Jerseybean Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Earlier in the season we were out of the traps from the first whistle, dominant and quick to impose ourselves on the opposition. Anyone have views on what’s happened recently? We never got started against Leeds, probably in part due to their two early goals, were second best in the first half an hour or so against Palace and today we never got going until the second half and even then it was a spluttering rather than dominant performance. Look forward to hearing what others think the reasons are for our poorer starts....I don’t know what to put it down to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristoldan19 Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Think it's difficult to maintain the fast starts all season. The good thing is we are performing for more than just one half this season. Whether it's a strong start or strong finish, we've added the middle to our performances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selred Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Partly due to freshness, we have 2 games a week rather than 1, and also teams are aware we start with a high tempo so now are prepared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red34 Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Also the slow starts have been against the "bigger" Prem / ex-Prem teams, who we maybe expect to hit us hard, particularly on a counterattack. So it's possibly more our players getting a feel for their style rather than charging in against opposition we're more used to / maybe giving them a bit too much respect. The conserving energy point is a good one too - maybe they're just over-correcting at the moment and it'll even out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Opponents know what to expect of us, and likewise we know what to expect back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Skin Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Think we are missing Korey's pressing. We are failing to win the ball as high up the pitch as we were when he plays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfieldred Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 3 hours ago, Red Army Faction said: Think we are missing Korey's pressing. We are failing to win the ball as high up the pitch as we were when he plays. There is a smith shaped gap that Brownhill, for all his ability on the ball, cannot fill. From a defensive point of view, brownhill is wrong side of his man too often and chasing to get right side. This is because his instincts are to attack, which is fine if we are in possession, but out of possession he is less effective. This puts pressure on pack as the the only midfielder behind the ball. If he goes to close he leaves players behind him and if he sits it allows the team a free run in front of our penalty box. Smiths instincts are to close and press and he is rarely caught wrong side because he is less attack minded. Pack is then able to pick up anyone who is making a central run. Basically we just look more solid defensively in the midfield sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheshire_red Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Agreed, Smith is the key to the high pressure press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 1 hour ago, cheshire_red said: Agreed, Smith is the key to the high pressure press. I`d say Pato is as well and he`s been missing too apart from yesterday but I don`t think he`s back up to speed yet as I`ve said on another thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hampshire Red Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Don't think it matters too much when we play 'extra fast' but it can only be for say 15 mins eg first 15 v Plymouth, 60-75 mins v Watford, 45-60 v Palace, 65-80 yesterday I agree it was easier at the start of the season than now with 3 games in 8 days What a genius head coach probably only bettered this season by Chris Wilder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheshire_red Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Don't get carried away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red white and red Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 We as fans need to enjoy the fact we are doing well and have added so much more to our game this season, e.g. Winning ugly, guts and grit. We as fans also need to stop expecting to blow sides away 3-0 in the first 8 minutes of a game. We are in a tough division with some very good teams, let's just enjoy the moment... please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 I think we have started stopping starting so well . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SStandUp Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 1 hour ago, Red white and red said: We as fans need to enjoy the fact we are doing well and have added so much more to our game this season, e.g. Winning ugly, guts and grit. We as fans also need to stop expecting to blow sides away 3-0 in the first 8 minutes of a game. We are in a tough division with some very good teams, let's just enjoy the moment... please. Love this. My thoughts exactly. I'll still be buzzing with a midtable finish. But very much enjoying what I'm seeing at the moment. Up the city X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAman08 Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 2 hours ago, Raging_Robin said: Teams have simply worked us out. We've adopted slightly. We're strong all over the park though so team simply can't match us. We're a top 6 side easily. It is starting to look that way isn’t it? I’m not going to get carried away yet but we have been very good in most games this season. Ok we struggle to break down teams that sit behind the ball but most do. Bolton won at Fulham yesterday so getting a point or three against those teams is an acheivement imo. We are treated as a top side now. I don’t think teams see much of a weakness to attack so they tend to sit back and counter. Then Leeds I think was an anamoly as so many were out injured or ill. I am still waiting for 60 points. At this rate that happens at around game 36 so still a long season ahead of us. We do look so much stronger and that is with never being close to 100% in terms of options. There has always been a key injury that we could be better without. Was Milan, Taylor and Baker to start the season. Then Pisano and Korey Smith. Now Famara and possibly Baker again. So to be fourth with that many key players missing games is a great acheivement. As for the original question, I have partly alluded to it, I think teams now have a good sample size to make a gameplan with. You have seen subtle changes in how some players have been marked and how teams set up. For example, Bobby Reid has been given less and less space to operate. Never see someone too far from him. I don’t think it was a coincidence to see Bobby go on a streak with very few goals and see Famara go on a streak with quite a few. Think teams don’t see weaknesses to exploit. So they organise their defense and play on the counter. Against Leeds with less quality on the pitch we got done twice on early counter attacks. Against Burton, we couldn’t break down eleven behind the ball. Teams respect us a lot more now imo and they look to stifle us. I don’t think it is us as much as opposition not having answers for us. Palace was a one off bad start imo against quality. They did not start with a true striker but their front 4 were very fast and it took our defense time to come to grips with that pace. Even then, 25 minutes against premier league talent and after that they stifled them. It was a very mature performance that night mixed with some luck they didn’t score more early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 2 hours ago, Red white and red said: We as fans need to enjoy the fact we are doing well and have added so much more to our game this season, e.g. Winning ugly, guts and grit. We as fans also need to stop expecting to blow sides away 3-0 in the first 8 minutes of a game. We are in a tough division with some very good teams, let's just enjoy the moment... please. Another idiot talking sense on this forum. Mods - can you do something about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atyeo's lift Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 "Bolton won at Fulham yesterday so getting a point or three against those teams is an acheivement imo" I think you'll find Fulham equalised in the last minute, but point taken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 I rate Lee's overall ability and I'm particularly thrilled with his proactive approach in being able to spot problems in a timely manner, adjust formations and make substitutions. However he doesn't always get the starting XI right. I saw yesterday's and thought "Reid and Taylor up front, no Korey and Pato on the wing - I can't see the ball getting in their final third much" and so it proved. Yes, I know injuries played their part, but if we wanted to come out like gangbusters then starting people like Milan and Korey and subbing them when they tired would be the way to go. Arguably, finishing stronger is more comfortable (not least for us fans) than starting strong and fading. However, at Sunderland we were a bit lucky to have had a base of 1-1 to build on before we started operating as a functioning unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerseybean Posted October 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Thank you everyone for making lots of excellent observations and keeping to topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUSSEL85 Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 I'm very much enjoying the ride and do not expect us to finish where we currently are in the table. I just hope there is no melt down when we do have a bad run (which will happen). If we do finish 10th to 12th it's an excellent achievement in a tough league, we have come on so much since last season and matured well as a team along with the management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBCFC Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 1 hour ago, Atyeo's lift said: "Bolton won at Fulham yesterday so getting a point or three against those teams is an acheivement imo" I think you'll find Fulham equalised in the last minute, but point taken Literally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie BCFC Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 15 hours ago, Jerseybean said: Earlier in the season we were out of the traps from the first whistle, dominant and quick to impose ourselves on the opposition. Anyone have views on what’s happened recently? We never got started against Leeds, probably in part due to their two early goals, were second best in the first half an hour or so against Palace and today we never got going until the second half and even then it was a spluttering rather than dominant performance. Look forward to hearing what others think the reasons are for our poorer starts....I don’t know what to put it down to. Does it matter? Not so much to me. Yes it’s always good to get an early goal but as long as we work hard for 90 minutes and get the results I’m more than happy with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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