Helander, Strengths and Weakness

[The Dead Parrot]

Lacks pace but more often than not his reading of the game and positioning makes up for it, best centre half at the club.

 

[pelem]

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.

Today Goldson should have booted the ball to safety instead he passed a weak ball to an opponent who then passed to an offside teammate who then crossed for doidge to beat a poor jump from Helander and score.

We had a lot of defenders in the box, they had two and Helander didn't challenge the ball.

 

[The Modfather]

Hate to see us losing goals in the air in our box, we should be dealing with crosses, Tav could have stopped the ball going in and Helander didnt jump, beat easy in the air. We've had this lack of aerial presence for a number of years now. Duffy up against this lot at corners will be taking candy from a wean.

 

[Buzz Killington]

Until big Niko is back.
Then Balogun and Niko.
But that will never happen.

Jesus Christ!!!
Balogun we have seen about 110 minutes of football and hasn't been tested at all, while Niko Katic was behind Edmundson when lockdown happened.
Katic doesn't suit the way we play, we play out from the back and katic is murder with ball at his feet. More chance of him heading out the exit door than getting a start over a fit helander ffs.

 

[Laudrup11Cooper]

Jesus Christ!!!
Balogun we have seen about 110 minutes of football and hasn't been tested at all, while Niko Katic was behind Edmundson when lockdown happened.
Katic doesn't suit the way we play, we play out from the back and katic is murder with ball at his feet. More chance of him heading out the exit door than getting a start over a fit helander ffs.

Dude I'm allowed my opinion.ffs.
'Katic doesn't suit the way we play, we play out from the back and katic is murder with ball at his feet'.
If that is the case then why did Gerrard even buy him?

I think we will struggle with Goldson and Helander. I have never seen them consistently... playing well.
There are major frailties between the two. Both slow. Both not as commanding in the air in their box.

Balogun for me...from what I have seen so far, has this German arrogance and confidence, and speed.
I would like to see him in, with one other.Maybe Helander because he is a natural left footer?

Unfortunately I agree with you about Katic. Gerrard doesn't trust him.

Just like I don't trust Goldson and Helander.Again just my opinion.
And until we win something, with whoever is in the back, I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
I pray...pray, Gerrard proves me wrong.

 

[Sheik Ma Shammy]

Thought Helander had a good game yesterday was impeded for the goal but Tav and Barisic defending for the goals was really bad they let the crosses in far too easily.
Goldson should have been subbed he was terrible against Nisbet.

 

[Albertz Loyal]

It's hard to stop goals when the striker pushes you over

 

[Buzz Killington]

Dude I'm allowed my opinion.ffs.
'Katic doesn't suit the way we play, we play out from the back and katic is murder with ball at his feet'.
If that is the case then why did Gerrard even buy him?

I think we will struggle with Goldson and Helander. I have never seen them consistently... playing well.
There are major frailties between the two. Both slow. Both not as commanding in the air in their box.

Balogun for me...from what I have seen so far, has this German arrogance and confidence, and speed.
I would like to see him in, with one other.Maybe Helander because he is a natural left footer?

Unfortunately I agree with you about Katic. Gerrard doesn't trust him.

Just like I don't trust Goldson and Helander.Again just my opinion.
And until we win something, with whoever is in the back, I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
I pray...pray, Gerrard proves me wrong.

Well he bought katic when he first came in the door, he hadn't totally outlined the way he wanted to play at that point remember this is Gerrards first job.
Katic is extremely overrated by part of our support apart from being great in the air he is chronic at near everything else and hasn't developed since being here, take the braga game at home for example constantly diving in like a moron, he's the opposite of helander really where his football brain is probably his greatest strength.

Everyone is entitled to there opinion but I think helander is our best centre back by some distance, he's done one error all season and that was hibs second goal and even then you can argue he's been fouled.
The top centre forwards he's kept quiet speak volumes about his class for me.

I do like the look of Balogun but I'm no ready to put him on a pedestal yet as he really hasn't been tested at all, if Goldson has anymore 15 minute spells where he loses the plot like Sunday it will be him that's on the bench

 

[Forever blue]

Best defender at the club we should try Balogun and Helander partnership.

Definitely

 

[Laudrup11Cooper]

Well he bought katic when he first came in the door, he hadn't totally outlined the way he wanted to play at that point remember this is Gerrards first job.
Katic is extremely overrated by part of our support apart from being great in the air he is chronic at near everything else and hasn't developed since being here, take the braga game at home for example constantly diving in like a moron, he's the opposite of helander really where his football brain is probably his greatest strength.

Everyone is entitled to there opinion but I think helander is our best centre back by some distance, he's done one error all season and that was hibs second goal and even then you can argue he's been fouled.
The top centre forwards he's kept quiet speak volumes about his class for me.

I do like the look of Balogun but I'm no ready to put him on a pedestal yet as he really hasn't been tested at all, if Goldson has anymore 15 minute spells where he loses the plot like Sunday it will be him that's on the bench

Mate, I actually agree with some of what you said, but do you really see Goldson ever on the bench?
Goldson has had these before. many times and yet he has never been dropped.
What about when Hamilton at home, beat us just before lock down?
Gerrard is willing to accept any excuses that Goldson makes, but not for anybody else.
I think he us undropable in Gerrard's eyes.

 

[tazzabear]

He's 6ft 4 and won more aerial challenges than any defender in the SPFL so far.

Don’t let facts get in the way of crass stupidity.

 

[roscof]

Sorry. Just not convinced with Helander, as yet. Looks too cumbersome, distribution
Ropey, and gives away too many fouls when tight on the back of his attacker.
Always hope to be proved wrong, but not yet.

 

[tazzabear]

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.

Yip, seven clean sheets then one bad game, and he wasn’t that bad, gets you dropped.
I’d be embarrassed to be as fickle as some on here.

 

[Tailwind]

He’s obviously a quality player.

I do believe when fit Balogun will prove to be in our best CB pairing

 

[Polar bear]

He's our best defender imo.

You jest sir.

 

[GTM]

Best natural defender at the club by a distance in my opinion.

Reads the game well and rarely beaten in the air.

Had a poor game on Sunday but how many of them has he had? He needs a run of games to get himself more sharp.

The goals conceded at the weekend - the problems that led to those goals started way before Helander was involved. Poor, poor stuff from midfielders tracking back in both cases.

 

[Laudrup11Cooper]

Sorry. Just not convinced with Helander, as yet. Looks too cumbersome, distribution
Ropey, and gives away too many fouls when tight on the back of his attacker.
Always hope to be proved wrong, but not yet.

For me, the dury is still out.
He hasn't even completed half a season yet in games.Mostly due to injury.
Made 60 appearances for Bologna over 3 seasons, and for us possibly 20 odd plus a handful in Europe since July 2019.
It's troubling that Gerrard sees Goldson and Helander as the partnership to stop 'them'.

 

[ChildOfGoth]

Dude I'm allowed my opinion.ffs.
'Katic doesn't suit the way we play, we play out from the back and katic is murder with ball at his feet'.
If that is the case then why did Gerrard even buy him?

I think we will struggle with Goldson and Helander. I have never seen them consistently... playing well.
There are major frailties between the two. Both slow. Both not as commanding in the air in their box.

Balogun for me...from what I have seen so far, has this German arrogance and confidence, and speed.
I would like to see him in, with one other.Maybe Helander because he is a natural left footer?

Unfortunately I agree with you about Katic. Gerrard doesn't trust him.

Just like I don't trust Goldson and Helander.Again just my opinion.
And until we win something, with whoever is in the back, I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
I pray...pray, Gerrard proves me wrong.

I see the CDs roles quite similarly mate , but what I feel we really miss is Physicality in the CD pairing . that’s part of the reason I like NK in the team - or at least for the right opponents . But additionally we really miss his offensive threat again he is so strong and courageous he can overpower almost any other player in spl.

I feel SG has potentially made it hard for himself to substitute CG in particular when he is playing poorly - happens to almost every player - he plays on , and that is what we seen on Sunday when he had problems right through the match .

for me helander had an ok game on `Sunday it was CG who was being outmanoeuvred and out-thought by Nisbet . That was our challenge and both them needed to win there direct contests with Nisbet n Doidge . Connor lost his .

 

[Ibroxkev]

He lacks a bit of pace but I’d still have him in the side every week. I don’t blame him for the goal, the Hibs player got a start on him and yes you could argue a foul but if it was us we’d be going mental if it was chopped off. At the end of the day defenders can’t win everything.