LJ Ball

[RobintheRed Red]

11 hours ago, old_eastender said:

Not that long ago, we had a forward thinking young first team coach being rightly given plaudits far and wide for the pressing, neat passing interchange, football we were playing. Who can forget that memorable win over Man.Utd.

Then it came to the pivotal league match at home to Wolves, we got a deserved 1-0 lead against 10 men and LJ gambled in leaving Aden Flint up front as he went for the 2^nd killer goal. It was a gamble that back fired badly as Wolves came back to win, exposing the defensive space where Flint should have been. So the seeds of doubt were sown, and despite some swansong performances, notably against Man. City, the first inklings of “LJ ball” had been born.

Now “LJ Ball” is fully matured, it’s difficult for us numpty supporters to understand but these are the basic principles:

1.       Don’t pick a team or formation to play to our strengths, pick them to counter the opposition’s strengths. This rule is paramount.

2.       Pick ‘trusted’ players (those that don’t question you) even if there are better players available and even if you have to play the “trusted” ones out of position.

3.       Short sideways passes are great for possession stats, play lots of them.

4.       Avoid fast counter attacks that could leave gaps for the opposition to exploit, instead play it slow and steady in our own half.

5.       Avoid risky forward passes on the ground; instead hoof it to the flanks, or even straight down the middle.

6.       If you are a forward who actually receives a hoof ball (this won’t happen often) don’t try and take defenders on, or run forward, you might lose possession. Stop, check back, pass it backwards.

7.       Don’t worry about having shots on target, this is an overrated stat.

8.       If anybody questions your team selection, tactics (sic), or any aspect of you, just baffle them with bullsh*t.

There you have it.

Arise sir lee that sums him up.

[RUSSEL85]

Serious question, but does anyone remember the last time we played well for 90 minutes? 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, RUSSEL85 said:

Serious question, but does anyone remember the last time we played well for 90 minutes? 

I had to think, but....Fulham (a), Derby (a)

[Portland Bill]

22 hours ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

Disagree, mate. With all due respect. 

I think on the training pitch, Lee has them practicing everything he wants to see from his team, the coaching is text-book and inspirational, the team look the business up Failand during the week, no-one is knocking it long, back to front, not even Bakes, CO'D looks a million dollars (so to speak), Fam's on fire, the ball is skimming like a weasel across the precisely clipped grass, neat little triangles, it's like Iniesta has called in to play, Pato is dropping it on a sixpence, it all goes to plan, they are up for this! Bring it on! and he delivers a confident and optimistic message on a Thursday to Gregory and co.

Then Saturday comes, they run out on the grass, the whistle goes, and his team play like drains.

And he truly doesn't have a clue as to why, or what to do about it. And neither do we.

I do, an opposition team turns up on the same pitch!, they are better coached, better prepared and more motivated.

LJ has only played and coached to a certain level, he doesn’t know what’s beyond that, what he considers perfect preparation is ( and is proving to be) not to the standard of the perfect preparation other players and coaches demand at the higher level they have experienced. 

Tony Mowbray for instance, he has probably forgotten more than LJ knows. 

 

[redysteadygo]

2 hours ago, Portland Bill said:

what he considers perfect preparation is ( and is proving to be) not to the standard of the perfect preparation other players and coaches demand at the higher level they have experienced. 

Prior to the opening game against Leeds I posted a link to a BBC Sport article on Leeds pre season trip to Australia and their gruelling training schedule whilst we had a jolly to Florida, and asked the question "are we prepared". Well, we all know what the answer to that was.

So, it is also my opinion that our trainings schedules, whilst satisfying our own coach and maybe coaches, is nowhere near the intensity of the majority of other teams in the league. This coupled with tactical thought going into game plans and the apparent loss of interest by players to perform to the levels they are capable of, if allowed, is a recipie for very few points being gained over the next 8  games.

Hopefully somehow a spark can be ignited and at least an effort to at least match other teams in all departments can give us the lift we need. Please don't ask where that spark may come from

 

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, Portland Bill said:

I do, an opposition team turns up on the same pitch!, they are better coached, better prepared and more motivated.

LJ has only played and coached to a certain level, he doesn’t know what’s beyond that, what he considers perfect preparation is ( and is proving to be) not to the standard of the perfect preparation other players and coaches demand at the higher level they have experienced. 

Tony Mowbray for instance, he has probably forgotten more than LJ knows. 

 

It’s really interesting when you look back at LJ’s playing career.

As someone else said LJ has not really played under any other managers than his dad.  Could that mean he’s not really experienced different coaching methods / styles as a senior player.  Even the spells elsewhere were short lived.

[Davefevs]

13 minutes ago, redysteadygo said:

Prior to the opening game against Leeds I posted a link to a BBC Sport article on Leeds pre season trip to Australia and their gruelling training schedule whilst we had a jolly to Florida, and asked the question "are we prepared". Well, we all know what the answer to that was.

So, it is also my opinion that our trainings schedules, whilst satisfying our own coach and maybe coaches, is nowhere near the intensity of the majority of other teams in the league. This coupled with tactical thought going into game plans and the apparent loss of interest by players to perform to the levels they are capable of, if allowed, is a recipie for very few points being gained over the next 8  games.

Hopefully somehow a spark can be ignited and at least an effort to at least match other teams in all departments can give us the lift we need. Please don't ask where that spark may come from

 

It’s a really good question.  Pre-season is great for evaluating yourself against your own levels / targets....but you’ve no idea until you put yourself against another team.

From the outside looking in, it looks well prepared in fairness.

We will see Sunday.  Wednesday allegedly under-prepped not expecting to play again this season,