And besides the inference should be made that free kicks are considered by Hughton as a prime source of generating opportunity because they are safe. Thats the more important point.
I think that the goal on saturday was only our 4th from corners this season. I don't have any problem at all with focussing on set pieces for goals, its an important part of the game so why not practice them a lot and utilise them? Although this season I dont feel our players have attacked the ball well enough, hence it has been less effective, or maybe they have been worked out to an extent. Like you though, I'm not a big fan of putting in long floated crosses from miles out. That is more desperation and has a low success rate.
As a percentage of our overall goals, set pieces have fallen off a cliff this season compared to last Carrabuh. Yes, we've scored two in our last five, but I think it's only three all season. We are rubbish at set pieces. If we weren't, we would at least be a threat in some games. We quite literally have nothing that we excel at. Other than perhaps defending at home, and we're not even very good at that consistently. We are also rubbish at long crosses. I don't remember a single goal we've scored from them. As for long shots - we've scored very few, they're usually saved. Unless you count Snodgrass's stellar finish against Tottenham, but I'd say that was a through ball, though it was from distance. If we were a big, physical hoofball side at least we'd be a threat. We're patently not that.
Fair, but say that then rather than making something up that's just simply not true. Of the tiny number of goals we've scored, I actually think we've scored a few great ones. Johnson' stone against ?Palace, a couple of Hooper goals, Snodders' and Hoolahan the other day. So we're just about average at taking advantage of other team's mistakes. I actually think this is the biggest flaw in the team and set up - we don't force teams into enough mistakes because we don't pile on pressure. We knock the ball about a bit pointlessly at the back, enough for my Villa mate to claim "at least you're a passing team" and we have a few potshots at goal that make 'keepers look like superstars without really testing them, but it swear CBs must feel like they've had the easiest game against us.
I agree that we have scored some good goals, but they are not great because we have passed and moved, they are mostly long distance efforts and mostly from the midfield. I personally don't think we pass the ball across the back enough, and the midfield even less so. I want to see us pile the pressure on because we move around, not because we knock it long (like Villa). You look at Redmond and he mostly stands still until he gets the ball, then he run forwards (mostly in a straight line). He doesn't run past the defender to receive the ball, when you are not blessed with ability like our team then you have to try and do this. I'm not a fan of playing that particular way but its the simplest and easiest way to move to make space for others. All of our players pick the ball up to early.
Trouble is carra, when the ball is played over the defence into space for Redmond or others to run onto, the only player who looks for that opportunity seems to be Johnson, whom as we all know usually overhits it!
But why let the truth get in the way of a good old bit of Hootun bashing Rob? It is Carrabuh after all don't forget....
He looked smashing, i actually find myself chuckling when he comes on now as i really don`t expect Hughton`s subs to assist or score goals ... I`m all for giving under performing strikers time to settle in but RVW and Elmander have proven themselves to be absolutely useless with a solitary goal between them.
