And that 90% of a player's vital performance in a game is without the ball.
For once Oggy, you and I agree on something! :-)
I still emphasise that Wagstaff and Reid are not the parts of the team we have to worry about - getting the ball wide to them and getting them on the far stick from each others' crosses and having people in the box to get on the end of their crosses is what needs sorting!
Let alone the age-ing and injury prone centre halves, a right back who hasn't improved a lot since getting fit, no natural left back and a middle of the park that just doesn't seem to fit together properly is what I'm more concerned about!
The last 4 goals have been set up by Reid, two of them goals were by Waggy SNM. Francis is useless, please just count how many times he gets on the ball and gives it away please. im hoping for a quick recovery from solly.
[cite]Posted By: Nicholas[/cite]......andWagstaff proved that last night as he was awful, ok he scored with what it seemed like his first touch in the second half,but thats not going to work for us all the time, as his goals will dry up then he will just look like a passenger.
Wagstaff was awful ........?
In the first half he was without a doubt our most dangerous player.
After half time, it appeared the instruction was for the midfield to feed Reidy on the left - and so most of our attacks came through Reidy who saw much more of the ball than Wagstaff.
Even without much of the ball in the second half, Waggy played his part well. Didn't you see how he was positionally sound keeping the all important team shape, making the runs off the ball to draw opponents and create space for the team mate in possession, then tracking and covering to ensure that Francis and Semedo inside him weren't exposed?
I don't mean to be critical, but you do seem to give the impression that when watching a game you just follow the ball, rather than see the big picture of team shape, how each player has his own job to do, and plays to specific management instructions.
And that 90% of a player's vital performance in a game is without the ball.
Waggy in the second half especially barley ever showed for the ball, when ever the front two got the ball to feet he was never an option or whenever Francis is on the ball Waggy is never showing for him thats why he ends up smashing the ball long all the time. that's why everything went Reids way in the second half. In the first half he made a good few runs but their full back dealt with him easy after that.Thats why We played more down the left hand side in the second half.
[cite]Posted By: supaclive[/cite]
For once Oggy, you and I agree on something! :-)
LOL, Supa!
Nearly spat my coffee all over my keyboard!
[cite]Posted By: supaclive[/cite]
Let alone the age-ing and injury prone centre halves, a right back who hasn't improved a lot since getting fit, no natural left back and a middle of the park that just doesn't seem to fit together properly is what I'm more concerned about!
I'm not too worried about the defence - it's not perfect by any means, but it's adequate enough to do a decent job.
And for the past 5 weeks we've certainly missed Dailly organising, commanding and distributing at the back.
Thought Dailly and Fortune complemented each other very well last night, and Fortune brings quicker feet and a bit more pace to central defence.
My main concern though is CM - that's where I think we're not quite firing on all cylinders. On paper it should be very decent but somehow there's an element missing. It might be just that because we are playing 2 touchline hugging wingers, which while stretching play, leaves a lot of midfield space for just 2 midfielders to cover - often against opponents who play a central 3 midfielders. So maybe we are often just outgunned.
I get more concerned that the midfield sits a bit too deep, thus getting separated from the frontmen - which may explain why certain players resort to longball. Perhaps we should play a higher line up the pitch that would allow midfield to link up better with attack, cut out the regular long ball, and allow players more of a passing game.
But back to one of your points ........with ageing/slow CBs, maybe that's the reason the defence sits so deep, - enabling the midfield to sit and offer extra protection centrally and Elliot to perform the role of sweeper? IMO that's a dodgy strategy, allowing opponents the chance to get within shooting distance.
But then we're back to the midfield sitting too deep and the front men becoming isolated.
Good summary Oggy. I think we're stuck between a rock and hard place at the moment tactiacally for the reasons you set out. Hopefully a fit Fortune will provide a solution (having Youga's pace back in back 4 would help too) and allow the whole team to push up the pitch a bit. We need to get Racon playing slightly in front of Semedo too, rather than next to him.
The talent is there, and we're not too far off getting right, imo, but there is some tweaking still required.
Agree with the centere midfielders sitting to deep, I honestly think we need to go back to 4-5-1 with Jackson being the more attacking of the 3 whilst Semedo and Racon do the donkey work. I think this should enable Reid and Waggy to get in the game more, only problem is who would be best suited up top on there own.
Comments
For once Oggy, you and I agree on something! :-)
I still emphasise that Wagstaff and Reid are not the parts of the team we have to worry about - getting the ball wide to them and getting them on the far stick from each others' crosses and having people in the box to get on the end of their crosses is what needs sorting!
Let alone the age-ing and injury prone centre halves, a right back who hasn't improved a lot since getting fit, no natural left back and a middle of the park that just doesn't seem to fit together properly is what I'm more concerned about!
Waggy in the second half especially barley ever showed for the ball, when ever the front two got the ball to feet he was never an option or whenever Francis is on the ball Waggy is never showing for him thats why he ends up smashing the ball long all the time. that's why everything went Reids way in the second half. In the first half he made a good few runs but their full back dealt with him easy after that.Thats why We played more down the left hand side in the second half.
LOL, Supa!
Nearly spat my coffee all over my keyboard!
I'm not too worried about the defence - it's not perfect by any means, but it's adequate enough to do a decent job.
And for the past 5 weeks we've certainly missed Dailly organising, commanding and distributing at the back.
Thought Dailly and Fortune complemented each other very well last night, and Fortune brings quicker feet and a bit more pace to central defence.
My main concern though is CM - that's where I think we're not quite firing on all cylinders. On paper it should be very decent but somehow there's an element missing. It might be just that because we are playing 2 touchline hugging wingers, which while stretching play, leaves a lot of midfield space for just 2 midfielders to cover - often against opponents who play a central 3 midfielders. So maybe we are often just outgunned.
I get more concerned that the midfield sits a bit too deep, thus getting separated from the frontmen - which may explain why certain players resort to longball. Perhaps we should play a higher line up the pitch that would allow midfield to link up better with attack, cut out the regular long ball, and allow players more of a passing game.
But back to one of your points ........with ageing/slow CBs, maybe that's the reason the defence sits so deep, - enabling the midfield to sit and offer extra protection centrally and Elliot to perform the role of sweeper? IMO that's a dodgy strategy, allowing opponents the chance to get within shooting distance.
But then we're back to the midfield sitting too deep and the front men becoming isolated.
The talent is there, and we're not too far off getting right, imo, but there is some tweaking still required.