Call the two kids back from Shelbourne. In a 433 we need width. Ok injuries bite, but we need more options out wide if we are to do anything in this league.
I can't believe there's even an argument to be had about suicide pinball in front of our own goal. It's cut and dry. Playing like that begs to be punished, and today we were. We don't create enough clear cut chances in general so I honestly can't see how it's worth taking that level of risk. Play to beat the press by all means, but play the safe ball to initiate - don't fire it to a central player running towards our own goal. Most of the time when we do beat the press in all honesty we don't capitalise on it enough, we just end up passing backwards or slowing things down further up the field and then taking that risk repeatedly for little gain. Sometimes we take the ball forward and work a decent chance... But then on the flipside sometimes we'll either concede a stupid goal, allow the opposition a good chance with a misplaced pass or a tackle, or at the very least we give them too much of a sniff and end up inviting them into a game we were 'controlling'. We did the edge of our box stuff quite minimally in the last few games and we looked miles better for it. We got the ball up the pitch quicker and our CBs were generally around the halfway line in spells of possession. Not such a problem playing a pure possession game when we're in that position. Not having wingers on the pitch didn't help us today. Twine, Tufan, Traore, whoever was wide at any given moment didn't give the opposition much to think about in terms of stretching play and providing an option for us. They just passed backwards under pressure. On the style of play, generally I'd rather we mixed things up more. I don't like us playing the way we're playing so religiously. I find elements of it bonkers - specifically the goalkeeper's hospital pass to CM for them to one touch pass it to full back whilst running at our goal. One small mistake there can have such a large consequence. If playing this system well means we need to have good wingers on the field, then we need to have a plan B for when we're playing with no wingers. I thought we played well enough despite the suicide ball today, certainly not because of it. It's a shame really. Their 2nd and 3rd goals were due to us switching off, but if we don't needlessly gift them the lead so early on (or at all) then there's no reason we couldn't have grinded out a result today.
Totally agree, find another player similar to Philogene, maybe not in talent but directness. Keep Delap in the middle, get the ball to both wingers feet as quickly as possible in the oppositions half. It’s really quite simple. You’ll do more damage with the ball at the wingers feed than centre halves in-front of our own box. Quite simple.
There is no argument because in reality no matter what style you play there is inherent risk. Playing direct has risk in the same capacity because you play it long for a 50/50 ball and then have to win another 50/50 ball on the second ball. We've played around our box the same amount the last couple of games. Today was particularly **** because Seri played awfully and we were carrying a passenger in Tufan. Genuinely think Philogene's presence alone turns that game into at worst a draw. I do agree though we seemed to ponder too much today but I think by and large WBA were smart and realised that at 2-1 up we needed to push the issue and to be honest we had no way of doing it. We have zero physicality to go direct and a distinct lack of individual drive to go and take the game to them today. We desperately missed Slater and Philogene today.
Possession wise we were superior,we are in quite a few games, BUT we lack a clinical cutting edge and until we rectify that we'll be regurgitating this hard luck story week in/week out. The first goal was a shambles,a gift,a freebie,an utter calamity and ultimately it set the tone in terms of the result,we're having plenty of possession but chasing the game!!.We grabbed a good equaliser but then they seemed to step up a gear and punished us with a well worked 2nd,we were cut to ribbons.The 3rd followed with a pretty lame attempt at a tackle by Vaughan which allowed their player to hit the byeline and bang!! Possession wise we're the better side,putting the ball in the net we're not... It's frustrating for all of us!!
This is what I dont understand, many people think that the only alternative to unnecessary risks at the back is to kick the ball aimlessly upfield I would say that the best approach is to get the ball away from the edge of our penalty area as quickly as possible and then go forward with the ball you seem to be in favour of ponderous play at the back because it is risk free this ignores that there is two vital parts to football, scoring goals and conceding goals if you want to risk conceding goals by messing around at the back then you should at least try to score goals by getting the ball forward quickly like Ipswich and numerous other sides rather than give your opponents time to be defensively solid so many times we see City pass the ball around at the back and then they dont know what to do going forward because our opponents are ready for us
They cant score if the ball is in their half .. this is why I can't stand this putting 10 behind the ball bowlocks when you have dominated the game...
so why do they mess about at the back? Does Rosenior say "remember it's a friendly so it doesnt matter if we mess about at the back"?
And I think thats whats inviting the press. Goal ratio of about 1:4 per game means they dont have to press from the halfway line for fear of getting beat 3 or 4, they press at the edge of our box.
I know the point of pre season friendlies I think you dont if you think it's an opportunity to mess about at the back
Yep, absolutely. We need good wide options adding in Jan if we won't adapt the playing style when we've no wingers on the pitch. And a striker for depth too. I don't understand why questioning the way we played today (and previously) means by default you must want long balls all the time, as if there's no middle ground. We're playing the possession game better and better with time, but we could remove certain elements of how we're doing it at the moment and be better for it. We've seen it happening in the past few games. We just reverted today, kind of through circumstance and we paid the price for it this time.
Have to say it's a bit galling that Connolly has a throbbing toe, and Sinik 'tight' knee, and can't possibly go through the pain barrier, yet we have our own phantom of the opera, Captain Courageous, playing through broken ribs, broken nose and what was the latest one ? Fractured eye socket ? The other 2 should bloody hang their heads in shame .. fkn snowflakes !
I know some people think it's ridiculous but I dont see the harm in trying to play well every time you play
Please enlighten me how you play the ball quickly away from the penalty area without playing direct football? And I never said aimlessly. I did say playing towards one of our players
Because playing out from the back is our style and friendlies are there to either get fitness, implement style or both. Shockingly mistakes are encouraged in a friendly to highlight issues and correct them And before you say "why didn't they correct the messing around the back" because shockingly mistakes can also happen in a league/cup game. If Seri plays the pass he plays 99% of the time with some power and better direction then Wallace doesn't get that opportunity today.
