I was thinking about another pass that didn't lead to a goal and was on the right side. Edited my post for you.
There's a very small window to aim for where Rodriguez will be able to run on to it and take the Wigan defender out of the play. It's straightforward in form, but it's one that does need to be perfect or it gets tackled out for a throw, and it came after a lengthy run down the wing to make the attack happen. Those passes get under/over-hit with considerable frequency; it's an example of good touch and awareness rather than flair, but no less important. One other thing on his crosses. I was critical of the long diagonals earlier in the season, because we were hitting them to the edge of the box. It's very difficult to do anything with those, because invariably the forward is static and jumping with a defender; even if they knock it down into a dangerous area, there'll be too many bodies around to do much with it, in most instances. JWP is now hitting them much deeper, with Rickie diving behind the back four; those are hellishly difficult to defend, and they will produce goals if teams continue to stack bodies at the edge of the box..
I suspect James and the manager know his strengths and have been working on them. He started all this extra set piece work over the summer. JWP is working hard to be a player of the type we are missing....probably recognised that this was his best chance of match time. Exactly what Beckham did...practising after others have gone home. There is no point trying to be a player you are not...work on your strengths and try and improve on your weaknesses. James has never let us down and has proved a great option. He is in the best team for his development as he will get chances and won't get overlooked as he would be at a team with a manager of more limited vision. He is eighteen...remember that he isn't going to get worse over the next few years...he will get better (and I look forward to seeing that).
Fair point about that pass, it needed to be accurate with good weight and it was. I don't rate deep crosses as the attackers will be much deeper. The deep crosses were only effective when lambert was completely unmarked and even then he has to find someone also unmarked. When fulham did pick up their men they dealt with the deep crosses quite easily as I would expect most teams to do. I agree his crossing has improved but he isn't going to get much luck hitting them in from deep.
Wrong. He'll have plenty of luck because he bends them perfectly and puts them in the right place. He's not hitting blind crosses or totally speculative balls. He did it last game with the ball to Lambert. He also doesn't always hit them from deep. He put a perfect cross in to Puncheon last year from the byline. The header was saved, but Puncheon put in the rebound. But that ball was sort of a half chip designed not just fly in front of the face of the goal for a hopeful taker but to drop perfectly on to Puncheon's head. Which it did. He doesn't play conservative passes, he plays smart passes. Big difference. And he plays smart passes of all kinds, not just crosses. Anyone who has Saints Player. Go to the extended highlights from the Fulham match. Fast forward to about 12:40.
No decent defence is going to give lambert the same space. Lambert was wide open for the only effective deep crosses. I rate his crosses as previously mentioned and he puts in good deep crosses as well but they will be easily defended if there's a man marking lambert and our other attackers. I saw that pass, fairly standard pass forward to a man boxed in by 4 defenders, not a lot is going to come from that sort of incisive passing, but it really was a well hit pass.
That's really incredible company. Considering he's played barely more than half the time Gerrard has, one fewer key pass is pretty amazing.
Like the quote from Lambert...Our style may be hard work, but, if it is hard for us, it is even harder for the opposition.
I think your definition of creativity and incisiveness must be a lot narrower than everyone else's. I started out almost agreeing with you but now I think you are taking it a tad too far. I don't know what he'd have to do more than he's doing. Simple is sometimes best. As someone else has said, Beckham made a career of keeping things simple.
The long cross field pass is an added weapon , not our only one. Will be very useful with teams that defend deep as most teams will double up on Rickie leaving space for someone else
Do you actually know anything about football? Anything about player development? I have never in my whole life seen someone weasel out of as many conversations. You contradict yourself more times than is surely physically possible. Just admit it, you made up some rubbish about JWP, he then plays exceptionally. Making a copious amount of excellent crosses, well timed passes and generally playing with a maturity that is far higher than his age would suggest. Fans of other clubs are starting to take note as well, even some 'New Paul Scholes' stories, yet you're still certain he will amount to nothing, is a plan B and can't cross or play a long pass?! Do us all a favour and embrace his development rather than predict his demise. You boring motherfucker.
So you've noticed things like this (when he doesn't rate JWP/SD): versus (when he didn't rate Wanyama): One example of dozens. Cue "weaselling". Vin
Really well played on Saturday, the work rate of your team is excellent. Fulham were very poor admittedly, but at no point did you allow them to create anything.
