NW has often said this season that having a lot of possession was never going to be the case in the Prem, but have we taken that too far? I can understand that approach against the top clubs, but is it really necessary to adopt that policy against everyone? It's difficult to win games when you manage only 30/40% possession and concede the rest to the opposition. Allowing the other side the ball and playing on the counter attack means you've got to take your chances when they come along - hence our problem. The opposition gains confidence rather than fear - Everton anyone? - and we try to feed off scraps without a clinical finisher. We lack a striker who can put the ball away on the odd half chance to do that, but we do have players who can score when set up by the right shape and formation - I'd put Reid in that bracket along with Murphy despite his defensive failings. For all his pace and effort, Niasse has no finishing ability, his record at Everton shows that, but he will worry defenders into a mistake for someone like Reid or Murphy to capitalise on when given the service. Leaving him up on his own waiting for support is a waste of time. It's time we changed tack and played more on the front foot as a team rather than defending deep and trying to pinch the game on the break - we just haven't got the out and out clinical front men to make a success of it. West Ham at home is as good a game as any to start otherwise we're going to get done up like a kipper again. Sitting there witnessing 8 goals conceded while standing off against Watford and especially against Everton was soul destroying. Playing with two defensive midfielders playing so deep in Gunnar and Bacuna at home against a confidence-lacking side must be the writing on the wall - we must change our philosophy. If we're going to go down then that's fair enough, but I'd like to see us give it a go rather than bowing out just trying to keep the opposition out.
Possession stats are just that, stats. You could play like the way Swansea used to tippy-tappy back and for in you own half 70% possession but over a half of that just waisted. More important is shots on target, ours is even worst than our possession stats.
Dai - you've got to get into their box before you can shoot. We can't do that because we're too busy defending our own. A lot of the goals we've scored have been long range pot shots like Hoilett's couple, and Camarasa's wonder strike against Leicester. We are just not creating enough chances in and around the box - if we do, something has got to go in.
I see there's a massive interest in football subjects on here this afternoon. Surprised even Masky didn't make something out of the thread title.......
He's too possessive. It's fair to say you need the ball to be able to score. Our possession stats are generally appalling. Ironically they weren't much better in our promotion season but the opposition quality both offensive and defensively meant it didn't cause us many problems. We don't expect much against the top 6 but should be progressively better against sides further down the league, especially at home. I had hoped we would play a much more pressing game but to do that you have to play a higher back line and regretably ours is generally too slow to do this. The whole team has to be able to move up and back as a unit. Until we conceded the first we did this against Everton with their keeper and defenders forced into some reckless clearances. We were unable to maintain this, mainly due to Gunnar and Ralls and our back 4 hanging back. To press successfully gives us a chance to win the ball higher up the park and offer a bigger goal threat. To sit back and let our opponents attack us in the hope we can hit them on the break has failed us lately. If we play Arter and Camarasa with a speedy front 4 who are prepared to press and cover back surely we will be more successful? Incidentally, did anyone else see the possession stats from Bournemouth v Man City last weekend? 18 v 82 and yet Citeh only scored once. Did Eddie Howe copy our tactics?
Tippy -tappy football allowed us to grow into the PL , a style much frowned upon by those who couldn't or didn't play that way but it got us results ,you on the other hand have no discernible style of football , long ball hit and chase does not work , quick counter attacking with the ball does as shown by Leicester but they have /had the players to do it
Crudity and lewd comments doth not define Masky Pal! So I would ask that you keep a civil tongue up my arse if you please.....again pal! Good old Masky Pal, won’t take any ****e, eh bollocks?
From what I've seen, we seem to panic when in posession. Is that just a result of the way we set up or is it that we just don't have the quality? You guys will have a better idea.
The players react to the ball as though it’s an unexploded grenade. They can’t wait to get rid of it and more often than not to an opponent (as evidenced by some of the goals recently conceded) or just aimlessly pumped up field. Watching the CL games this week portrayed football a million miles distinct to the way City play.
Combination of the 2 Club to. Certainly a lack of quality. Pay peanuts you get monkeys, with all due respect to monkeys. Of our squad possibly only Camarasa, Arter and Murphy and to a lesser extent Bennett are comfortable on the ball. For the rest it is a case of do the best you can or get rid asap or like Pelts, Manga and Niasse, not got a Scooby.
We definitely haven't got the quality through the team clingo, no question about that. Our strengths were supposed to be all about battling the "Warnock Way" whatever that is, but that's just not enough at this level. You need a degree of skill and control in the side to take a breath and spread the ball wisely and that should start at the back. Bamba tries to bring the ball out but all too often runs into trouble. Morro and Pelts can't do it so don't even try. Manga does try but can't pass a ball to save his life and it either ends up going to an opposition player or straight in to touch. Benno is probably the one player back there who can set things up. Midfield is unbalanced with too many headless chickens looking to maim the opposition rather than pass the ball through them. Gunnar, Arter and Bacuna are all effective players, but not together. Camarasa has the qualities required but one man doesn't make a team. Out wide and up front we have a collection of nearly men - not good enough for this division individually, but could be more effective in the right setup - that's where Warnock, Blackwell and Jepson should have the answer - they're in control.
In my humble opinion, our main strengthsite were (and should still be) getting down the wings/ channels in the opposition half as quickly as possible in order to feed the forward / supporting midfielder. However, as we are now playing against better opposition we HAVE started to adopt a more cautious attitude which in turn is stifling that support to the front runners. Although in some respects clean sheets are more valuable than goals, there is no way we can now defend our way to safety. With this in mind I'm inclined to agree somewhat with the op that we now need to be more positive. Reid, Murphy, Victor, Mendez, Hoilett and Harris are all players who on their day can provide a spark, we just need to pick them and ignite that spark somehow.
Mind you looking at today’s stats who needs that much possession. 16 efforts on goal from 29% possession
29% possession and this time we win 2-0. Why? Because we pressed them higher, pushed them back, played around their penalty area and scored as a result. Brilliant performance from Camarasa and Gunnar was just so solid - he didn't give their midfield any time on the ball.
