Is O'Dowda the answer to our striker problems?

[BigAl&Toby]

1 hour ago, lukebcfc1989 said:

Are we all just going to ignore another trade mark Daniel Bentley parry in to the opposition’s path last night then for the goal  

I’m not. Glad you brought it up.

Captain Dan needs a rest. Not just because of that but also his consistent lumping it to a non-existent player who’s unable to either win the ball or hold it up.

Now that might not be DB’s fault and it might be “team orders” but why oh why keep doing something when the outcome is the same.

Straight back at you Dan.

[CityCiderEd]

1 hour ago, lukebcfc1989 said:

Are we all just going to ignore another trade mark Daniel Bentley parry in to the opposition’s path last night then for the goal  

Should have been pushed away for a throw or corner.........

 

[Bernard Lerring]

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

 Palmer for me, he tackles, doesn’t stroll around.

I felt like I saw a fair bit of strolling around from palmer last night. His attempt at pressing was embarrassing for someone with fresh legs 

[Fordy62]

9 hours ago, dREDful said:

No. Course not FFS. 

A knackered Wells was so much more useful as a focal point than COD. Could see the equaliser coming a mile off once that happened. Ball just kept coming back. 

 

EDIT - because this is going over some heads. I don't believe COD made the tactical decision, so I don't blame him for the stupidity. 

So relieved to read the first line of your post after falling hook line and sinker for the click bait!  

[Super]

1 hour ago, BigAl&Toby said:

I’m not. Glad you brought it up.

Captain Dan needs a rest. Not just because of that but also his consistent lumping it to a non-existent player who’s unable to either win the ball or hold it up.

Now that might not be DB’s fault and it might be “team orders” but why oh why keep doing something when the outcome is the same.

Straight back at you Dan.

Martin is beyond useless at holding the ball up. The problem is not one player in this team is a good passer of the ball.

[chinapig]

The puzzle for me is if our players are said to be so much fitter than before why are they having to go off because they are knackered?

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, The Horse With No Name said:

Funny how none of our opposition players ever look " tired " though.

Because they keep the ball abd make us run around more.  That’s a very simplistic answer to the problem….it’s more complicated than that.

2 hours ago, Bernard Lerring said:

I felt like I saw a fair bit of strolling around from palmer last night. His attempt at pressing was embarrassing for someone with fresh legs 

He was just holding shape….you can’t go charging into a press on your own.

[Super]

1 minute ago, lukebcfc1989 said:

BS regarding Martin he is the least of our problems. Service is the main issue and an erratic goalkeeper 

I think striking options or a lack of is a big problem. 

[Clutton Caveman]

10 hours ago, richyy66 said:

Odowda was not at fault for the last few mminutes of madness. I agree i think he should be moved on but to blame him for the defeat is a little harsh.

Wells knew what he was doing within the game plan and did it well. It was working. If we had a like for like sub OK but when O'Dowd came on the shape went to hell.

[Super]

Just now, lukebcfc1989 said:

Not the main problem IMO have to remember our forward line is self serving. They are lucky to get one chance a game. 

I know we don't create much but all of them are poor at holding the ball up.

[Clutton Caveman]

9 hours ago, bexhill reds said:

Right so trying to get pace on the pitch was a bad idea? Agreed that lumping the ball at him was not going to work, but getting him running into the corners as an outlet surely makes sense, especially against tired defenders even if only to stretch the pitch out a bit, I’d argue that this was the best option with what was on the bench, just a poorly executed.

Especially when the remaining bench options were Simpson, Pring and Bakinson.

Pace, what pace, when was the last time you saw O'Dowd leave a defender in his wake. How this guy survived the cull I just don't know. 

[bexhill reds]

4 minutes ago, Clutton Caveman said:

Pace, what pace, when was the last time you saw O'Dowd leave a defender in his wake. How this guy survived the cull I just don't know. 

I dont think he’s the answer to our problems and he’s not lived up to the promise, but was the only resource left on the bench that could have played that role.

[Red-Robbo]

10 hours ago, bexhill reds said:

Nope, but on soggy pitch with tired defenders, O’Dowda running at pace with balls over the top and down channels made perfect sense, Wells was knackered. Our problem was they looked for O’Dowda as the target man to win and hold up rather than chase down..

 

 

Wells may well have been tired, but keeping the attacking threat of him and a forward-line Weimann would've been sensible in my opinion.  He certainly didn't want to go off. Was quite irked by it, judging by his body language. COD's appearance meant in effect we were defensive for the rest of the game, with no outlet. And we all know the best form of defence is attack. Not booting the ball up (not even out of play) for their defence to pick up and hey presto 30 seconds later, you face another attack.

To diversify this theme. Everyone in the box to defend corners also means the ball comes straight back at you. At least one player needs to be out of the box to give opponents something to think about.

Ultimately, we lost because as we try to shepherd a one-goal lead, we start to back off more and more and allow the opposition to pick out passes in our final third with impunity.  We've seen it before and we'll see it again, because coaching does not seem to be picking up this psychological flaw. 

[One Team]

27 minutes ago, Clutton Caveman said:

Pace, what pace, when was the last time you saw O'Dowd leave a defender in his wake. How this guy survived the cull I just don't know. 

I think the only reason he did was that he was still under contract and we had no interest in him. 

[marmite]

I know this is an O'Dowda thread but I have to link it with Bentley. Has anyone else noticed that when he kicks from hand, its always a high hanging kick rather than a flat trajectory. That would have suited O'Dowda better as he would have had something to chase into the channels rather than stood on the halfway line, surrounded by 6ft plus defenders, waiting for the ball to drop. Bad substitution imo but not helped by our familiar game plan.

[Davefevs]

21 minutes ago, marmite said:

I know this is an O'Dowda thread but I have to link it with Bentley. Has anyone else noticed that when he kicks from hand, its always a high hanging kick rather than a flat trajectory. That would have suited O'Dowda better as he would have had something to chase into the channels rather than stood on the halfway line, surrounded by 6ft plus defenders, waiting for the ball to drop. Bad substitution imo but not helped by our familiar game plan.

Yes.  I don’t like the half-slice drop kick.  It hangs and allows CBs to position themselves for the header and the DM a chance to screen Martin.  It also has no pace on it if he wins the flick.

He needs to drill them lower.

[Numero Uno]

12 hours ago, CityCiderEd said:

Should have been pushed away for a throw or corner.........

 

A goalkeeper of his ability should be holding it not worrying about where he's going to push it.

[Numero Uno]

9 hours ago, lukebcfc1989 said:

 

I really dont see an issue with Martins hold up play, slow maybe... but he dosent miss chances is clever and can hold the ball up. He is good enough for now.  

I don't necessarily disagree with what you are saying but he was shite last night. He's been unjustly villified a few times recently but last night he had a shocker.