Defending (From the front)

[Deadly D'Jaffo]

My biggest criticism of yesterday is how much pressure the back four have to absorb due to teammates infront of them not doing their job. In the end it was individual mistakes from Howard, McMahon & Maguire that cost us yesterday but they came as a result of sustained pressure in the 2nd half.

The 'keep possession' philosophy is working until the final third of the pitch, where we inevitably lose the ball and our shape is lost. Baxter & Cuvelier will flourish when they have somebody infront of them who can pull defenses apart & hold the ball up/bring others into play. Porter can do one of these things, Taylor can do zero.

The defense this time last year kept a decent record of clean sheets & the back four hasn't changed whilst the attacking options have been destroyed by losing Blackman, Miller & McDonald (mixed with the signings of Murphy & Taylor who are a testament to how poor the level of football is in Scotland).

Anyway we can, I suggest we need two strikers, another winger and a left back. Depending on Taylor, Porter, Murphy/Flynn and Hill/Williams in these positions terrifies me.

 

[brownie4583]

We need to go to 4-4-2 with 2 fast wingers and 2 proven goalscorers and ditch the present system which is not working.

 

[Rodley]

Hill is alright at LB in an orthodox 4-4-2.

 

[metalblade]

I'm more worried about Westlake/McMahon than Hill

 

[sitwell]

I'm more worried about Westlake/McMahon than Hill

Agreed ,all 4 full backs are of a terrible standard ,I actually think MacMahon is the worst of the lot but you would struggle to make a decent one out of MacMahon, Westlake Williams and hill put together.

 

[Deadly D'Jaffo]

I think Westlake has the attacking side to his game and the age where he hopefully could develop his defensive responsibilities. Agreed about the rest though. McMahon best of a bad bunch imo.

 

[bartman]

Agreed ,all 4 full backs are of a terrible standard ,I actually think MacMahon is the worst of the lot but you would struggle to make a decent one out of MacMahon, Westlake Williams and hill put together.

Hill was by far our best defender yesterday and ot forward and put some good crosses in during the 2nd half. I am more worried about the alarming downturn in form for Maguire

 

[Hodgyman]

I think that you hit the nail on the head. Forwards (all one of them), attacking midfielders and everybody else has a defensive job to do in a successful team. Closing down the space of opposition defenders/goalkeepers gives them less time to control the ball and make a good pass to their team mates and gives us a better chance of winning the ball for our own benefit. At the moment, we are only making token challenges, not getting near enough to rush the opposition into mistakes. By winning the ball further up the field it also saves our team making ten or so passes to get back across the halfway line.

It's all fine to copy Barcelona and Spain's passing style of play but it is their ability to win the ball back early that helps to make them successful. They target to win the ball back within 7 seconds of losing it.

A former Liverpool manager ( I can't remember which) when asked "Who is your team's best defender?"
answered " Ian Rush". That was at a time when Liverpool's team included the likes of Hanson, Lawrenson, Thompson etc.

 

[Hodgyman]

Postscripts to my post (above)

Ian Rush was a high scoring striker for Wales and Liverpool.

By playing only one striker up front, he can't mark or close down both of the full-backs and the goalkeeper by his self, unless we sign Usain Bolt on loan