On the subject of Harriott, I've yet to be convinced of his merit. Have a look again at the approach to our goal against Forest, posted elsewhere on this site. It was quickfire passing on the edge of the box - the rapid geometry of movement - that made space and unlocked their defence. Step-overs on the wing with two defenders in your ear rarely achieve more than a throw-in.
yes, but without watching the goal again it was a pass from Gower to Harriot who turned away from his marker inside the box and had a shot that was blocked. The ball fell to Wilson and we know the rest. So Harriot was instrumental in our the "rapid geometry of movement".
Harriot was playing at the top of a diamond. Not a formation we have played often and he never (in the first team at least) and no I didn't think he did very well.
But as a site we seem to lurch from one good performance = great player, one below parr performance = League two at best. Cousins was part of a losing team at Burnley and scored 6.14 on the CL statbank. Four days later he is the next Parker/Bowyer/Gerrard.
Cousins, Harriot, Pigott are good, promising but most importantly young players learning their trade in a not so great side which is struggling for form and goals. They will have good games and bad games. At least give them a few months before we praise them to high heaven or write them off as "dire"
You make it sound complicated, Henry. Look again at Donny Rovers' first goal against us at The Valley. It was a quick throw-in to a man running down the lime, who crossed accurately for the striker to nod it into the onion bag. When we have a throw-in near the opponents' box we don't know what to do with it. The man with the ball stares at three static players, each neatly defended, lobs it to seven yards to one of them, who lacks the technical skills to control it....
Quickness of mind and body is vital. For most professional players it is instinctive - and for some of ours it has to be taught and learned. Their failings is why we were 3-0 down within 23 minutes to Donny Rovers. That's also why we lost nine league and two cup games at home last season, and this season have won one single game in nine. Don't put out the bunting because we actually drew at home to Forest - this is relegation form.
You've ignored my point that Harriot was part of our goal v Forest.
To be expected Henry, VF often reverts to type prattling on about quick throw ins ??? and harping on about last season's poor home form whilst conveniently forgetting the success on the road where plenty of 'quickness of mind and body was often to be seen' from a number of the squad still at the club. To say we have not had a good start is an understatement but there are still 4 teams below us and had we lost on Tuesday yes it would have been relegation form but not off the back of the last game. CP has said it was our best performance of the season so I prefer to look forward rather than back especially to an abandoned game played in farcical conditions v Doncaster.
You've ignored my point that Harriot was part of our goal v Forest.
To be expected Henry, VF often reverts to type prattling on about quick throw ins ??? and harping on about last season's poor home form whilst conveniently forgetting the success on the road where plenty of 'quickness of mind and body was often to be seen' from a number of the squad still at the club. To say we have not had a good start is an understatement but there are still 4 teams below us and had we lost on Tuesday yes it would have been relegation form but not off the back of the last game. CP has said it was our best performance of the season so I prefer to look forward rather than back especially to an abandoned game played in farcical conditions v Doncaster.
Fair points, well made. I try to be realistic rather than romantic and I'm not so hard-hearted as to be unmoved by the performance against Forest; some of the action in the second half was truly exhilarating. We played well against Leicester too, and I'm glad that these two games can serve as a benchmark for our ability to play quickly and positively. More of the same, please, against Blackpool....
You've ignored my point that Harriot was part of our goal v Forest.
To be expected Henry, VF often reverts to type prattling on about quick throw ins ??? and harping on about last season's poor home form whilst conveniently forgetting the success on the road where plenty of 'quickness of mind and body was often to be seen' from a number of the squad still at the club. To say we have not had a good start is an understatement but there are still 4 teams below us and had we lost on Tuesday yes it would have been relegation form but not off the back of the last game. CP has said it was our best performance of the season so I prefer to look forward rather than back especially to an abandoned game played in farcical conditions v Doncaster.
Fair points, well made. I try to be realistic rather than romantic and I'm not so hard-hearted as to be unmoved by the performance against Forest; some of the action in the second half was truly exhilarating. We played well against Leicester too, and I'm glad that these two games can serve as a benchmark for our ability to play quickly and positively. More of the same, please, against Blackpool....
Comments
Quickness of mind and body is vital. For most professional players it is instinctive - and for some of ours it has to be taught and learned. Their failings is why we were 3-0 down within 23 minutes to Donny Rovers. That's also why we lost nine league and two cup games at home last season, and this season have won one single game in nine. Don't put out the bunting because we actually drew at home to Forest - this is relegation form.