All of this comment is based on the BBC radio commentary, the after match interview with Derek McInnes, and a lifetime of playing and watching football. Defence too brittle, midfield not sturdy enough to help defence and midfield and forwards not keeping the ball long enough to abate the relentless pressure on our penalty area. We all know this. My point today concerns the Carey v Kevin Davies battle. Both are 35 years of age with a wealth of experience, yet Louis is out-thought and out-muscled by Davies. Why? Firstly if a forward is continually backing in to a defender to earn very doubtful free kicks, what should the defender do? Stand his ground and try to prove to the forward that he cannot be pushed around? That’s the way I understand Louis played it. Result; continuous free kicks for Bolton, Louis becomes more concerned about the “injustice” from the referee and later in the game has lost his composure and not focusing on the job in hand. Surely any good defender knows that if the forward is backing in, then step back a bit, let him head the ball and instead make absolutely sure that as a team you then make winning challenges for second ball. Second point is that it may have been better to let McManus mark Davies with Carey taking the other striker although that would have been a hornet’s nest as Afobe’s pace would then have been a serious problem for a back four without any speed, Foster excepted. Those who were there; how did Fonts do at left back? Would Joe Bryan having more pace have done better?
I agree Cidered Abroad, Davies is well known for his bullying tactics he knows 1-3 times the attacker wins the freekicks in his case he does it so well his odds comes down. Eagles has always been handy at freekicks so like you say allow Davies the header on and take out the second phase seems best option. Listening on the radio I was screaming stop man marking him as nothing was going our way. Never went yesterday but seems familiar to when I have seen them we seem to be overran in midfield which then puts pressure on the defence, also offering no support to the forwards. We need a strong midfielder like Cisse sitting infront with a clever strong midfielder pushing on. Scholes started as a forward then became a mean attacking midfielder which makes me wonder whether Steve Davies (started as left wing not afraid to shoot and ghost into good positions) could be that player because in all fairness Pearson has personal issues and tends to go to sleep plus not strong enough in the challenge. Put Anderson on the wing and if we are struggling introduce Pearson to shore things up. Adomah can't defend so needs to have a strong right back Foster has the speed but needs to push Albert forward. I have said many times I worked Albert out so other managers can. Stands 5 yards inside our half gets the ball allows players to come near him passes back then waits there until the ball comes back to him now has to beat 2-3 players when their other players back in position. Most other wingers either go from the first pass or pass back to the defender then run ball over the top simples! Skuse or Elliott told sit back and protect the defence. This is my team barring Cunningham as he is injured. .......................Heaton............... Foster....J.Wilson....MacManus...Bryan/Fontaine (not seen or heard any feedback if he done ok there) Adomah...Skuse....Davies.........Anderson ..............Taylor..Baldock............ Maybe Stead if he is fit in place of Taylor.
Sorry rod disagree, Davies IS our BEST striker, and to put him in midfield would make us a worser (is that even a word team, baldock and Davies upfront is a lovely partnership and we have to keep them up front as we will only benefit from it once they form that partnership
