Target Men And Flick-ons.....

[rockin-robin]

People always seem to be going on about target men and their ability to "flick the ball on". Brooker is better than Adebola, Adebola's better than Trundle etc etc.

Now, my point is, how many times do these flick-ons actually work? Very rarely, they are a low percentage tactic. I could go as far to say that probably 1 in 50 flick-ons actually results in a goal being scored. Even with Crouch up front his flick-ons very rarely come off because the speed and control required off the head is so difficult that it usually just goes to a defender or out of play - thus ending our possession with the ball. So why even bother?

In Adebola, Brooker and Trundle, we have some good footballers who can manipulate something when the ball is played into their chest or feet. Therefore, if we are going to use one of them as target man (hate that word), lets just play it into their feet/chest so they can control it and lay the ball off to the midfield or turn and run at the defence. Forget the old, well, Adebola/Brooker we'll flick the ball onto to Maynard who will run through and score. It just doesnt happen enough to warrant it as a tactic.

Ball on the deck please City and we'll carve defences open. Any thoughts?

[Gaffer]

I agree with most of that, we don't tend to pay the football where flick on's come in to play that often.

I think that these players get picked for their ability to hold up play, thereby bringing others into the game, and also for their presence. It will remain a good tactic to rile one of the centre halves by employing a big forward with the intention of dragging players out of position, especially when paired with a poacher like Maynard.

I think personally the Adebola Maynard partnership has a good look to it. From the reports from FGR, i wouldn't be expecting to see LT and Noble for a while, so we can kiss goodbye to that style of play.

[Guest ashtonyate]

I think that also with a tall forward he can help you defend at set pieces as been said hold up play. If you get a good one they can be worth their weight in gold.

I think Adeobla is not what I would call a target man the same with Brooker and really we could do with one in the squad he would enhances most of the forwards at the club even Trundle would be more effective playing along side one

[ookman]

We don't need a target man!

what we need are a team of 10 Lee Johnson size players so we have to play TOTAL FOOTBALL and keep the ball on the ground

ok there are disadvantages at set peices (especially defending), if only we had american football tactics

plenty of teams play without a 'target man' and score plenty of goals, I say let the Maynard - Adebola/Brooker partnership develop first. early days

[rockin-robin]

We don't need a target man!

what we need are a team of 10 Lee Johnson size players so we have to play TOTAL FOOTBALL and keep the ball on the ground

ok there are disadvantages at set peices (especially defending), if only we had american football tactics

plenty of teams play without a 'target man' and score plenty of goals, I say let the Maynard - Adebola/Brooker partnership develop first. early days

Did you even read the post?

[The Man In Black]

The problem at the moment is we have Adebola or whoever jumping up to head the ball... often into nowhere.

We need to ensure that whoever we are kicking the ball to can bring the ball under control and hold onto it for a few seconds to allow other players to catch up with play (and in fact run past him). Imagine if you had Maynard running forward onto a perfectly weighted through ball.......

[Robbored]

People always seem to be going on about target men and their ability to "flick the ball on". Brooker is better than Adebola, Adebola's better than Trundle etc etc.

Now, my point is, how many times do these flick-ons actually work? Very rarely, they are a low percentage tactic. I could go as far to say that probably 1 in 50 flick-ons actually results in a goal being scored. Even with Crouch up front his flick-ons very rarely come off because the speed and control required off the head is so difficult that it usually just goes to a defender or out of play - thus ending our possession with the ball. So why even bother?

Absolutely agree. I've never been a fan of 'flick ons' for exactly the reason pointed out above.It is indeed a low percentage tactic.

That said to good target men the 'flick on' is a small part of their all round game. They are much better employed by holding up the ball whilst midfielders catch up or by laying the ball off along the ground. Being big and tall helps as height is always usefull as it gives defenders something else to worry about.Blocking runs is much harder against bigger blokes.

The problem is that teams often over use the high ball when they have a tall bloke up front especially if they are having difficulty breaking down the ooposition. Its often 'Plan B' but is less likely to work than by playing football imo.

[ookman]

Did you even read the post?

Yes, just agreeing :noexpression: probably shouldn't have put the exclamation mark in my apologies

[CiderHider]

You always needs options up front, Strikers of differing ability's give you this.

Speed/burst of pace Maynard

Height/heading Adebola/Brooker

first touch/technique Trundle

finishing/awareness in the box Brooker/Maynard

[nedbcfc]

You always needs options up front, Strikers of differing ability's give you this.

Speed/burst of pace Maynard

Height/heading Adebola/Brooker

first touch/technique Trundle

finishing/awareness in the box Brooker/Maynard

i agree with you mostly, but surely trundle's finishing is better than brooker's , and maybe even maynard ! Although i do admit his awareness maybe isnt close to theirs.

[CiderHider]

i agree with you mostly, but surely trundle's finishing is better than brooker's , and maybe even maynard ! Although i do admit his awareness maybe isnt close to theirs.

It's not an exact representation of their skills, i was just trying to highlight the point that we all types of strikers to combat differing defences.

I dunno though, I've seen Brooker score some incredible goals and seen Trundle miss open goals, but even Henry can miss a sitter.

We are blessed with a nice assortment of attacking players though, hopefully this season we can see all 4 make a great impact.

[Redhyde]

It..depends.

Flick ons work perfectly well depending on the strike partnership.

If you recall the Koller and Radzinski partnership at Anderlecht that's the perfect example. Lots of headers won, insane blistering pace against a static defence holding the line of the guy heading the ball. Worked a treat. As did the very interesting and recent "flying donkeys" Chievo side which had 2 giant wingers/forwards against the full backs who flicked cross field diagonal balls onto the smaller quicker central strikers. Very different.

Ours won't and don't work because we don't have the pace up front, and frankly we don't have a centre forward who consistantly wins headers. That's because alot of the centre halves we come up against are equally big and dominant in the air. We have McCombe while every other team has their equivalants.

Our system relies on hold up play to a massive extent and the target man is a big outlet. I think where the target is has changed or is different from player to player. It's gone from the header on to chest down and to feet. And that's why we'll pick the strong but technical in Adebola over bustling Brooker whose second touch is a tackle. His turns and shot is his trademark apparently, but we'll rarely get near the goal when he doesn't hold it up.

I don't think flick ons suit us for a standard tactic because of our playing staff, but it's an effective weapon in the right circumstances.

[Red]

Hoofing the ball up to a target man is not how you should always use him. IF we had better service from the wings, with players who take players on then get the ball over is the best way to use a target man. Whitehead on the wing was a player who could beat a player, look up and cross that ball to the forward line. We are sadly lacking on good wide men who can use this skill. Mcindoe is the nearest we have to this.