pommpey
THE FUTURE ... AS IT USED TO BE
- Banned
- #1
Let's have a look at what we've done, what we do and what we do wrong now. I've taken the time to draw some diagrams - they aren't 'official' or anything to do with the club, simply a 'My take ... ' supplementary, based on my observations. To that end, if you disagree, fine. But if you respond like a cunt, be prepared to be treat like a cunt. This subject is about Sheffield United and their failings this season, not me or my moniker at the end of each post.
Firstly, the expected, idealised Wilder line up. It's been like this for four or five seasons now, just swapping out player for player as transfers have allowed. It has to be said that if Wilder could still play and rely on the Div One winning side with some additions like JOC, he'd probably play it next match. No one transferred in since we have come up to the PL has effectively concreted their name into key positions in his 5-3-2.
So with a 'preferred' 5-3-2, 2020-21 (with JOC injured for the rest of the season but with Berge) it looks a little like this, when facing a Leicester/Everton type 3-4-3. This is making assumptions that Norwood and Fleck are playing okay and Stevens is in his preferred role of LWB, and Didsy and McPub up front.
Our idealised attacking formation and strategy is to overload the flanks and exploit numerical advantage, confusing defences and committing teams into areas of unfamiliarity. In short, making your game unpredictable and exploiting space (which my erstwhile, venerable footballing coach told me was two essential elements of successful football. If you go by first principles, he is bang on the fucking nose with both.
I've got Stevens in his advanced role here (thought it could be JOC or Robinson) supported by Fleck and advancing players for outside the box. Teams used to find this quick bomb up the wing so difficult to deal with, especially as there were loads of passing options and permutations, including hitting either McPub on the near stick, Didsy for second ball or an advancing Baldock on the far stick. Defending teams needed to be either well disciplined to not ball watch or simply prevent our players giving the ball carrier options to pass and move. This was 'either wing' so up this near side Baldock, Basham and Lundstram/Berge would be just as active and dynamic and we scored many goals and chances from these moves. Hardly nothing came from the centre of the park, when you think about it. It did ... think about it ... rely on the wide players getting their foot around the ball and sending in a decent cross, low and pacey, mid-height to nick off someone or seven to eight foot off the grass for someone to climb and nod in.
This season, it's different. Teams now deploy a far better understanding of our threat and move four players across the pitch to hem us into that affected touchline and either move the threat up or back down toward our goal, back to Ramsdale or up the other flank where we get the same treatment. From what I observe, the four 'pressers' cut off passing lanes and prevent our players advancing completely. We can't connect, we can't exploit space and our strategy becomes predictable. Because we can't advance, McPub and Didsy are pulled toward the ball to create options and overload and the threat in the box is now devoid. The ball at the feet of a striker outside the box is not a chance. Once opposing teams have us pinned into the areas shown by the dotted lines - the Dead Zone - Sheffield United are themselves dead. Once also we are there and being pressed, we lack the confidence to hang onto the ball and eventually either fuck it up into touch or lose the initiative and surrender possession. So many times we have done this this season.
So now we are reeling back. I have shown this as though we have attacked on this near flank through Baldock, Basham and Berge but for the other flank see Robinson, Stevens and Fleck. Our midfield does one thing and one thing only. It forms a three man line across the pitch. So many goals have been given away like this, including the second one on Saturday. This three man line is neither quick nor dynamic. It just 'lines up' and backpedals with space opening up to the opposing midfield. No-one goes out to challenge, tackle or move the ball carrier wide (or backwards) - or even win the fucking ball back. It's just 'full retreat', so that the advanced defenders can get behind and defend. As seen, the passing lanes are wide open (because the midfield is overwhelmed) and the initiative is firmly theirs to fuck up. Watch how Man City deal with this change over in possession and how we do it. Manchester United's third goal was almost entirely this movement. We lost it on the far flank traying to attack, ten seconds later is was under Ramsdale's body. The midfield - outnumbered and out flanked - were completely useless.
Whilst defending, we are static and don't challenge the opposition. We either have to rely on Didsy coming deep to do the spadework and either gain possession or retain possession and we simply don't move about enough or anticipate better to cut out passing lanes and opportunities. Although Basham put in what some consider a crap header for the Everton goal (DCL was right behind hi and he was at full stretch to stop it going over him and landing at DCLs feet) we failed to jockey key players and simply make it difficult for the likes of Siggurdsson to one two and get into a scoring opportunity. Yes, Norwood. Once again I am looking at you. He was in this position for their goal. received a return pass and Norwood simply ran alongside him. He's good at that is Norwood. Very good.
Eventually our midfield plays so deep, we morph into an 8-2 system
where we are sat so retracted the midfield practically merges with the back five and the opposition midfield has free rein to pass across and back our central and final third with impunity. This becomes the 'it's only a matter of time before they score' system, because they've got so many opportunities to pass and cross (Southampton is a good example) and so much space in front of goal to one-two and be faced with Ramsdale. And, our front two might as well just fuck off for a bath. Didsy becomes our only outlet if we manage to regain possession and then only with a mighty hoof out to the flanks, and usually when we've endured this fucking nightmare for any length of time, the midfield is so shit scared to take the ball out that our back three or goalkeeper just boots it onto McPub's swede. And because he has no players round him for the second ball, it goes to their players and they are back up the pitch again and pinning us into the 8-2 around our box.
That is where I feel we are going wrong. Our play is too predictable, our midfield is weak and outnumbered and in defence we are too submissive.
Does this chime with anyone? Anyone agree, or see anything different? Anyone have any ideas how to change this? What would you do?
pommpey
Firstly, the expected, idealised Wilder line up. It's been like this for four or five seasons now, just swapping out player for player as transfers have allowed. It has to be said that if Wilder could still play and rely on the Div One winning side with some additions like JOC, he'd probably play it next match. No one transferred in since we have come up to the PL has effectively concreted their name into key positions in his 5-3-2.
So with a 'preferred' 5-3-2, 2020-21 (with JOC injured for the rest of the season but with Berge) it looks a little like this, when facing a Leicester/Everton type 3-4-3. This is making assumptions that Norwood and Fleck are playing okay and Stevens is in his preferred role of LWB, and Didsy and McPub up front.
Our idealised attacking formation and strategy is to overload the flanks and exploit numerical advantage, confusing defences and committing teams into areas of unfamiliarity. In short, making your game unpredictable and exploiting space (which my erstwhile, venerable footballing coach told me was two essential elements of successful football. If you go by first principles, he is bang on the fucking nose with both.
I've got Stevens in his advanced role here (thought it could be JOC or Robinson) supported by Fleck and advancing players for outside the box. Teams used to find this quick bomb up the wing so difficult to deal with, especially as there were loads of passing options and permutations, including hitting either McPub on the near stick, Didsy for second ball or an advancing Baldock on the far stick. Defending teams needed to be either well disciplined to not ball watch or simply prevent our players giving the ball carrier options to pass and move. This was 'either wing' so up this near side Baldock, Basham and Lundstram/Berge would be just as active and dynamic and we scored many goals and chances from these moves. Hardly nothing came from the centre of the park, when you think about it. It did ... think about it ... rely on the wide players getting their foot around the ball and sending in a decent cross, low and pacey, mid-height to nick off someone or seven to eight foot off the grass for someone to climb and nod in.
This season, it's different. Teams now deploy a far better understanding of our threat and move four players across the pitch to hem us into that affected touchline and either move the threat up or back down toward our goal, back to Ramsdale or up the other flank where we get the same treatment. From what I observe, the four 'pressers' cut off passing lanes and prevent our players advancing completely. We can't connect, we can't exploit space and our strategy becomes predictable. Because we can't advance, McPub and Didsy are pulled toward the ball to create options and overload and the threat in the box is now devoid. The ball at the feet of a striker outside the box is not a chance. Once opposing teams have us pinned into the areas shown by the dotted lines - the Dead Zone - Sheffield United are themselves dead. Once also we are there and being pressed, we lack the confidence to hang onto the ball and eventually either fuck it up into touch or lose the initiative and surrender possession. So many times we have done this this season.
So now we are reeling back. I have shown this as though we have attacked on this near flank through Baldock, Basham and Berge but for the other flank see Robinson, Stevens and Fleck. Our midfield does one thing and one thing only. It forms a three man line across the pitch. So many goals have been given away like this, including the second one on Saturday. This three man line is neither quick nor dynamic. It just 'lines up' and backpedals with space opening up to the opposing midfield. No-one goes out to challenge, tackle or move the ball carrier wide (or backwards) - or even win the fucking ball back. It's just 'full retreat', so that the advanced defenders can get behind and defend. As seen, the passing lanes are wide open (because the midfield is overwhelmed) and the initiative is firmly theirs to fuck up. Watch how Man City deal with this change over in possession and how we do it. Manchester United's third goal was almost entirely this movement. We lost it on the far flank traying to attack, ten seconds later is was under Ramsdale's body. The midfield - outnumbered and out flanked - were completely useless.
Whilst defending, we are static and don't challenge the opposition. We either have to rely on Didsy coming deep to do the spadework and either gain possession or retain possession and we simply don't move about enough or anticipate better to cut out passing lanes and opportunities. Although Basham put in what some consider a crap header for the Everton goal (DCL was right behind hi and he was at full stretch to stop it going over him and landing at DCLs feet) we failed to jockey key players and simply make it difficult for the likes of Siggurdsson to one two and get into a scoring opportunity. Yes, Norwood. Once again I am looking at you. He was in this position for their goal. received a return pass and Norwood simply ran alongside him. He's good at that is Norwood. Very good.
Eventually our midfield plays so deep, we morph into an 8-2 system
where we are sat so retracted the midfield practically merges with the back five and the opposition midfield has free rein to pass across and back our central and final third with impunity. This becomes the 'it's only a matter of time before they score' system, because they've got so many opportunities to pass and cross (Southampton is a good example) and so much space in front of goal to one-two and be faced with Ramsdale. And, our front two might as well just fuck off for a bath. Didsy becomes our only outlet if we manage to regain possession and then only with a mighty hoof out to the flanks, and usually when we've endured this fucking nightmare for any length of time, the midfield is so shit scared to take the ball out that our back three or goalkeeper just boots it onto McPub's swede. And because he has no players round him for the second ball, it goes to their players and they are back up the pitch again and pinning us into the 8-2 around our box.
That is where I feel we are going wrong. Our play is too predictable, our midfield is weak and outnumbered and in defence we are too submissive.
Does this chime with anyone? Anyone agree, or see anything different? Anyone have any ideas how to change this? What would you do?
pommpey
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