Bergen Blade
Well-Known Member
Crosses are a particularly ineffective way of attacking.
Let's say Campbell-Ryce takes on his full back 10 times. 3 times he gets tackled, 7 times he beats his man and swings a cross in. Two of those crosses find a Blades shirt.
Flynn takes on his full back 10 times. 3 times he gets tackled, 2 times he beat his man and puts a cross in, one of which finds a Blades shirt. On the other 5 occasions, he turns back and passes to a teammate.
Who's the more effective winger?
Campbell-Ryce regularly getting past the left back early doors will make the opposition left midfielder drop deeper to help him out. If he can't the left sided centre has to push out, and on other occasions the left sided central midfielder will have to get back. It means we will pull their players out of position and eventually we will punish them.
It may not even be from a direct JCR cross, it may be from an attack that starts with him running at them, and yes, maybe overhits a cross, which someone else then picks up and just when the opposition thought they had regained control, there's a simple pass and a good shot by someone who's suddenly in some space.