Defensive record

[Eric Cartman]

First things first - great 3 points yesterday and brilliant to get back to winning ways. Nice to see Leon stick it to me though he is fortunate because he should’ve had one with that header!

I know we’re capable of outscoring most sides in this division but we’ve conceded 2 in 3 of our last 5 games, 1 against forest and 0 against Defenceday understandably.

Every goal has been avoidable. 3 of the last 4 have been deflections but that just means we are a) letting too many shots against us again and b) not getting close enough quickly enough. Most players this level are capable of getting a shot on target so if you’re not in a position to stop or block it odds are it’ll be deflected so where it’s going there is anyone’s guess. The 2nd at Rotherham was awful in so many ways I won’t even attempt to break it down.

It’s always entertaining but it’d be nice to see more clean sheets from an obviously capable defence. We’re relying a lot on our forwards not having an off day because we can’t manage a simple 1-0 every once in a while.

Need to switch on starting this Saturday. We won’t beat Leeds if we give them 2 goals.

 

[Harry's Game]

The defending was poor on the first goal last night and the second goal against Rotherham was a complete balls up.

However there were two deflection goals one against Rotherham and one against Brentford which can’t be legislated for.

They way we play when we are at our best is to overload the attack and we are always going to be vulnerable to any side that can break with pace, it’s a trade off, I would much rather go for it than set up to first and foremost not to concede as in the dark days of Nigel Clough.

 

[blademark]

Only one team has scored more than we have. Worth bearing in mind.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

With our style of play we will always be open to conceding goals. I have no problem with this as we are always attacking other teams and it's great to watch, boring it never is and I love it.

 

[Harrisblade]

Only one team has scored more than we have. Worth bearing in mind.

Totally fucking irrelevant!
We need ISSUES to moan about

 

[Eric Cartman]

Only one team has scored more than we have. Worth bearing in mind.

I don’t think anyone’s questioning our ability to score

 

[blademark]

I don’t think anyone’s questioning our ability to score

You can't have a discussion about the defence without having one about the attack. It has to be put into context. The way we play is not conducive to tight defences and clean sheets such as Boro.

 

[Sean Thornton]

 

[Eric Cartman]

You can't have a discussion about the defence without having one about the attack. It has to be put into context. The way we play is not conducive to tight defences and clean sheets such as Boro.

We should be able to attack without shipping 2 goals a game, the 2 aren’t mutually exclusive

 

[Eric Cartman]

The defending was poor on the first goal last night and the second goal against Rotherham was a complete balls up.

However there were two deflection goals one against Rotherham and one against Brentford which can’t be legislated for.

They way we play when we are at our best is to overload the attack and we are always going to be vulnerable to any side that can break with pace, it’s a trade off, I would much rather go for it than set up to first and foremost not to concede as in the dark days of Nigel Clough.

Oh me too, without a doubt. I think everyone would.

But just because we attack a lot or try to at least doesn’t mean we should be letting the defence get away with mistakes.

 

[madeinsheffield]

In most of the goals conceded we have the numbers back, just not doing their jobs properly.

Freeman constantly gave the wide man space last night when he had the ball allowing him to cross rather than close him down, he’s the wide player and it’s his job, instead he backed off, this invites pressure and random shots as we’ve seen can take deflections

 

[blademark]

We should be able to attack without shipping 2 goals a game, the 2 aren’t mutually exclusive

We've shipped 23 goals in 19 games. Must be something wrong with my maths.

 

[Eric Cartman]

We've shipped 23 goals in 19 games. Must be something wrong with my maths.

Yet 2 in 3 of our last 5. Our last 2.

What’s your point?

 

[Geordie Blade]

We should be able to attack without shipping 2 goals a game, the 2 aren’t mutually exclusive

But they aren't unrelated either, are they?

 

[blademark]

Yet 2 in 3 of our last 5. Our last 2.

What’s your point?

My point is fairly obvious. You are clearly picking two games in isolation as though they are the norm, and I have clearly demonstrated that they are not. Only 4 teams have a better goal difference currently, and we sit in 4th spot with a plus 9 gd. 23 goals conceded in 19 games.
What's not to like ?

 

[Eric Cartman]

My point is fairly obvious. You are clearly picking two games in isolation as though they are the norm, and I have clearly demonstrated that they are not. Only 4 teams have a better goal difference currently, and we sit in 4th spot with a plus 9 gd. 23 goals conceded in 19 games.
What's not to like ?

Our recent defensive record is poor...

 

[Eric Cartman]

But they aren't unrelated either, are they?

I’d say if you attack you don’t necessarily need to concede.

 

[BushBlade]

I’d say if you attack you don’t necessarily need to concede.

Have you been watching Man U? Mourinho doesn’t trust his defenders when they get isolated, he doesn’t rate them as individual defenders, in one one ones.

So they protect the defence more and play safer. This is manifested by the forwards moving less, to keep shape. Look at how Rashford and Lingaard move when they play for England compared with Man U.

We’re the opposite. We don’t have strikers who can beat a defender and get a shot off on a regular basis. They tend to need good service and team mates around them so we have to commit men forward.

That can expose our defence, which is decent but not great.

Balham’s analysis on another thread shows that some of our goals are down to errors and some are avoidable. But, IMO, that’s down to quality. Better defenders make fewer errors. Better defenders get paid more.

We’re punching above our weight and if we emphasised clean sheets, it would be at the expense of our attack. I doubt it would get us more points than we currently get, probably fewer.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Every goal has been avoidable. 3 of the last 4 have been deflections

All 4 have had deflections in them.

Rotherham - the shot from Taylor off Bash and the ball into the box off Norwood.

Maupays goal actually took 2 deflections. Sawyers ball through got a touch off Basham on the way through and Egan got a toe on it when stretching to stop the shot. Was watching on ifollow and it was only apparent from behind the goal. My boy who was behind the goal said Egan went bonkers at Hendo, but reckon Hendo had it covered without the touch from Egan.

Brentfords second was clearly off Fleck.

So - we've had some poor luck in the past 2 games, although some Brentford fans are saying the Norwood shot took a defelction, but it was too quick even to see on ifollow.

Could do with a few ourselves - lets start with Leeds

UTB

 

[bromtom]

I think if anything we get too many men back in the box. It's so congested, the deflections are hitting multiple players sometimes.

We definitely need to get out to the ball better, instead of waiting to see what's happening and reacting, we need our wingbacks near the wing on the crossing opportunities that seem to come too easy.

We're unfortunate with our deflections though, their first last night was put in front of Maupay by a little bounce off Bash's leg, if he's a foot further up, it goes straight forward to a defender or Deano.

Bash again for one of the Rotherham ones, I think it was just a case of if he was a bit wider it hits him square in the gut and goes out.

A bit more pressing and I think it'd stop a lot of these silly goals.

 

[Rodley]

Stop moaning

 

[BladeTillIDie]

Concede too many. Fact. Teams who get promotion always have decent clean sheet records.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Concede too many. Fact. Teams who get promotion always have decent clean sheet records.

West Brom have much worse defensive problems than us but they’re still one of the big favourites for promotion.
They are a team that seem to concede 2 goals every game but still tend to win.

 

[BladeTillIDie]

Would like to see goals conceded for
2017
Hudddersfield
Brighton
Newcastle

2018
Wolves
Cardiff

 

[Addison]

Would like to see goals conceded for
2017
Hudddersfield
Brighton
Newcastle

2018
Wolves
Cardiff

Wolves and Cardiff 39 conceded last season. We conceded 55 the 10th best record and finished 10th in the league. This time last year after 19 games we'd conceded 2 less on 21 so it was a poor second half of the season that affected goals against.

 

[BushBlade]

So, anyone see Villa v Forest?

 

[Eric Cartman]

Stop moaning

Is it 'moaning' though?

Since when did constructive criticism become moaning?
Is everything remotely negative now considered moaning?

Just need to know the ground rules

 

[Eric Cartman]

So, anyone see Villa v Forest?

Crazy crazy game.

Villa's defence is absolutely gash by the way. Lamborghini attack, Beemer middle, Fiat Punto defence

 

[blademark]

Crazy crazy game.

Villa's defence is absolutely gash by the way. Lamborghini attack, Beemer middle, Fiat Punto defence

BMX keeper

 

[Eric Cartman]

BMX keeper

That keeper is absolutely crap. Where did Bruce pick him up from, Pits?