4 games on the bounce

[Slim Man]

We have conceded an absolute stonker from outside the box. Now although this is poor defending, I have to ask the question why don’t we do it?

We are always tip tapping it around the box looking for that perfect chance. I’d love to see us just take aim at goal, especially when a side fills the box like they did. Sometimes it’s the best way to score against a side like that. I was screaming for Duffy to hit it a couple of times today because he’s perfectly capable he just never does.

 

[Ricky]

And the game before we conceded a freak goal at QPR, and the game before that we conceded another belter - from Leeds' first sight of goal.

 

[LJBlade]

We have conceded an absolute stonker from outside the box. Now although this is poor defending, I have to ask the question why don’t we do it?

We are always tip tapping it around the box looking for that perfect chance. I’d love to see us just take aim at goal, especially when a side fills the box like they did. Sometimes it’s the best way to score against a side like that. I was screaming for Duffy to hit it a couple of times today because he’s perfectly capable he just never does.

Duffy tried at least one shot from outside of the box today and it was blocked, same goes for Fleck.

We also (technically) scored from a long range shot against Fulham after Fleck’s shot was parried to Clarke

 

[Tyler Durden]

Because ironically, for a player so reluctant to shoot, the only other player capable of accurate long shots was Coutts.

Duffys long shot record is mixed.

The only two long range attempts today were from Lundstram and O'Connell. The less said about those ones the better.

 

[jt64]

Someone's managed to score a sub-10% chance against us, shooooooooooooot

 

[Slim Man]

Because ironically, for a player so reluctant to shoot, the only other player capable of accurate long shots was Coutts.

Duffys long shot record is mixed.

The only two long range attempts today were from Lundstram and O'Connell. The less said about those ones the better.

Fair point, but I think Fleck has got a decent left foot. Stevens too.

 

[Slim Man]

Someone's managed to score a sub-10% chance against us, shooooooooooooot

4 games on the bounce*

 

[LJBlade]

Because ironically, for a player so reluctant to shoot, the only other player capable of accurate long shots was Coutts.

Duffys long shot record is mixed.

The only two long range attempts today were from Lundstram and O'Connell. The less said about those ones the better.

The Lundstram shot was well saved by their keeper wasn’t it?

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

We have conceded an absolute stonker from outside the box. Now although this is poor defending, I have to ask the question why don’t we do it?

We are always tip tapping it around the box looking for that perfect chance. I’d love to see us just take aim at goal, especially when a side fills the box like they did. Sometimes it’s the best way to score against a side like that. I was screaming for Duffy to hit it a couple of times today because he’s perfectly capable he just never does.

As said in another thread, it’s a 6% chance of scoring from outside the box, as we’ve seen, occasionally they’ll go in, but I’d much rather we play intelligently and work the ball into the box like we did for Clarke’s goal - which was an excellent goal.

When O’Connell took his stupid shot it killed momentum and gave away the great position we had worked ourselves into, then the Brum keeper killed 45 seconds off the clock taking the goal kick.

The fact that we dont regularly take stupid shots from distance and lump hopefull crosses into the box from wide areas is why we’re 2nd top scorers in the league and got 100points last year.

Watch man city play, aside from the odd screamer from outside the box from Fernandinho (think he has two this year) and DeBruyne (when there was minimal pressure directly in front of him), almost all their goals are inside the box. Whilst we obviously don’t have the same quality as man city, it’s refreshing to see us try and adopt a similar style when around the box.

 

[Slim Man]

The Lundstram shot was well saved by their keeper wasn’t it?

That one yeah but there was another that went flying over

 

[Tyler Durden]

Fair point, but I think Fleck has got a decent left foot. Stevens too.

Fleck certainly, I wish he'd utilise it more to be honest.

 

[Slim Man]

As said in another thread, it’s a 6% chance of scoring from outside the box, as we’ve seen, occasionally they’ll go in, but I’d much rather we play intelligently and work the ball into the box like we did for Clarke’s goal - which was an excellent goal.

When O’Connell took his stupid shot it killed momentum and gave away the great position we had worked ourselves into, then the Brum keeper killed 45 seconds off the clock taking he goal kick.

The fact that we dont regularly take stupid shots from distance and lump hopefull crosses into the box from wide areas is why we’re 2nd top scorers in the league and got 100points last year.

Watch man city play, aside from the odd screamer from outside the box from Fernandinho (think he has two this year) and DeBruyne (when there was minimal pressure directly in front of him), almost all their goals are inside the box. Whilst we obviously don’t have the same quality as man city, it’s refreshing to see us try and adopt a similar style when around the box.

You’ve literally just made my point for me in that last paragraph. Even the best sides take aim from outside the box. Nothing stopping us, especially when the oppo have that many bodies back. Crosses at the byline or corner of the box were never going to work today.

 

[Ricky]

Lundstram had one good effort (first half) and one poor effort (second half).

I think he's definitely got goals in him. Gets box to box and can hit it with both feet.

 

[Tyler Durden]

The Lundstram shot was well saved by their keeper wasn’t it?

He had one blocked, but the best chance was scuffed altogether.

 

[LJBlade]

That one yeah but there was another that went flying over

From Lundstram? I thought that was O’Connell’s?

The other ‘shot’ I remember Lundstram having was the one that he hit on the half volley from the edge of the box that he sliced wide. Either way it’s not like we aren’t trying to shoot but I just think we need to be pick the times we do shoot better.

 

[jt64]

4 games on the bounce*

So? Why the hell would we want to start taking low percentage shots when we can try to manufacture better chances? If you want to argue that we could have closed down players quicker, go ahead, but I would much rather us keep playing it about and try to either draw fouls or create clear cut opportunities. Does it not say something about our defending and general play that, Fulham aside, the only goals we've conceded recently are from speculative long range shots that need something special to go in?

 

[LJBlade]

He had one blocked, but the best chance was scuffed altogether.

He had one saved in the first half. The one in the second he sliced wide but it wasn’t the easiest chance.

 

[stringer]

That one yeah but there was another that went flying over

From JOC

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

You’ve literally just made my point for me in that last paragraph. Even the best sides take aim from outside the box. Nothing stopping us, especially when the oppo have that many bodies back. Crosses at the byline or corner of the box were never going to work today.

You asked why we don't take many shots from outside the box and I answered your question.

How was shooting from distance going to work today when there would have been 8 bodies in front of it and probably multiple lines of pressure.

Last season Eriksen took over 70 shots from outside the box for Spurs, he scored 3 times from that distance.

Last season Pogba took over 50 shots from outside the box for Man United, he scored 2 times from that distance.

It's highly inefficient even for the so called best players in the world.

 

[dc_blade]

If you read that excellent article about our set-piece play that was knocking about the forum this week, you get a little window into the mentality of Wilder and Knill when it comes to this--if it wasn't already obvious from watching how we've played for 18 months. They would far rather we create a "high quality chance" with a couple of extra touches than roll the dice with a long range effort.

 

[Bladesman]

We have enough players in the squad that have a good shot on them. True they don't shoot often enough.

 

[SteveBlade]

Get bloody Lafferty back and get Stevens dropped, when was the last time he scored a 30 yarder??

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

And these goals are coming from similar area's of the pitch,Hull's goal,Burton's goal,Brums goal,to name three that come to mind,disappointing.

 

[PokerBlade]

Because even at the highest level of the game the conversion rate of shots from outside the box in general is low. And fluctuations in statistical variance do not make something a better idea.

If O'Connell could consistently smash it in the top corner of the net he probably wouldn't put it in the top corner of the Kop whenever he gets the idea to shoot.

 

[Stebop]

Funny how we always seem to be on the end of these 'worldies' - case in point, that's the Chelsea loan star's first goal this season.

Funny how I also just accept this as part and parcel of following United - the opposition WILL score their best ever goal in their entire fucking history against you. EVERY. FUCKING. TIME.

 

[Keen Blade]

We've conceded long range goals because our guys haven't closed down quickly enough and the opportunity has been recognised and taken very quickly by the scorer.
At the other end of the pitch , our approach play has tended to be slow & thoughtful , which leaves us facing 11 bodies , such that no similar shooting opportunity arises.
But when Fleck took his chance to shoot on Tuesday , Leon dinked in the rebound , so it can work , by causing a defensive error.

 

[GodricBlade]

Joining a few dots together, don’t these long range shots all seem to be coming from the area that Baldock/Freeman would naturally be patrolling & controlling?
Been said on other threads how much we miss their presence from an attacking sense down the right but we’re missing them more from a defensive angle for me.
As an ex-right back at a lowly amateur level that saw my career peak in a South York’s Boys U-18 side, I love watching what they add to this side & think we’ve really missed ‘em this last couple of games.

 

[sheffielder]

I thought this was going to be a conversation about letting players getting their shots off against us. We have gone off the boil and not closing these players down quickly enough all over th field is where we need to get back to. We are currently a second off a good ball or challenge. It’s like suddenly these players are now having to the think about what they are doing.

Going back to the conversation of shooting from 25 yards. Boga was really out of options if he didn’t shoot as was the burton player. It highlights an issue with their syle of play rather than being good play.

 

[super_pig]

you wait ages to see someone score a worldy against us.. then four come at once..
it's a statistical phenomenon.. won't happen again for years

 

[blackydog]

You asked why we don't take many shots from outside the box and I answered your question.

How was shooting from distance going to work today when there would have been 8 bodies in front of it and probably multiple lines of pressure.

Last season Eriksen took over 70 shots from outside the box for Spurs, he scored 3 times from that distance.

Last season Pogba took over 50 shots from outside the box for Man United, he scored 2 times from that distance.

It's highly inefficient even for the so called best players in the world.

But how many of those shots were deflected back creating another chance, spilled by the keeper creating an opportunity or knocked out for a corner? I'm not expecting you to have an accurate answer just suggesting there's more to it than just the long effort going in.