Our single biggest problem?

[GreasyChipBeattie]

I think it's a lack of urgency.
Our throw-ins yesterday made me cringe.
4 or 5 players happy to 'stay marked' rather than create an option for the thrower.
Is this a lack of confidence, a lack of ability, or worse, a lack of desire?
It's not as if it's a problem exclusive to throw-ins either.
Yesterday, when our attacks broke down, Southend (as most other teams) seemed to stream forward in numbers, with our midfield and defence struggling to keep up.
When the oppo's attacks breaks down, there's little or no desire to put them under pressure in the same way.
JCR was a decent threat yesterday, but we relied on him so much that by the time he'd received the ball, composed himself and beat his man, their penalty area was crowded out.
There was a short period yesterday where we played some decent one touch stuff, but far too often we held on to the ball for too long and our players are simply not good enough to tried and Barca our way through teams.
The ironic thing is though, if we did pour forward in an exciting manner, we'd put teams under pressure like they do us and would wrestle the initiative from them.
OK, so we won't score every time, but I think most of us would appreciate the effort and not criticise when the attack breaks down any where near as much as we do when it breaks down in our half after the umpteenth sideways or backwards pass!!
I think it's right to say that we ARE the team to beat, regardless of whether we deserve that title, and teams are 'up for it' when they play us. We just have to man up and take the game to them rather than the other way round.

 

[spongebobblade]

Totally agree GCB, our lack of tempo during a game can be quite frustrating. On the odd occasion we do step it up we stretch the opposition. We never seem to pull opponents out of position and that's mainly because the passing is too slow, predictable and easy to follow. The lack of urgency doesn't help the players when they are accused of a lack of effort.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Fair points however

At home to Bury and Colchester we were really positive in the final 15 minutes pushing for the win putting both those teams on the back foot.

Then they both have break away attacks and score because we've committed too many players forward and almost been too positive.

Should we gamble for a win and increase our chances of losing or be more sensible increasing the chances of a draw?

Also I agree regards the lack of urgency but that was the whole issue of every game last season when Clough tried to instil a patient almost continental style of keeping possession, patient slow build ups with plenty of short passing.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Fair points however

At home to Bury and Colchester we were really positive in the final 15 minutes pushing for the win putting both those teams in the back foot.

Then they both have break away attacks and score because we've committed too many players forward.

Should we gamble for a win and increase our chances of losing or be more sensible increasing the chances of a draw?

And that's a fair point too SS, but I think if we went for it from the off, especially at home, we wouldn't be in a position of having to go for the win with 15 mins to play! It is a bit chicken and egg at the moment though. To get to the point where the opposition view us as a Wolves/Norwich/Southampton type of proposition and back off accordingly, we need to get some wins, but as it stands, we're already up against it before we kick off because of our failings to date.

 

[Stretch]

I don't think it's a lack of desire, fairly sure no manager would put up with that, or a lack of effort.

For me it all comes down to confidence. The throw in situation showed that most of the players are hiding. Most of the time yesterday it was only only Sharp and Coutts who (eventually) showed for the ball. I do think there is fear of making mistakes throughout this team and more points we drop the worst it will get.

Adkins is trying to counter this by being ultra positive, applauding mistakes and praising the little things his players do. The crowd aren't half as forgiving and it was clear yesterday that the majority have lost patience.

Results need to turn and quick. A good run of 3 or 4 wins will calm everyone down. Shafting Walsall would be a perfect start,but it's hard to see at the minute.

 

[metalblade]

We will always be vulnerable to counter attacks as we have no pace at the back, the back line is as slow as the slowest player that is why Collins has to go, we have to defend too deep or the ball over the top will get us every time, to be fair without Done on the field there is no pace anywhere in the team which makes life hard at both ends

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

I don't think it's a lack of desire, fairly sure no manager would put up with that, or a lack of effort.

For me it all comes down to confidence. The throw in situation showed that most of the players are hiding. Most of the time yesterday it was only only Sharp and Coutts who (eventually) showed for the ball. I do think there is fear of making mistakes throughout this team and more points we drop the worst it will get.

Adkins is trying to counter this by being ultra positive, applauding mistakes and praising the little things his players do. The crowd aren't half as forgiving and it was clear yesterday that the majority have lost patience.

Results need to turn and quick. A good run of 3 or 4 wins will calm everyone down. Shafting Walsall would be a perfect start,but it's hard to see at the minute.

Lack of desire/lack of confidence I think are closely linked Stretch.
I guess you need confidence and self belief to make yourself available.
As I said earlier though, I think supporters get on player's backs because they are hiding, whether at a throw in or passing it safe until the potential for an attack has broken down.
Show desire, come for the ball, get things moving and the crowd will be lifted, even if it does break down further up the filed. At least the atmosphere would lift and then the confidence would return.

 

[jodman]

As the game wore on it seemed like the all of our play was directed through JCR. To his credit, he never shied away and always tried to make things happen but he often had two men against him; it's about time we came up with more then one method to break through the opposition. Others need to take some more responsibility rather than shifting the ball to JCR and allowing him to either make the breakthrough, or take the brunt of fans frustrations when he fails to do so.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Fair points however

At home to Bury and Colchester we were really positive in the final 15 minutes pushing for the win putting both those teams on the back foot.

Then they both have break away attacks and score because we've committed too many players forward and almost been too positive.

I still think we could show more urgency without committing too many players forward SS.
2 or 3 quick decent passes and we could have one of our strikers bearing down on goal.
That's Billy's game. Not as a target man to hold up the ball and look to lay it off (when it eventually gets to him!)

 

[Jonboy60]

We're just going through the motions at the moment, most of the players know they are out the door come May. Adkins is aware of this and is just trying to blag his way through until then. Auto's or play- offs will be a bonus. He may well pick up the odd player here and there between now and January, but during the summer, is where he will prove his credentials. Imo.

 

[robbiez666]

Personally, I think our lack of movement is our single biggest problem. People don't show for the ball or seem to want it. When we have the ball our options are normally limited by the fact almost everyone is static.

 

[1889]

None of our players run with the ball and draw the opposition towards them. By making the other team come and tackle you, it automatically drags them out of position and creates space behind them. We always pass from a safe position and allow them to keep eleven players behind the ball.
Whats more, with the exception of JCR and Baxter when he's up there, no one seems prepared to take a player on in the final third or moves to create space for the player in possession, it's so frustrating to watch.
I thought the movement and passing was fantastic against Millwall and we played a really fast energetic style of football, which was good to watch ........but lost 2-1 ? Conversely, I thought we were very pedestrian against Fleetwood at home and we won 3-0 ? So who knows what the answer is, but I know that strangely, I enjoyed watching the Millwall game much more than Fleetwood

 

[spongebobblade]

I don't think it's a lack of desire, fairly sure no manager would put up with that, or a lack of effort.

For me it all comes down to confidence. The throw in situation showed that most of the players are hiding. Most of the time yesterday it was only only Sharp and Coutts who (eventually) showed for the ball. I do think there is fear of making mistakes throughout this team and more points we drop the worst it will get.

Adkins is trying to counter this by being ultra positive, applauding mistakes and praising the little things his players do. The crowd aren't half as forgiving and it was clear yesterday that the majority have lost patience.

Results need to turn and quick. A good run of 3 or 4 wins will calm everyone down. Shafting Walsall would be a perfect start,but it's hard to see at the minute.

A lack of effort was first mentioned by quite a few as we left Oldham a few weeks back, stating that we were happy with the draw despite us having a real opportunity to go for all three and to be fair it was hard to disagree. You could apply the same to Burton away too. It's one thing guaranteed to rile United fans

 

[Blade59]

I think a lack of urgency is a big problem. How often do we catch the opposition of guard by taking a quick free kick or throw in. When play stops we just seem to amble into position and almost wait until the opposition have got themselves organised. To often we also use two or three passes when one could easily achieve the same result thus slowing down play and loosing momentum and a chance to catch opponents out of position.

 

[spongebobblade]

As Keith Edwards says "why play 1 pass when you can 30"

 

[ziggy4001]

I don't understand some of our players. You think they'd be busting a bollock each game to prove themselves as worthy of a new contract?

 

[super_pig]

I don't understand some of our players. You think they'd be busting a bollock each game to prove themselves as worthy of a new contract?

they're waiting for Nigel Clough to get a new club.. then they will all move on

 

[Darthblade]

Our single biggest problem ....... The Squad !!

UTB & FTP