That's why we've practiced it against the weaker opposition. We didn't ping non-stop diagonals against Chivas. Monk will weigh up the opposition and decide what we'll practice in any given game. That is what happens in pre-season. Diagonal balls are not our new tactic. They are an option which we are clearly practicing this pre-season so we're comfortable when we're required to use it during the season. Furthermore, it wasn't every other ball. You're exaggerating. After all, we scored from 2 chances that came from positive midfield play, not from long diagonals. We have 4 quick players on our wings. We have to learn to get the ball to them quicker and when they're in space. The long diagonal does that. To see that we're practicing it this pre-season gets a big thumbs-up from me. We gave our wingers very little room to work in last season, and at one stage of the season we were creating very few chances as a result. So it's great to see we're identifying and rectifying it.
We will move the ball far better under Monk, I am sure we will see some return to the Martinez/Rodgers style of play, the good times are about to role!..........
And in shelvey we have someone who can naturally see these balls early as seen last year where at times he was getting vilified for giving the ball away uet he was trying to spread the ball,
Yes I agree with trying it when it is on, because that's what we would do in a game and we need to Replicate when we would do it in a game. To knock it aimlessly serves no purpose as the full backs were there cutting everyone out. So to do what we would during a pl game yes. Knocking it for knocking it's sake no. We gave the ball away far to much in doing this and were not getting our wingers on the ball as much as we should. So practice it yes hitting it for hitting its sake pointless.
