Topic: The Nathaniel Clyne Experience

[Dubred]

I think its a confidence thing with Clyne.

I'm probably mistaken but I'm sure I remember him overlapping the winger on the outside and getting crosses in from the byline a lot more earlier in the season when we were whipping teams.

Lately though, he cuts in a hell of a lot more than going on the outside, which is ironic considering he's right footed and cutting in means using his left more often.  I guess the easy pass options are there for him when he cuts inside.  He just doesn't seem to have confidence in taking on the fullback on the right wing much anymore.

He'll perhaps never be an elite attacking fullback, but I think he's already shown in flashes he can overlap effectively and get crosses in.

[wige]

Next season I'd be playing Clyne in all European games and all Premier League games against what we perceive to be top 10 - 8 opposition. He's proven himself to be a solid, dependable consist defender who can offer a threat in attack, especially with space for him to move into.

For the other fixtures, against the dross, where we know we're going  to dominate the ball and spend a lot of time in possession in their half, I'd be playing Trent who seems a lot more comfortable on the ball, seems to be a better dribbler and has a hell of a cross on him. Possibly even Milner can get game time here if we've brought in another left back or Moreno has developed a brain and positional awareness.

By doing this, we save ourselves what, the £20 million quid? it takes to improve on Clyne and are able to spend that on the other areas that clearly need improvement in the starting 11.

[only6times]

Am I saying we need a new right back? I sm saying his form has been poor and for whatever reason he isn't pissing past his full back like we have saw in the past.

[Chalky Boots]

Look he's not been perfect but I think he was a damn sight better than Milner yesterday in attack. If we're looking at problems he really isn't one of them.

[TepidT2O]

Absolute wordlie of a save to deny him a goal yesterday... a shame, would have done his confidence good.

[joekim87]

I think no one is saying an upgrade on Clyne wouldn't be welcome but we need to focus our recruitment on 4 or 5 other positions before right back. I can't see us signing a right full back when Clyne is decent to good and TAA is coming on leaps and bounds.

[T.Mills]

Anyone else massively dissapointed with him in the final third? Looks timid and unsure of himself when he gets into good areas. Defensively solid but I think upgrading both fullbacks should be high on our list in the summer.

[tubby]

His game does go to shit when he has to make things happen in the final third but assuming we buy a proper left back next season that'll be Clyne, Trent A-A and Milner who can all play right back so I wouldn't expect any movement for that position in the transfer window.

[Anfield89]

Anyone else massively dissapointed with him in the final third? Looks timid and unsure of himself when he gets into good areas. Defensively solid but I think upgrading both fullbacks should be high on our list in the summer.

Defensively hasn't been a problem but he will not take the full back on it's a problem.  Last weekend he only had Chris Brunt to beat, not a left back and one of the slowest players in the league but still wouldn't.

[Notorious IT]

Not in the top 5 of areas to improve, but he could definitely be improved upon.

[killer-heels]

He wasnt great going forward but fucking hell he kept Zaha quiet.

[Anfield89]

He wasnt great going forward but fucking hell he kept Zaha quiet.

Get off they didn't see hardly any of the ball he had nothing to stop

[MerseyMania]

he was not effective in the final third at all..a one odd cross here and there is good but nothing apart from that..

[T.Mills]

Not in the top 5 of areas to improve, but he could definitely be improved upon.

Hmmm im not sure, we all know the type of teams we struggle against and i cant help but feel a more offensively competent fullback would solve alot of our issues. In games like today hes the outlet, the free man, probably no coincidence that the best 4 full/wing backs are playing in the top 2 teams in the league.

[Nick110581]

He's ok. Nothing more, nothing less.

[harryc]

Has always been a decent defensive fullback, no idea why Klopp thinks he can make him into Dani Alves.

[rowan_d]

Has always been a decent defensive fullback, no idea why Klopp thinks he can make him into Dani Alves.

Its a consequence of the way we play I think

Teams sit back far enough that we have to try and push our fullbacks up. Unfortunately the space afforded to Clyne has absolutely fuck all effect on what he gives us in attack. Honestly, sometimes I feel like he's a bit of a waste of an athlete. He could hit the byline for fun if he wanted to, even if his crossing isn't great.

[Felch Aid]

Slightly off topic but Milner isnt in great form either. Same as other players - poor decision making, giving away possession and looking bereft of confidence.

[Giono]

Slightly off topic but Milner isnt in great form either. Same as other players - poor decision making, giving away possession and looking bereft of confidence.

And Milner wearing the arm band.

Clyne has never delivered much offensively. It is a problem that is getting worse as teams have found us out and are happy to concede him and Milner that much time and space and still they can`t produce anything in attack.

[rowan_d]

Slightly off topic but Milner isnt in great form either. Same as other players - poor decision making, giving away possession and looking bereft of confidence.

I think it was always a tall order for Milner to be an attacking fullback all season. He puts in 100% every match, but I don't think he's had the stamina to do that for an entire season for a few years. At CM he looked tired early on in games throughout last season, and the workload hasn't eased with the change of position.

Unfortunately the pair of them have insufficient backup. Quality-wise in Milner's case, and experience-wise in Clyne's. I'd hoped that without Europe they'd be able to sustain their form all year, but obviously not.

[ScubaSteve]

he just can't take on his man! He needs to improve!! Good enough for the europa

[tubby]

he just can't take on his man! He needs to improve!! Good enough for the europa

Just on that note, which fullbacks in the league are capable of taking on and beating a man?


Could really work on his crossing though.

[rowan_d]

Just on that note, which fullbacks in the league are capable of taking on and beating a man?


Could really work on his crossing though.

Thinking about that, you're right

Bellerin is supposedly the fastest player in the league, but I rarely see him beat his man on the ball. Far cry from the likes of that Mendy lad at Monaco, who looked like he could find a great crossing position at will, or Marcelo who basically runs that entire flank.

[Cusamano]

its a position that definitely needs to be improved

unfortunately other positions will get priority this summer

[killer-heels]

its a position that definitely needs to be improved

unfortunately other positions will get priority this summer

Rightly so. We need a midfielder, centreback, left back and attacker. Then think about right back.

[jillcwhomever]

Trent will challenge Clynne next season, and I expect him to also feature this season too.

[didi shamone]

Rightly so. We need a midfielder, centreback, left back and attacker. Then think about right back.

It may seem  shocking to many but id put right back on par with left for an upgrade. Don't  see Clyne as a top player either defensively or offensively.  His terrible defensive positioning could have cost us at least two goals today if palace didnt put in poor balls.  His solid but unspectacular reputation is a myth for me.

[didi shamone]

Trent will challenge Clynne next season, and I expect him to also feature this season too.

Id put him in now. How can he be any worse?     And it'd tell us if we need to spend big or stick with Trent

[Chakan]

He's an ok defender but shocking as an attacking fullback

[Mozology]

He's still Mister Consistency, the only problem is he used to be Mister 7 outta 10, now he's Mister 5 outta 10.

Had a really poor season, much worse than Mignolet.

The good early season form of Matip and Milner masked Clyne's poor play, now that those two aren't playing as well Clyne is getting exposed.

[jooneyisdagod]

Limited player, but not one I'll be rushing to upgrade on. Limited though he is, he does what he does very well, which is shutting down one side of the pitch and providing support. I would look more immediately to replace Milner and one of Lovren/Matip, because this defence cannot continue. We need someone with real aerial dominance and pace. A CB that is comfortable in running out wide to go up against an attacking player because that's what is required in our system more often than not. And then if we're doing that, we're needless going to need FBs that can actually produce in attack and Milner is far slower and blunter than Clyne though he has more assists. Clyne is safe for now IMO. 

[Sammy5IsAlive]

He's clearly struggling for form going forward and has done for much of the season. Today there were a few balls switched across the field to him which he brought down well, creating a 1 v 1, but then turned back inside and passed backwards. It's become a bit of a vicious circle where teams know he's not playing well and let him have the ball and then he feels under pressure to produce and rushes it.

I don't think it's any coincidence that he seems to play better with Mane in front of him, who is much more willing to stay out wide and create from those areas.

I think we've got more pressing issues this summer and hope that a summer off and maybe some better players in front of him will allow him to regroup.

It's also worth pointing out that he is 'only' just turned 26. Whilst he's not a kid any more I don't think it is a disaster that he still isn't quite the finished article. 

[JoeCole]

We don't need a new right back. Clyne is fine. He was one of the best RB's in the league before we signed him and he still is. I'll take a defensively solid full back who is dodgy in attack any day over someone like Moreno who is bought as an attacking full back but lacks in defence.

[daggerdoo]

So many times we look for him as an attacking outlet, very rarely does he produce anything. His defending is keeping him in the team.
Every time he gets the ball in an attacking position the opposition know he's not good enough to take on their man, be it with pace or trickery.
He has some lovely tattoes though.

[Giono]

We don't need a new right back. Clyne is fine. He was one of the best RB's in the league before we signed him and he still is. I'll take a defensively solid full back who is dodgy in attack any day over someone like Moreno who is bought as an attacking full back but lacks in defence.

You value defence over attack even when we have 75% possession? You may value defensive ability, but Klopp likes attacking wingbacks. And with our current tactics Clyne is a bit of a blunt instrument.

Moreno has his weakness as a converted winger, but a player like him would make better use of all the time Clyne gets with the ball to create something instead of just passing it back.

[diegoLFC7]

We don't need a new right back. Clyne is fine. He was one of the best RB's in the league before we signed him and he still is. I'll take a defensively solid full back who is dodgy in attack any day over someone like Moreno who is bought as an attacking full back but lacks in defence.

I would too but Klopps attack works better with overlapping full backs who can beat their man.

[Day1983]

Like the majority of our team he's ok, that's it

[Lycan]

Clyne is fine as long as we find a left back who can offer width and a real attacking outlet down that side. The problem is we don't have that. We have James Milner. Moreno would be a decent option if he wasn't a head full of brainfarts. We must sort this out in the summer.

[Groundskeeper Willie]

My issue with Clyne is that once he gets in to an attacking position around the box, he seems happy to just put it in there, no thinking behind the balls he plays in there.

[paul211b]

Gets the ball so much in the attacking third as the opposition don't bother marking him..  Knowing he will do nothing with it.  Time and time again he either slows down the play, gives the ball away or hits the first man.
He is not good enough for how we want to play and needs dropping.