The Breakfast Debate

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Whitejock said:
You've nailed it, GP, but it's a slightly wider issue than that, which I've mentioned on here before.

Basically, we've been found out. Opposition teams have worked out that if they have a high press, we only have 2 options. Option 1 is to play out form the back, but as you say, we don't have the skills to do so with anything resembling consistency. Option 2, and it happens time & time again, is to hoof it up to Snow White & the seven dwarves. Result? Ball comes flying back at us from their tall defenders, & we're on the back foot again as teams slice through us. We don't have much height in the team at all, which TC pointedly touched on when commenting on Pontus being injured against Baardiff. I think he said that Pontus & Soggy were the only players who measured more than 1.80 (6 feet?), whilst Baarfiff had 6. It's so blindingly obvious, but nothing has been done about it! I believe Millwall were the first to cotton on to this, so credit to them.

Y'know what, though? I've got every confidence in Eck sorting it out. Don't know what he'll do for the rest of the season, but I think the summer will see some taller players arrive.
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If the answer is we need hoofball, then get rid of heck and get someone in that's good at it. A Pulis / warnock type otherwise we're wasting our time
 
Leedsoflondon said:
If the answer is we need hoofball, then get rid of heck and get someone in that's good at it. A Pulis / warnock type otherwise we're wasting our time
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That's one answer, but another is to play a direct long ball to someone who's got a hope in hell of getting it - or into space for someone to run onto it. Mindless humping upfield is what we're suffering from, as the 3 dwarfish AMs we play have little chance of winning an aerial duel.
 
TC (Lovely Geezer) said:
Berardi only averages 1.1 long ball per game.
Forshaw (I know he's only played 3 games) is highest with an average of 4.7 per game.
Next is O'Kane with 3.1 per game
Then Viera with 2.7 per game
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As has been asked elsewhere, how long does a hit have to be to be classed as a long ball?

I've always considered it to be a ball launched from the back, so never considered midfielders to be long ball merchants. They usually spend their time looking up to the sky to see the ball soar over their heads. Forshaw was an enforced CB in one game, so perhaps, since he had no idea of the technical job required, he just humped it any time it came near him. As predicted, I'm surprised at the result.
 
Whitejock said:
As has been asked elsewhere, how long does a hit have to be to be classed as a long ball?

I've always considered it to be a ball launched from the back, so never considered midfielders to be long ball merchants. They usually spend their time looking up to the sky to see the ball soar over their heads. Forshaw was an enforced CB in one game, so perhaps, since he had no idea of the technical job required, he just humped it any time it came near him. As predicted, I'm surprised at the result.
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But, is every goal kick by the goalkeeper considered a long ball , be it after the all goes t or he kicks it from his hands? Is a last ditch clearance from the penalty box considered a long ball? It's a bullshit stat, which nobody needs, we all know what teams are the hoofball merchants and those that want to play football.
 
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Whitejock said:
As has been asked elsewhere, how long does a hit have to be to be classed as a long ball?

I've always considered it to be a ball launched from the back, so never considered midfielders to be long ball merchants. They usually spend their time looking up to the sky to see the ball soar over their heads. Forshaw was an enforced CB in one game, so perhaps, since he had no idea of the technical job required, he just humped it any time it came near him. As predicted, I'm surprised at the result.
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Only going by the "whoscored" site - very good for stats. https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/19/Show/England-Leeds
Even Hernandez averages 2.6 per game
The stats for Millwall are completely different - with the defenders making the most long balls.
Our midfielders average long balls per game
Wallace 1.0
O'Brien 0.3
Saville 1.5
Tunniciffe 1.5
Ferguson 0.3
 
Gary's Peed said:
From what I can see the problem we have is much more basic than personnel.
As we play out from the back every player is pressed as they receive the ball leading to rushed, often poor, passes. Are they fitter than us or is it that they have just cussed us out?
We don't have anyone in defence who can play the long ball that would give them something to think about.
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Good point.

I commented during Saturdays game that no one was keeping hold of the ball, just passing it as soon as it landed at their feet.
Most of them looked scared to have the ball and where pinging passes to players who either were not expecting it or were under instant pressure, the amount of balls we lost because of this was criminal.

Is it a confidence thing? Is it no one, other than Pablo, wanting to take responsibility? I think we need to play it out through Forshaw as much as possible as he is one of the few who looks confident on the ball.
 
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Watching the recent games I think we have made some poor teams look good. I just see that when we go forward there seems to be a wall of players to get through whereas when they are attacking us it looks like we're on a tea break. They have loads of space.I
have to say even though many would not agree, Lasogga would score a load against us. I think that if he gets the service he will put it away.
The opposition finishing against us hasn't been great, apart from one of course!
I think we'll see a difference when we get Saiz paired up with Forshaw. Bring a bit of quality back in, like Hernandez, Saiz always seems to have time when he has the ball.
Where is the fantastic flowing football from early season? I'm no tactical guru but maybe the set piece guy should be taking a look at the difference between then and now. Unless he's teaching them to boot it at the first man he's not much use at what he's doing now, he's run out of ideas.
 
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