This is a serious question, Can anybody remember the last time we scored a goal with a great shoot from outside the penalty? In all honesty I really can't ! We haven't even scored a direct free kick, I know we have hit the woodwork or their goalie has saved it, but I am very concerned about our long range shooting as it might help against teams that park the bus. Also we seem to have a higher than healthy conversion rate of attempts to goals
I'm not sure its that we can't but more that we never attempt to. We'd much rather just cross it to the back post for Rickie to maul the full back.
Yes, it is something I've noticed. Lambert, for example, seems to be trying to play safe with his free-kicks. I know the old adage is to make the keeper save it, but let's not put it quite so close to him that he actually invariably does, eh..? I didn't know that our conversion rate was actually that good. I've always assumed we traditionally [Adkins era] created a lot but didn't score that many.
Because Ricky Lambert is not shooting from outside the box, or first time. Must be an instruction... a very bad one. He had a great chance against qpr and he hung it up into the middle.
Then what you should be saying is that we have a poor conversion rate. Not a high one, whether it is healthy or not.
What I said was correct. Meaning we have a higher attempt to goal ratio. 'Higher than healthy was meant as a negative, as I am talking about a ratio.i do however see why I may have given the wrong impression, but I think I have cleared it up now
We have a high conversion rate because we don't shoot a huge amuount, which includes long shots and that's why we don't score that many goals outside box because we try to retain the ball and wait for a "golden opportunity", instead of shooting for the sake of it. Personally, I think we should shoot more often; whether it's inside the box or outside because we have the quality to do so.
Puncheon away at Chelsea? That was pretty close to being out? I understand your point, though, you do occasionally see Cork try one from far out and it doesn't end pretty, so I'm happy with them not tbh
Jay seemed more than happy to pull the trigger from distance on more than one occassion on Saturday, and of course one of them led to Gaston's rebound goal.
He's one of the few that can really drive them from distance, as well. Rickie certainly has the power, but isn't likely to get the space out there to do so on a regular basis, and Lallana/our central mids aren't likely to set any records for velocity (save for the one time per year when Morgan really catches one).
I've looked back and yes, it was Punch's goal against QPR. Then I took a look at how many goals against were scored since that game from outside the box and we only have two, Snodgrass for Norwich and Jerome for Stoke. So it's not just us who don't score from afar. Our opponents don't appear to either. Vin
One day, a Saints player will score a great goal rather than a well worked team one. Maybe not this season though.
I think it's all part of the style under both Nigel and Mauricio. Saints are a playing side trying to keep the ball...a shot from outside the area can easily just result in their keeper getting the ball. Should always be worth a try though if the circumstance presents itself...Puncheon the most likely one to try.
Yeah it's similar to taking a drop goal attempt in rugby, it seems like the opportunity comes up often and if you scored a few in a game you'd win, but they rarely try it because it's not a high-percentage play, in other words, more often than not it won't come off and it's better to keep the ball and look for better opportunities to score. I'm guessing but I'd bet goals from outside the box account for less than 10% of all goals in the league, so it's not like we're that far under par with 2 or 3.
