Learning points from today

[Blade56]

I would never claim to be a footy expert but I feel as I said in an earlier post we are to slow in our build up and don’t get ball in quick enough from the wings. Just looking at stats from yesterday and figures seem to confirm.



We’re dribbling it about to much and not gerrin it int box

 

[Nick Jansky]

I'm not "Gerritinbox Man" but I could be accused of being "av a f*ckin shot man" over the past few seasons. And again yesterday.

I think the reality is that we definitely do fart around too much sometimes, waiting for the perfect opportunity. On balance, we get it right, as our success has shown. But there were many times yesterday when we had numerical advantage in the box, but still wanted to create the "perfect" pass/opportunity. I think this is frustrating and it's not wrong to call it out.

Man City do exactly the same.

 

[Charlieblade]

For those who would prefer a more aggressive attacking style from the off, I agree, but we need to consider cause and effect.
Did the cautious approach not work this time, or were we simply undone by a quality finisher and an unstoppable strike?
Would Billy and Olli have kept that level of pace and aggression if they started the game? Olli possibly, Billy, maybe not.

I'm happy to go along with the cautious approach until Wilder is ready to unleash the dogs of war. (Maybe he's saving that for Liverpool at home lol) .

 

[Cerberus Blade]

For those who would prefer a more aggressive attacking style from the off, I agree, but we need to consider cause and effect.
Did the cautious approach not work this time, or were we simply undone by a quality finisher and an unstoppable strike?
Would Billy and Olli have kept that level of pace and aggression if they started the game? Olli possibly, Billy, maybe not.

I'm happy to go along with the cautious approach until Wilder is ready to unleash the dogs of war. (Maybe he's saving that for Liverpool at home lol) .

I think this is down to interpretation. As I (think I) made clear in my previous, I wasn't suggesting "gung ho" or "unleashing dogs of war" as you put it. I was suggesting that we should have been more on the front foot v Leicester. Yes they are a good team, but we sat back off them too much. We have to stop being so apprehensive. No one is saying we shouldn't be a bit "cautious" that's fine, but sitting way back and letting quality teams pass it around in front of you, no sorry...that I do NOT agree with.

Interestingly enough, Wilder has said the same afterwards. It wasn't part of the plan to sit off Leicester like we did. Wilder has also used the term that we should be "braver". This is exactly what I'm saying too.

 

[Charlieblade]

I think this is down to interpretation. As I (think I) made clear in my previous, I wasn't suggesting "gung ho" or "unleashing dogs of war" as you put it. I was suggesting that we should have been more on the front foot v Leicester. Yes they are a good team, but we sat back off them too much. We have to stop being so apprehensive. No one is saying we shouldn't be a bit "cautious" that's fine, but sitting way back and letting quality teams pass it around in front of you, no sorry...that I do NOT agree with.

Interestingly enough, Wilder has said the same afterwards. It wasn't part of the plan to sit off Leicester like we did. Wilder has also used the term that we should be "braver". This is exactly what I'm saying too.

Apologies if my post seemed to critcise yours. That was not my intention.
I was making the point, that selection often indicates the style of play. I'll leave it up to management to decide when and where we go a bit more gung ho.

 

[Champagneblade]

5. Don't dive in
6. Don't moan when you've dived in

I think 2) is harsh. But yep, agree we were very good

If there is even the slightest hint you've been fouled, go down like a crack sniper has taken you out with a head shot.

Even if the ref doesn't pick it up, if a goal comes from it, then at least it will raise enough attention from VAR to properly investigate.

I.e. why's that big centre back rolling around like Neymar? Oh yes, because that dirty twat has his hands all over him like a teenager at a disco. Foul free kick.

 

[super_pig]

there are three tiers in the EPL as i see it.. Liverpool and City in a league of their own.. Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Leicester and Wolves .. possibly Everton in the second tier .. and the rest. Leicester are definitely in the second tier and won't fear any of their peers. it was interesting to watch the Leicester players reaction straight after the game. they knew they had secured a massive three points that their immediate rivals might find hard to replicate.

 

[Toronto Blade]

"He won 3 flick ons outside the area for someone who could read the game to run on to."

I am not disputing McG's work outside the area.
We just didn't win any crosses into the area their defenders made a meal of anything aerial into the box. It wasn't until the subs came on that they lost aerial duels in the box which put them under pressure.

 

[guancheblade]

This works well when we are building down the sides waiting for the overload but when we are camped in their half and we have 5 players set for the cross it's pretty pointless. Like you said they can work on this.

The overload system was where Duffy could excel. Without him i'm not sure the patient wide build up play is the solution. As is being alluded perhaps earlier crosses when we have the likes of McBurnie lurking in the box would prove to be more lucrative for us.

 

[DazBlade88]

I would never claim to be a footy expert but I feel as I said in an earlier post we are to slow in our build up and don’t get ball in quick enough from the wings. Just looking at stats from yesterday and figures seem to confirm.

View attachment 60379

We’re dribbling it about to much and not gerrin it int box

I don't understand - the numbers are surely how many crosses and dribbles we made? So we attempted 32 crosses on Saturday and barely succeeded, yet succeeded with most of our dribbles.

Am I reading it wrong?

 

[PokerBlade]

I'm not "Gerritinbox Man" but I could be accused of being "av a f*ckin shot man" over the past few seasons. And again yesterday.

I think the reality is that we definitely do fart around too much sometimes, waiting for the perfect opportunity. On balance, we get it right, as our success has shown. But there were many times yesterday when we had numerical advantage in the box, but still wanted to create the "perfect" pass/opportunity. I think this is frustrating and it's not wrong to call it out.

The overpassing is like a lot of criticisms, it's only a criticism when it isn't working. I get frustrated by it too at times but that's how we play and it's given us results beyond what I thought possible. There were stats someone put out during last season that more or less showed that the more a team shot from range the less they scored. Huddersfield had plenty of shots but most of them were from the edge of the box or further and as a result their goal record was poor. Far fewer shots from range go in than you think and it's easy to get a skewed perspective when you see someone like Barnes take the net out.

When our approach isn't working then we need to do it better rather than change tack. Only when that's not possible or when the clock's running out should we get desperate and start the pot shots and hopeful crosses.

 

[Smirth]

We also need to start going down when fouled. Happens a lot where our players always stay on their feet when pushed and pulled and we get nothing, if we want them to be called as fouls we need to start going to ground.

 

[Blade56]

I don't understand - the numbers are surely how many crosses and dribbles we made? So we attempted 32 crosses on Saturday and barely succeeded, yet succeeded with most of our dribbles.

Am I reading it wrong?

I was reading it that we were dribbling it about to much and not gerrin it int box. 32 attempted crosses of which only 8 went in compared to their 14 attempts and 6 went in. I think that’s because we always take it wide in a slow build up so defenders can get back easy to block.whereas they hit us quick on the break.
I’d like to see attacks through the middle from runners of the ball being threaded through 1:1.

 

[guancheblade]

I think we needed Fleck, or his type, in midfield yesterday.

Feeman's done enough for me to keep the shirt so, McBurnie has to start, I'd push Freeman forward and get either Fleck, if recovered from injury, or Besic, if he's fit enough to start, in midfield.

So who are you dropping?

 

[HoodedClaw]

So who are you dropping?

Would help if I put that

McGoldrick and Robinson