Not that I am singing Logmans praises but left footed Saka does not do to bad cutting inside from the right. It seems that its the modern game and that players are coached that way today.
We very rarely swap our wingers over mid game. If they're square pegs in round holes can't we occasionally put square pegs in square holes etc and not be so predictable.
I don’t really have a problem with that, my point was that yesterday Longman would constantly try to cut in and run into 2 or 3 players. He needed the ability to mix it up to be really be able to test Huddersfield.
The idea of a right-footed winger on the left being a square peg in a round hole is incredibly old-fashioned. Wingers who play on the opposite side and cut in have been commonplace throughout the game for years now, at all levels. Most of the top attackers of the last few years have played that sort of position. Nowadays you rarely see an out and out winger who stays on the side of his stronger foot.
Sorry, wasn’t a large part of the criticism of Sinik on here was that he constantly tried to cut in on his right foot instead of beating a man and crossing with his left foot? Yourself included? I like players like Longman and Slater but they’ve been anonymous for entire games repeatedly this season and still get picked, whilst the likes of Tufan and Sinik are constantly questioned regarding them being able to deal with the physicality and tempo of English football despite not getting half the minutes. Seems bizarre to me.
Longman wouldn't have so many men to beat if we got the ball to him faster and the other lads created some space for him or themselves in and around the box. The Slater shot in the first half yesterday was a good example. Longman had a pass to make because Slater made a run. Problem is, it happens rarely. Can't remember Greaves making a single overlap yesterday either which is why Longman kept cutting inside, he just kept sitting back and watching Longman try his hardest to do everything himself. The best players in the world won't often dribble through 4 defenders in such close quarters. I think Longman is a great squad player. He can do a job on either wing and play upfront or even the 10 role if needs be. I don't think he's had the best season, but most of our lads haven't as we've spent so much of it being disjointed, clueless and poor. Things are improving though. I fully get the points about Tufan. Needs to be starting. He's played 90 minutes for us a few times this season and this fitness myth needs dispelling once and for all.
My specific issue with Sinik was that he'd cut inside on the halfway line and pass inside, rather than actually doing anything anywhere near the goal. I've no issue at all with having a right footer on the left and I'm quite surprised that's even being discussed as a problem when it's been commonplace for so long.
It’s amazing how many pros can only kick with one foot they go in every day and practice. Longman looked good when he went inside but to improve his game he as to vary it more just to give the full back more to think about. I don’t think he got to the by line once which normally causes more problems. Agree he could do with the ball quicker but as a team we have to move it quicker and that’s when we look at our best.
If you listened to the commentary of the game yesterday (highlights clip posted here.. the commentator is excellent by the way) he came up with a killer line which summed it up... 'the ball is moving faster than the players'...
On the odd occasion he went outside in the first half yesterday, a voice from a group behind us were angrily berating him ‘ is he ****ing thick, he should know where the goal is’. Same group had been complaining about him constantly cutting inside. I thought until the substitutions, he looked the most likely to score/ create. He gets a lot of undeserved stick for me. It often sounds like really angry abuse too. I don’t get it. He’s not a world beater but he’s a young man who always puts a shift in and is only going to get better.
The fact we have a decent target man + tetteh means we should be getting crosses in so we need wingers to go outside and down the line. Cutting inside is great if your front players are small and you need to play to feet. Old school I know but get to the bye line
I can’t honestly remember him going on the outside once however it does no good to get on any of the players backs. For me as I have said he looked decent when going inside but to improve his game he must vary it more because he isn’t blessed with speed. A lot of the players have weaknesses and that’s why they are playing at this level but to improve need to work on them. Definitely doesn’t deserve abuse because he is giving his all, same as many of the others who all have to work on their game.
Can’t remember the last time I saw a winger get to the byline and hit a big outswinger behind the defensive line to the edge of the 6 yard box.
I don't think it would have made a difference which way Longman went when he was constantly having to try and outdo minimum 2 defenders due to no support from behind. I've found Longman frustrating this season many times for being on a different wavelength, playing the ball out of play, not making runs when he should have, making runs just as the ball has been played towards his feet and it running off behind him etc... These are small, but frustrating things that can add up. But yesterday he was one of our far better players out there. Baffles me that we'll criticise one of the few who had a good game and was involved in all the chances that could have gone in early on. If it was that easy to just get to the byline on your own and put a perfect cross in under pressure, every team would just do that every single time and score bundles right? Even if Longman is limited and can only cut inside, if Greaves makes that run to the byline, then suddenly the defenders don't know whether Longman is going to pass it or make the inside run... You can't expect Longman to beat their defence to the byline with the space to get that ball in the right area of the box when nobody else out wide is moving.
You still wanna bet against Oscar scoring 15? Agree entirely about having at least one winger getting to the bye-line and maybe even swap sides from time to time to keep the fulllbacks guessing. But who's available to do that at the mo?
