The over-passing game

[Pinchy]

It’s refreshing to see other proper football fans repel the cry for Hoof. The granite-skulled gerritintboxers were audible in the last five minutes of the first half, weren’t they? I despair.

Apart from the fact that Billy didn’t outpace the lumbering, oafish centre-back at all but rather used his considerable strength to good effect and it was the ball from Ollie that was ‘stunning’ not the simple header, I’ve no need to respond.

 

[Maidenhead]

I’ve noticed in recent matches, we seem to play 1st half’s in 2nd gear and just manage them out playing a steady game.
Then we up the tempo and efforts 2nd half, usually changing out tactics slightly and loooking much better.

.

This how Norwich play.

It's the reason that they're happy to waste time in the first half of games and why they score so many late goals.

 

[Pinchy]

This how Norwich play.

It's the reason that they're happy to waste time in the first half of games and why they score so many late goals.

Play your football the Norwich way...

 

[robbiez666]

I'm confused as there were probably far fewer passes yesterday than in the majority of our games. We got the ball forward a lot quicker. Much of which was hopeful rather than expectant.

 

[raimond]

Nowt particularly new here is there? Yes, we do repeatedly have chances to cross and shoot which we don't take and it's frustrating for everyone (whether you get it or are harking back to Bassett days). It's Wilder's system and principles though and I think most of us are happy enough with that.

Yesterday's first half was flat (wasn't the worst we've seen by a long way) but aye, second half we saw slow centre halves playing a high line and exploited it. Last year, we wouldn't have.

Yesterday and QPR, even Blackburn, they're why this season's different. Last year we wouldn't have broken them down, got frustrated, maybe concede. This year we're picking them off. Options off the bench too- we're definitely in with a proper chance (in fact not too different from the season before last how it's playing out)

 

[DronnieBlade]

This the same over passing game that has us flighing high, playing the best and most effective football in a generation (or more) ?

Be VERYcareful what you wish for. If it ain’t broke !!!!

UTB

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Perhaps the most frustrating moments of the first half were where JOC and Basham from good positions out wide where they had space, time, and could have taken a touch first decided to hit first-time woeful crosses in that completely wasted some good build up. This is what’s extremely frustrating about the gerritinfirsttime brigade – it will be a viable option when it’s someone like Fleck, Duffy and Toxic Ollie on the ball, as they have the quality to do that reliably most of the time. With our overlapping centre-backs we’re already expecting a lot of them to be reasonable crossers – asking them to whip it in first time is more often than not with them going to result in an overhit cross, or as the case yesterday hitting it straight into touch.

 

[sheepbridge]

The one thing that frustrates me a bit is when we get a free kick in a good position and then take a quick short one that invariably leads to nothing. Norwood has shown himself excellent at free kicks and yesterday the one time we took our time and played it in to the box we scored. Not saying we should hoof it every time, variety is good and with Norwood it's not a hoof anyway, it's usually a well delivered ball or a decent shot.

 

[Iceybabey]

Pretty sure Fleck had a shot that deflected just wide from the said piece of play involving Stevens and the player with his back to goal(Sharp)?? ?

 

[Revolution]

The one thing that frustrates me a bit is when we get a free kick in a good position and then take a quick short one that invariably leads to nothing. Norwood has shown himself excellent at free kicks and yesterday the one time we took our time and played it in to the box we scored. Not saying we should hoof it every time, variety is good and with Norwood it's not a hoof anyway, it's usually a well delivered ball or a decent shot.

This is one of the reasons I was glad to be rid of Lee Evans. He was the master of the 5 yards sideways free kick that leads to nothing.

The worst game for this last season was Birmingham away, where they gave away a number of free kicks in their half as they defended the lead, and United never did anything than pass the ball sideways, which resulted in them losing the ball within a few seconds.

 

[Pinchy]

I’m thoroughly fed up with Deano playing the ball short to an outfield colleague. The opposition always get it back within the next 15 minutes. He should lumber like Lurch to the halfway line and launchitintgeneraldirectionotbox.

 

[Grizzly blade]

For the sake of avoiding arguments on this...all I’m going to say on the matter is that we are third due to an exciting, controlling passing style.
A style that pushes teams back and restricts chances at the other end. This style is known as professional football...not alehouse pub league style based on percentages and lack of talent!

May I remind anyone who complains about “over passing” that we could have the worst manager in blades history back...”Fucking clueless twat Blackwell” as I refer to him.

Do t get me wrong, there are times a long ball or channel ball are needed and work effectively...as we saw yesterday. But if that’s all you did teams would set up to deal with it and the boredom begins.

In my opinion this side hasn’t hit the heights it’s capable of yet, and we won’t see this side fade away like last season and I’m still convinced we are the best side in this division. I feel Wilder is just nursing the team a little at the moment, getting it through and ready for a final push for promotion in those last 10 games.
If we are no more than 5 points outside the autos with 10 to go then stick your money on these lads to go up automatically

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

I’m thoroughly fed up with Deano playing the ball short to an outfield colleague. The opposition always get it back within the next 15 minutes. He should lumber like Lurch to the halfway line and launchitintgeneraldirectionotbox.

There was a rather vocal chap behind me (Westfield) who bellowed out 'ya fucking nobhead' at one of our players because he didn't gerritintbox.

 

[guancheblade]

I have a an observation (one for which I'll probably get slaughtered!)... I don't see it as "working the defence". Bear with me.

Decided to watch MOTD on Saturday for the first time in yonks and what really stuck out for me was that every team (bar maybe Huddersfield and Fulham) were perfectly happy to pass to anyone on the pitch, regardless of whether or not the receiver was in space or had a defender screaming down their neck.

United on the other hand, we only ever seem to pass to players when they are free of pressure. I think maybe we are working the passing spaces, to compensate for the lack of quality we have. We don't have many players confident of receiving a pass under pressure (bar say Duffy, McGoldrick and pre-inury Coutts). This must limit our open play options for creating attacks. So perhaps Wilder found a way to work room on the pitch so that our players could play a passing game. This must be one of the reasons the coaching staff have had to work so hard on fitness levels as it will involve increased amounts of running and stamina.

I'm not complaining! I just thought it was interesting, and perhaps a clue into how Wilder is able to turn players playing at L1/L2 into Championship promotion contenders.

 

[BushBlade]

There was a rather vocal chap behind me (Westfield) who bellowed out 'ya fucking nobhead' at one of our players because he didn't gerritintbox.

The match is one of the few places a sober person can be sat next to someone who’s drunk. Ever been in a pub and not been able to drink? They’re horrible, full of arseholes who think their nonsensical drivel is amusing. And when I’m pissed, I’m one of the arseholes, it’s just different when you’re the sober one.

At football you can be stone cold sober, watching the game knowledgably and understand what’s happening and why but be sat next to someone who’s main aim of the day is to get pissed and shout stuff.

 

[PokerBlade]

You have to be able to it all. If you never play a long ball, if you never make an early cross, if you never shoot from range, then you're left with a rather predictable game plan. The thing is though,we've scored 50 goals in 30 games. Leeds are level, WBA and Norwich are ahead, but all three of those teams have conceded more than we have. So it's not like we could realistically do much better, and sacrificing possession more would likely result in more goals against us.

I think we're playing close to optimally given the players we have. You can't pick single instances of when a long ball has worked and simply say "we should do that more".

 

[I should coco]

At football you can be stone cold sober, watching the game knowledgably

I've re-read that several times but I'm really struggling.

What is this 'stone cold sober' and 'watching knowledgably' that you speak of?

 

[BLADES1988]

I’m thoroughly fed up with Deano playing the ball short to an outfield colleague. The opposition always get it back within the next 15 minutes. He should lumber like Lurch to the halfway line and launchitintgeneraldirectionotbox.

Is that code for GERRITFORRUD?

 

[Sean Thornton]

There was a rather vocal chap behind me (Westfield) who bellowed out 'ya fucking nobhead' at one of our players because he didn't gerritintbox.

“Get Madine on and gerrituptohim Wilder “ was the highlight of the first half in the South.

A couple of paramedics ran to a man who had collapsed. I immediately though of Pinchy but then I saw he wasn’t wearing a top hat with a photo of Corbyn on it and a wave of relief swept over me.

 

[Pinchy]

“Get Madine on and gerrituptohim Wilder “ was the highlight of the first half in the South.

A couple of paramedics ran to a man who had collapsed. I immediately though of Pinchy but then I saw he wasn’t wearing a top hat with a photo of Corbyn on it and a wave of relief swept over me.

That’s one of your best. Well done.

 

[Pinchy]

There was a rather vocal chap behind me (Westfield) who bellowed out 'ya fucking nobhead' at one of our players because he didn't gerritintbox.

My straw men out in force?

Grateful for so many common sense observations. It has the significant added bonus of keeping me in my cabin...

 

[Sean Thornton]

That’s one of your best. Well done.

Meh.

Beer and misery......

 

[BushBlade]

You have to be able to it all. If you never play a long ball, if you never make an early cross, if you never shoot from range, then you're left with a rather predictable game plan. The thing is though,we've scored 50 goals in 30 games. Leeds are level, WBA and Norwich are ahead, but all three of those teams have conceded more than we have. So it's not like we could realistically do much better, and sacrificing possession more would likely result in more goals against us.

I think we're playing close to optimally given the players we have. You can't pick single instances of when a long ball has worked and simply say "we should do that more".

‘You can't pick single instances of when a long ball has worked and simply say "we should do that more".’

Isn’t that more or less what Charles Reep did?

 

[rosy red]

I thought it was interesting yesterday that both our goals came from quick balls forward and first time attempts on goal. The ball down the flank, from Baldock I think, was superb and Billy did really well to get goalside of the defender and beat him for pace, then a first time cross for McGoldrick to slide it into an open net. And the second goal, a beautifully weighted pass from a free kick by Norwood, and a stunning downward header by Billy to make it 2.

In between those incisive moments, we had plenty of the over-passing game, particularly in that turgid first half. Even just looking back at a few seconds highlights on Sky you can see it. Duffy has the ball on the right, Enda makes a great run down the left and shouts for it. Duffy puts it on his toe. Enda surges forward, dummies his man, who thinks he's heading for the by-line, and cuts inside. Will he shoot? Will he try and go past another man and get to see the whites of the goalies eyes before pulling the trigger? No. He'll pass it to someone with their back to goal, who will pass it back out of the penalty area to another player, who will then switch play to the other side, and we'll try and work it back in to the box again, and if that doesn't work, we'll pass it back out towards the half way line and start again.

I have to be honest, I get really frustrated with all this over-passing at times. Don't get me wrong. I love seeing good passing football and I value that much more than route 1 stuff. However, there's progressive passing football, where you are passing the ball with a view to getting near to goal and having a bloody pop at it, and there's the other type, the type that we play far too much imo, where you are passing the ball because no one seems to have the bollocks to have a go at goal with it and would rather give it to a teammate than take responsibility for it.

The first half was dreadful yesterday. As bad as I've seen them. Pass, pass, bleedin' pass, and get nowhere.

Second half Chris had obviously told them to speed the f*ck up and start aiming at that big white rectangular thing at the end of the pitch. And the goals came because we upped the tempo and simplified the passing.

More of the same please!

Been saying this for 2 seasons, looks good but gets us nowhere. Not saying go for the long ball but needs the tempo uplifting and balls in quicker

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Been saying this for 2 seasons, looks good but gets us nowhere. Needs the tempo uplifting and balls in quicker

“Gets us nowhere”

We’re 3rd.

 

[rosy red]

“Gets us nowhere”

We’re 3rd.

You know what im talking about if you have watched them regular

 

[Pollingtonblade]

You know what im talking about if you have watched them regular

I have, I don’t.

 

[1888to1889]

Football
A funny old game , just loving my time at lane at the moment and long may it continue.
Over passing,hoof ball, bad refs and linos,knob head away fans ,knob head home fans,shit beer,decent pies, squad to be proud of , a manager, striker forged in steel at this moment in time it can’t get much better
eutoipia does exist in football but only for a brief time so make the most of it because at the end of season it may or may not be our year
But please football gods make it happen
UTB

 

[Rodley]

The match is one of the few places a sober person can be sat next to someone who’s drunk. Ever been in a pub and not been able to drink? They’re horrible, full of arseholes who think their nonsensical drivel is amusing. And when I’m pissed, I’m one of the arseholes, it’s just different when you’re the sober one.

At football you can be stone cold sober, watching the game knowledgably and understand what’s happening and why but be sat next to someone who’s main aim of the day is to get pissed and shout stuff.

Alcohol isn’t a key factor in my opinion just moaning bellends.