Beating the press

[Houston_Blade]

Football doesn’t work in a way where chances are created every time a team goes forwards unless you’re playing a complete mismatch of a game.

While we need to be braver at times, we also generally keep possession to work an opportunity, we’ve scored some good goals this way.

I’d love to watch an end to end goal fest every week but that’s not how the game works.

 

[robbiez666]

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.

I think we need Moore to win the battle and one of JRS, Hamer or O'Hare to support him.

 

[steve26272]

Football doesn’t work in a way where chances are created every time a team goes forwards unless you’re playing a complete mismatch of a game.

While we need to be braver at times, we also generally keep possession to work an opportunity, we’ve scored some good goals this way.

I’d love to watch an end to end goal fest every week but that’s not how the game works.

Man City (of old) didn’t create a chance every possession, the difference is they would probe and move people around, and keep the ball

Were not at that level, we try but then frequently give the ball away - O’Hare particularly tends to over complicate it, and is then physically weak when leaned into

But, whatever we’re doing we’re doing oreyt so let’s not worry too much eh?

 

[SGBlade]

Football doesn’t work in a way where chances are created every time a team goes forwards unless you’re playing a complete mismatch of a game.

While we need to be braver at times, we also generally keep possession to work an opportunity, we’ve scored some good goals this way.

I’d love to watch an end to end goal fest every week but that’s not how the game works.

Take your point but it’s not necessarily about launching quick attacks every time. Sometimes it’s just about beating the initial press and keeping hold of it, rather than smashing it aimlessly down the flanks.

I agree that generally keeping control is what’s served us well this season. We’ve shown recently we can add in the occasional lightening counter (Coventry, Milwall) which is great.

For the record, I think we’re having a great season and our tactics on the whole have been spot on with the players at our disposal. Just saying I think we’ll need to make some tactical or mentality tweaks in the coming weeks because teams have found a way to play against us which knocks us off our rhythm.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Take your point but it’s not necessarily about launching quick attacks every time. Sometimes it’s just about beating the initial press and keeping hold of it, rather than smashing it aimlessly down the flanks.

I agree that generally keeping control is what’s served us well this season. We’ve shown recently we can add in the occasional lightening counter (Coventry, Milwall) which is great.

For the record, I think we’re having a great season and our tactics on the whole have been spot on with the players at our disposal. Just saying I think we’ll need to make some tactical or mentality tweaks in the coming weeks because teams have found a way to play against us which knocks us off our rhythm.

I’m hoping the reason that we’ve been knocked off our stride is due to personnel changes through injuries and suspensions. That’s me being optimistic though!

 

[nopigfansintown]

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.

Our opponents got a day's rest on us so the situation was actually worse than the one he was describing. You combine the packed schedule, the extra rest of our opponents, and the lack of players to change it and it's big achievement to keep winning. The schedulers haven't been kind to the Blades.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

I’m hoping the reason that we’ve been knocked off our stride is due to personnel changes through injuries and suspensions. That’s me being optimistic though!

I think you are right.

The lack of Souza on Saturday was very telling in midfield especially following the long term loss of blaster. We just couldn’t keep hold of the ball.
If we lose Hamer to injury or part with him in the JTW, that will be huge, he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch on Saturday. Our points tally this season has largely been due to moments of individual quality making the difference IMO.

 

[Ned the Donkey]

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.

100%. My understanding of football tactics is stuck in the "hoof it into the channels" era. So some of the fine details of the press are beyond me but Wilder often talks about playing round, playing through, or playing over.

Without Moore we have little to no chance of playing over, the opposition can let us play it over knowing they are going to pick up the ball and come straight back at us.

This is what Plymouth were doing. It's what everyone does against us when Moore's not playing. If they know it's going to be easy to pick up an out ball they can concentrate on pressing us. It's much less risk so they can redistribute their forces to concentrate on the press. I'm not sure it's as galaxy-brained as a lot of people seem to think it is, and this mismatch between our attack and their defence contributed hugely to a decent showing from Plymouth...for a while. But against any regular set of Championship players Plymouth are going to struggle. As they did when we brought on our subs.

After a couple of decent touches from One in the first half, he became totally anonymous. Whenever we went long, he got nowhere near it and they started to build.

That's not his fault, he was our only reasonable option. And importantly one of the challenges he did put in led to the corner that led to the goal.

The other option we sometimes use when we're penned in is Springheel McCallum: he wins a header which relieves the pressure.

I don't know if I was imagining it but Moore looked like he was limping a bit when he came on, which might be why he didn't start. Whatever the reason he clearly wasn't up to 90 minutes.

I thought with a knackered, makeshift, bare bones (in some areas) underage team, playing their sixth game in three days, or whatever it was, we did very well to contain (and even score against - Thanks Gus) any professional opposition on Saturday.

Once we we could temporarily deploy the walking wounded - in particular Moore - we were running over them, and the second goal looked like just a matter of time.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Opened this thinking it was asking for volunteers to sort out fatty Samuels.

 

[robbiez666]

100%. My understanding of football tactics is stuck in the "hoof it into the channels" era. So some of the fine details of the press are beyond me but Wilder often talks about playing round, playing through, or playing over.

Without Moore we have little to no chance of playing over, the opposition can let us play it over knowing they are going to pick up the ball and come straight back at us.

This is what Plymouth were doing. It's what everyone does against us when Moore's not playing. If they know it's going to be easy to pick up an out ball they can concentrate on pressing us. It's much less risk so they can redistribute their forces to concentrate on the press. I'm not sure it's as galaxy-brained as a lot of people seem to think it is, and this mismatch between our attack and their defence contributed hugely to a decent showing from Plymouth...for a while. But against any regular set of Championship players Plymouth are going to struggle. As they did when we brought on our subs.

After a couple of decent touches from One in the first half, he became totally anonymous. Whenever we went long, he got nowhere near it and they started to build.

That's not his fault, he was our only reasonable option. And importantly one of the challenges he did put in led to the corner that led to the goal.

The other option we sometimes use when we're penned in is Springheel McCallum: he wins a header which relieves the pressure.

I don't know if I was imagining it but Moore looked like he was limping a bit when he came on, which might be why he didn't start. Whatever the reason he clearly wasn't up to 90 minutes.

I thought with a knackered, makeshift, bare bones (in some areas) underage team, playing their sixth game in three days, or whatever it was, we did very well to contain (and even score against - Thanks Gus) any professional opposition on Saturday.

Once we we could temporarily deploy the walking wounded - in particular Moore - we were running over them, and the second goal looked like just a matter of time.

Worth also noting that we used to use Ndiaye as well as McBurnie to circumvent the press. Ndiaye was always looking to make runs into space, giving us an option. JRS largely stands still.

 

[Tom Bott]

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?

If Wilder spent his time debating the semantics like this, he would never have time to choose his starting 11.

 

[Keen Blade]

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.

Yeh , he cut a dispirited figure when walking along the kop.
Like he'd just realised how bloody hard the job is.
But he'll just have to get on with it if he wants s career.
Whilst O’Hare & Hamer were running around pressing , he seemed to think that was not part of his job , never getting tight on his man when out of possession.
Lots to learn , not ready for the men's game as we play it.

 

[Menage a petit pois]

Too many daft international breaks, 46 games shoe-horned into what's left of the season, add in a sprinkling of stupid scheduling changes to accommodate TV and it's no surprise players are getting fatigue and injury. As fans we have a right to expect value for money, as players they have a right to be given ample recovery time to ensure that they have the best chance of demonstrating the best version of themselves on the pitch. Sadly, we have sold our souls and in the long term it's players and fans who suffer - not the broadcasters

 

[brownblade]

Too many daft international breaks, 46 games shoe-horned into what's left of the season, add in a sprinkling of stupid scheduling changes to accommodate TV and it's no surprise players are getting fatigue and injury. As fans we have a right to expect value for money, as players they have a right to be given ample recovery time to ensure that they have the best chance of demonstrating the best version of themselves on the pitch. Sadly, we have sold our souls and in the long term it's players and fans who suffer - not the broadcasters

Which press are you talking about mate?!

 

[Menage a petit pois]

Which press are you talking about mate?!

Thought the thread had moved on to a more general discussion. Apologies.

 

[brownblade]

Thought the thread had moved on to a more general discussion. Apologies.

No need to apologise

International breaks are annoying, generally. Players are getting annoyed with them I think, so I reckon something will need to change in the next few years.

 

[finlaytheblade]

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.

It's all about rest after a game. really. Saturday to Saturday = 7 nights Sunday to Saturday = 6 nights.That is the thing that matters! Recovery time after a match.

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

Another thing is the pressure of this home clean sheet record.
It's got to have been in the back of Mr Wilder and the teams minds,
Especially with it being so close..

 

[Bobby b]

I think it's a mixture of a lot of things, yes arblaster yes anel not being there, but also JRS doest seem to making the runs and being in the positions he was a few weeks ago, Moore was recieving the ball and it wasn't bouncing off him, Campbell isn't in the side as his runs were often seen by hamer. Brooks's confidence has took a hit so there's a bit of a drop off in quality when he comes on. Hopefully several things happen, soutter has had a rest which he clearly needed, Davies gets used to playing again, we get players back and either the takeover happens or the prince gets his hand in his pocket to sign players to get us over the line, but all in all things are going really well it's just little things here and there

 

[Sothall_Blade]

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

https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/chris-wilders-brilliant-tongue-in-cheek-plan-to-ease-sheffield-uniteds-pile-up-amid-leeds-united-point-4917689

“I’ve said it before, we’ve got six players 22 and under playing at the top end of the Championship,” Wilder said. “Nobody else has got that. Nobody else. Not the team that’s below us [Leeds United] or any of the other teams below us in the top five or six.

Quite right Chris. Good point, well made and factually correct