Midfield and Set-Piece Marking

[robbiez666]

I realise reason might have gone for the rest of the evening but I noticed a couple of things tonight.

Yes, we dropped 2 points because 2 players made 3 individual errors.

However, we were also lucky not to concede at least one penalty from some kamikaze marking from corners. I have no idea what was going on tonight but we repeatedly lost men on their set-pieces and tried to make up for it by fouling. The ref was poor, luckily for us.

I don't think Wilder is to blame for any of that. The subs were sensible to me.

There was something I noticed from about 70 minutes onwards though. The midfield. They were all over the shop. Fleck was ok, apart from a dreadful error and being pulled out of position far too much. Norwood went awol and Basham was a headless chicken literally following the ball.

We weren't tacking runs, closing down, covering space or getting forward.

Stevens and Baldock were having to do their job and the job of the midfield. They both ended up taking cards for their troubles.

I though the midfield imploding allowed them space and time to come on. We invited them on and even though they were playing badly gave them chances. The strikers chased and harried and blocked and came back but the midfield were often mia. It happens a lot later on in games if the other team is still going for it.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Energy levels maybe? It’s not just a physical toll our high intensity game takes out of players.

 

[robbiez666]

Energy levels maybe? It’s not just a physical toll our high intensity game takes out of players.

It's a shame we don't have a Fleck mk2 to bring on in these circumstances. I think that's why Wilder has to push Basham up which disrupts the back 3. I would have thought Lundstram for Norwood would be a better plan (if the former was on the bench).

 

[A Storm of Blades]

It's a shame we don't have a Fleck mk2 to bring on in these circumstances. I think that's why Wilder has to push Basham up which disrupts the back 3. I would have thought Lundstram for Norwood would be a better plan (if the former was on the bench).

In my view a 60% Coutts > any kind of Cranie. Shuddering at him playing the next couple.

 

[robbiez666]

In my view a 60% Coutts > any kind of Cranie. Shuddering at him playing the next couple.

Since Coutts has come back I'm not confident of having him in the team. It's the lack of mobility. He's can be easily beaten in the middle by the opposition midfielders and leave huge gaps behind him.

We're a midfielder short really.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Since Coutts has come back I'm not confident of having him in the team. It's the lack of mobility. He's can be easily beaten in the middle by the opposition midfielders and leave huge gaps behind him.

We're a midfielder short really.

Why? If Dowell had to off then why not bring on Duffy? Most intelligant player we have and would have relieved pressure. BS subs.

 

[robbiez666]

Why? If Dowell had to off then why not bring on Duffy? Most intelligant player we have and would have relieved pressure. BS subs.

I assume because they were starting to dominate the centre of midfield at the time. Bringing Duffy on doesn't help that. In a perfect world we'd have a striker who can play upfront on his own and fully fit. Then you could possibly bring Duffy on and take a striker off. Sharp can;t do that so you need two striker on the pitch. Your option then is to go for it with Duffy for Dowell or try and shut up shop and bring an extra body on.

We were 3-0 up. Even if they suddenly started playing well, got lucky or we made errors yo'd not expect to ship 3 goals.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Why? If Dowell had to off then why not bring on Duffy? Most intelligant player we have and would have relieved pressure. BS subs.

I have to agree the subs were the primer layer for the final coat of shit that was applied.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I assume because they were starting to dominate the centre of midfield at the time. Bringing Duffy on doesn't help that. In a perfect world we'd have a striker who can play upfront on his own and fully fit. Then you could possibly bring Duffy on and take a striker off. Sharp can;t do that so you need two striker on the pitch. Your option then is to go for it with Duffy for Dowell or try and shut up shop and bring an extra body on.

We were 3-0 up. Even if they suddenly started playing well, got lucky or we made errors yo'd not expect to ship 3 goals.

Dowell was picking up loose balls and driving forward making us look likely to get a 4th, by removing that option we get deeper and deeper. A fresh Duffy would have made a huge difference tonight. Attack is the best form of defence.

 

[robbiez666]

Dowell was picking up loose balls and driving forward making us look likely to get a 4th, by removing that option we get deeper and deeper. A fresh Duffy would have made a huge difference tonight. Attack is the best form of defence.

He was also giving balls away in bad positions and putting us in trouble. It's a 50/50 at that stage. I can see as a manger why you would choose to try and sure it up a but at 3-0 up. Its not like he simply stuck and extra defender on, he just pulled a midfielder into a deeper role.

No one makes a mistake, we win 3-0, none of these conversations would be happening.