We Need To Be More Direct

[Wandsworth Blade]

Yes we were outmuscled yesterday but what really irked me was the ponderous passing around the back four and Howard's throw out's putting people in trouble straight away. We had countless opportunities to turn their central defence but opted for possession instead. Why we can't have Sammon and Sharp playing closer and feeding off each other instead of being 30 yards apart all the time puzzles me. I think we played 3 balls over the top yesterday. One was a penalty shout and one resulted in a shot on target. Their centre backs could have spent yesterday afternoon playing Mousetrap for all the pressure we were putting on them. There seems to be a general abdication of responsibility. Basham passing when he had clear sight from 18 yards for example. If we carry on playing like that I can only see us getting the same results. We need to change our style.

 

[Blade56]

All L1 club know it's our style to pass it sideways and around the back and by closing us down it causes numerous mistakes. KE was having a thrombo about it yesterday.
They know, we know they know but we keep doing it............ confused.com

 

[robbiez666]

I think it's a case of needing to mix up our play more and get the ball from back to front quicker. There's a time and place to keep possession. That is not when you're 2-0 down with 10 minutes left. Sure, be patient, but our players need to take more risks and take the responsibility of making things happen. Not passing the ball sideways across the back 4 when we need goals. If we want to start deep then the midfield need to come and get it and take it forward.

 

[jt64]

Yes we were outmuscled yesterday but what really irked me was the ponderous passing around the back four and Howard's throw out's putting people in trouble straight away.

Whose fault is that? The back four's for not wanting to make a risky pass or revert to hoof it forward to Sammon, or the midfield's for offering fuck all in terms of movement? I'd rather retain possession personally, although that said, if Adkins is going to stubbornly stick with 4-4-2 which simply doesn't offer enough options in midfield to play it through teams, maybe we should just revert to Pulisball and see what happens

 

[Grappler]

Yes we were outmuscled yesterday but what really irked me was the ponderous passing around the back four and Howard's throw out's putting people in trouble straight away. We had countless opportunities to turn their central defence but opted for possession instead. Why we can't have Sammon and Sharp playing closer and feeding off each other instead of being 30 yards apart all the time puzzles me. I think we played 3 balls over the top yesterday. One was a penalty shout and one resulted in a shot on target. Their centre backs could have spent yesterday afternoon playing Mousetrap for all the pressure we were putting on them. There seems to be a general abdication of responsibility. Basham passing when he had clear sight from 18 yards for example. If we carry on playing like that I can only see us getting the same results. We need to change our style.

"...Basham passing when he had clear sight from 18 yards for example...."

When he was just outside the box, with no one in front of him, and we were all screaming "Shoot! Shoot!", he seemed to panic and then passed it out wide!!!!

 

[Tyler Durden]

That's why having Done back was a refreshing change. Everything he does has a point. Unlike like the dawdling wankers that make up the majority of our current squad.

 

[Ricky]

Even with four attackers on we were fucking about passing it across the back while no one was offering any width. Even before we brought the subs on, it wasn't working and that was very obvious. But we carried on doing the same thing. Pure stupidity. It's bad enough trying to play that way in the first place in a 4-4-2 with the personnel we have. We created nothing at Burton with a similar line up and tactics and surprise surprise we created nothing yesterday. If we're going to play like that then we simply must go with three central midfielders. Adkins' inability or refusal to see and do this is worrying me a bit.

 

[Lane Ender]

That's why having Done back was a refreshing change. Everything he does has a point. Unlike like the dawdling wankers that make up the majority of our current squad.

He's a proper predator first on the team sheet for me

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Even with four attackers on we were fucking about passing it across the back while no one was offering any width. Even before we brought the subs on, it wasn't working and that was very obvious. But we carried on doing the same thing. Pure stupidity. It's bad enough trying to play that way in the first place in a 4-4-2 with the personnel we have. We created nothing at Burton with a similar line up and tactics and surprise surprise we created nothing yesterday. If we're going to play like that then we simply must go with three central midfielders. Adkins' inability or refusal to see and do this is worrying me a bit.

Adkins' version of "boldness" worries me a bit. He was talking in his post-match interview of having gone 4 up top to try & retrieve the game, but if you can't get the ball up top in the first place, what's the point? The 3 in midfield worked 2nd half at Bradford, yet Adkins insists on playing his 442 with Clough's slow, undynamic players.

Fully agree with your point about needing 3 in central midfield, & think that's where all efforts at recruitment ought to be concentrated - we're fine with what we've got up front, we can just about get by at the back (moving Basham back), but we need two dynamic midfielders alongside Baxter's creativity (yep, Baxter's fine with two to support him there). Like Morsy & Hourihane. Jim needs to get his finger out & give Nigel the Murphy money now.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Yes we were outmuscled yesterday but what really irked me was the ponderous passing around the back four and Howard's throw out's putting people in trouble straight away. We had countless opportunities to turn their central defence but opted for possession instead. Why we can't have Sammon and Sharp playing closer and feeding off each other instead of being 30 yards apart all the time puzzles me. I think we played 3 balls over the top yesterday. One was a penalty shout and one resulted in a shot on target. Their centre backs could have spent yesterday afternoon playing Mousetrap for all the pressure we were putting on them. There seems to be a general abdication of responsibility. Basham passing when he had clear sight from 18 yards for example. If we carry on playing like that I can only see us getting the same results. We need to change our style.

Didn't we try being more direct for a long period of the second half yesterday, and we poised no threat at all.

I don't think we got meaningful possession anywhere in their half while we were desperately lumping it forwards.

We regained some control when we went back to possession but that was also pretty much ineffective.

Che had a chance to shoot didn't he, and then there was Bash's but neither pulled the trigger.

 

[sheffielder]

We don't need to be more direct. We just need to be stronger. Were Man U more direct with Ince and Keane.

Just need some players with some fucking heart.

 

[robbiez666]

We don;t have the players to play direct football. Sutton and Shearer worked so well for Blackburn because they were both really good in the air, could play on the ground, had a great understanding and had pace. Sammon is our best in the air but never dominates centre backs.

We need to mix up our passing. We need to send balls into the channels and over the top of defenders into space for attackers to run on to (especially if Done or Adams are on the pitch) to run on to. we don't gain anything from hoofing random long balls up. We don't get behind teams. Our 'winger' seldom beat a man on the outside.

At the moment we play our football in front of the opposition defence and midfield. CBs in this league are not equipped to deal with players running at them or balls behind them. We never take advantage of this.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

We don;t have the players to play direct football. Sutton and Shearer worked so well for Blackburn because they were both really good in the air, could play on the ground, had a great understanding and had pace. Sammon is our best in the air but never dominates centre backs.

We need to mix up our passing. We need to send balls into the channels and over the top of defenders into space for attackers to run on to (especially if Done or Adams are on the pitch) to run on to. we don't gain anything from hoofing random long balls up. We don't get behind teams. Our 'winger' seldom beat a man on the outside.

At the moment we play our football in front of the opposition defence and midfield. CBs in this league are not equipped to deal with players running at them or balls behind them. We never take advantage of this.

It looked to me like Port Vale went for the byline in the old-fashioned way quite a few times.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

I think it's a case of needing to mix up our play more and get the ball from back to front quicker. There's a time and place to keep possession. That is not when you're 2-0 down with 10 minutes left. Sure, be patient, but our players need to take more risks and take the responsibility of making things happen. Not passing the ball sideways across the back 4 when we need goals. If we want to start deep then the midfield need to come and get it and take it forward.

Agree with most of that but who in our current crop of midfield players is going to do as you suggest. Saw no evidence of anybody yesterday, nor at Burton on Tuesday night. Thus far [this season], the midfield has been ponderous and simply far too defence minded. We do not appear to have the quality of player in there [even at this level] to take responsibility for the ball, moreover we do not seem to have anybody in there who could actually do something special with it.

As for the passing across the back four it drives me absolutely nuts. More often than not there is little by way of any end product and Collins [for one] appears to get more and more uncomfortable and 'nervy' as the opposition soon understand that we aren't going anywhere and start closing us down.

Dear or dear!

 

[maidmarion]

We need a Morgan in defence who can put the fear of God into opposing players. We don't really have anyone with any muscle who can, fairly, win a tackle.
Sveral games both this season and last season we were bullied out of the game. Until we stop being pussy cats then I think we'll lose some more winnable games.

 

[robbiez666]

Agree with most of that but who in our current crop of midfield players is going to do as you suggest. Saw no evidence of anybody yesterday, nor at Burton on Tuesday night. Thus far [this season], the midfield has been ponderous and simply far too defence minded. We do not appear to have the quality of player in there [even at this level] to take responsibility for the ball, moreover we do not seem to have anybody in there who could actually do something special with it.

As for the passing across the back four it drives me absolutely nuts. More often than not there is little by way of any end product and Collins [for one] appears to get more and more uncomfortable and 'nervy' as the opposition soon understand that we aren't going anywhere and start closing us down.

Dear or dear!

It's up to Baxter to drop back, get the ball, and start moving the team forward (if you're playing the same team as yesterday). You see it in the Premiership all the time. David Silva drops and picks the ball up as does Ross Barkley. If we're going to play a playmaker they need to be on the ball most of the time we have it.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

It's up to Baxter to drop back, get the ball, and start moving the team forward (if you're playing the same team as yesterday). You see it in the Premiership all the time. David Silva drops and picks the ball up as does Ross Barkley. If we're going to play a playmaker they need to be on the ball most of the time we have it.

Agree but the two of them are a lot better than Baxter. In addition, they look to do that [and with confidence], he doesn't. For me he has flattered to deceive for a couple of seasons now, but who knows' he might eventually turn out to be a League 1 'world beater'. UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Yes we were outmuscled yesterday but what really irked me was the ponderous passing around the back four and Howard's throw out's putting people in trouble straight away. We had countless opportunities to turn their central defence but opted for possession instead. Why we can't have Sammon and Sharp playing closer and feeding off each other instead of being 30 yards apart all the time puzzles me. I think we played 3 balls over the top yesterday. One was a penalty shout and one resulted in a shot on target. Their centre backs could have spent yesterday afternoon playing Mousetrap for all the pressure we were putting on them. There seems to be a general abdication of responsibility. Basham passing when he had clear sight from 18 yards for example. If we carry on playing like that I can only see us getting the same results. We need to change our style.

But we are more direct at times - Billy and Fish make runs in the channels - but in the past few games this appears to have stopped. I didn't go the PV, but went to Burton where we seemed to be very cautious, Reed/Basham played quite deep and we were just lacking in invention final third - it sounded similar at PV.

As for passing sideways - the reason for me is very simple - Midfield players do not SHOW for the ball. Baxter shows for it deep in front of the back 4 - my bloody mother could do that. Proper midfield players show for the ball in and around the centre circle (just like Coady used to) - ours do not. On the occasions they do, they get rid of it quickly and then (worst of all) do NOT want it back. Proper, busy, confident midfield players want the ball all the time - Morsy and Ryan (Chezzer) were 2 prime examples last season - with Bury and Colchester showing this season how it's done. Gillingham and PV have just bullied us as we are so soft.

We have zero creativity in midfield - and once again i'll not stay on any fence - Baxter is not the answer - too slow, too deep, no stamina, can't tackle and won't score playing in a 4. Basham too slow, no inventiveness, has stamina, can tackle but will always miss games due to bookings and occasionally scores.

UTB

 

[robbiez666]

too many players who are too static and don't want the ball. when we have the ball the midfield and attack should always be on the move. They just stand there like Christmas is going to come without the passing of days.

 

[Dnblade]

I wasn't at Vale..only listened on Radio,but just watched it back on BP..agree that we're easily out muscled..lack that physical presence right through the team...lack pace.The ball is not sticking up top,and no threat in behind,it's all in front of the opposition...about the only player I've seen to get to the byline and in behind so far this season is JCR...We passed it around ok at times but as soon as it was played to the strikers it broke down,even when we played longer we were out fought and lost the ball...Apart from Billy's chance early in the second half,I can't remember us working the keeper.