Since Brown seems to be raring to return to the fray, I was wondering what the rest of you guys thought would be the best line-up in CB. I know Brown has been here for years and has probably earned his right to the starting birth due to just that, but his susceptibility to injuries makes him very unreliable. He's looked very well for us in the times that he's been playing, though, and that should always be accounted for. Vidic is a rock. He almost seems like the perfect defender to pair with Rio. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but ever since I laid eyes on Vidic, I knew he would work. Strong, no nonsense, with a great sense for positioning and a defensive style which has impressed all at the club. He seems like a great fit. So I made a poll. I think my vote is obvious, though. Who do you guys think should be the permanent starting CB pairing?
i voted brown, but it wasnt easy! i think the thing that made me vote for brown, was one thing, and that was pace... both brown and vidic ared basically carbon copies of each other, with vidic having the better reading of a game, and brown making up for it with the pace. so, all in all, its pretty negligable, on another day, i probably would have voted for our well-endowed serb....
Neither do I, but it has worked before for other teams, and I wouldn't mind just trying it out once. Maybe Fergie has done so in training, maybe not.
[aside]Hahaha, look at the new mod. [/aside] I voted for Vidic because I feel he will be in the lineup more consistently than the injury-prone Brown, which should give our backline more consistency.
I voted for Wesley; He’s been my player of the year so far and was in fantastic form until his recent injury. Rio and Wesley compliment each other and they have formed a great partnership. Now don’t get me wrong I am falling in love with vidic. In the long run I think vidic will take brown places but right now it’s Wesley Brown.
Brown, because he's earned my trust. Vidic may do the same, but he hasn't yet. SirManc as a mod! Benni no longer a mod! What is happening?
I voted for Vidic because he IS the perfect partner for Rio who has been in great form these past couple matches next to Vidic. I'd love to try Vidic-Brown with Rio in midfield but its unlikely that Fergie will give it a try. Can you imagine something like this??? ----------Rio -Heinze--Vidic--Brown Essentially Rio is a midfielder and because Heinze has played LB and Brown RB they can cover the wings (fat chance) and Rio will shield the back three... dear god, the forwards that could get owned by those 4.
Look, I love Wesley Brown but I voted Vidic for the same reasons I posted in the thread about the West Ham game a few weeks back (pasted here): Rio's strength isn't man marking, especially physical strikers. He's best when he gets to read the game and pick his spots; he's best in one on one situations when the player is running at him and he simply needs to calculate the moment to get in; he's best when he has time to win balls and play them out. My view is that he'll play less like a centerback in a flat-4 than as a sweeper if consistently paired up with Vidic; that will suit both of them.
If Gary was playing in defense as well, it may have a chance, but Rio is just too good of a central defender to try to convert him.
Interesting thread. Too hard for me to call just yet. Wes has been immense for us when he's played this last season - he's actually playing at a level I didn't know he could reach. Vidic has been immense as well. It's not easy. Will need to see Vidic up against some of the better strikers in the league first before passing judgement 100% one way or the other.
Wow this is a hard decision, but if I had to vote right now, I would say Vidic, but I need to see more games of Vidic, like DS said. One thing is for sure, apart from his breif adjustment period after the transfer, he hasnt made a glaring mistake that I can think of, unlike Wes, and him trying to play basketball against Blackburn.
I think 3 things tilt things in Vidic's favor. 1. He's started and performed admirably against 3 teams that are either aerially dominant or who play long ball quite often. Brum, Bolton and Liverpool. Brown of course has been excellent all season long, so that's no knock against him. 2. He's made Rio much better in those matches he's played. Brown has been good, but I don't think he's really made Rio much better tbh. 3. He was part of Serbia and Montenegro's 1 goal allowed WCQ campaign and as such has played big games and performed admirably. Brown doesn't have much international experience, or even big game experience so Vidic gets the nod here as well.
Had Rio been 3 years younger, I think Vidic and Brown would be fine at the back and Rio in the midfield.. but that is for another thread. I think Brown is a damn good defender and I always liked him even last season when he was playing horrible. Vidic is just a rock though. He goes great with Rio. Brown is faster and not as aerial presence though. I could honestly see us playing them in rotate with Rio next season (if Brown stays fit), with Pique rotating when Rio needs rest (5 or 6 matches next season maybe). If DS is to believed, Pique is just a young version of Rio and could do well in that sweeper position. I like the possibility to rotate.. although that doesn't help any two of them gel. I think they are all good enough (bar Pique which we haven't seen enough of, although he has done decently in his first team chances) to be able to go with the flow. IF they are rotated. I could see Brown against teams like Arsenal and Spurs.. teams with not much of a aerial game. With Vidic playing against the hardnosers.
i feel brown has really stepped up to the plate this season and could have a great parntership....that mabye in another life could have been translated to the england national team. as it is brown is on the list of ppl who have long shots to play on the national team. KNowing the english central defenders, campbell and terry and carrager and rio, that is quite a respectable bunch if brown merits that kind of prowness that he should definitly be starting
Brown is in with a shout to be a reserve CB/RB. But he won't and shouldn't get on the pitch for England. Terry, Rio, Carragher, King and Brown. You shouldn't take 5 CBs but because Carra can play LB/RB/CB and King DM/CM and Brown CB/RB it might just work. Personally. I would take Terry, Rio, Carra and King. England needs the extra spot for a midfielder. I think Brown will get lots of opportunities to start with us. I think Gary is slowing down and as he gets more and more injury prone we'll see Brown playing maybe 15 games at RB a season especially when we need to rest Gary with midweek games. Then when we rotate and rest Rio/Vidic Brown should get some games.
I have to say Vidic here. Sadly, as much as I love to say "we've got Wesley Brown", his injury history just doesn't help his case. Plus, Vidic has not been what we've been asking for since Stam left--a physical CM--he's been doing a great job at it and complementing Rio well. Where Brown will come into play is, as Johno said, as Gary starts to wind down he and Pique might go in for that spot.
Actually... there was a time when some people (I may have been one of them) were talking about playing Heinze as a DM. Vidic is a good passer, an excellent marker and plays well up the pitch. If Fergie weren't so robotic and Rio wasn't a better option to play DM, Vidic might not have been a bad option. You could never accuse him of failing to close down a shooter, or not providing enough steel in midfield. You could probably get away with playing a very attacking CM next to him too. All these pipe dreams.
I honestly can't seperate the two right now and before last night's game against Sunderland my opinion would have been to start Vidic for the rest of the season and let the two of them fight for a place over the summer/pre-season/start of next season. That's just because I don't like to see a winning team changed up too much and isn't a slight on Brown at all and in no way am I blaming him for our faliure to win that game. It's probably a little simplistic but my attitude would have been along the lines of "Well Wes, unfortunately you suffered an injury at the wrong time of year and Nemanja has come in and done well, as has the team, you're gonna have to sit out for a while". As it is, Brown came back and didn't do alot, if anything wrong so I'm left scratching my head again and am still no nearer to being able to answer the question. Lol, that was alot of typing to simply say "I don't know".