuried it seems.

[SirManchester]

I don't know what the hell happend to Ferdinand, after that whole coke incident he came back even stronger than before and contributed to the team tremendously, but ever since he hasn't been showing any grit or any determination. :mad:

[Dark Savante]

Exactly - sometimes it seems like Rio is more concerned with gracefulness than result. Terry isn't. And when you're facing strong strikers like Hasselbank, you have to abandon grace and ********in get in there. Simple as that.
I think people need to understand that Rio's 'style' is his instinct as is Terry and Campbell with their way of playing. Rio would look like bambi on ice trying to get stuck in as would Terry or Campbell trying to look graceful on the ball.

I made the point in the Rio thread that Rio has tried this season to 'get tough' I don't think many have even noticed that he squared up to the Benfica CB and had a go at Crouch and few other players of a similar stature...it just isn't him though and we all know it.

I'd prefer Rio to sort out his own game, getting 'stuck in' isn't going to happen all of a sudden for a 27yr old sweeper who was an AM as a youth at West Ham. The Middlesborough game kind of highlighted that Rio doesn't know how to sliding tackle like a typical CB. He has the pace and precision to almost never have to go to ground and I bet in every instance when someone goes past him he genuinely expects to recover, smoothly take the ball and carry on as normal.

I didn't follow Rio's career that much before he came to United, but does anyoone else know of Rio having a loss of form and confidence like we are seeing now? Hasn't his career been piss easy, plain-sailing up to this point?

[50 Euro]

Hasn't his career been piss easy, plain-sailing up to this point?
I certainly wouldn't say his career has been piss easy... ;)

[SirManchester]

Actually from what I remember him at West Ham and especially at Leeds he was quite the physical player, I remember when Leeds was in the CL he practically carried the team on his shoulders with his aggression and determination, he made sliding tackles and got into his opponents' faces.

[Dark Savante]

Actually from what I remember him at West Ham and especially at Leeds he was quite the physical player, I remember when Leeds was in the CL he practically carried the team on his shoulders with his aggression and determination, he made sliding tackles and got into his opponents' faces.
Leeds were very aggressive and pressed hard from the back. Not sure Rio was sliding all over the place though that was Woodgate's job (what a pair that would be btw) the games I saw of Rio for West Ham (on MOTD) he was always very fast and all over his man, but I don't recall him being the 'go to ground' type.

[Dark Savante]

I certainly wouldn't say his career has been piss easy... ;)
:p lol

[benni...]

What worries me is that everyone seems to think that you need to be a physical type player to be a defender. Is that a nessecity to being a center half?

Why does it leave the impression that your not trying hard if you dont get stuck in?

[Vermont Red]

I just want Rio to elbow someone in the face, just to show that it's part of his arsenal. Players think twice before they try to go around Heinze. Nobody thinks twice about going around Rio. He wouldn't have to do it much to gain a slight advantage. If JFH thought that he could have caught an elbow, he may have not been as agressive.

[benni...]

Yeah, untill he catches a mean streak gets booked plenty then ends up suspended all the time.

Leave that to Arsenal players.

[Motterman]

What worries me is that everyone seems to think that you need to be a physical type player to be a defender. Is that a nessecity to being a center half?

Why does it leave the impression that your not trying hard if you dont get stuck in?

Well, this comes into my theory about Rio. I think he would be better as a bigger physical defender's partner, than to be the one leading the line in the back. Basically, he'd be the Silvestre of the pairing, except a little bit less pace, but better positional awareness and distribution.