Cedric

[Pragmatist]

I'm bemused by the suggestion that Kipre wouldn't get game time. You really think Bartley, Pieters or Ajayi would be ahead of him?

Let's not reinvent Barts as the new McAuley or Olsson. He's had as many nightmare games as brilliant ones over the years and he doesn't bounce back from injury. Dara and Kipper could have been a storming combination, but finances are what they are.

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To be fair to O'shea he is 3 years younger and Kipre is entering prime age for centre halves.

Compare O'shea in 3 years to Kipre this season and we'll see.

Kipre has been unbelievable this season but was poor for us two years ago.

The way I remember it, Kipre had settled into a steady back three for Ismael. We weren't conceding huge numbers of goals. Bruce dropped him immediately after a brief conversation with Livermore, during which the players' cabal exerted its influence. Cedric was sent to sit on the naughty step with Mowatt 'cos the players didn't like Ismael's pets.

Big Sam called it right, there was something malign about the squad in those days. CC has done well to flush that out.

Interestingly only the defenders plus Yokuslu (for just 3 months) plus Phillips were actually here when Allardyce was here.  Nobody else in the squad was.   The defenders who overlapped with Sam were Furlong, Townsend, Bartley, Ajayi and Kipre. 

Carlos has turned our defence into one of best in the Championship through great organisation and 
confidence.