Goal threat from midfield

[JohnDenver]

The thing with decent corner kicks is that it brings the defenders goal scoring opportunities. Colquhoun was good for 5 goals a season in his prime. Even Morgs managed 2 or 3 per season. More recently Harry was good for 5 per season. From a fading memory I'd hazard a guess that most of their goals were from set pieces. This corner thing has been bugging me ever since squinny started taking them and things haven't improved since. We can try all the fancy formations and overlapping centre backs as much as we like but sometimes you have to look at the simple things first if we want to improve the goal tally from non-strikers.

Our corners in the promotion season were fine. Same takers as this season, but we had EEL to add to the mix. This season we’re playing better defences and have less artillery to send up.

 

[boo radley]

How many did Baldock and Stevens get between them this season? Having a fit Freeman back will surely add another 5 or 6 over a season even in championship

Well said.
On a thread focusing on goals scored from other areas, it shows how short some folks memories are about where our goals contribution has come for before. Freeman seems to be to some a "yeah but will he do it at this level" doubt. 4 games after coming back to fitness and 2 goals!! If you are going to give the benefit of the doubt to Coutts then treat Freeman with the same respect. It was not just ELEVEN goals, it was the assists as well.
Last time we had that type of contribution was with Williamson. Another player who is also easily dismissed on the respect front but if we had gone up that season could have become a favourite player.

 

[B14Nco]

Whilst we are adept at scoring from open play our set pieces are shite. Our goals for tally would be boosted if some one could do the basics such as taking a decent corner kick.

This.

But also I don’t think ANY of our centrebacks really believed they could score from corners. Even JOC didn’t look like he thought he’d score the back end of the season. We sort set pieces out and the extra 10ish goals it will bring will take us top six.

 

[Bladezz]

This.

But also I don’t think ANY of our centrebacks really believed they could score from corners. Even JOC didn’t look like he thought he’d score the back end of the season. We sort set pieces out and the extra 10ish goals it will bring will take us top six.

It’s not the set pieces we need some units and some options. Big striker like K Moore and centre half like Bathh etc will help us massively.

We couldn’t ever take Clarke off last season as we would be too small.

 

[Laney Blade]

Or lack of ?
I'm thinking it, so I'm going to say it. We have plenty of midfielders when all fit, including Brooks, Duffy, Coutts, Flack, Evans, etc.
The lack of goals scored between these last season was possibly the reason we missed out on the play offs ?
I can't help thinking that we need a newcomer who can bring flair, creativity, and goals. This could be Marcus Maddison, or someone similar.
My question is, who is going to make way. You have to give a starting place to Coutts if fit, but are the others actually shoe ins ? Fleck? Brooks? Duffy ?
They can't all play can they.!
Agree or disagree?[/

 

[Laney Blade]

Or lack of ?
I'm thinking it, so I'm going to say it. We have plenty of midfielders when all fit, including Brooks, Duffy, Coutts, Flack, Evans, etc.
The lack of goals scored between these last season was possibly the reason we missed out on the play offs ?
I can't help thinking that we need a newcomer who can bring flair, creativity, and goals. This could be Marcus Maddison, or someone similar.
My question is, who is going to make way. You have to give a starting place to Coutts if fit, but are the others actually shoe ins ? Fleck? Brooks? Duffy ?
They can't all play can they.!
Agree or disagree?

You are so right a team who gets promotion to the Prem can't just rely on the front two. Goals from midfielders are vital for a team promotion. Lee Evans made a fantastic start with goals from midfield he's a fantastic singing.

 

[Laney Blade]

It’s not the set pieces we need some units and some options. Big striker like K Moore and centre half like Bathh etc will help us massively.

We couldn’t ever take Clarke off last season as we would be too small.

Brilliant observation.

 

[SwissBlade]

What's odd is that our set pieces were very creative and effective in League One but seem to be the first thing that Championship defences neutralised.

I don't think there's anything wrong in principle in playing the way we do and creating a lot of good scoring opportunities for our front men.

It would be nice to add more goals from midfield (actually more goals from anywhere, really) but in essence that requires finding an improvement on one of: Coutts, Fleck, Duffy, or potentially changing the roles that they play. Can't see us doing either very easily.

For me the priorities are still in central defence and wingback. The need for an attacking player greatly depends on whether Brooks stays and whether Holmes is ever going to make an impact.

It’s a good point. I think in league one we were a big side that took its chances. In championship we are still quite big but we waste a lot. I’ll pull JOC up for many chances missed in the air. He always seems to be on his way down when he heads it rather than attacking it.

We have quality in midfield, but they don’t get enough goals. I’m not talking worldies, I’m talking about opening sides up with short passes and getting beyond strikers and creating chances in or around the box. I’d say most of our chances fall to the strikers

Part of our success in league one was freeman’s goals, Baldock gets forward a lot but his finishing isn’t there. Stevens has been poor generally for the latter part of the season so he also needs to get forward or create the room for JOC to burst forward,
Although Bash has done this a lot

One missed from the OP was Lundstram. After initial reservations about him (replacing Coutts), he’s grown and looked a very decent player. If he keeps his passes shorter and doesn’t try to be beckham or gerrard, then he can be a very good player. He’s got goals in him too and he’s got the attributes i mentioned earlier as he gets beyond the forwards

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Badly...

Ooh! Can we do throw-ins next?

 

[Cerberus Blade]

One missed from the OP was Lundstram. After initial reservations about him (replacing Coutts), he’s grown and looked a very decent player. If he keeps his passes shorter and doesn’t try to be beckham or gerrard, then he can be a very good player. He’s got goals in him too and he’s got the attributes i mentioned earlier as he gets beyond the forwards

I agree with what you've said here about Lundstram. In some matches towards the end of last season he just about looked the best player in the team. But he is very inconsistent and hopefully that's something he can work on. He scares me quite often with his ability to just give the ball away stupidly or simply go missing for 20 mins on end. Will he make the grade? I'm really not sure tbh. I think we need to get better midfielders in than him if we are going to really push on from here.

 

[SwissBlade]

I agree with what you've said here about Lundstram. In some matches towards the end of last season he just about looked the best player in the team. But he is very inconsistent and hopefully that's something he can work on. He scares me quite often with his ability to just give the ball away stupidly or simply go missing for 20 mins on end. Will he make the grade? I'm really not sure tbh. I think we need to get better midfielders in than him if we are going to really push on from here.

I think there’s a decent player in him but it will take time and coaching. You’re not going to get the complete player every game or for 90 mins but if we have 3 players in that middle that cover for each other and work hard to not make mistakes then we’ve got a chance. Can we afford the step up in quality to replace Lundstram? Not sure

 

[blademark]

Mixed bag of comments as ever, but some really good observations among them. I agree fully that there are other areas where we could score more goals, and that in fact, we concede too many. My main question, given that there are only 3 midfield spots in the current system, and assuming that Wilder will bring another one in, is who will drop out ? Clearly, some very good players are not going to get a start. Evans and Lundstram have both been mentioned, but I can't see them starting when Coutts is back. Does Ricky Holmes come into the picture, he's a very creative player ? Brooks and Duffy can't play together in this system unless chasing the game. Is the system actually the problem ? Is it time to change ?

So many questions!

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I think there’s a decent player in him but it will take time and coaching. You’re not going to get the complete player every game or for 90 mins but if we have 3 players in that middle that cover for each other and work hard to not make mistakes then we’ve got a chance. Can we afford the step up in quality to replace Lundstram? Not sure

I'm not on about replacing him though mate, no, I agree with you that he's worth investing in and let's see how he develops. But if I was Wilder I wouldn't hesitate to bring in better players, all across the park, wherever possible. You never know how someone is going to turn out and if you can better what you've got, keep doing it I say. There was another thread on here somewhere where someone was seemingly trying to make the case for not signing better quality players because of loyalty to the existing ones. Sod that. If you can improve on what you've got - then you absolutely must if you want to get to the top.

Can we afford the step-up in quality to replace Lundstram? Well Lundstram cost us bugger all, so I'd hope so tbh. If the statements of support for Wilder coming out of the club last week are to be believed then we are probably looking at signing established Championship level midfielders, or possibly loaning from the Prem.