The answer my friends is standing on the wings....

[Bladesway]

I know, poor thread title but what the hell

Seriously, its our lack of width that is killing us and its killing me as well!!!

Little, Treacey, Cotterill, Ward, Walker and others I am sure are capable down the wings. In fact we probably have more wingers in our team than any other club in the division. Our one moment of real quality came down the line when Walker skinned their knuckle dragger and crossed for them to hack it clear off a couple of dodgy deflections.

So even with injuries piling up we still have wingers who can beat a man and cross a ball. We all know that a cross from the byline is a killer because you have defenders facing their own goal and the keeper has to make a decision. Gives the attacking team the advantage over long looped crosses from the half way line.

So with all that in mind why the hell don't we get our little fast blokes flying down the wing and tormenting the opposition? Rather than the hoik it long and let a big bloke hold it up and then probably lose it.

Warnock could never see this for some reason and it appears that Warnock II (the revenge) can't see it either. And for blokes who have spent the vast part of their lives in football it amazes me. Ask any forward what they prefer and its a ball delivered in from the touch line. You don't have to worry about anything other than getting direction on the ball and the rest looks after itself.

The other thing is, we play with 2 big lumps up front so spearing through an offside trap isn't really the way forward. Crosses in for flick on's is a bit last century so for me that leaves you with tear arsing down the line and crossing the thing into the box.

Or am I missing the point somewhere?

 

[HoodedClaw]

Id be happy with just passing it to one of our players in a way that gives him more than a 50/50 chance of doing something with it.

 

[SESKU Blade]

Well said Bladesway, it frustrates the hell out of me that we don't utilise the wings more. We focus on nullifying the opposition (which we're piss poor at currently) instead of attacking teams with a real purpose and letting them worry about us.

 

[Bramley]

Cotterill is garbage.

 

[Bladesway]

Cotterill is garbage.

Brilliant post, right out of the top drawer that one. And while you are obviously on top of your game fancy telling us all why and what/who you would utilise?

Just interested in a constructive answer rather than "he's garbage", if you can.

 

[Come from away]

Cotterill is garbage.

See. It is impossible for any manager to choose a team the fans will not question because the player someone loves, another hates. Who'd want to be a manager?

 

[Bladesway]

COA, questioning is one thing, brainless drivel is entirely another.

 

[Come from away]

COA, questioning is one thing, brainless drivel is entirely another.

CFA thanks. Regardless, I am sure he will provide a long list - can't score, can't tackle, inconsistent. Vs always beats his man, is fast, chases back and puts in good crosses. Folks pick the bit that suits their opinion. I try not to so end up posting apparently 'supportive' comments cause I don't think a few rude words consitute an opinion.

I am not a Blackwell fan - he would not have been my choice - but I will not deny his record or right to have a chance. He has done what any manager should and that is take the flack off the players and put it on himself by his focus on the injury crisis. As to why Cotts is in or out, some we can judge by his performance but much is based on infomration to which we have no access. We can, and do, make up great stories but the rest is guesswork.

 

[Bladesway]

CFA, I don't know where the O came from, but at least I didn't call you CIA, which could have led to some seriously bad accusations.

 

[Bladesway]

Oh and I can take the constructive side of "He doesn't track back and cover" etc etc, thats an informed opinion and one you can either agree or disagree with but "He's garbage" is just lazy posting that does no one any credit. In my humble opinion of course.

 

[happyhippy]

Some of us have been banging on about using the wings for quite some time ..... in fact before the season started, some of us (again) wondered whether our pitch would get its width back as well .....

 

[Bramley]

I could just launch into a pointless diatribe but I can't be arsed. He's overrated and plays one decent game in every ten, this season's Bruno Ribeiro.

 

[Bladesway]

I would like to think he is a bit better than Bruno to be fair to the lad. I'm thinking his crosses and goals have earned us a few more points but there you go.

As for pointless diatribe, is there a point to any of what we post? It doesn't solve anything.

 

[TonyAgana]

I could just launch into a pointless diatribe but I can't be arsed. He's overrated and plays one decent game in every ten, this season's Bruno Ribeiro.

At least a "pointless diatribe" would give you the opportunity to stumble upon a decent argument to substantiate you're previous post that "he's garbage", Bramley! Go on, give it a go.

 

[Grecian2000]

I could just launch into a pointless diatribe but I can't be arsed. He's overrated and plays one decent game in every ten, this season's Bruno Ribeiro.

But Bruno was here for a number of months and outed by a new manager.

This is Cotts' third season and under the same bloke who brought him in. In both previous seasons our form (and performances) have improved as a result of him having a run in the side.
If we were overloaded with skill then him not getting a game would be understandable. As we aren't then it isn't. As for "he's garbage", just bollocks I'm afraid.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Regarding Cotterill and Blackwell I think it seems as simple as Blackwell not really valuing out and out wingers. He prefers widemen who:

• works harder and offers more defensive stability (like Halford, Quinn, Walker or Stewart when they played there)
• are creators (like Treacy or Little) who often cuts inside or plays a bit deeper
• are normally hard working strikers (like Ward or Cresswell) who are more likely to chip in with goals.

Out and out wingers like Cotterill, Reid and Dyer don't really seem to fit into his prefered way of playing.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Regarding Cotterill and Blackwell I think it seems as simple as Blackwell not really valuing out and out wingers. He prefers widemen who:

• works harder and offers more defensive stability (like Halford, Quinn, Walker or Stewart when they played there)
• are creators (like Treacy or Little) who often cuts inside or plays a bit deeper
• are normally hard working strikers (like Ward or Cresswell) who are more likely to chip in with goals.

Out and out wingers like Cotterill, Reid and Dyer don't really seem to fit into his prefered way of playing.

If you go back to my Treacy v Cotterill thread though Bergs, has Treacy actually offered more and achieved more than Cotts this season ? I don't think he has considering Treacy must be miles ahead on pitch minutes.

 

[Come from away]

A good thought, thanks Bergen. I would add that the out and out wingers by their nature - taking players on - are always hit and miss cause the defender sometimes wins or they double up. All ofwhich contributes to the sense of inconsistency.

 

[TonyAgana]

A good thought, thanks Bergen. I would add that the out and out wingers by their nature - taking players on - are always hit and miss cause the defender sometimes wins or they double up. All ofwhich contributes to the sense of inconsistency.

Completely, utterly agree. A winger who always beats his man is like a striker who converts every shot or a keeper who saves every effort. They don't exist.

 

[Grecian2000]

Being a winger is about speculating to accumulate.

Anyone can deliver a cross from between the half way line and the edge of the box (eg. Andy Liddell, Greg Halford) because the full back will always allow you to do so. A CF will perhaps score from one or two of these crosses a season.
It takes more skill and trickery to get into a position somewhere near the dead ball line to deliver a telling cross (eg Colin Morris, Cotts) which a CF will score from far more frequently because the defence will try anything to stop you doing so (see Kyle Walker on Monday). To get into that sort of position you have to risk losing the ball doing so.

I am 100% with JimChim on the Treacey v Cotts thing. Treacey has produced no more but been on the pitch far more.

 

[TonyAgana]

It takes more skill and trickery to get into a position somewhere near the dead ball line to deliver a telling cross (eg Colin Morris, Cotts) which a CF will score from far more frequently because the defence will try anything to stop you doing so (see Kyle Walker on Monday). To get into that sort of position you have to risk losing the ball doing so.

...enter* Billy Sharp. It all adds up, for me.







*Not in a bum way.

 

[Bergen Blade]

If you go back to my Treacy v Cotterill thread though Bergs, has Treacy actually offered more and achieved more than Cotts this season ? I don't think he has considering Treacy must be miles ahead on pitch minutes.

I think it is in their player types' nature that the creators appear more consistent and it's a valid explanation that the creators can make a team more defensively solid. The main reason is that they most often receives the ball to feet and then look to make clever passes or early crosses if the movement is right in front of them. Thus they maintain a position behind the ball, even if their pass is inaccurate and they can help win the ball back.

Out and out wingers are playing wider, near the touchline, and will hope to dribble past the full back, or run into space behind him. If the winger doesn't get past the full back, or if he runs into space without getting the ball, he is often unable to help defend if the opposition breaks. Thus playing wingers are always more risky. They also rely heavily on confidence and being given good service.

When a team manages to use them right though they can be fantastic to watch, and very effective in terms of creating chances too. Cotterill's running circles round Hull's Dawson last season was one of the best winger performances I've ever seen from a United player.

 

[SwissBlade]

Watched the match on Monday in the english pub in Zug, Switzerland. Interestingly the Barman is a Swindon fan (hates Sturrock) and he came up to me to tell me about Hendo.

He said when Henderson was at Swindon, he bagged a shed load of goals. The way they played was with 2 fast and direct wingers, whipping the ball in for Henderson to finish.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Watched the match on Monday in the english pub in Zug, Switzerland. Interestingly the Barman is a Swindon fan (hates Sturrock) and he came up to me to tell me about Hendo.

He said when Henderson was at Swindon, he bagged a shed load of goals. The way they played was with 2 fast and direct wingers, whipping the ball in for Henderson to finish.

Obviously his finishing was far better than Monday night (Penalties excepted)

 

[SwissBlade]

Obviously his finishing was far better than Monday night (Penalties excepted)

I've always thought that Hendo's big problem was his finishing

 

[Bladesway]

He said when Henderson was at Swindon, he bagged a shed load of goals. The way they played was with 2 fast and direct wingers, whipping the ball in for Henderson to finish.

In short then everyone seems to understand this apart from the current coaching staff. Not unlike when Warnock was manager.