Beating the press

[SGBlade]

Since Blaster’s injury we’ve really struggled with this. His ability to take a vertical ball in tight spaces from the keeper / center halves on the half-turn and get us up the pitch was excellent. Souza can do this to an extent but without both of them it was very poor yesterday.

We also miss Anel in these situations because he can step out of defence and draw a defender to him before playing a decent pass.

It’s been noticeable since the Wednesday game (need to give Rohl some credit for this) that we haven’t been able to break a press well, Oxford aside. Yesterday we were regularly forced to our fullbacks and then lumped it aimlessly down the channels. It was fairly straightforward tactics from Plymouth and they executed it well.

We need to get that bravery back in midfield to take the ball off our Center-halves. Peck looks tired to me and perhaps a little lower in confidence than when he first broke through. But Davies should be able to do this more once he gets his sharpness back. I’m hoping we can get Souza back with Tom alongside him and fix this issue, because at the moment it’s a fairly easy game plan against us for the opposition when we have the ball.

Not a massive criticism as we’re still winning games. But definitely something for wilder to figure out.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

On the flip side of this we didn’t press ourselves today … one of the reasons we weren’t st the races today .. we only started pushing on when the 3 subs came on , made a very average side look way better than they actually were

 

[finlaytheblade]

Since Blaster’s injury we’ve really struggled with this. His ability to take a vertical ball in tight spaces from the keeper / center halves on the half-turn and get us up the pitch was excellent. Souza can do this to an extent but without both of them it was very poor yesterday.

We also miss Anel in these situations because he can step out of defence and draw a defender to him before playing a decent pass.

It’s been noticeable since the Wednesday game (need to give Rohl some credit for this) that we haven’t been able to break a press well, Oxford aside. Yesterday we were regularly forced to our fullbacks and then lumped it aimlessly down the channels. It was fairly straightforward tactics from Plymouth and they executed it well.

We need to get that bravery back in midfield to take the ball off our Center-halves. Peck looks tired to me and perhaps a little lower in confidence than when he first broke through. But Davies should be able to do this more once he gets his sharpness back. I’m hoping we can get Souza back with Tom alongside him and fix this issue, because at the moment it’s a fairly easy game plan against us for the opposition when we have the ball.

Not a massive criticism as we’re still winning games. But definitely something for wilder to figure out.

Good insight SG especially about Peck! 3 hard games in 6 days is tough for seasoned pros Young Peck is only just 20 and a workaholic! probably caught up with him not just physical tiredness mental tiredness is a killer as it drives the physical side.
He's going to be a big player in the future and one of the players I was talking about in my previous post! Burnout! Not a blaster he has different skills ! I just love his attitude to the game.

 

[Frank the tank]

Since Blaster’s injury we’ve really struggled with this. His ability to take a vertical ball in tight spaces from the keeper / center halves on the half-turn and get us up the pitch was excellent. Souza can do this to an extent but without both of them it was very poor yesterday.

We also miss Anel in these situations because he can step out of defence and draw a defender to him before playing a decent pass.

It’s been noticeable since the Wednesday game (need to give Rohl some credit for this) that we haven’t been able to break a press well, Oxford aside. Yesterday we were regularly forced to our fullbacks and then lumped it aimlessly down the channels. It was fairly straightforward tactics from Plymouth and they executed it well.

We need to get that bravery back in midfield to take the ball off our Center-halves. Peck looks tired to me and perhaps a little lower in confidence than when he first broke through. But Davies should be able to do this more once he gets his sharpness back. I’m hoping we can get Souza back with Tom alongside him and fix this issue, because at the moment it’s a fairly easy game plan against us for the opposition when we have the ball.

Not a massive criticism as we’re still winning games. But definitely something for wilder to figure out.

Since Blaster’s injury we’ve really struggled with this. His ability to take a vertical ball in tight spaces from the keeper / center halves on the half-turn and get us up the pitch was excellent. Souza can do this to an extent but without both of them it was very poor yesterday.

We also miss Anel in these situations because he can step out of defence and draw a defender to him before playing a decent pass.

It’s been noticeable since the Wednesday game (need to give Rohl some credit for this) that we haven’t been able to break a press well, Oxford aside. Yesterday we were regularly forced to our fullbacks and then lumped it aimlessly down the channels. It was fairly straightforward tactics from Plymouth and they executed it well.

We need to get that bravery back in midfield to take the ball off our Center-halves. Peck looks tired to me and perhaps a little lower in confidence than when he first broke through. But Davies should be able to do this more once he gets his sharpness back. I’m hoping we can get Souza back with Tom alongside him and fix this issue, because at the moment it’s a fairly easy game plan against us for the opposition when we have the ball.

Not a massive criticism as we’re still winning games. But definitely something for wilder to figure out.

Great post and spot on with your analysis
Frustrating thing for me is the amount of times we beat the first press and play through the lines only to take a touch and turn back towards our goal
It happens so often it's got to be coached into them

Arblaster was the key for playing through the lines as was anel and Moore an option to play over

As it is without those three options teams can set up To nullify you too easily and we have become very safety first in our play.
There was one period of play where I counted twenty passes with each one being received by a player who Instantly turned back towards his own goal and this happens frequently

You aren't going to create mnay chances passing the ball backwards as much as we do I'd love to see the stats for forward passes vs backward passes over the season

We seem to spend the majority of the game recycling possession very slowly and maybe one time out of four or five hamer or o hare will lose possession High up. The pitch and one time out of ten will create something

Need to be braver

 

[Bergen Blade]

Good insight SG especially about Peck! 3 hard games in 6 days is tough for seasoned pros Young Peck is only just 20 and a workaholic! probably caught up with him not just physical tiredness mental tiredness is a killer as it drives the physical side.
He's going to be a big player in the future and one of the players I was talking about in my previous post! Burnout! Not a blaster he has different skills ! I just love his attitude to the game.

I think the front players not quite giving us enough makes it more difficult for the midfielders. We shouldn't forget that Arblaster also struggled a bit more than we may have expected before his injury:



We may have been in trouble this season if we didn't have Peck stepping in. I think he's done well and is learning a lot, but soon we need to find out if Souza and Davies can form an even better partnership.

Whoever's upfront is often little involved in our general play. It's not just about those players because it's been the same for Campbell, Brewster and One. Campbell completed 6 passes vs WBA, Brewster 7 vs Millwall and One just 2 vs Plymouth. Moore hasn't started lately, but he's made 15 passes per game on average.

JRS is struggling now that defenders have seen what he can do. Like Brooks he needs to work on attacking full backs on the outside, especially with the mediocre amount of overlapping offered by Gilchrist. O'Hare has improved lately and is always busy. But for a number ten we need more penetrating, driving runs, more dribbles, more chance creating and key passes from him.

Hamer is doing really well his importance is increasing. I would be worried if he got a long term injury, or if there was a big January bid.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I think we'd hammer any team containing Nixon,Hall and Biggs in.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Since Blaster’s injury we’ve really struggled with this. His ability to take a vertical ball in tight spaces from the keeper / center halves on the half-turn and get us up the pitch was excellent. Souza can do this to an extent but without both of them it was very poor yesterday.

We also miss Anel in these situations because he can step out of defence and draw a defender to him before playing a decent pass.

It’s been noticeable since the Wednesday game (need to give Rohl some credit for this) that we haven’t been able to break a press well, Oxford aside. Yesterday we were regularly forced to our fullbacks and then lumped it aimlessly down the channels. It was fairly straightforward tactics from Plymouth and they executed it well.

We need to get that bravery back in midfield to take the ball off our Center-halves. Peck looks tired to me and perhaps a little lower in confidence than when he first broke through. But Davies should be able to do this more once he gets his sharpness back. I’m hoping we can get Souza back with Tom alongside him and fix this issue, because at the moment it’s a fairly easy game plan against us for the opposition when we have the ball.

Not a massive criticism as we’re still winning games. But definitely something for wilder to figure out.

Excellent point.

I'm found it weird how our midfielder can look top notch playing quick 1 touch possession football (at home to Oxford)
but in other games, the midfielder struggle to string 3 passes together and revert to the long ball, it's like we don't have a midfield so look to bypass it.

Agree with you, it's all about how we deal with the press and this is key in the Premier league too.
I'm sure Wilder is fully aware of this issue and is already working on it.

 

[Argentinemanager]

When i saw the title i was hoping it would allow us to beat them star reporters but alas its about football

 

[Bladezz]

Since Blaster’s injury we’ve really struggled with this. His ability to take a vertical ball in tight spaces from the keeper / center halves on the half-turn and get us up the pitch was excellent. Souza can do this to an extent but without both of them it was very poor yesterday.

We also miss Anel in these situations because he can step out of defence and draw a defender to him before playing a decent pass.

It’s been noticeable since the Wednesday game (need to give Rohl some credit for this) that we haven’t been able to break a press well, Oxford aside. Yesterday we were regularly forced to our fullbacks and then lumped it aimlessly down the channels. It was fairly straightforward tactics from Plymouth and they executed it well.

We need to get that bravery back in midfield to take the ball off our Center-halves. Peck looks tired to me and perhaps a little lower in confidence than when he first broke through. But Davies should be able to do this more once he gets his sharpness back. I’m hoping we can get Souza back with Tom alongside him and fix this issue, because at the moment it’s a fairly easy game plan against us for the opposition when we have the ball.

Not a massive criticism as we’re still winning games. But definitely something for wilder to figure out.

I somewhat agree. Yesterday we had our second string centre midfield. Who by all intense purposes has Davies who’s know where near fit enough just yet. Alongside the absence of a main striker and our best left sided centre half.

That mixed in with some poor performances from JRS, Gilchrist, Burrows who are all young and inexperienced. It’s a tough ask to win games.

Don’t think it’s down to Arblaster think it’s down to us not having anywhere near a top of the table starting line up.

 

[Keen Blade]

Great post and spot on with your analysis
Frustrating thing for me is the amount of times we beat the first press and play through the lines only to take a touch and turn back towards our goal
It happens so often it's got to be coached into them

Arblaster was the key for playing through the lines as was anel and Moore an option to play over

As it is without those three options teams can set up To nullify you too easily and we have become very safety first in our play.
There was one period of play where I counted twenty passes with each one being received by a player who Instantly turned back towards his own goal and this happens frequently

You aren't going to create mnay chances passing the ball backwards as much as we do I'd love to see the stats for forward passes vs backward passes over the season

We seem to spend the majority of the game recycling possession very slowly and maybe one time out of four or five hamer or o hare will lose possession High up. The pitch and one time out of ten will create something

Need to be braver

Good to see that you can acknowledge what causes a lot of the frustration with our play.

 

[Frank the tank]

Good to see that you can acknowledge what causes a lot of the frustration with our play.

Everyone with eyes could see we were shit yesterday
Some people take the positives ( like being top, winning games when not playing well and being lucky that the players that are fit are good enough to win games at this level) and others get hysterical like whiney little bitches.

If everyone of your posts is twisting the narrative to something negative, it loses any weight and just becomes boring

Unfortunately a lot of the regular posters on here are very negative people and can't seem to find anything about supporting the Blades to be happy about

If that were me I'd find something else to do rather than displaying it online for all to see and letting it effect me in that way but I like to think I'm the kind of person who. Can turn any negative in. Life into a positive, so maybe I should be a bit more sympathetic to people who can't do that

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Good insight SG especially about Peck! 3 hard games in 6 days is tough for seasoned pros Young Peck is only just 20 and a workaholic! probably caught up with him not just physical tiredness mental tiredness is a killer as it drives the physical side.
He's going to be a big player in the future and one of the players I was talking about in my previous post! Burnout! Not a blaster he has different skills ! I just love his attitude to the game.

3 hard games in 7 days surely. Just seen Wilder’s interview when he keeps saying it’s 3 in 6 days but it’s just not.

He also says we have 6 players aged under 22 in the side when it was actually 5 players aged 22 or under (Burrows is 22).

I’m a big fan of Chris but he does tend to exaggerate sometimes when what he’s saying is fundamentally correct.

 

[finlaytheblade]

3 hard games in 7 days surely. Just seen Wilder’s interview when he keeps saying it’s 3 in 6 days but it’s just not

Sunday to Saturday 6 days?

 

[The Hobott]

... Peck looks tired to me and perhaps a little lower in confidence than when he first broke through...

Interesting. Agree a bit on tired but I thought he's been getting more confident and composed recently. Previously he seemed to get rid of the ball asap often giving it away or held on when he shouldn't and run into trouble. I thought the last couple he's been calmer and made better decisions.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Sunday to Saturday 6 days?

No. Saturday is the 7th day if you start couning from Sunday

 

[Frank the tank]

It's six days exactly or 144 hrs

 

[Need4speed]

Three games in six days is not just hard physically but mentally it is hard as well. Strangely Peck is one that has played in all three but with different bodies all around him, and then he plays 90 minutes with bodies and formations changing all around him. At the same time the expectations and pressure mounts. I suspect that how Plymouth played was a bit of a surprise. To me there was too much space between our lines. The defence needed to step up 10 yards and the midfield could then do the same which would then have supported the forwards press. Ironically we did this in the last 20 minutes and they couldn't get out.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

It's six days exactly or 144 hrs

I take your point but 15:00 on Saturday is the start of the 7th day after Sunday at 15:00.

If we had played at 15:00 on Monday, would you call that 2 games in 1 day or 2 games in 2 days?

 

[west_yorks_blade]

Everyone with eyes could see we were shit yesterday
Some people take the positives ( like being top, winning games when not playing well and being lucky that the players that are fit are good enough to win games at this level) and others get hysterical like whiney little bitches.

If everyone of your posts is twisting the narrative to something negative, it loses any weight and just becomes boring

Unfortunately a lot of the regular posters on here are very negative people and can't seem to find anything about supporting the Blades to be happy about

If that were me I'd find something else to do rather than displaying it online for all to see and letting it effect me in that way but I like to think I'm the kind of person who. Can turn any negative in. Life into a positive, so maybe I should be a bit more sympathetic to people who can't do that

I have to agree with this.
Every so often if I’m watching a match on the TV on my own, I’ll pop on to shout box to feel like I’m sharing the experience with fellow fans. I’m always astonished at the levels of negativity and criticism no matter how well we are doing, and have to log off wondering why I’d forgotten how toxic it is. As you say they ‘they can’t seem to find anything about supporting the Blades to be happy about’.
Three points clear despite a 2 point deduction, winning even when we haven’t played well, 9 home wins, 9 clean sheets etc. etc. You’d think they would find something.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I have to agree with this.
Every so often if I’m watching a match on the TV on my own, I’ll pop on to shout box to feel like I’m sharing the experience with fellow fans. I’m always astonished at the levels of negativity and criticism no matter how well we are doing, and have to log off wondering why I’d forgotten how toxic it is. As you say they ‘they can’t seem to find anything about supporting the Blades to be happy about’.
Three points clear despite a 2 point deduction, winning even when we haven’t played well, 9 home wins, 9 clean sheets etc. etc. You’d think they would find something.

Frustration gets the better of some fans and clouds the picture.They would say they are as big a fan as you ! Frustration a big word in football !

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

3 hard games in 7 days surely. Just seen Wilder’s interview when he keeps saying it’s 3 in 6 days but it’s just not.

He also says we have 6 players aged under 22 in the side when it was actually 5 players aged 22 or under (Burrows is 22).

I’m a big fan of Chris but he does tend to exaggerate sometimes when what he’s saying is fundamentally correct.

We tend to regard ‘7 days’ as meaning a week (eg ‘working 7 days a week’). Playing every Saturday is regarded as 1 match a week. So playing Sunday and then Saturday is conventionally regarded as 2 games in less than a week, hence ‘6 days’. I don’t think Wilder is guilty of exaggeration there.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

In terms of playing out from the back, we tend to just go long with a big striker (Moore, One). With Campbell or Brewster up front, players know there is little to be gained by hoofing it forward.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Three games in six days is not just hard physically but mentally it is hard as well..

Think Wilders grumble is more about yet again, the opposition team are allowed as extra day to rest and prepare tactics for the match.

Plymouth played at home Tuesday and their players will have been in bed sleeping at midnight.

Where as our players played Wednesday and will have got to bed 2am on Thursday morning.

Would be interesting to see stats regards how much advantage one team having a day extra rest, has on results. Also when you think we’ve just had 2 matches away from home, bet there was little training and prep work the week leading up to this weeks matches.

 

[Northyorksblade]

3 hard games in 7 days surely. Just seen Wilder’s interview when he keeps saying it’s 3 in 6 days but it’s just not.

He also says we have 6 players aged under 22 in the side when it was actually 5 players aged 22 or under (Burrows is 22).

I’m a big fan of Chris but he does tend to exaggerate sometimes when what he’s saying is fundamentally correct.

Ruddy hell, hardly exaggeration! Under 21 teams often have players of 21 in the team. And playing Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday in football terms is usually considered as 6 days, even though it isn't.
You're just being picky.

 

[robbiez666]

This is why Moore is so important. You can't expect 2 midfielders who have never played together, one who has less than 20 football games under his belt and one who has been out for a long time, to successfully consistently beat a good press. He is an outball. A way of playing over the press.

 

[Keen Blade]

Everyone with eyes could see we were shit yesterday
Some people take the positives ( like being top, winning games when not playing well and being lucky that the players that are fit are good enough to win games at this level) and others get hysterical like whiney little bitches.

If everyone of your posts is twisting the narrative to something negative, it loses any weight and just becomes boring

Unfortunately a lot of the regular posters on here are very negative people and can't seem to find anything about supporting the Blades to be happy about

If that were me I'd find something else to do rather than displaying it online for all to see and letting it effect me in that way but I like to think I'm the kind of person who. Can turn any negative in. Life into a positive, so maybe I should be a bit more sympathetic to people who can't do that

Thank you for responding in such a thoughtful way.
You are right to say we can't be expected to produce free-flowing football when half the team is out or affected by injury.
For me , O'Hare & Hamer put in heroic performances and Cooper made a couple of crucial saves.
Getting a 2-0 win in those circumstances is a real success.
As is extending our lead over Leeds.
Being top after a 2 point deduction , having collected points at a phenomenal rate , is a fabulous achievement.

 

[Frank the tank]

Thank you for responding in such a thoughtful way.
You are right to say we can't be expected to produce free-flowing football when half the team is out or affected by injury.
For me , O'Hare & Hamer put in heroic performances and Cooper made a couple of crucial saves.
Getting a 2-0 win in those circumstances is a real success.
As is extending our lead over Leeds.
Being top after a 2 point deduction , having collected points at a phenomenal rate , is a fabulous achievement.

It is you're right
And thank you for responding in an equally thoughtful manner

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Ruddy hell, hardly exaggeration! Under 21 teams often have players of 21 in the team. And playing Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday in football terms is usually considered as 6 days, even though it isn't.
You're just being picky.

Like I said. It just undermines the validity of the point he’s making. Rak-Sakyi is also 22 now.

He could say “we started the game with 5 players who are 22 or younger” and it would be nearly as impressive but with the distinct advantage of being factualy correct

 

[mattbianco1]

No. Saturday is the 7th day if you start couning from Sunday

We played Sunday. Then we played 2 more games within 6 days

 

[finlaytheblade]

This is why Moore is so important. You can't expect 2 midfielders who have never played together, one who has less than 20 football games under his belt and one who has been out for a long time, to successfully consistently beat a good press. He is an outball. A way of playing over the press.

For it to work though he needs a runner. Until Brewster came on we didn't have one.
1st half On'e had no support either and he walked off a dejected figure as his nievety was exposed he's not up to this level yet and Wilder knew it.
Wilder used this game to rest players who were carrying slight injuries we got away awith it.