So the stats for tonights match on the bbc sport website shows that we had 5 corners tonight and i cant remember one of them troubling donny. on the other hand they didnt have any. i really feel like it was two points lost tonight, we were by far the better team over the 90 and should have been out of sight by half time.
Once used to be a strength for us set pieces. I didn't see it so can only go on the radio and the updates on here. Not a great result, but at least it's a point rather than a defeat.
Then we replaced our entire outfield and left ourselves with only one player over 5'10" to aim for in the box. Against any team of average height we're man for man shorter in 6 of the 7 pairings in the box, and if they've got some beanpole/brick out house to mark Hobbs we're behind in all of them.
We need a big tall striker under 30, preferably with a bit of pace, otherwise we will rarely cause problems at corners or set pieces. How many headed goals we scored so far?
how many goals have we scored, period? with the make up (lack of height) of the team we need to figure out an alternative to pumping balls into the box. some short routines or passes to deeper lying players perhaps. as it is opponents will be happy to concede the corners knowing that we are little or no threat from them.
Very fair point City1904. Totally agree with you but I am still saying this is what we need, we all know they dont come cheap. I suppose NP and the Club have to weigh up their real ambition in terms our push for promotion.
To be totally honest, I dont think slowly floating the balls from corners are the way for us, we need to just fizz them in. I think if Dawson wasn't injured and was in the team he would be taking the corners instead of TC!
Dunno. Some of the deliveries haven't got past the first man. No wonder we're trying to flick it on at the front post.
Mmmm, fair to a certain extent but I do feel, if we deliver a killer ball into the box, beyond the near post, who do we have to bang it in with their head? Of old, we had Turner, Gerrard, Zayatte etc. I also dont think its too much to ask of any City player (Tom Cairney or Dawson) to be able to get the ball beyond the near post, they are pro's for christ sake. I wish I could take the corners myself if this is the case.
If all we're talking about is set pieces it doesn't need to be a striker, ANY player with height will be a threat. I couldn't believe last season how many free headers Gerrard was given at set pieces either, if I'd been the opposition manager I'd have stuck 2 players on him and left the rest of the team to pick up whoever they wanted because he was our only threat.
Very good point, agree with all you posted but I feel we need more aerial threat in preferably a striker for long puts forward but a defender with good heading skills would be great too.
I think we need to start some clever short corner work that gives the likes of Brady a chance to run into the box.
I definitely agree about the need for a striker, I was one of the ones last season complaining that Fryatt needed someone big to work off and then complained that Adebola was a terrible signing because he wasn't going to be good enough/fit enough to start regularly so he didn't solve the problem we had (given the amount of transfers there's always going to be a dud or two and at least it wasn't an expensive one). In the absence of a suitable affordable striker though, and to be honest even with we should have been looking to increase the size of the team a bit. People will complain you don't need to be big to play (ie look at Barca), but we have to play against teams that are big and direct and we're at a disadvantage at set pieces at both ends of the pitch. Can you imagine how a size like Stoke would do against us in the cup with their size advantage? Delap for the throws and whoever took the corners and freekicks would think they were delivering the ball to Lilyput.
Why did we buy Adebola? he hasn't even had a game yet.. NP said it last night, we are no longer a long ball team, he's trying to get us playing a passing game, credit to him, City have always played a counter-attack/direct style and it's taking time. Yes, Cardiff will ask some serious questions.
