Go where the defenders aren’t

[diplomat]

A while ago I listened to a podcast with Pat Nevin and he said when he was at Tranmere he had a chat with John Aldridge. He basically asked him how he kept scoring loads of goals for years on end. He said, ‘I go where the defenders aren’t’ which is quite simple. Nevin thought about it and tried it and bagged something like 17 goals from the wing. Things just kept popping to him in loads of space and he had loads of tap ins.

The fleck chance tonight made me think of it. Sharp did a correct run to where he felt a spilled save might be but Brewster was right next to him. One should hang in a different space.

That might not be the best example but for a while we’ve had so many positions in wide areas that aren’t helped by our players not making good runs or hanging back as defenders all go to regulation positions. Saturday saw Ozzy make a near post run to tap in that no one has done for ages too. More of that please.

Sander’s goal. Good example. He got that much space by being clever.

Anyway, bit of a ramble but some whisky winked at me when I came home. Hope there’s a valid point in there somewhere

 

[Bladesman]

Find the space, find the goals.

 

[SwissBlade]

A while ago I listened to a podcast with Pat Nevin and he said when he was at Tranmere he had a chat with John Aldridge. He basically asked him how he kept scoring loads of goals for years on end. He said, ‘I go where the defenders aren’t’ which is quite simple. Nevin thought about it and tried it and bagged something like 17 goals from the wing. Things just kept popping to him in loads of space and he had loads of tap ins.

The fleck chance tonight made me think of it. Sharp did a correct run to where he felt a spilled save might be but Brewster was right next to him. One should hang in a different space.

That might not be the best example but for a while we’ve had so many positions in wide areas that aren’t helped by our players not making good runs or hanging back as defenders all go to regulation positions. Saturday saw Ozzy make a near post run to tap in that no one has done for ages too. More of that please.

Sander’s goal. Good example. He got that much space by being clever.

Anyway, bit of a ramble but some whisky winked at me when I came home. Hope there’s a valid point in there somewhere

I think if fleck had played the ball early, Brewster was onside, he then couldn't slow down enough for fleck to play him in.

What Fleck and Brewster did was right, spread themselves so that Fleck has an option (at least in the keeper/ defenders view) and in theory it should make the keeper commit...

Did aldridge also say that on a one-on-one the player should beat the keeper...

 

[diplomat]

I think if fleck had played the ball early, Brewster was onside, he then couldn't slow down enough for fleck to play him in.

What Fleck and Brewster did was right, spread themselves so that Fleck has an option (at least in the keeper/ defenders view) and in theory it should make the keeper commit...

Did aldridge also say that on a one-on-one the player should beat the keeper...

He didn’t have time, he was reeling away in celebration

 

[jt64]

We did that late in the game. Trouble is that the defenders weren't near the corner flag, they were trying to protect the area of the pitch we should have been going towards

 

[Nagima]

A while ago I listened to a podcast with Pat Nevin and he said when he was at Tranmere he had a chat with John Aldridge. He basically asked him how he kept scoring loads of goals for years on end. He said, ‘I go where the defenders aren’t’ which is quite simple. Nevin thought about it and tried it and bagged something like 17 goals from the wing. Things just kept popping to him in loads of space and he had loads of tap ins.

The fleck chance tonight made me think of it. Sharp did a correct run to where he felt a spilled save might be but Brewster was right next to him. One should hang in a different space.

That might not be the best example but for a while we’ve had so many positions in wide areas that aren’t helped by our players not making good runs or hanging back as defenders all go to regulation positions. Saturday saw Ozzy make a near post run to tap in that no one has done for ages too. More of that please.

Sander’s goal. Good example. He got that much space by being clever.

Anyway, bit of a ramble but some whisky winked at me when I came home. Hope there’s a valid point in there somewhere

It's a valid point. I saw Klinsmann live in 95. I was mesmerized by his movement. Once a Spurs player got control of a ball he was gone and generally in an opposite direction to what you would expect. He created huge gaps for other players to move into.

That is a different type of player to Aldridge but I played Sunday League with someone who did exactly what he did. He was always ducking off about 5 yards or so from competing for crosses in the hope of it falling for him. He bagged 30 goals that season.

 

[Blade.com]

Remember Spurs playing at the Lane ( can't remember the year) Gascoigne and Lineker where the same, as soon as Gazza got the ball Lineker moved, if no defender moved, the ball got played through to him, if 2 defenders moved towards Lineker ,Gazza would use the vacant space to move into. A pleasure to watch how they played the space game.

 

[robbiez666]

It's all about movement and one of the reasons we've been terrible going forward is the lack of it.

Forwards need to be constantly on the move. Constantly looking for space. Even when they're not going to get the ball they need to take defenders away. It's why ours often come deep, but then there's no one filling that space. A combination of static forward players and midfielders not taking risks has led to our ponderous speed of attack.

The Fleck run was a great example of the issues we've had. Brewster and Sharp almost got in his way and didn't do nearly enough to make the keeper try and cover both the shot and pass option.

 

[XM657]

A while ago I listened to a podcast with Pat Nevin and he said when he was at Tranmere he had a chat with John Aldridge. He basically asked him how he kept scoring loads of goals for years on end. He said, ‘I go where the defenders aren’t’ which is quite simple. Nevin thought about it and tried it and bagged something like 17 goals from the wing. Things just kept popping to him in loads of space and he had loads of tap ins.

The fleck chance tonight made me think of it. Sharp did a correct run to where he felt a spilled save might be but Brewster was right next to him. One should hang in a different space.

That might not be the best example but for a while we’ve had so many positions in wide areas that aren’t helped by our players not making good runs or hanging back as defenders all go to regulation positions. Saturday saw Ozzy make a near post run to tap in that no one has done for ages too. More of that please.

Sander’s goal. Good example. He got that much space by being clever.

Anyway, bit of a ramble but some whisky winked at me when I came home. Hope there’s a valid point in there somewhere

Football is a simple game and that's it's beauty and why it is so popular all around the world.
Aldridge's idea, very simple, rewarding also as history concurs.

 

[sunny_jimbob]

Also the reason Kieron Freeman scored so many goals in the League 1 promotion season. Constantly popping up in a space at the back post and so often the ball just came straight through to him.

 

[Bladesman]

Also the reason Kieron Freeman scored so many goals in the League 1 promotion season. Constantly popping up in a space at the back post and so often the ball just came straight through to him.

Freeman will go down as a very underrated player for us. The only reason Freeman lost his place was because of injury and the fact he couldn't defend as well as Baldock.

 

[Aston max]

Many year's ago my old manager always screamed at the wingers, " you won't get ball lad get some chalk on yer boots " and it still rings true

 

[diplomat]

Freeman will go down as a very underrated player for us. The only reason Freeman lost his place was because of injury and the fact he couldn't defend as well as Baldock.

I’d argue it was more the latter. He’s not good enough to play in a team that wins promotion from the championship for me. Much as I enjoyed him in league one.

 

[Trafford]

Reverting to the theme of the OP, the other aspect to this that we keep getting wrong is "go where the attackers are". We concede goals far too many times where either the scorer or the provider has escaped his marker, we do too much ball-watching and switch off. Fleck's attempted intervention was comical and it should never have come to that - he lost his man, Billy lost his man and we have at least 3 defenders not marking anybody.

 

[Badger Blade]

Reverting to the theme of the OP, the other aspect to this that we keep getting wrong is "go where the attackers are". We concede goals far too many times where either the scorer or the provider has escaped his marker, we do too much ball-watching and switch off. Fleck's attempted intervention was comical and it should never have come to that - he lost his man, Billy lost his man and we have at least 3 defenders not marking anybody.

They do this all the time, last season and for Preston's equaliser.

They let the ball get pulled back and instead of marking players and stopping the shot to start with, they ball watch and run back onto the line to try and stop the ball rather than snuffing the chance out to start with.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Decent thread, opposite movements are good, and it's something I expect will be a part of SJ's football.

The delivery must also match the quality of the movement, and if it's difficult - some general rules can be good to agree on.

Like where are you going to cross if you get into the box - far post, near post or penalty area - in which situations.

A general rule is that if it's a fast attack, a teammate may be able to get to the front post in front of the defenders. Sharp's cross for Osborn's first vs Peterborough was a typical example.

If the defenders have just managed to get back, there may be runners coming into the box to look for, a low cut back cross to around the penalty spot may be on. Gibbs-White's cross for Ndiaye's first goal vs Peterborough was an example.

If the attack takes longer, defenders tend to get sucked towards the near post. Therefore a chipped cross to the back post is generally a better idea. Sharp's cross to Ndiaye's headed goal vs Peterborough was such a goal.



So some of our players have recently shown they know how to do it. But maybe not everybody and we failed a couple of times vs Preston:




* The above was following a short corner 2nd half, where Norwood managed to get to the byline inside the area. There are lots (6) of opponents between himself and the nearest half of the goal, but he still chooses to aim for that area. Now this is an unfamiliar position for Norwood to be in. So he may be excused for not being able to look up and single out a teammate to target. But he should have the general rules mentioned above mentally prepared. A chipped cross to the back post may have seen Egan, Sharp or Brewster attack the ball against only two defenders.




* Another 2nd half crossing chance for Baldock, showing how Preston's defenders get pulled towards the near post, while we have three players at the back post. Baldock could only just reach the ball, so not quite sure what he was trying, but it went to the first post and the keeper caught it.

 

[ekke287]

Find the space, find the goals.

Save the cheerleader, save the world.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

I have to admit that I like this almost mystical idea. Tried it at my own kick about yesterday. Problem is that I'm that I'm so slow these days that by the time I get to where the defenders aren't, they are.

 

[Trafford]

Sharp's cross for Osborn's first vs Peterborough was a typical example.

Gibbs-White's cross for Ndiaye's first goal vs Peterborough was an example

Sharp's cross to Ndiaye's headed goal vs Peterborough was such a goal.

One of the most pleasing things about the Peterborough game was that we scored the types of goals that we have been missing for some time. I have long said that Billy is one of the best crossers of the ball in the team but he can't cross and also put them in! Gibbs-White hopefully fills that gap on the right and Enda may do likewise on the left when he returns, which may pave the way for McBurnie to remain in a more forward and productive role.

 

[Bergen Blade]

One of the most pleasing things about the Peterborough game was that we scored the types of goals that we have been missing for some time. I have long said that Billy is one of the best crossers of the ball in the team but he can't cross and also put them in! Gibbs-White hopefully fills that gap on the right and Enda may do likewise on the left when he returns, which may pave the way for McBurnie to remain in a more forward and productive role.

Agree that Sharp's ability to get crosses in is very underrated.

 

[Bladesman]

I have to admit that I like this almost mystical idea. Tried it at my own kick about yesterday. Problem is that I'm that I'm so slow these days that by the time I get to where the defenders aren't, they are.

You mean they got to the pub before you did?