CyderInACan Posted June 18, 2020 Report Share Posted June 18, 2020 It seems that - apart from (allegedly) Weimann being unavailable for the trip to Blackburn we have a pretty much fit, well integrated & well drilled squad going into this decisive round of (at least!) 9 games. Just wondering what can be our strengths and weaknesses? Strengths A fully fit squad. That has to be a big strength given you can now use 5 subs in any one game. A strong bench is a great asset. Firepower. With Afobe, Wells & Fam all seemingly fit and doing well in training we seem to have decent options at the top of the pitch. Even more when AW is back. Defence. Kalas will be fully fit and with Hunt/Pedro and JD/Rowe we have good options at full/wing back. Ashley Williams providing leadership too. Weaknesses GK. Maenpaa was between the sticks for the last couple of games and I think we are better defensively with him in goal. LJ prefers Bents though. Midfield. Too many options? Or an embarrassment of riches? Just a few things off the top of my head without thinking about it too much. Really looking forward to saturday (haven't said that for a while) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lrrr Posted June 18, 2020 Report Share Posted June 18, 2020 Moving forward squad size, we haven't had as long as the bundesliga for regaining match fitness, this week we only play Saturday but every following week is weekend/midweek and I think we'll see some burn out from teams not able to cope with the intensity so quickly after restart for so long. Whereas we can rotate regularly, use the 5 subs etc and I think we'll be fresh for all the 9 (and hopefully 12) games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted June 18, 2020 Report Share Posted June 18, 2020 Here's a few I have: Strengths Squad size- good for rotation, useful for a sprint to the finish like this. The variety of options when it comes to the attacking side- good to see. Both strikers and general attacking players- nice range. Efficiency- We definitely score more than we should, for the amount created. Possibly at the other end too- not saying we are strong defensively but maybe it's structural, or perhaps it is Bentley- or indeed a combination of those and other factors- but we on average probably concede less than we should. There are goals in our strike force. Some creativity- thinking largely wider. Can see Eliasson, Hunt and DaSilva all contributing especially. A properly genuinely fit Nagy I could see chipping in more than post injury return. Weaknesses We do not create enough. That is the flip side for us at least, of being quite efficient- we do not create enough verbatim IMO. We concede too many chances. Could be structural, could be lack of control in midfield- which leads me nicely on to... We do not control the ball, possession- take care of it- enough. This leads to a loss of the midfield which has a knock on effect on both our defensive strength and our attacking strength I feel. Playing Williams, and to extent Baker but certainly Williams severely inhibits our chances of playing a higher line. See Brentford at home for a good example! Palmer in a 3 or centrally in a '3' behind a striker in say a 4-2-3-1. Doesn't help with point 3- he has his strengths but helping to control games isn't necessarily one at this time. Aversion to 4-3-3. See point 3- I believe it'd allieviate a number of issues. Palmer behind Diedhiou certainly doesn't work. Paterson behind Diedhiou more effective but not necessarily the ideal way forward for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchred Posted June 19, 2020 Report Share Posted June 19, 2020 We concede far too many goals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterRedthanBlue Posted June 19, 2020 Report Share Posted June 19, 2020 Strengths - Squad depth, I don't feel like some of the teams around us have the same amount of depth. - Strikers, same with the point above we Have Fam, Afobe, Weimann and Wells to chose from. Weakness - Bents, We looked more solid with Niki in goal and even in the friendly with Southampton Niki seemed more composed then Bents (35 seconds to concede and was largely at fault for 2 of the 3 goals) - Defence, we're leakier then a colander. - Creativity, we rely too much on the counter attack and if teams sit back we struggle to break them down as others do to us effectively something which teams will do more of now that 5 subs will be allowed players won't be as tired at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyderInACan Posted June 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2020 6 hours ago, BetterRedthenBlue said: Creativity, we rely too much on the counter attack and if teams sit back we struggle to break them down as others do to us effectively something which teams will do more of now that 5 subs will be allowed players won't be as tired at the end. I wonder if this will change now we have to go for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 20, 2020 Report Share Posted June 20, 2020 Blackburn will be a big/strong team as normal and we will be out muscled in midfield. We need to go over the top/bypass the midfield to get to what is one of the best forward lines in the division, to let them to show it. IMO playing tippy tappy in midfield pulls the forwards back from where they should be.....forward. We have a decent defence and one of the best forward lines in this league, but a bit of a powder puff midfield....although skillfull imo. We need to provide our forwards with the ball where they can use it, we have nothing to lose in these final games so lets go for it.... ATTACK!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garland-sweden Posted June 20, 2020 Report Share Posted June 20, 2020 We should not play tika taka in defenc and I prefer the Gk kick out the ball long. When we start playing from behind it often became dangerous. Most of the times its ends with a panic ball away. Mäenpää kicks the ball long and I think that s more safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Robin Posted June 20, 2020 Report Share Posted June 20, 2020 On 18/06/2020 at 15:08, CyderInACan said: It seems that - apart from (allegedly) Weimann being unavailable for the trip to Blackburn we have a pretty much fit, well integrated & well drilled squad going into this decisive round of (at least!) 9 games. Just wondering what can be our strengths and weaknesses? Strengths A fully fit squad. That has to be a big strength given you can now use 5 subs in any one game. A strong bench is a great asset. Firepower. With Afobe, Wells & Fam all seemingly fit and doing well in training we seem to have decent options at the top of the pitch. Even more when AW is back. Defence. Kalas will be fully fit and with Hunt/Pedro and JD/Rowe we have good options at full/wing back. Ashley Williams providing leadership too. Weaknesses GK. Maenpaa was between the sticks for the last couple of games and I think we are better defensively with him in goal. LJ prefers Bents though. Midfield. Too many options? Or an embarrassment of riches? Just a few things off the top of my head without thinking about it too much. Really looking forward to saturday (haven't said that for a while) Our defence is not a strength Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted June 20, 2020 Report Share Posted June 20, 2020 3 hours ago, glos old boy said: Blackburn will be a big/strong team as normal and we will be out muscled in midfield. We need to go over the top/bypass the midfield to get to what is one of the best forward lines in the division, to let them to show it. IMO playing tippy tappy in midfield pulls the forwards back from where they should be.....forward. We have a decent defence and one of the best forward lines in this league, but a bit of a powder puff midfield....although skillfull imo. We need to provide our forwards with the ball where they can use it, we have nothing to lose in these final games so lets go for it.... ATTACK!!! Yep, been saying the same. The fact that we are away might suit us versus Blackburn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted June 23, 2020 Report Share Posted June 23, 2020 Just for comparison purposes because I love a stat. Decided to take a look at Blackburn's starting XI Saturday height wise. Outmuscled in midfield, or outmaneuvered a bit- or both? I'd say a bit of both. They do have height but in some key areas. Thinking GK and CB especially- even though Lenihan and Adarabioyo are capable on the ball too. Walton- 6 ft 5 Bennett- 5 ft 10 Lenihan- 6 ft 1/ 6 ft 2 Adarabioyo- 6 ft 5. Rankin-Costello- 6 ft Travis- 6 ft Evans- 5 ft 8 Gallagher- 6 ft 4 Holtby- 5 ft 9 Downing- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11 Brereton- 6 ft Mix of the two and I think as a side they have a mix of physique and technique and are hard to play against but not long ball merchants either, good blend of style. Also worth noting they were missing: Nyambe- 5 ft 11/6 ft Williams- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11 Cunnngham- 6 ft Bell- 5 ft 10/5 ft 11 Dack- 5 ft 8/5 ft 9 Armstrong- He wasn't up to starting but would otherwise IMO- 5 ft 8. As we can see a mixed bag. If anything it's arguably the case we were lucky they had so many out or we may have lost by more...One of Williams or Bell, let alone Cunningham who was on loan but got a season ending injury months ago would have started. All better and more experienced and their genuine position than Rankin-Costello! Nyambe certainly would have started- Dack of course and Armstrong too. That's 3 regular starters who were out and a 4th who was on the bench due to some injury or something! Yet he scored...as for our failure to properly exploit the full back positions- Grr!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Plage Posted June 23, 2020 Report Share Posted June 23, 2020 On 18/06/2020 at 15:08, CyderInACan said: It seems that - apart from (allegedly) Weimann being unavailable for the trip to Blackburn we have a pretty much fit, well integrated & well drilled squad going into this decisive round of (at least!) 9 games. Just wondering what can be our strengths and weaknesses? Strengths A fully fit squad. That has to be a big strength given you can now use 5 subs in any one game. A strong bench is a great asset. Firepower. With Afobe, Wells & Fam all seemingly fit and doing well in training we seem to have decent options at the top of the pitch. Even more when AW is back. Defence. Kalas will be fully fit and with Hunt/Pedro and JD/Rowe we have good options at full/wing back. Ashley Williams providing leadership too. Weaknesses GK. Maenpaa was between the sticks for the last couple of games and I think we are better defensively with him in goal. LJ prefers Bents though. Midfield. Too many options? Or an embarrassment of riches? Just a few things off the top of my head without thinking about it too much. Really looking forward to saturday (haven't said that for a while) Weakness management/coaching team end of...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.