FL2: Gillingham v Torquay United. 23rd Oct 2010

Of course there is a place for the accomplished defender, but you must have noticed that Guy Branston is very susceptible to close control and quick passing.

It's not really rocket science is it......................if the side you are playing is dominant in the air then you use precise, accurate passing to disect those defenders as a partnership and whip balls in low to accentuate their lack of mobility. Take Gillingham's goal as a perfect example of that on Saturday. Branno was left stranded like a hippo on the banks of the Zambezi as Cody McDonald whipped in that goal from a ball placed precisely to nullify his aeriel dominance.

Likewise when Romone Rose turned and shot in the opening minutes, the ball played in to his feet wasn't going to get headed away by their central defenders was it?

I think the only time in the game where a forward got the better of a central defender in the air on Saturday was when Akinfenwa hit the bar with his header from a right wing cross..............just the one instance in 90 minutes, and most of Bevan's difficulties with balls in the air of Saturday came from the obstructions of his defenders getting in front of him!

For every time Branston is done for pace and touch there will be countless others where he dominates the aerial ball. Every manager knows (and has always known) how to play a Branston and (to a slightly lesser degree) an Ellis...yet the high-balls continue to rain in.

I agree that there is something to be said for partnering a mobile central defender who is more comfortable on the ball with a player like Branston, and maybe this predicted wave of tricky, mobile, strong youngsters will create the sort of revolution you describe. My hunch however is that it will be a while before players in the Branston and Ellis mould exceed their usefulness.