Midfield needs to start scoring

[Champagneblade]

It would have been very handy if the 'goals from all over the pitch' which helped us last year had kicked off at home today.

8 matches, 4 at home, almost a fifth of the season and all the home goals have come from one source.

It's time the midfield took some responsibility for the goals for. It's a great triumvate but they are behind in this area, especially none has the excuse of being a sitting midfielder.

It's no good trying to walk it in. At times we need the midfield trio to take the pressure off by notching the odd goal.

If they are to continue, Coutts and Fleck should be aiming for 5 apiece and 8-10 for Duffy.

This is my main concern with the trio. It can't all be on Billy.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

100% correct.

 

[jt64]

Wasn't aware that goals from midfield were worth more than those scored by strikers, I thought they counted the same whoever got them, but it did seem there were a few occasions where Ched was putting in a cross to precisely nobody and someone needed to gamble

 

[Champagneblade]

Wasn't aware that goals from midfield were worth more than those scored by strikers, I thought they counted the same whoever got them, but it did seem there were a few occasions where Ched was putting in a cross to precisely nobody and someone needed to gamble

I'm not clear what your first point is. Billy's good start at home has somewhat given a free pass to the others but it won't last forever.

As frustrating as today was, there is still an element of chickens coming home to roost for the rest of the team. Each home win has been on the back of Billy scoring. He wasn't there today, I had a fear for our chances in notching and none of the other starters filled that void.

It's great that Donaldson looks like another potential outlet but it will be very disappointing and frustrating if we end up with one of those non-scoring midfields.

 

[BigBed]

Agreed. We have the skill and ability, but, and I don't get why, they don't commit to long shots, it can only be a confidence thing on fleck and coutts part, the long shots they tend to make seem to lack real venom, hope they can find some soon.

 

[robbiez666]

You need to include the wingbacks in this as well. And the defence. We need goals from all over the pitch.

 

[Bladesman]

It would have been very handy if the 'goals from all over the pitch' which helped us last year had kicked off at home today.

8 matches, 4 at home, almost a fifth of the season and all the home goals have come from one source.

It's time the midfield took some responsibility for the goals for. It's a great triumvate but they are behind in this area, especially none has the excuse of being a sitting midfielder.

It's no good trying to walk it in. At times we need the midfield trio to take the pressure off by notching the odd goal.

If they are to continue, Coutts and Fleck should be aiming for 5 apiece and 8-10 for Duffy.

This is my main concern with the trio. It can't all be on Billy.

It would help if some of them gambled and bothered to get in the box when the ball gets played into the box. That said none of them are trying to shoot from outside of the box when they have time and space.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You need to include the wingbacks in this as well. And the defence. We need goals from all over the pitch.

Think Freeman is looking exposed TBH, Baldock can't be far off the shirt

 

[FTPE]

Think Freeman is looking exposed TBH, Baldock can't be far off the shirt

I thought Freeman was one of our only threats today to be honest.
I don like Baldock though.

 

[Harry's Game]

Yes I think it is the one real weakness of our central midfield the lack of goals.

Also Freeman may not be quite good enough for this level, but he may be on a bit of a bad trot and may come good again.

Two big tough games coming up Pigs and Wolves. Will show us where we and a few of the players are at this level.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Unfortunately my favourite player John Fleck has become SUFC's answer to Ray Wilkins.
The "new crab" needs to go forward with ball more and maybe, just maybe have a shot now and again.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Anyone else have to google the word triumvate only to find it's some kind of 3 person Roman army or summat?

 

[sufcboy95]

Agree, we waste so many chances in and around the box, by just passing it side to side trying to walk it into net. JUST FUCKING SHOOT!!!

 

[Dec]

On the subject of getting goals from elsewhere, JOC really should have done better with his free header at the back post.

 

[jt64]

I'm not clear what your first point is.

My point is that I don't really care if goals come from Billy, Donaldson, Cooooooooouts, Freeman, deflected off the ref's arse, whatever - it's a team game and they all count the same

 

[ChemEngBlade]

Definitely, agree with the OP. It takes pressure off of the strikers if the midfield can be relied upon to chip-in with the odd goal. Even just taking those shots, the ball can always be rebound off the keeper for a striker to tap in. Fleck is the only one who you think is really going to have an effort and did have one decent long-range effort today which was good to see

 

[Barney]

I was thinking the other day that our midfield lacks goals.

As good as Duffy, Fleck and Coutts are they have just 6, 4 and 2 goals respectively during their entire time at United.

 

[BigBed]

You need to include the wingbacks in this as well. And the defence. We need goals from all over the pitch.

Don't forget big Jam, not fair to leave him out!! Racist!!

 

[Hodgyman]

Unfortunately my favourite player John Fleck has become SUFC's answer to Ray Wilkins.
The "new crab" needs to go forward with ball more and maybe, just maybe have a shot now and again.

Without access to official stats, John Fleck seemed to me to have most of the shots on goal today. Not enough goals from midfielders ( Couts in particular) has been the subject of earlier posts from me.

Another issue is we are generally too slow in taking attacks forward, giving the opposition time to get back in numbers, all eleven at times today.

 

[Woodwardfan]

It would have been very handy if the 'goals from all over the pitch' which helped us last year had kicked off at home today.

8 matches, 4 at home, almost a fifth of the season and all the home goals have come from one source.

It's time the midfield took some responsibility for the goals for. It's a great triumvate but they are behind in this area, especially none has the excuse of being a sitting midfielder.

It's no good trying to walk it in. At times we need the midfield trio to take the pressure off by notching the odd goal.

If they are to continue, Coutts and Fleck should be aiming for 5 apiece and 8-10 for Duffy.

This is my main concern with the trio. It can't all be on Billy.

Today our midfield was outfought and outnumbered. It's a long time since Coutts and Fleck were under so much pressure on the ball and all season our wing backs have been closely watched. It's harder in the Championship and our midfielders have less time to create. Noticeably more physical too which is slightly surprising.

Unfortunately my favourite player John Fleck has become SUFC's answer to Ray Wilkins.
The "new crab" needs to go forward with ball more and maybe, just maybe have a shot now and again.

Fleck has Coutts in his ear demanding the ball every time he gets it. When Fleck is on song he ignores him but when he is under a bit of pressure it is always an easy/ backwards ball and I hate it when the game needs winning. Having said all that the movement from the front two strikers was really poor today until Evans finally went wide late in the game with some success on a couple of occasions but when he played the ball in nobody was there in the area.

 

[SwissBlade]

It would have been very handy if the 'goals from all over the pitch' which helped us last year had kicked off at home today.

8 matches, 4 at home, almost a fifth of the season and all the home goals have come from one source.

It's time the midfield took some responsibility for the goals for. It's a great triumvate but they are behind in this area, especially none has the excuse of being a sitting midfielder.

It's no good trying to walk it in. At times we need the midfield trio to take the pressure off by notching the odd goal.

If they are to continue, Coutts and Fleck should be aiming for 5 apiece and 8-10 for Duffy.

This is my main concern with the trio. It can't all be on Billy.

Whilst i agree that yesterday, in particular the midfield were too cautious in open play, we need to look all over the pitch.

Late on yesterday, JOC was pretty much unmarked from a corner, he blazed it over.
1st Half, freekick on the edge of the D, Duffy shanked it.
We need to be clinical with set pieces.

First half after everyone in the box was trying to walk the ball in, the ball came out as we retained possession. JOC on the overlap down the left broke into the box, decided to hit the cross first time but Paul Beesley'd it against the old score board

Its fair to say that yesterday we had a lot of opportunities yesterday, i'm not talking shots, but opportunities to create a better chance.

Its so important that we take the opportunities. Take a second or so, breath, make the keeper work when these chances arise.