We should have bought a defender. We should have bought a defender. It seems such an obvious mantra that it might barely be worth saying, except that it is such an important one that yet again seems to have been completely overlooked by the club.
I have nothing against Sibierski, he's an decent enough player (though only decent, not exactly earth shattering) but reel off the names Solano, Milner, Parker, Emre, Butt, N'Zogbia, Duff, even Luque (and soon enough Dyer) then you'd be forgiven for wondering if Sibierski will ever actually play. Hell, even Pattison and O'Brien have done well enough in there appearances to be convincing cover behind that lot. Sibierski is a player un-needed, when there is a position (or two) so desperate to be filled. Try reeling off the names of Moore, Taylor, Bramble, Ramage. Now I think Taylor will be a very good defender but he hasn't the experience to organise and lead in the position yet. Moore is average, not really the outstanding man we're looking for. Bramble, well, I personally think his career was blighted by playing alongside that bumbling frenchman who is now inflicting his woes on Juventus---I don't know if he can bring it back; concentration, concentration. The thing we miss is an outstanding defender not only to control our lost flock of a back four but to look up to, learn from. Just as the bad habits and non-existing defending of the moment are catching, so are good habits and reading of the game. I would have given Woodgate whatever he wanted to come back. Not only an outstanding defender but just maybe enough good practice would have rubbed of on the others that they could get by in a hell of a better state than they are now if he got injured. One can't help look at Middlesbrough with envious eyes as they line up Woodgate and Huth and think, that's what we should have broke the bank to have.
(@14:09)
