spudski Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Biggest frustration is the passing across the back four followed by a hoof onto the head of the defender marking Sam Baldock. It so tedious to watch over and over again. I think S'OD has gone a long way towards improving the defence but the midfield lack movement and vision. Pack looks decent as does Reid in the centre but it needs a true central play maker to link up play. Nice post BTW. Makes a chance from S'OD out, Kevin Smith out and booing. I wrote this post in another thread... but it probably sits better in this one tbh... Re the back four and movement... 'People have short memories... Last season SoD said we played to a system that suited the ability of the players in the majority of our squad.. basically counter attacking football. When he tried to change the system to a possession based game, it didn't work and he admitted the majority of our first team were incapable of playing his way. Previous managers had the luxury of a certain amount of money to spend. SoD has financial restrictions in place and an objective of putting in foundations to make this Club strong. The past few seasons it's been 'Stop gap' football... there was no 'real objective'... it was throw anything at it to stop it sinking. We survived playing poor football with no direction. It's simply impossible to compare like for like with previous managers and objectives. To some Degree Del tried to get the Scouting and Academy better... but it's still not comparable to now. SoD has been nothing but straight since he's been here. And still some people think he's just been covering his ass. I don't see it like that at all... it is what it is... there are no 'smoke and mirrors' this time imho. Mistakes will be made... but there are positives in our game plan for the long time future. You only have to see our percentage possession rate this season compared to the last few... it's so much better. We are looking to pass the ball and keep it... being patient looking for an opening. Yes it will break down occasionally... you will get the hoof up field when nothing is on and players are under pressure... but the seeds of growth are there to see. Against Shrews for example our back 4 were knocking it about looking for a pass or opening... often it never came and they resorted to hoofing it down the channel... but it wasn't for lack of looking. Our movement up front was very poor that night... that will have to be addressed. Baldock especially the guilty part of just sitting on the shoulder of the last defender asking for a ball over the top. People go on about our defenders playing the long ball to Baldock and questioning it because of his height... watch the game... he never comes for the ball... he wants it down the channel and over the top. Jet stood about aimlessly most of the game... his off the ball movement must improve. It will take time to get right. And possession football is also about patience on the pitch... something our fans haven't been used to for years... we've all been about 'fast catch them on the break football' in the past few seasons. Perhaps that's what's annoying fans... the slow build up?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_s Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I wrote this post in another thread... but it probably sits better in this one tbh... Re the back four and movement... 'People have short memories... Last season SoD said we played to a system that suited the ability of the players in the majority of our squad.. basically counter attacking football. When he tried to change the system to a possession based game, it didn't work and he admitted the majority of our first team were incapable of playing his way. Previous managers had the luxury of a certain amount of money to spend. SoD has financial restrictions in place and an objective of putting in foundations to make this Club strong. The past few seasons it's been 'Stop gap' football... there was no 'real objective'... it was throw anything at it to stop it sinking. We survived playing poor football with no direction. It's simply impossible to compare like for like with previous managers and objectives. To some Degree Del tried to get the Scouting and Academy better... but it's still not comparable to now. SoD has been nothing but straight since he's been here. And still some people think he's just been covering his ass. I don't see it like that at all... it is what it is... there are no 'smoke and mirrors' this time imho. Mistakes will be made... but there are positives in our game plan for the long time future. You only have to see our percentage possession rate this season compared to the last few... it's so much better. We are looking to pass the ball and keep it... being patient looking for an opening. Yes it will break down occasionally... you will get the hoof up field when nothing is on and players are under pressure... but the seeds of growth are there to see. Against Shrews for example our back 4 were knocking it about looking for a pass or opening... often it never came and they resorted to hoofing it down the channel... but it wasn't for lack of looking. Our movement up front was very poor that night... that will have to be addressed. Baldock especially the guilty part of just sitting on the shoulder of the last defender asking for a ball over the top. People go on about our defenders playing the long ball to Baldock and questioning it because of his height... watch the game... he never comes for the ball... he wants it down the channel and over the top. Jet stood about aimlessly most of the game... his off the ball movement must improve. It will take time to get right. And possession football is also about patience on the pitch... something our fans haven't been used to for years... we've all been about 'fast catch them on the break football' in the past few seasons. Perhaps that's what's annoying fans... the slow build up?' We're in agreement pretty much and you are right about possession football. The point I'm trying to make is that passing it across the back four and then hoofing it to Sam Baldock is not possession football. If we had more movement and vision in the midfield then this would give other options to the defenders instead of hoofing it and we'd find it a lot easier to play possession football. When all is said and done i don't think we are as far away from a competitive sides as some believe. A top 10 finish this season is pretty much where I think we'll end up. A top 6 would be great. I never thought Ward's promotion winning side were that great and they started slow but once they got some belief there was no stopping them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudski Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 We're in agreement pretty much and you are right about possession football. The point I'm trying to make is that passing it across the back four and then hoofing it to Sam Baldock is not possession football. If we had more movement and vision in the midfield then this would give other options to the defenders instead of hoofing it and we'd find it a lot easier to play possession football. When all is said and done i don't think we are as far away from a competitive sides as some believe. A top 10 finish this season is pretty much where I think we'll end up. A top 6 would be great. I never thought Ward's promotion winning side were that great and they started slow but once they got some belief there was no stopping them I totally agree... our midfield and forwards have been lacking in movement off the ball for the last two games imho. But when the defence get closed down and there are no options in midfield then down the channel is often a last resort. I still think we will be lower half this year. But it's worth remembering where Yeovil were this time last year and how many times they won in September... so who knows... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I wrote this post in another thread... but it probably sits better in this one tbh... Re the back four and movement... 'People have short memories... Last season SoD said we played to a system that suited the ability of the players in the majority of our squad.. basically counter attacking football. When he tried to change the system to a possession based game, it didn't work and he admitted the majority of our first team were incapable of playing his way. Previous managers had the luxury of a certain amount of money to spend. SoD has financial restrictions in place and an objective of putting in foundations to make this Club strong. The past few seasons it's been 'Stop gap' football... there was no 'real objective'... it was throw anything at it to stop it sinking. We survived playing poor football with no direction. It's simply impossible to compare like for like with previous managers and objectives. To some Degree Del tried to get the Scouting and Academy better... but it's still not comparable to now. SoD has been nothing but straight since he's been here. And still some people think he's just been covering his ass. I don't see it like that at all... it is what it is... there are no 'smoke and mirrors' this time imho. Mistakes will be made... but there are positives in our game plan for the long time future. You only have to see our percentage possession rate this season compared to the last few... it's so much better. We are looking to pass the ball and keep it... being patient looking for an opening. Yes it will break down occasionally... you will get the hoof up field when nothing is on and players are under pressure... but the seeds of growth are there to see. Against Shrews for example our back 4 were knocking it about looking for a pass or opening... often it never came and they resorted to hoofing it down the channel... but it wasn't for lack of looking. Our movement up front was very poor that night... that will have to be addressed. Baldock especially the guilty part of just sitting on the shoulder of the last defender asking for a ball over the top. People go on about our defenders playing the long ball to Baldock and questioning it because of his height... watch the game... he never comes for the ball... he wants it down the channel and over the top. Jet stood about aimlessly most of the game... his off the ball movement must improve. It will take time to get right. And possession football is also about patience on the pitch... something our fans haven't been used to for years... we've all been about 'fast catch them on the break football' in the past few seasons. Perhaps that's what's annoying fans... the slow build up?' Good post Spud. I watched the beginning of the Spurs game last night and when Spurs had the ball the Tromso team were pretty well all behind the ball and Spurs kept possession, passing across the back four and across the midfield and back to the back four , all the time looking for an opening. the commentators said that Tromso players were very disciplined and tried to avoid diving into tackles so that they could keep their shape, as this was keeping Spurs at bay. Their patience was rewarded eventually, but I couldn't help thinking that it looked very much like what so many City fans are complaining about, and this from am much more established, experienced and much more skilled group of players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudski Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Good post Spud. I watched the beginning of the Spurs game last night and when Spurs had the ball the Tromso team were pretty well all behind the ball and Spurs kept possession, passing across the back four and across the midfield and back to the back four , all the time looking for an opening. the commentators said that Tromso players were very disciplined and tried to avoid diving into tackles so that they could keep their shape, as this was keeping Spurs at bay. Their patience was rewarded eventually, but I couldn't help thinking that it looked very much like what so many City fans are complaining about, and this from am much more established, experienced and much more skilled group of players. Exactly mate... and as SoD has implied about the Shrews game, they got all 10 men back behind the ball very often and made it hard for City to break down. They were fortunate to score on the break due to good play by themselves and a mistake by Shorey...an individual error. That increased pressure on City and gave Shrews even more time to get players behind the ball. SoD made the right tactical move by bringing Harewood and Reid on when he did... it made a difference to a tiring Shrews team. I'd hopefully like to see City be more composed in front of goal and get that first goal... I think it would make a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Good post Spud. I watched the beginning of the Spurs game last night and when Spurs had the ball the Tromso team were pretty well all behind the ball and Spurs kept possession, passing across the back four and across the midfield and back to the back four , all the time looking for an opening. the commentators said that Tromso players were very disciplined and tried to avoid diving into tackles so that they could keep their shape, as this was keeping Spurs at bay. Their patience was rewarded eventually, but I couldn't help thinking that it looked very much like what so many City fans are complaining about, and this from am much more established, experienced and much more skilled group of players. I thought the Spurs match and the football on show was tedious. The crowd evidently thought so too - you could hear a pin drop most of the time except straight after the goals went in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudski Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I thought the Spurs match and the football on show was tedious. The crowd evidently thought so too - you could hear a pin drop most of the time except straight after the goals went in. It might have been 'tedious' if you were looking for free flowing fast attacking football, but sometimes you have to play that way when a team is well organised in defence, and puts everyone behind the ball... you have to wait for the opening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 It might have been 'tedious' if you were looking for free flowing fast attacking football, but sometimes you have to play that way when a team is well organised in defence, and puts everyone behind the ball... you have to wait for the opening. You're right, I do expect free flowing attacking football, at least on a few occasions in the 90 minutes. I joined the match with Spurs already 2-0 up so can't comment on what went on before but most of what I saw for the remaining hour os so was ground emptying football at any level. I do expect some players on the pitch to be able to run with the ball, dribble past people, or show exceptional skill, and for the tactics of the manager to allow those players to express themselves. The best run I can remember was the Tromso player bursting at speed from the h/w line, beating 3 players, then doing a poor pass at the end of it. So different from the drab, 3 yard pass triangles going nowhere that seemed to be the limit for alot of players last night. As i say very boring, and I certainly wouldn't want to watch that kind of football regularly at AG, and judging by the near silence of the Spurs fans for most of the game it seems they were far from enthused by it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizoon Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 You're right, I do expect free flowing attacking football, at least on a few occasions in the 90 minutes. I joined the match with Spurs already 2-0 up so can't comment on what went on before but most of what I saw for the remaining hour os so was ground emptying football at any level. I do expect some players on the pitch to be able to run with the ball, dribble past people, or show exceptional skill, and for the tactics of the manager to allow those players to express themselves. The best run I can remember was the Tromso player bursting at speed from the h/w line, beating 3 players, then doing a poor pass at the end of it. So different from the drab, 3 yard pass triangles going nowhere that seemed to be the limit for alot of players last night. As i say very boring, and I certainly wouldn't want to watch that kind of football regularly at AG, and judging by the near silence of the Spurs fans for most of the game it seems they were far from enthused by it either. Funny. That was the sort of football that Spurs were famous for and successful with in the 50s 60s and 70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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