Defensive Headers

[robbiez666]

This has been bugging me for a while now. We seem to literally just head a ball anywhere, under no pressure. It's such a waste and just gives the opposition the ball back. The headed equivalent of the big hoof. All the CBs are guilty of this. Egan and Anel especially bad. Even when they're not trying to head it that far.

Surely it would make more sense to at least head towards the touchline as we can challenge for a throw?

 

[jt64]

This has been bugging me for a while now. We seem to literally just head a ball anywhere, under no pressure. It's such a waste and just gives the opposition the ball back. The headed equivalent of the big hoof. All the CBs are guilty of this. Egan and Anel especially bad. Even when they're not trying to head it that far.

Surely it would make more sense to at least head towards the touchline as we can challenge for a throw?

When you say head it towards the touchline, do you mean head it out and give the opposition possession, which seems to be the problem you are trying to solve?

 

[Stevo]

When you say head it towards the touchline, do you mean head it out and give the opposition possession, which seems to be the problem you are trying to solve?

I'm all for heading the ball at precisely a 42 degree angle, max velocity to someone doing keepy uppys on the touchline, then build from there, why we aren't doing this is beyond me......joke of a club!!!!

 

[Guesty]

I think on a couple of occasions yesterday, the Centre Half in question should have got a shout to let them know they had time to take it down.

I loved that bit right at the end yesterday when four consecutive clearances went to the same Huddersfield player.

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

This has been bugging me for a while now. We seem to literally just head a ball anywhere, under no pressure. It's such a waste and just gives the opposition the ball back. The headed equivalent of the big hoof. All the CBs are guilty of this. Egan and Anel especially bad. Even when they're not trying to head it that far.

Surely it would make more sense to at least head towards the touchline as we can challenge for a throw?

Don`t know about the touchline comment, but you make a good point. Egan in particular ,though not the only one, seems always to go for distance, thereby often giving it to the opposition, when a less powerful header would see it finding one of our midfielders or retreating forwards.

 

[Cappy]

My major gripe is the simple lack of aiming generally. Heading is a pass, yet is not handled in the same way. I notice it with most championship players. Our only consistent decent defensive headerererers are Norwood, Anel Macatee and Doyle.

 

[robbiez666]

Don`t know about the touchline comment, but you make a good point. Egan in particular ,though not the only one, seems always to go for distance, thereby often giving it to the opposition, when a less powerful header would see it finding one of our midfielders or retreating forwards.

The touchline bit might well be wrong, but strikes me in games like yesterday when we have no one to realistically win those kind of headers that it would maybe be better to not head it to the CBs of the opposition. I have not really thought this tactic through, in fairness.

 

[raimond]

I reckon first and foremost, heading it out anywhere is fine as long as it defends the danger, that's what they're there for. If they could bring it down perfectly on their chest and calmly play it to one of our players, they wouldn't be playing for us.

Having said that, John Egan's ability for every clearing header to go straight to an opposition player is bloody uncanny. Even by the law of averages the poor bugger should have more luck than that.

By the way, those saying Egan and Anel are the worst culprits have never seen Jack Robinson play. For someone who's decent in the air, his ability to set up opposition chances by not 'heading it anywhere' but straight to an opposition player on the edge of the box is bleedin unbelievable.

 

[coaxingstar71]

And yet a quick scan of the table shows we have jointly conceded the fewest goals with Coventry, who have played 2 games fewer, so we must be doing something right defensively.

 

[robbiez666]

When you say head it towards the touchline, do you mean head it out and give the opposition possession, which seems to be the problem you are trying to solve?

At least we can compete on a throw. I think my issue is that when McBurnie isn't on the pitch and we have unchallenged defensive headers we seem to just head it straight to the opposition CBs. Ndiaye and Sharp don't even try and compete for half of those as they've no chance. At least if we're heading towards the wings it makes it a harder header for a smaller player. Like you kick it into the channels to win a throw in further up the pitch.