Christophe Berra

[manc_wolf]

Apologies if there is a thread (I did look but couldn't find) - and I have been working away recently - but what has happened to Berra?

Has he simply been dropped in favour of Mancienne / Craddock ? Or is he injured?

It seems to be working so far (Mancienne gaff vs Brum aside) cos I thought MM was absolute CLASS against the boggies - but I just wondered what was the reason - and why no one had discussed it on here...

It's clear we needed to do something on the defence, but I don't remember him making too many mistakes this season (although 1 or 2 spring to mind)... What does everyone think?

 

[TheRetroChief]

He's been consistently average AT BEST. Tho i have been getting increasingly infuriated with him needlessly consistently putting his arms/hands all over people and giving away freekicks, looking aghast that he has been hard done to and penalised, waving his arms a bit, and then not learning from it and doing it again a few mins later. Repeat ad infinitum.
Defence needs a lot of work. He's one on the shortlist for me. Like many of our defenders, championship level and holding us back.

 

[AW]

Mancienne was class against Birmingham too apart from that gaff and a couple of misguided clearances.
Hopefully this combination of mancienne's pace and natural skill along with craddock's experience will get us over the finishing line.

As much as I like Berra, his holding is ridiculous and he has been lucky not many refs pick up on it. This time out of the team should do him good though and spur him on a bit.

 

[wallace]

berra and craddock are probably too alike at the back and stearman has lost his form and composure. although mancienne isnt physically strong enough he compensates for this with his pace and it was good to see a centreback having the confidence to play the ball short to the midfield. maybe berra and mancienne could be the best partnership for next seasons premiership campaign.

 

[Ranc Davaine]

berra and craddock are probably too alike at the back and stearman has lost his form and composure. although mancienne isnt physically strong enough he compensates for this with his pace and it was good to see a centreback having the confidence to play the ball short to the midfield. maybe berra and mancienne could be the best partnership for next seasons premiership campaign.

Berra's not good enough and never will be. The reason he's got his hands over people in every challenge is because he can't cope otherwise.

Stearman and Mancienne worked well in the Championship, but I think that was more down to Stearman than Mancienne. If Craddock's deemed past it, I don't think we've got the personnel at the club.

 

[OCD Wolf]

I think Mick picked Mancienne on Sunday for his pace vs Odemwingie. He knew that's how Albion would play so guessing that he picked 'horses for courses' in that game.
I wonder if Berra will be back for Blackburn?

 

[manc_wolf]

I think Mick picked Mancienne on Sunday for his pace vs Odemwingie. He knew that's how Albion would play so guessing that he picked 'horses for courses' in that game.
I wonder if Berra will be back for Blackburn?

interesting... but wasn't he left out against Brum too?

So does everyone think Mick has just simply lost patience with Berra then?

I know there's the flailing arms thing - but I genuinely thought that Berra was really coming to terms with the premiership and the pace of it... OK, it's taken him a while, but he was getting there - same for Stearman too really...

 

[Mr Wolf]

IFwe do stay up we quite simply need to sign a 6"3 plus dominant powerful centre half to play alongside Mancienne, Stearman, Berra or Mouyokolo (who I have not written off yet).

Somebody in the Hypia, Samba, Huth, Hangeland mould.

 

[JR's Boots]

Mancienne's a quicker player, composed on the ball and reads the game very well. I hope he keeps his place ahead of Berra for the remaining two games.

Against Albion several times he controlled the ball and passed to a team mate rather than hoofed it away.

 

[Denmead Wolf]

IFwe do stay up we quite simply need to sign a 6"3 plus dominant powerful centre half to play alongside Mancienne, Stearman, Berra or Mouyokolo (who I have not written off yet).

Somebody in the Hypia, Samba, Huth, Hangeland mould.

Roger Johnson. Once they get relegated, he will pop over to us no problem

 

[De Wolfs Mullet]

IFwe do stay up we quite simply need to sign a 6"3 plus dominant powerful centre half to play alongside Mancienne, Stearman, Berra or Mouyokolo (who I have not written off yet).

Somebody in the Hypia, Samba, Huth, Hangeland mould.

Mancienne is still a Chelsea player!

 

[Sheriff Woody]

Berra has played a lot of games this season and to be honest I think his form had dropped over the last half a dozen games, maybe he just needed a rest.

I think Berra is a decent enough player, he sticks he head on everything and does the scrappy stuff well, he just lacks half a yard of pace. He could benefit from having a Keith Curle type player next to him.

 

[cooper_J]

Berra has played a lot of games this season and to be honest I think his form had dropped over the last half a dozen games, maybe he just needed a rest.

I think Berra is a decent enough player, he sticks he head on everything and does the scrappy stuff well, he just lacks half a yard of pace. He could benefit from having a Keith Curle type player next to him.

Agree with most of this although I'd think he needs a Mancienne rather than a Curle.

Wish he'd stop his constant shirt pulling though.

 

[Uncle Festa]

Berra isn't good enough. He needs to be really on top of his game to look like he can cope. Its impossible to do that every game and as such he becomes average. His distribution is awful and he struggles with quick nippy players. I also noticed that when they paired him with Craddock he was blowing out his $$$$ after twenty minutes since he was expected to cover for Craddock's lack of legs. Mancienne is a favourite of mine - i love play making centrehalves - in fact I believe they are a neccessity in the modern game and Mancienne has all the right attributes to be that type of player. Unfortunately he is very weak in the air, but put someone like Zubar next to Mancienne and I believe you have the best centrehalf partnership currently on the books. Just my opinion, but I would love to see these two paired up together in the future.

 

[PumpKing]

Mancienne's a quicker player, composed on the ball and reads the game very well. I hope he keeps his place ahead of Berra for the remaining two games.

Against Albion several times he controlled the ball and passed to a team mate rather than hoofed it away.

I think the fact that Mancienne seems to have beefed himself up a bit since he has been away will help him greatly. He was much too lightweight before and got bundled off the ball too many times. He may now be showing what a different player he can become.

 

[FLEET WOLF]

I think the fact that Mancienne seems to have beefed himself up a bit since he has been away will help him greatly. He was much too lightweight before and got bundled off the ball too many times. He may now be showing what a different player he can become.

I hope you are right about that, but I am yet to be convinced.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Said many times on here RS or CB with a Samba type player would maybe be ok but together they are a serious liability. I'd like to stick with MM as he plays the type of football I would like us to play - but boy do we need a tough, mentally strong CH for next year iwsu!

 

[Bostin]

Let's face it, he got dropped because he ran off for a dump in the middle of the Villa game.

 

[Pengwern]

Mancienne and Zubar? Wow! They both have pace but neither of them have much experience of playing as centre backs in the Prem and none at all of playing together in that pairing. We could try that next pre-season if we are still in this League, as long as we have signed a replacement for Craddock.

Mouyokolo impressed me ar RB away at Citeh this season, BTW, but maybe he'll prove us all an excellent CB. I doubt it, though.

 

[FetishWolf]

Berra has been poor since Christmas. So poor in fact that I can see him being sold in the summer.

 

[DawleyWolf]

and another thing - he, like Craddock is very good at getting on the end of headers when we are attacking; however, unlike Craddock who occasionally scores a goal, Berra has never scored and always manages to miss decent opportunities

 

[gazzahez]

Mancienne's a quicker player, composed on the ball and reads the game very well. I hope he keeps his place ahead of Berra for the remaining two games.

Against Albion several times he controlled the ball and passed to a team mate rather than hoofed it away.

This. I can put up with one expected blunder a match by Mancienne if it's compensated by us retaining the ball better and not hoofing from defence. I recognise the key aspect of defending is to defend but Berra must surely be the worst passer of the ball in the Premiership?

 

[goldeneyed]

Mancienne and Zubar? Wow! They both have pace but neither of them have much experience of playing as centre backs in the Prem and none at all of playing together in that pairing. We could try that next pre-season if we are still in this League, as long as we have signed a replacement for Craddock.

Mouyokolo impressed me ar RB away at Citeh this season, BTW, but maybe he'll prove us all an excellent CB. I doubt it, though.

Good thought Pengwern. We should sign Mancienne if we stay up. Stearman despite the odd gaffe is potentially a very good player. Zubar is one of my favourites and has plenty of experience as a CB. Mouyokolo could still come good if he gets over his injuries. Berra is not very composed and too often panics and rushes his clearances. Fine as a squad player but not a Premiership regular first teamer imv. I think Mick needs to sign a beast like Samba in the summer if he can find one. If he does, assuming Craddock retires, which he should do now, then Berra could be sold imv especially as Danny Batth could be a force within the next 12 months.

 

[OCD Wolf]

I think full backs are much more important than centre backs, as stated above we have quite a few options at centre-back, with varying levels of quality.

I'd rather stick with the CB options we have and get a couple of proper specialist full-backs IWSU, first.

Looking at the centre-halves in the Prem, there are a lot who are very average who get played week in week out (Bramble etc.)

In this league a class full back is an asset going forward and in defense, we have fill ins there at the moment but a couple of proper dedicated full backs would boost our defense no end.

 

[UEAwolf]

A fit Mouyoukolo would be my first choice CB - he has a lot of potential (admittedly we haven't seen him anywhere near his best so far).

I don't understand Berra - he too is highly thought of, but the way he drags opponents down - handles them inside the box is a disaster waiting to happen. Whether he is coached to do this - in the hope (expectation?) that the referee will let it go, i'm not sure.

The Craddock-Mancienne partnership is the best bet to finish the season. A mixture of an old head and pace is what's needed.

 

[Timberwolf]

Berra has been poor since Christmas. So poor in fact that I can see him being sold in the summer.

Couldn't agree more even under torture. Octo-pussy's days are numbered at Molineux. Apart from his flailing, desperate grabs on opponents, it's the tackling on his $$$$, getting out of position, slow to close down etc etc etc. He's our single biggest defensive liability.

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

I can put up with one expected blunder a match by Mancienne if it's compensated by us retaining the ball better and not hoofing from defence.

I agree, Mancienne in his correct position with addition of a little more weight will be a formidable player. How come Mancienne is written of relatively quickly yet Stearman who has made equally as many blunders has hard core support....why can't we support them both equally.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

One big reason we have been in the bottom 3 for most of the season is our defence, and Berra has been in the middle of it.

 

[UEAwolf]

I don't think we should write Berra off just yet. He would be a more than able squad player for a team in our position.

A left back and a commanding CH is a must for the summer (although how many years have we been saying this?)