Defending/Attacking Balance

[Akinbiyi]

So we aren’t scoring many goals, our top scorer is OG, and we all keep discussing strike pairings as if it’s suddenly going to click us into scoring 4 a game. You’re wrong, it won’t. Be it Billy with Oli, Didsy with Moose or Billy with Robinson - we simply will not become a free scoring team and that’s because of the shape and the organisation of the team. This is not a thread to slander ANY of the attackers so please don’t turn it into a slanging match because I can’t be arsed to see it. It’s not like they’re having chances put on a platter week in week out

We have abandoned our old shape of one behind the attacker but in honesty we did a lot towards the end of last season. Duffy often dropping in. After the collapse at Villa the mindset changed and we haven’t lost away from home since so you can’t say it’s not worked. Our priority now is to keep the ball out of the net first and foremost.

For the team to be free scoring with the system we currently play the front 2 would need to be Messi and Mbappe. There is no link between the midfield and attack that is quick enough to spring any sort of counter and when the defences are packed we don’t quite have the quality to unlock them. And that’s ok - we’re newly promoted and we’ve been fucking good.

The balance we currently have has us as the joint second best team is the division defensively. Better than or equal to Man City, Spurs, Arsenal and Man United. We aren’t going to our score these teams (see Norwich’s approach for proof of that) but we can be solid first and foremost, then you only need 1 to win. Make sure we don’t concede first, try and score second. It might not be what you want to see, but it is what will keep us in the division.

 

[BladeInIreland]

Tbf Akinbiyi my frustration isn’t that we are not free scoring, it’s that we created next to nothing. We won’t play a worse team then that today.

 

[Akinbiyi]

Tbf Akinbiyi my frustration isn’t that we are not free scoring, it’s that we created next to nothing. We won’t play a worse team then that today.

But we’ve got a point away in the Premier League and every one is precious. We could’ve easily lost today and would’ve but for Hendo.

We’re learning, doing very well and look at home in the Prem. Just cut the attackers in particular a bit of slack.

 

[Greenblades]

We have created plenty so far with the new system. The reality is you have to take them and that’s a different story. Point away will do me all day long. With the exception of Everton where we created 1 and took it every other game has had enough chances. Wilder will sort it or the players bought will get dropped. He has shown he will only watch for so long so I predict a new to 2 next time out. Onwards.

 

[BladeInIreland]

But we’ve got a point away in the Premier League and every one is precious. We could’ve easily lost today and would’ve but for Hendo.

We’re learning, doing very well and look at home in the Prem. Just cut the attackers in particular a bit of slack.

Can’t disagree with most of that, we do in general look at home and I would have taken a point before kick off. I don’t think we’re hopeless in regards to attack, the answers are there in the squad. We just need to use them.

 

[Rodley]

But we’ve got a point away in the Premier League and every one is precious. We could’ve easily lost today and would’ve but for Hendo.

We’re learning, doing very well and look at home in the Prem. Just cut the attackers in particular a bit of slack.

Just need to improve the home form a bit. MC Gold Rick’s return will give us a hell of a lot more fluidity.

 

[Akinbiyi]

Just need to improve the home form a bit. MC Gold Rick’s return will give us a hell of a lot more fluidity.

Please tell me that’s not a predictive text error but actually McGoldrick’s name for his grime star alter ego.

 

[BladeInIreland]

Just need to improve the home form a bit. MC Gold Rick’s return will give us a hell of a lot more fluidity.

Got to say my initial temper tantrum has died down and I look forward to him being back. Just not with Robinson.

 

[Sheffsteel]

For the team to be free scoring with the system we currently play the front 2 would need to be Messi and Mbappe. There is no link between the midfield and attack that is quick enough to spring any sort of counter and when the defences are packed we don’t quite have the quality to unlock

Good post....this season our defence looks consistently strong but we’ve lost something up front.

You mention the lack of a link between midfield and attack.
Maybe Wilder knows this and that’s why he’s very reliant on David McGoldrick.

I know McG gets some stick regards his finishing but his hold up play and clever linking passes is of the highest standard.
We seem to create more chances with McGoldrick in the side,

 

[Rodley]

Please tell me that’s not a predictive text error but actually McGoldrick’s name for his grime star alter ego.

It’s not alter ego, it’s the man, the myth, the legend.

 

[Akinbiyi]

It’s not alter ego, it’s the man, the myth, the legend.

MC Gold Rick

 

[MoSF94]

Good post....this season our defence looks consistently strong but we’ve lost something up front.

You mention the lack of a link between midfield and attack.
Maybe Wilder knows this and that’s why he’s very reliant on David McGoldrick.

I know McG gets some stick regards his finishing but his hold up play and clever linking passes is of the highest standard.
We seem to create more chances with McGoldrick in the side,

Pretty much what I was going to post. Especially if we're playing without anyone in the 'Duffy role', McG's link-up play, creativity and willingness to drop deep is very important to us - he was a big miss today

 

[Carlton Blade]

So we aren’t scoring many goals, our top scorer is OG, and we all keep discussing strike pairings as if it’s suddenly going to click us into scoring 4 a game. You’re wrong, it won’t. Be it Billy with Oli, Didsy with Moose or Billy with Robinson - we simply will not become a free scoring team and that’s because of the shape and the organisation of the team. This is not a thread to slander ANY of the attackers so please don’t turn it into a slanging match because I can’t be arsed to see it. It’s not like they’re having chances put on a platter week in week out

We have abandoned our old shape of one behind the attacker but in honesty we did a lot towards the end of last season. Duffy often dropping in. After the collapse at Villa the mindset changed and we haven’t lost away from home since so you can’t say it’s not worked. Our priority now is to keep the ball out of the net first and foremost.

For the team to be free scoring with the system we currently play the front 2 would need to be Messi and Mbappe. There is no link between the midfield and attack that is quick enough to spring any sort of counter and when the defences are packed we don’t quite have the quality to unlock them. And that’s ok - we’re newly promoted and we’ve been fucking good.

The balance we currently have has us as the joint second best team is the division defensively. Better than or equal to Man City, Spurs, Arsenal and Man United. We aren’t going to our score these teams (see Norwich’s approach for proof of that) but we can be solid first and foremost, then you only need 1 to win. Make sure we don’t concede first, try and score second. It might not be what you want to see, but it is what will keep us in the division.

My only counter point would be that we can counter, but only against the teams who commit their full backs forward like Liverpool, Southampton first half and for Mousset's goal.

But we only scored 19 in our last 12 games last year. This is who we are. So when other teams call us direct or boring, remember that they didn't see Boxing Day to 80 mins at Villa last year.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Was it a case of “After the Lord Mayors Show?” I’d hate to think so, but you have to wonder. After such a positive display against Liverpool and taking all the plaudits, we all thought we’d take that extra step up today. But at least we didn’t have the misfortune of being Watford’s first win.

 

[BettingBlade]

We’ve looked most dangerous this season when Luke Freeman has been playing.

He played against Palace, we could have had a hatful. He played against Leicester where we created chances and were unlucky not to take something. He played against Chelsea where that second half was arguably our best display of the season. Since then we have struggled to create any real quality chances for a sustained period.

Today was crying out for someone like him to change the game. I think we’ve wasted our subs today, not one changed the game in our favour nor did it give us any extra impetus in the game.

 

[bromtom]

Maybe it's time to go with a striker and a 10 instead of 2 strikers.

Let's be reyt, two of our strikers already aren't strikers, McG is a fantastic 10, and Robbo is a winger.

Moose/Sharp/McBurnie up top, with an actual 10, Freeman or McGoldrick behind.

Not just off, behind, linking it up.

We're resorting to balls over the top because there's no-one in the middle about 40 yards out to play that ball that sets us going, and it's not working for us.

1 up top is seen as a negative formation, but with our system, where everyone had licence to get forward, and Stevens, Norwood, Fleck and Lundstram can all finish, we need to focus on quality chance creation.

 

[10-0 win]

only L'pool conceded less than us, start from the back in building, eventually we'll improve our scoring, all new players are forwards. Thought Freeman would come on today, we simply didn't have any threats today, some good crosses but no players to connect.(a few very close though) Norwich have leeked 21 goals in. Todays game is best forgotten bar the point.

 

[vas borbokis]

We created nothing of note today! Worrying. McG or L Freeman need to be in the mix for me.

 

[lakedistblade]

It's frustrating but would you rather be Norwich? Keeping good defensive shape will keep us up. Taking off lunny for freeman would have compromised this. Lunny chasing back stopped another breakaway late in game. We created versus Liverpool so we can do it but too many players slightly off today wing backs, Mcburnie ( injured) , Basham. Got to be happy with our position almost a quarter of the way through the season. More Billy , more Didsy and it will get better. Thank god neither of our strikers missed that Watford chance first half or there would be murder afoot !

 

[Sean Thornton]

Just need to improve the home form a bit. MC Gold Rick’s return will give us a hell of a lot more fluidity.

Is MC Gold Rick taking over from Gary Sinclair?

 

[blader]

Can't complain about being unbeaten away from home, and maybe being greedy asking for us to go at teams. I'd have taken a point before today, and we did it without playing very well.

However, things have to change at home. We just have to revert to 3-4-1-2. Despite how harsh it may sound, Lundstram needs to make way for Freeman at home so we can go at teams with a but more purpose and movement through the lines. It is very evident that our plan away from home is successful, and the same approach is proven to be unsuccessful at home.

 

[Niceguyeddie]

Tbf Akinbiyi my frustration isn’t that we are not free scoring, it’s that we created next to nothing. We won’t play a worse team then that today.

To be fair they had cathcart back who is their best defender and set up a lot more defensively than usual playing on the counter

 

[Sean Thornton]

Was it a case of “After the Lord Mayors Show?” I’d hate to think so, but you have to wonder. After such a positive display against Liverpool and taking all the plaudits, we all thought we’d take that extra step up today. But at least we didn’t have the misfortune of being Watford’s first win.

I’d say we all hoped we’d take that step rather than thought or expected it. In our current position, playing a team team at the bottom of the PL isn’t like playing one at the bottom of the championship if you’re flying high.

The frustration lies with the huge gap between the flat three and the strikers, and the current strikers inability to punish defences when chances do come. Sharp clearly fits that bill but he needs someone up there with him.

 

[Rodley]

Is MC Gold Rick taking over from Gary Sinclair?

If his PPI claim doesn’t come through, yes he’s confirmed he will.

 

[Stebop]

So we aren’t scoring many goals, our top scorer is OG, and we all keep discussing strike pairings as if it’s suddenly going to click us into scoring 4 a game. You’re wrong, it won’t. Be it Billy with Oli, Didsy with Moose or Billy with Robinson - we simply will not become a free scoring team and that’s because of the shape and the organisation of the team.

Bang on.

I thought it was quite ironic today that the player who created what should've been our best chance with a lovely cross, should really have been the player on the receiving end to finish it off. Billy basically showing the midfield and wing-backs where he and any real goal poacher wants the ball to arrive. But barring that one moment by a striker, the supply to the strikers was abysmal.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I’d say we all hoped we’d take that step rather than thought or expected it. In our current position, playing a team team at the bottom of the PL isn’t like playing one at the bottom of the championship if you’re flying high.

The frustration lies with the huge gap between the flat three and the strikers, and the current strikers inability to punish defences when chances do come. Sharp clearly fits that bill but he needs someone up there with him.

Couldn’t agree more. A link man in the hole, makes us a better team......... No question.

 

[S40BLADE]

Make sure we don’t concede first, try and score second. It might not be what you want to see, but it is what will keep us in the division.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Couldn’t agree more. A link man in the hole, makes us a better team......... No question.

On reflection I think I’d now prefer the false number 9 thing with Didys playing off the front man and filling that awful void that seems to have be created between our midfield and strikers.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Is MC Gold Rick taking over from Gary Sinclair?

No, they’re doing it as a duo. MC Gold Rick v MC Old Prick.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Couldn’t agree more. A link man in the hole, makes us a better team......... No question.

Surprised Freeman stayed on the bench for the full game, but I think we're hoping for through balls to Mousset like at Everton to give us some late goals. In hindsight it would have been interesting to see if Freeman could have offered a bit of flair and creativity.

Let's not pretend it's an easy choice though. We could start leaking goals if we play two strikers and a number 10. I think a lot of PL managers would rate their chances against a defence primarily protected by just Norwood and Fleck.