Obita Transfer to Left Back?

[Brum Royal]

Wasn't at Watford, but at Brighton last week with Obita on at left back for the last 20 mins we had a lot better shape. He put some good crosses in, took on the full back, and played the left wingback/winger role very well.

Good to hear he continued that form on Saturday.

[Millsy]

Left back until bridge back YES

Left back permanent NO

Agree and just echoing other good comments here. Judging purely from commentary and feedback Obita has to be our man at left back, obviously second choice behind a fit Bridge.

Would be nice to bring in a natural LB but given now the transfer problems are out in the open if we have limited funds we should focus our/Madejski's funds towards a striker + AM, seeing as we already seem to be sorting CB.

[Royal Biscuitman]

Apart from he is our best left winger

No point being the best winger if the strikers are not putting the chances away and we're conceding at the back - He can still pop up and do corners and stuff like Shorey used to.

[andrew1957]

I think we should give him an extended run at left back to see if he can show that the first performance at Watford was no flash in the pan. If he does well then he would be wise to seriously consider converting to left back long term.

Good left footed left backs are a relatively rare commodity - it is hard to think of many stand out candidates other than Cole, Baines and our ex loanee Bertrand (who still has not made it fully at Chelsea). If he can successfully convert he will find his path to playing consistently at a higher level is easier than as a winger - who tend to be a lot more common.

Personally I think he has the skill set to be a great left back. He might need to work on defending but will be great at overlapping runs and has the best delivery in crossing and at dead ball of our current squad and he is still very young.

[glass half full]

I think we should give him an extended run at left back to see if he can show that the first performance at Watford was no flash in the pan. If he does well then he would be wise to seriously consider converting to left back long term.

Good left footed left backs are a relatively rare commodity - it is hard to think of many stand out candidates other than Cole, Baines and our ex loanee Bertrand (who still has not made it fully at Chelsea). If he can successfully convert he will find his path to playing consistently at a higher level is easier than as a winger - who tend to be a lot more common.

Personally I think he has the skill set to be a great left back. He might need to work on defending but will be great at overlapping runs and has the best delivery in crossing and at dead ball of our current squad and he is still very young.

These are very good points, Andrew. I would certainly encourage Obita in this role. I hope that Bridge does not have long-term absences from playing but whilst he is icapacitated, I have no doubt that he would mentor Obita.

[Royal Biscuitman]

These are very good points, Andrew. I would certainly encourage Obita in this role. I hope that Bridge does not have long-term absences from playing but whilst he is icapacitated, I have no doubt that he would mentor Obita.

Hmm, The manager could make that happen as long as he assures Bridge he's still his first choice when fit but that Obita is for the future, It would fit in nicely if Bridge was looking to get into coaching after he hangs up his boots.... maybe he can coach Cummings at right back too, just tell him to do what he's teaches Obita but with the other foot.

Obviously assumes Bridge is willing and able to coach to a better degree than the coaches already on the books.

[NewCorkSeth]

I think it's likely we could find Obita to be our best option for LB (not including Bridge) this season. I'm a big fan of Kelly but he is not a good left back by any means. With Gunter suiting our tactics better than Kelly then you have to think that Obita does a good job mirroring Gunters strengths! I have my suspicions that our back line will start to look a hell of a lot more balanced with those two starting! Someone mentioned Bale as an example of how pushing a winger to LB can aid development and I'm inclined to agree, this will only be good for Obita and will likely be good for the team! As for whether or not he can be a long term solution we will have to see what happens with Bridge. We will certainly need a new LB in the near future.
Also agree with Ian Obita has been a huge positive this season

[Libertine]

Well for now he has to be clearly, and undisputedly, our first choice LB until Bridge is fit.

[WestRoyal]

Well for now he has to be clearly, and undisputedly, our first choice LB until Bridge is fit.

Bridge will be on the bench for a while when back if Obita keeps performing like he has been

[Libertine]

We'll see. Obita has set the bar very high on (probably unrealistic) expectations of/for him based on his first two performances. Long may it continue but he is still young, and still learning the position. Hopefully there will be questions whether Bridge should come right back into the line-up based on Obita's performance...because if so he is on par with a LB who was capped by his country 36 times at the position when he was in his prime and a player who was still exuding class while with us before his injury.

[Millsy]

Really not wanting to have a go at Obita, but I read a couple of comments blaming Obita for both Ipswich goals and rather than jumping in to defend willy nilly watched the highlights over and over and it seems to me that's not far off. First goal, in hindsight, Obita could/should possibly have been marking that man and second goal, Obita may as not have been there as the player just ran through him .

I like Obita and think he's been a revelation and am still very positive about the lad especially at left back, but I think he needs much more specific coaching and experience there as odd slip ups like this can be very costly. Fine as a surprise but a few games in now and teams might suss him out.

I just hope this isn't a case of us having no left back at all and therefore something is better than nothing, and we're all getting overexcited, when in actual fact he's a left winger being played out of position and it's showing. Not having decent LB cover is still as big an issue as it always has been, but we know the situation at the club so I can't and won't complain: NIgel, Sir John, Nicky - you're doing a great job given the circumstances. I hope these are just blips and he can come good.

I'm hoping someone who's seen more of him other than just being a highlight pundit like me in this case, will say this is balls and actually he's been a very effective LB and that he couldn't have done much about either of those goals.

[SPARTA]

Obita has told Charlie Watts that he doesn't want to be at left-back long-term. He may have to settle for it this season though unless Bridge can get over his dodgy knee. Bridge is also out of contract in the summer, leaving us with needing two new left-backs...

[P!ssed Off]

Really not wanting to have a go at Obita, but I read a couple of comments blaming Obita for both Ipswich goals and rather than jumping in to defend willy nilly watched the highlights over and over and it seems to me that's not far off. First goal, in hindsight, Obita could/should possibly have been marking that man and second goal, Obita may as not have been there as the player just ran through him .

I like Obita and think he's been a revelation and am still very positive about the lad especially at left back, but I think he needs much more specific coaching and experience there as odd slip ups like this can be very costly. Fine as a surprise but a few games in now and teams might suss him out.

I just hope this isn't a case of us having no left back at all and therefore something is better than nothing, and we're all getting overexcited, when in actual fact he's a left winger being played out of position and it's showing. Not having decent LB cover is still as big an issue as it always has been, but we know the situation at the club so I can't and won't complain: NIgel, Sir John, Nicky - you're doing a great job given the circumstances. I hope these are just blips and he can come good.

I'm hoping someone who's seen more of him other than just being a highlight pundit like me in this case, will say this is balls and actually he's been a very effective LB and that he couldn't have done much about either of those goals.

The first goal against Ipswich was 100% Gunter's fault.
A shit pass into McCleary, McCleary was dispossed and then Gunter had two easy opportunities to bring Hunt down and take the yellow, but he chose not to.
Obita is an attacking full back, he shouldn''t stay back all game on the off chance that Gunter will oxf*rd.
Should have done better for the 2nd goal.

Apart from that he's done well in the 3 games that I've seen him play LB. Wasn't at the Bolton game.

[P!ssed Off]

Obita has told Charlie Watts that he doesn't want to be at left-back long-term. He may have to settle for it this season though unless Bridge can get over his dodgy knee. Bridge is also out of contract in the summer, leaving us with needing two new left-backs...

He only turned 20 a month ago.
Doesn't want to play at left back long-term does not necessarily mean he won't happily play there for a couple of seasons.
It's that or the bench most likely. He's in no position to be demanding a starting spot in midfield right now.

[Loyal royal 247]

Played well at left back for last 2 games . Is this the future of the club ?

[3points]

I think he's more of an attacking threat from LB than LW, IMHO. He tends to get picked up by a midfielder or winger and he has the ability to make something happen, whereas he's been less influential when more tightly marked by a defender (or has been doubled up). And with Jobi in front of him he knows he can bomb on and get caught out occasionally, as Jobi will have sat in there covering for him. There were also a couple of occasions last night where he was caught out of position but his pace got him out of a potential spot of bother. it's been a long time since we've seen a LB with that pace.

[NewCorkSeth]

Youre forgetting Harte

[BonBoh]

Seeing last night's highlights, Obita's one run into the box and skimming two defenders (but unfortunately just putting the ball out of touch) looked better than Ashley Cole has ever looked. Cole's biggest strength for many years was his skill and pace getting forward. IMHO, only much later in his career did Cole actually become good at defending. It was his overlapping attacking threat that gave him the edge over others in the England setup.

[3points]

s

Seeing last night's highlights, Obita's one run into the box and skimming two defenders (but unfortunately just putting the ball out of touch) looked better than Ashley Cole has ever looked. Cole's biggest strength for many years was his skill and pace getting forward. IMHO, only much later in his career did Cole actually become good at defending. It was his overlapping attacking threat that gave him the edge over others in the England setup.

Kyle Walker is a pretty weak defender, but gets lots of plaudits for his pace and attacking abilities as well. Gary Neville was probably the last England full back who was primarily a defender

[The Rouge]

Seeing last night's highlights, Obita's one run into the box and skimming two defenders (but unfortunately just putting the ball out of touch) looked better than Ashley Cole has ever looked. Cole's biggest strength for many years was his skill and pace getting forward. IMHO, only much later in his career did Cole actually become good at defending. It was his overlapping attacking threat that gave him the edge over others in the England setup.

Cole was immense total package by 2004 though. Best player for England at Euro 2004, I had the pleasure to see him live in Eng 4-2 Croatia. MOTM by far. One of the most underrated players of this generation.