Running with the ball...

[PTBlade]

Rewatched the game to check my thoughts from Tuesday night. And something is quite clear.
When we get the ball in the oppositions half we invariably tap the ball about looking for the pass out wide and usualy end up with 3 players pinging it about in the corner trying to make space for a cross in to 2 strikers in the box. Time after time we did this.
However the big difference with Villa; specially in the 2nd half was that when they got the ball in our half the villa player often looked to take on our defender. Sometimes we backed off and sometimes they ran sideways with the ball but it did create space and options for an off load.
As much as I am impressed with the way we play I would live to see us occasionally take a man on centrally an run towards the goal.
Flecks should be encouraged to do this more especially in the absence if Duffy and Brooks .
Hopefully the new boys might have a go when they have settled in.

 

[bladesince64]

All four of our new signings are equipped to do this and we have Leon,Duffs, Fleck, Brooks,Ched amongst others who can as well.

I agree that this will open up teams as well as fast paced passing/movement.

I doubt though that as a new player making your debut that you would want to take to many risks of taking on opponents and then losing possession. More likely to play it a bit safer and get through the game fairly unspectacular.

We have a decent squad for this level and thus will be looking to players to do all of the above.

Just looking at our bench the other night and what a difference from a few months ago!

 

[Bladezz]

Villa was 451 and you want John Fleck to dribble with the ball past 3 players all desperate to make him not do it.

Easily said in practice hard to do.

Even the superstars pass rather than dribble apart from Messi.

 

[Fanny magnet]

Our passing is much more careful considered and unfortunately safer than when we were playing round teams
The players just don't have the belief in themselves anymore,whereas they really were playing with the handbrake off but that means not being scared to give the ball away and try things ,I'm afraid our recent run of being punished for every mistake has affected the mind set of the players
Really need someone to lift the place ,could be Wilson or Holmes or Leonard, anyone but someone needs to grab the bull by the bollox

 

[BerksBlade]

Thought this was going to be a Super League thread....

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

When a player runs with the ball directly down the middle.

1)He will be tackled and lose the ball
2)He will be tackled and fouled,
3)He will go past the defender and repeat steps 1 and 2
4)He enters the penalty area,step 2 occurs he gets a penalty.
5)He enters penalty no defenders dare foul him for fear of step 4 and he shoots and scores.
6)He runs to corner flag slides on his knees and gets mobbed.

Players should attempt this more often.

 

[Richard Haythorne]

Run at a defender with ball beat a man and you create confusion ...go for it .if we loose the ball around the opp pen area we should be fit enough to get back behind the ball