Helander, Strengths and Weakness

O

Odin1972

Well-Known Member
I think Helander is a great positional defender and reader of the game, we see this in Europe. I also think he is tidy enough in Europe when teams don’t press the centre halves as much.

In domestic games when we face the headless chicken press he is to slow to move the ball, rarely plays through the lines allowing teams to sit on Barisic as by the time he releases Borna has one or two players on him and his only outball is back to Helander or to the keeper.

Being overpowered between the posts isn’t on either. He should have bought a foul or attacked the ball with far more intent.

In short, a clever player who obviously retains positional information but Balogun should replace him domestically for the time being.

I do think Balogun’s adventure could potentially lose us a goal or two but I fancy his recovery pace and physicality to be the better option ongoing domestically.
 
I think Helander is a great defender.
Today he was fouled by Doidge at the goal,who had the run on him but also had 2 hands on Helander's shoulders.
Would Morelos have got away with that,he didn't at Killie last season when his 'push' on the defender was less obvious.
Edit:Beaton was the ref at Killie.
 
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MrBrightside said:
I think Helander is a great defender.
Today he was fouled by Doidge at the goal,who had the run on him but also had 2 hands on Helander's shoulders.
Would Morelos have got away with that,he didn't at Killie last season when his 'push' on the defender was less obvious,Don Robertson see that one though,strange eh?
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Was he the same ref for that dodgy call?
 
Odin1972 said:
I think Helander is a great positional defender and reader of the game, we see this in Europe. I also think he is tidy enough in Europe when teams don’t press the centre halves as much.

In domestic games when we face the headless chicken press he is to slow to move the ball, rarely plays through the lines allowing teams to sit on Barisic as by the time he releases Borna has one or two players on him and his only outball is back to Helander or to the keeper.

Being overpowered between the posts isn’t on either. He should have bought a foul or attacked the ball with far more intent.

In short, a clever player who obviously retains positional information but Balogun should replace him domestically for the time being.

I do think Balogun’s adventure could potentially lose us a goal or two but I fancy his recovery pace and physicality to be the better option ongoing domestically.
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Aye nae bother Connor, a bit worried Balogun should be taking your place after today’s performance.

Deflect the blame on to someone else.
 
Stephen Johnston said:
He doesn’t lack height!!
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He sometimes jumps downwards in a ph
wilso10 said:
Helander was absolutely solid up until that 2nd goal if you watch the game back.

Absolutely nothing was getting by him.
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I don’t doubt his defensive ability. If you read the post it’s his use of the ball, particularly under pressure and more particularly the pace of that use of the ball that I am criticising.
 
That's your job though. I was sort of looking for your skills within the job so is there anything else you could put there.

Okay. That's just under 'weaknesses' you've put eczema
 
bornabluenose said:
Helander and Goldson are still our best defensive pairing.

Goldson hadn't put a foot wrong this season before today.

Our troubles do not lie in our defence.
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Any team having to score 3 goals to win a match to make up conceding two, has a problem in defence.

The defence was shocking and that needs acknowledged, not swept aside.
 
I like Goldson and think he should be a starter but you wouldnt see Helander doing these stupid flicks and trying to overplay which costs us.

Gerrard has absolutely no problem dropping Katic or Helander and now Balogun but never drops or rests Goldson.

Why not bring Goldson out on thursday in Gibraltar and keep him fresh for today ?
 
wilso10 said:
Helander was absolutely solid up until that 2nd goal if you watch the game back.

Absolutely nothing was getting by him.
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And he was solidly beaten at that second goal.

Foul? He was looking for one sure.

In reality? Not in a million years.

He was beaten in the air by a random SPL guy and cost us a goal...simple.

Doesn't make him a bad player but certainly indicates he's not a great one.
 
He was excellent today except for the goal, and it's a horrible one to defend from a standing start with the striker running at/climbing on you.
 
How many times have we ha
LucyBlue said:
Any team having to score 3 goals to win a match to make up conceding two, has a problem in defence.

The defence was shocking and that needs acknowledged, not swept aside.
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How many times have we had to do that this season , it was bad day at the office defensively , that is all.

I don't see everything as being rosey but defence is the least of our problems.
 
bornabluenose said:
How many times have we ha

How many times have we had to do that this season , it was bad day at the office defensively , that is all.

I don't see everything as being rosey but defence is the least of our problems.
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Excuse me.

*taps on your skull*

How many times have the defence had to do anything up till today?

Hibs are the first team that have put any pressure on us and our defence gifted them goals.

A bad day at the office? This was their first day at the office and they failed.

They were to blame for two howlers...nearly three. It was their fault. They carry the can.

We scored two goals...we shouldn't need to score three in the scottish league to win a game!
 
LucyBlue said:
Excuse me.

*taps on your skull*

How many times have the defence had to do anything up till today?

Hibs are the first team that have put any pressure on us and our defence gifted them goals.

A bad day at the office? This was their first day at the office and they failed.

They were to blame for two howlers...nearly three. It was their fault. They carry the can.
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Aye right you are , we will see how things pan out but if you think our defence is the problem it's your skull that needs attention .
 
bornabluenose said:
Aye right you are , we will see how things pan out but if you think our defence is the problem it's your skull that needs attention .
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We will see.

Gifting goals like that against no-marks will cost us the league not beating teams 2-0 instead of 5-0.

We'll see alright.
 
Not sure if Gerrard helped things even dropping McLaughlin on Thursday.
Didn't look assured as in other games.Especially as Goldson and Helander were there for the taking today. Both were poor.
If it's not broke then don't try and fix it!
 
LucyBlue said:
We will see.

Gifting goals like that against no-marks will cost us the league not beating teams 2-0 instead of 5-0.

We'll see alright.
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That we will, we have issues alright , we aren't good enough to sustain a tile challenge yet.

That's the bottom line , singling out the defence after one bad display is overly simplistic.
 
Don’t think Helander done much wrong today.

He was out jumped from a guy who had a run at him to attack the ball and who had the benefit of doubt from the referee.

Goldson’s attempt at a clearance few seconds before it was abysmal! Gave the ball straight to Hibs. Then there was the offside through ball.
 
I still think Helander & Goldson don't 'gel' together as solidly as I'd like

They don't seem to have a decent 'cover each other's back' mentality to me

So I'm left wondering if this simply a partnership problem rather than one of them only being at fault

They both have their limitations & maybe need to build up a tighter positional relationship- the trouble is they should have done that by now
 
dlt said:
Unbelievable folk saying drop him for Balogun. Thought he was great today with the exception of being weak for the 2nd goal. However could have easily been given as a foul.

Helander is the least of our problems just now.
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Not too many players could out jump someone who has 2 hands on their shoulders to gain extra leverage
 
Today was an exception rather than the rule for Goldson and Helander when playing together.

As for Hibs 2nd goal, a defender never wins that ball. Best he could have hoped for was winning a foul or Dodge making an ar*e of the finish.
 
The other week he was immense, this board is ridiculous, he’s the best defender at the club. If anyone is to be left out after todays performance it should be Goldson
 
Really he’s hardly put a foot wrong all season. Likewise Goldson.

Wasn’t our day today. I’m pissed off and have vented as much as anyone.

But there has to be a line, folks. We cannot shuffle defences every time we concede a soft goal.

The lad from Wigan is being made out like he’s fkin Maldini in his absence. He did well at Pittodrie, bit more shaky in his home debut.

There is no need to change up the partnership just because of today. You’re just hurting and need to lash out at something. It’s a convenient way for people to kid themselves that everything will be alright - just switch the centre backs around !
 
He is class he reads the game well only issue I have with him is he bundles into the back of strikers all the time and gives away stupid free kicks
 
Laudrup11Cooper said:
Not sure if Gerrard helped things even dropping McLaughlin on Thursday.
Didn't look assured as in other games.Especially as Goldson and Helander were there for the taking today. Both were poor.
If it's not broke then don't try and fix it!
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I actually don't think this was an issue, as the save from Nisbet would have drove his confidence right up if it was down atall before hand.
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I
 
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