Panicking Blades Sprint Challenge

[Bergen Blade]

Before Everton scored their second goal, we'd been caught upfield. Patterson ran down the wing and we were in big trouble. Our players desperately (?) tried to get back to prevent the eventual cross reaching its target. In doing so, who ran fastest/furthest?

I had a look using modern technology (MS Paint), combining two screenshots to find out how far our players ran between A) the time when the youtube highlights started, and B) when the ball arrived at the feet of the goalscorer.

Obviously the accuracy isn't 100% and the perspective and moving camera makes things more difficult. I've used the length of the striped pattern on the grass as a yardstick (sky blue line).



Anyway! These are the results of the Panicking Blades Sprint Challenge:

1. Larouci (3 lengths)
2. Ahmedhodzic (2,6)
3. Robinson (2,5)
4. Egan (2,1)
5. Baldock (2,1)
6. Souza (1,7)
7. Norwood (1,7)
8. Hamer (1,2)

Congratulations to Larouci!

The scorer would probably have been the winner (3 lengths and like Baldock his run isn't just longitudinal in the image).

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Larouchi didn’t start sprinting at the same time as Patterson did. If he had done he would have kept pace with him and probably been able to stop the cross.

 

[JT89]

Congratulations to Larouci!

If he hadn't stopped running in the first place allowing the Everton player to get ahead of him he wouldn't have needed to sprint so far and would have prevented them scoring...

 

[Bergen Blade]

If he hadn't stopped running in the first place allowing the Everton player to get ahead of him he wouldn't have needed to sprint so far and would have prevented them scoring...

Larouchi didn’t start sprinting at the same time as Patterson did. If he had done he would have kept pace with him and probably been able to stop the cross.

Yes, he hesitated a little, maybe thinking Robinson would deal with the situation at this stage:

But it bounced awkwardly and Robinson couldn't get a clean touch on the ball.

At least he's the one who does react by sprinting. So that's the (hidden?) message behind the OP. What's been common for a few of the goals we've conceded this season is that we've lacked a bit intensity when it comes to 1) identifying danger and 2) getting in the optimal position to deal with it. The best defenders are great at it, fully switched on, reading the situation and busting a gut to rescue it. Puyol at his prime is an example.

I think it's a mix between lack of pace, energy and focus that make our players not run at 100% to rescue us here. I think there are more players than Larouci to focus on. Everton had put us under pressure after the break, and gaps were starting to appear. Collectively we struggled. All our attacks broke down and we couldn't get close to them when they went forward.

In the Championship maybe you'd get away with such a situation most of the time, even if we were a bit slow to react. But in this league opposition players are faster, crosses are more accurate and finishes are better. We can't put in 90% and expect to get away with it.

 

[Trafford]

We also had 3 attempts at fouling their players to stop the move progressing but failed with each because they were too half-hearted. Somebody should have taken a yellow for the team.

 

[Belvedere Blade]

Refs at fault for Everton's 2nd goal. Could have blown whistle and given Everton a kick for fouls but with ref allowing play on and Everton go and score. Another PL ref would have blown whistle and given free kick to Everton and Everton more than likely would not of scored 2nd.

 

[espoo blade]

Yes, he hesitated a little, maybe thinking Robinson would deal with the situation at this stage:
View attachment 170268
But it bounced awkwardly and Robinson couldn't get a clean touch on the ball.

At least he's the one who does react by sprinting. So that's the (hidden?) message behind the OP. What's been common for a few of the goals we've conceded this season is that we've lacked a bit intensity when it comes to 1) identifying danger and 2) getting in the optimal position to deal with it. The best defenders are great at it, fully switched on, reading the situation and busting a gut to rescue it. Puyol at his prime is an example.

I think it's a mix between lack of pace, energy and focus that make our players not run at 100% to rescue us here. I think there are more players than Larouci to focus on. Everton had put us under pressure after the break, and gaps were starting to appear. Collectively we struggled. All our attacks broke down and we couldn't get close to them when they went forward.

In the Championship maybe you'd get away with such a situation most of the time, even if we were a bit slow to react. But in this league opposition players are faster, crosses are more accurate and finishes are better. We can't put in 90% and expect to get away with it.

Yeah, was just about to post the same. It looks like the Everton player misses his header which then unluckily catches Robinson on the back. If it hadn't have caught him on the back I'm pretty sure he'd have easily got to the ball first and cleared the danger. As it was the Everton man makes it a 50-50 challenges and breaks to their man.

 

[espoo blade]

Yes, he hesitated a little, maybe thinking Robinson would deal with the situation at this stage:
View attachment 170268
But it bounced awkwardly and Robinson couldn't get a clean touch on the ball.

At least he's the one who does react by sprinting. So that's the (hidden?) message behind the OP. What's been common for a few of the goals we've conceded this season is that we've lacked a bit intensity when it comes to 1) identifying danger and 2) getting in the optimal position to deal with it. The best defenders are great at it, fully switched on, reading the situation and busting a gut to rescue it. Puyol at his prime is an example.

I think it's a mix between lack of pace, energy and focus that make our players not run at 100% to rescue us here. I think there are more players than Larouci to focus on. Everton had put us under pressure after the break, and gaps were starting to appear. Collectively we struggled. All our attacks broke down and we couldn't get close to them when they went forward.

In the Championship maybe you'd get away with such a situation most of the time, even if we were a bit slow to react. But in this league opposition players are faster, crosses are more accurate and finishes are better. We can't put in 90% and expect to get away with it.

Also agree that Anel and Baldock do a pretty poor job here. Baldock just never gets goal side of the defenders. Anel has a glance to his left as he's running back, but when the ball comes in he let's it go across him. Not sure wtf he was playing at.

 

[ATL Recs]

Refs at fault for Everton's 2nd goal. Could have blown whistle and given Everton a kick for fouls but with ref allowing play on and Everton go and score. Another PL ref would have blown whistle and given free kick to Everton and Everton more than likely would not of scored 2nd.

Wow ignoring playing advantage then ?