Agreed.
Simple answer is that if an opponent wants to beat us, like the Baggies, they come forward & leave space for us to run into & exploit. That allows us to look and actually be energetic.
Teams like QPR & Bolton parked the bus - they didn't even press in our half! - meaning that there is no space for us to run into as they've compressed the space in their half by closing ranks. Makes it look as though we're nonchalantly passing the ball from side to side & up & down the wings without a care in the world. Wrong!
We want to win. We want to run. We want to make killer passes. We want to shoot. We want to cross. We want to head. But .... we can't. Or not without extreme difficulty, and all because the opposition pack into a small space. When a team does that to you - and does it well - I don't care who you are, you ain't gonna score loads of goals. You're gonna get frustrated & take additional risks, leaving you exposed to the breakaway. It's not a new thing, it's been going on for years. Even did it ourselves over the years. We're frustrated more so now because we're always attacking. Always. All you can do is be patient, concentrate, & hope for that break.
