I have just watched the first half of the AZ game on Canaries TV. Another sloppy back-header mistake by Duffy (in about the 24th minute) which should have added to our goals against column after his comic own goal against Kings Lynn. If it had been Gibson screwing up in these two games, he would have been crucified by the fans. What worries me is that Duffy didn't even look embarrassed by his sloppiness. As with the ridiculous own goal, he looked around as if trying to find someone else to blame for his mistake. Since we specialised last season in gifting goals to the opposition through carelessness to the tune that we had more than double of these incidents compared with other Championship teams, this does not augur well. I think we are going to miss Hanley.
Duffy is not particularly quick, but depends on positioning to make up for it. Aarons described Hanley as one of the quickest players in the squad. The space behind is certainly an issue Wagner has to find a solution for with only just over two weeks before the season starts. The emphasis so far has been on gaining match fitness so we haven't seen the full gegen press yet so players can stay on longer. Somehow a balance has to be found between attack and defence.
I was actually less worried by his reaction. I think we had the opposite problem with some players making mistakes and then it going to their heads and they start to act rashly and make further mistakes. I thought Duffy made a quick facial acknowledgement and then moved on with the next phase of play - also this was just a friendly so not worth players getting massively worked up about
You are right that a quick acknowledgement is preferable to a loss of confidence - I think we saw the latter in Gibson last season and his performances really went downhill. I don't agree with the idea that it was just a friendly, though, so it was no big deal. Two bad errors of a similar kind in the course of five games doesn't fill me with optimism for the new season. But let's hope they were just two fluke acts of carelessness and they're not repeated.
IMO the back header wasn't "sloppy"; the sloppiness was Angus Gunn's. Gunn completely failed to anticipate what Duffy was going to do. Had he been as alert as AZ's Pavlidis, he would have been moving forward to claim the ball, which Duffy clearly expected. No doubt the two will have talked through it together, and pre-season will have done its job.
My guess is that this was a technique Duffy used at his previous club having developed an understanding with the keepers involved. The first time was with Krul and the second with Gunn and they now need to sort it out.
Oh, I see. So when a defender makes a calamitous error because he hasn't bothered to check where his goalkeeper is, and he does this twice in three matches with two different goalkeepers, it's the goalkeepers' fault in both cases for not knowing telepathically where they need to be.
It's not as though back headers to the keeper are some strange, aberrant practice unique to Duffy. Back headers to the keeper are standard practice, which is why I think the "sloppiness" was Gunn's, not Duffy's. I made no comment about the Duffy OG. And it's not a matter of telepathy, it's a matter of awareness and anticipation -- which is exactly what Pavlidis showed and Gunn did not.
Heading back to the keeper is indeed a common practice and it's up to the outfield players and the keepers to make it work for us.
Your argument - if I can call it that, perhaps 'assertion' is a better word - that it is not the defender's fault if he makes a back header without first checking the position of his goalkeeper is utterly ludicrous. Are you so desperate for Duffy to succeed so that you can use him as another stick to beat Hanley with? Did Duffy screw up in the Kings Lynn game? Yes. Did he screw up against AZ? Yes. And I'm pretty sure that 99% of people would see that as totally obvious and beyond dispute.
How do you know that Duffy wasn't aware of where Gunn was? Do you think that, just because Duffy didn't actually look round to see where Gunn was, but kept his eye on the ball, he didn't know? Duffy's reaction afterwards, arms spread, says it all: "Angus, what were you doing?" He knew where Angus was, and he expected him to come and claim the ball. And I think Gunn realised afterwards too.
Other than Kings Lynn they haven't looked like scoring which is a concern but the defence seems tighter
I thought Placheta did well at LB, controlling the ball passing well and defending against a tricky winger. Rowe was lovely with some good moves past players. Springett had the best chance so far but their keeper spread himself well to block the shot. The defence was secure and allowed no clear chances. Impressed with Duffy and Stacey again.
I've vague recollections of him being used there in previous pre-seasons, and I think when he first signed the Polish journalists seemed to think he might find that's his best position long term. I think it's more likely just putting warm bodies where we need them though rather than any long term planning.
