Pace Up Front

[mozo]

OK so Mifsud might be signing and would give us the asset of pace, which we've craved for so long in attack.

I just hope this doesn't mean we'll be encouraged to play long balls on the counter, because pace used correctly is what we need.

I'd like to see someone like Mifsud hanging onto the shoulder of defenders, and drifting out wide, so that he can run onto weighted throughballs.

If a pacy striker plays up front with a target man he can also latch onto knockdowns.

However, two little men is hard to devise tactics for (I think Nibor might disagree here?). I can't think of many clubs who pull that off.

Just wanted to get that off my chest...

[Red Skin]

However, two little men is hard to devise tactics for (I think Nibor might disagree here?). I can't think of many clubs who pull that off.

Not many perhaps, but Utd manage with Tevez/Rooney and did in the past with Cole/Yorke.

I don't think 2 small strikers has to mean balls over the top. I'd like us to have a striker that is quick enough to be in box when Sproule or McIndoe race down the wing. The last striker we had with any pace was Christian Roberts. I think his presence in the box distracting defenders and keepers played a big part in Murray bagging so many in his wonderous goal-scoring season.

[si_aston]

OK so Mifsud might be signing and would give us the asset of pace, which we've craved for so long in attack.

I just hope this doesn't mean we'll be encouraged to play long balls on the counter, because pace used correctly is what we need.

I'd like to see someone like Mifsud hanging onto the shoulder of defenders, and drifting out wide, so that he can run onto weighted throughballs.

If a pacy striker plays up front with a target man he can also latch onto knockdowns.

However, two little men is hard to devise tactics for (I think Nibor might disagree here?). I can't think of many clubs who pull that off.

Just wanted to get that off my chest...

I think what you said in the bold can be true of two pacy strikers. That would also give the opposing back four twice the danger to worry about.

Williams, Noble, Johnson and McIndoe are more than capable of picking out passes to one striker with pace, whether it be to his feet coming short and then turning, or over the top or in the channels. Two strikers with such attributes would cause havoc in opposition defences provided we play the football Gary Johnson wants us to and that we as fans want us to.

Hoofing the ball up to a target man for a smaller, quicker striker to latch onto knockdowns requires no skill from our defence or midfield, though I appreciate this is an option we have used, and will have to use.

I do recall Nibor mentioning the ingrained English notion of the big man little man stuff, and I'd agree that it's rather backward. Tactics and formations have changed throughout the years to accommodate the changing face of football and there's no reason why that won't continue to happen.

As football increases to become a results-driven financial business I find myself delighted that we as a club manage to combine good results with attractive, expansive play. There's no reason this can't happen without the archetypal target man.

[Rudolf Hucker]

Not many perhaps, but Utd manage with Tevez/Rooney and did in the past with Cole/Yorke.

Glyn Riley and Steve Neville anyone?

Jumpers for goalposts ...

[internetjef]

i think man u are a pretty good example. neither tevez or rooney are that big.

playing without a big striker is doable, but only at home when away teams defend deep , you can keep the ball and press high up the pitch.

this happens to man u almost every week home and away though cos they are so good the other team is cacking theirselves

[Spike]

OK so Mifsud might be signing and would give us the asset of pace, which we've craved for so long in attack.

I just hope this doesn't mean we'll be encouraged to play long balls on the counter, because pace used correctly is what we need.

I'd like to see someone like Mifsud hanging onto the shoulder of defenders, and drifting out wide, so that he can run onto weighted throughballs.

If a pacy striker plays up front with a target man he can also latch onto knockdowns.

However, two little men is hard to devise tactics for (I think Nibor might disagree here?). I can't think of many clubs who pull that off.

Just wanted to get that off my chest...

I'm no fan of the long ball game either but it wouldn't hurt to have a player who quality long ball passers can play long balls too. I mean I remember watching Tinnion drift some lovely over the top presicion long ball passes only for our then strikers to be beaten in pace to them. We know we can play some nice short passing football but it would be nice to have the option to mix it up. Teams managed to contain us towards the end of last season by figuring out we were all about the short play and once they got a goal they would hoof and chase because all the short passing we did took up time to build up chances hence wasting time. I think with some long ball fear from other teams aswell we could get some nice goals from playing a mixed variety of passes.