Yeah, the way Bonucci is static looks bad, but I think it would have taken a great bit of defending to read the danger and get moving early enough to close down Gervinho when Gervinho had run from deep and timed it very well.
The weak challenge Bonucci put in on the halfway line was, to me, a far bigger error than failing to defend the cross.
Exactly my point. He'd have to be much better than he can actually be to stop that goal from happening. Still, a defensive mistake i'm afraid.
Red said:
I think some of the praise for Pjanic is being over-done.
He came on at a point when the game was naturally starting to open up, so there was the chance for him to influence things. Now he did well to take advantage of the space, but he didn't cause the space to open up, which is what changed the game.
Had Pjanic started the game - or even come on at halftime - I think he would have been pretty ineffective right up until the same point in the match that he started to influence things having come off the bench when he did.
I think he's a pretty inteligent playmaker and could have found a way to break that bus defence in the first half. But we're in the assumptions territory here.
My praising is not only for this match but for every time i saw him play. IIRC there were 3 or 4 times i saw him coming out of the bench and simply change the game. One could say the circumstances allowed him to do it but i remember matches where Inzaghi would do nothing but wait for the ball and when the chance came, he took it marvelously.
It's all about what you do with what's given to you. He deserves some praising for the season he's having.
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It really depends on what you attribute to good/great defending. For me it's awareness and positioning. I would always take a defender like Chiellini over a Bonnucci in my team every day of the week, and twice on Sunday's, even though the former has got comparatively poorer ball control and passing ability. But his awareness and positioning adds greater value.
Like I said, Vidic for right now, while we see Ogbonna (that someone younger) grow into the role. If you think Vidic is old, then you're going to have to start worrying about Barzagli cos they're the same age. Both can cut it for another couple of years IMO. And experience never hurts.
I would take many other defenders over Bonucci but that's not the point. Overall he's a decent grinta player with a somewhat good passing/awareness.
Yes, they're both the same age. Big difference is we already have Barzagli, we didn't buy him when he was at this age. Buying someone like Lucio who was also old for a 4th, 5th defender is one thing, buying someone that old to replace Bonucci is another.