Griffiths puts up a great defence
SCOTT Griffiths has rubbished suggestions that the club's inexperienced defence will cost Peterborough United any chance of avoiding relegation from The Championship.
SCOTT Griffiths has rubbished suggestions that the club's inexperienced defence will cost Peterborough United any chance of avoiding relegation from The Championship.As Gaby Zakuani is expected to miss Saturday's visit of Swansea with a groin strain, Posh could field a back four with just six Championship starting appearances between them.
Griffiths (two starts) will definitely be joined by central defenders Ryan Bennett (3) and Exodus Geohaghon (1), while Krystian Pearce (0) is challenging Charlie Lee (9) for the right-back berth.
Griffiths and Bennett were playing League Two football with Dagenham & Redbridge and Grimsby respectively at the start of this season, while Geohaghon had never played above non-league level before his Posh debut against Middlesbrough last Saturday.
But Griffiths (24), who has delivered two impressive Posh performances so far, said: "I wouldn't worry about us. We may have stepped up from smaller clubs, but there are a lot of very good individual players in the lower divisions who could cope with The Championship.
"Ryan Bennett has proved that already, while Exodus did well last week considering it was his debut in the Football League.
"Obviously it's a new defence and we have to get used to each other, but we are working hard together in training and I am confident we will become a solid unit.
"The coach Nicky Eaden was a high quality full-back so he knows how to prepare a defence. We've done okay so far and we will get better.
"On a personal level it's gone well. I was keeping up with Premier League players last week against Middlesbrough which was very pleasing and I managed to find the time to set up a goal!"
Griffiths was brought to the club by previous Posh manager Darren Ferguson in October, but didn't make his debut until new boss Mark Cooper arrived at the club.
Cooper made Geohaghon his first Posh signing and revealed in The Evening Telegraph yesterday that he was considering giving 19 year-old Pearce his first Championship start.
Cooper said: "Tightening up the defence was a priority and at Sheffield United in my first game we looked very solid.
"We weren't so solid against Middlesbrough, but the movement of their front two was excellent. I expect us to be much better defensively on Saturday no matter who plays."
See also:
Posh v Swansea: ET match coverage and matchday updates.
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Weather for Peterborough
Saturday 20 March 2010
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Light showers
Temperature: 3 C - 13 C
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Wind direction: South west
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