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Post by spitthedog on Dec 30, 2020 9:36:06 GMT
The instinct of all our players with the possible exception of Powell and Souttar (last night as an example) is to move the ball backwards.
Souttar's distribution is mostly awful i.e hopeless high balls into touch, so that was not helpful.
We look scared to move forward. Smith habitually plays it back. We look frightened to move forwards at time.
For example, we seem to always move backwards from throw-ins in advanced positions, throw-ins in their half often end up with our goalkeeper who then launches it up for 40-60 ball that often doesn't even reach the place where we got the throw-in from.
When we get free-kicks in the opposition half they are often played sideways and backwards
My question: What is the issue here?
Lack of Confidence?
Negative mindset?
Lack of options further up the field?
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Post by femark on Dec 30, 2020 9:38:29 GMT
The never ending argument between fans. Keep the ball and play it safe vs play it forward and risk losing it.
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Post by greystokie on Dec 30, 2020 9:56:19 GMT
It's so infuriating. Last night I was raging about one incident that happened within the first five minutes. As the OP says, we do it constantly. It wouldn't be so bad if we were prolific in creating chances but we're not and it has a lot to do with our poor scoring record. As to the cause, I think lack of forward movement is the biggest issue but I'm sure the other factors mentioned play some part.
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Post by thehartshillbadger on Dec 30, 2020 9:57:58 GMT
The answer is a total lack of intelligent movement, which has led to a natural reaction to play it back/safe.
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Post by sportsman on Dec 30, 2020 10:25:40 GMT
The instinct of all our players with the possible exception of Powell and Souttar (last night as an example) is to move the ball backwards. Souttar's distribution is mostly awful i.e hopeless high balls into touch, so that was not helpful. We look scared to move forward. Smith habitually plays it back. We look frightened to move forwards at time. For example, we seem to always move backwards from throw-ins in advanced positions, throw-ins in their half often end up with our goalkeeper who then launches it up for 40-60 ball that often doesn't even reach the place where we got the throw-in from. When we get free-kicks in the opposition half they are often played sideways and backwards My question: What is the issue here? Lack of Confidence? Negative mindset? Lack of options further up the field? Our first thought at the moment is backwards. Look at WBA last night as well with that daft back pass own goal. There are times to play it back, and if doing so make sure it is a good one. Souttar at the moment is scaring the shit out of me. I know he's only young, but some players get a free pass with some fans. I watch through my fingers at times. Though if they had people showing for the ball in front of them. then that would help them. |
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Post by xchpotter on Dec 30, 2020 10:29:21 GMT
The answer is a total lack of intelligent movement, which has led to a natural reaction to play it back/safe. Movement is key and we haven’t had it for years and years. I really do wonder what the players and manager do in training as there rarely seems to be a consistent approach in what we do on the pitch. When we should come inside the movement has happened on the outside, when we should go outside the movement is on the inside, when we should go long the movement has gone short and when we should go short the movement has gone long. It’s like we are playing against ourselves to stifle space. It’s just so basic and schoolboy error like every single week. I’ve come to the conclusion that the players are thick and the manager either doesn’t get it or he’s incapable of getting through to the players. |
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Post by scfcno1fan on Dec 30, 2020 10:32:22 GMT
The never ending argument between fans. Keep the ball and play it safe vs play it forward and risk losing it. It’s about getting the right balance though. There were countless times last night where our defenders and midfielders had open men to pass it to in a forward position and they simply turn around. An example of a good passage of play was in the first half where McClean crossed it to smith who was offside. The passage of play in the build up was great. We need to do it more often. |
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Post by The man from Utch on Dec 30, 2020 10:43:27 GMT
If the ball is not going backwards it is bouncing off players. Learning to trap the ball would be a big help too.
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Post by Staffsoatcake on Dec 30, 2020 11:00:35 GMT
Most of our players couldn't pass water, so they take the easy option and just pass it back to the nearest man behind them.
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Post by potterburt on Dec 30, 2020 11:17:03 GMT
The ball can’t consistently and at every instance.... just ‘move forward’.
There happens to be another 10 players in front who want that ball off you.
Most of those 10 are moving to limit your options as to moving the ball forward.
Managers, players, commentators all allude and mention about “getting a feel for the game” or - “they now just need to get it under control, pass it around so they can build pressure and attack” .
If we tried to pass forward every time and ended up constantly loosing the ball, the major issue on this forum would be ‘why do we always loose it, we should try keeping possession’
We’ve seen many a time over the years where an Ince or McClean end up passing it through to no one or just try a run on their own forward straight into their defence and then it comes straight back on us.
The issue isn’t that they may be passing it back, it’s about having the options available from others, movement, understanding, confidence, composure, team ethic etc etc
As to the OP - yeah I reckon lack of confidence is a large part of it.
I think it also could come down to the fact that in 5 years or whatever - the only thing this team could do was pass it backwards and usually not even that with a complete lack of being able to control games....
.....and perhaps this group of reprobates are being instructed to try and add/adjust that element to their game?
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Post by skelman on Dec 30, 2020 11:51:41 GMT
The instinct of all our players with the possible exception of Powell and Souttar (last night as an example) is to move the ball backwards. Souttar's distribution is mostly awful i.e hopeless high balls into touch, so that was not helpful. We look scared to move forward. Smith habitually plays it back. We look frightened to move forwards at time. For example, we seem to always move backwards from throw-ins in advanced positions, throw-ins in their half often end up with our goalkeeper who then launches it up for 40-60 ball that often doesn't even reach the place where we got the throw-in from. When we get free-kicks in the opposition half they are often played sideways and backwards My question: What is the issue here? Lack of Confidence? Negative mindset? Lack of options further up the field? As we've accumulated more and more injuries and particularly to key players .............. ......... sideways, backwards, slowed down and caution seems to have become endemic in our game during the pandemic! With more players beginning to return M'ON will work on this. Hopefully he'll develop a more positive mindset and the confidence to play more expansive, quicker football and try to improve our conversion rate into goals. |
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Post by spitthedog on Dec 30, 2020 12:01:24 GMT
Some good points. Granted you can not always be moving the ball forward
We have seen some evidence of good moves forward, but not enough. If we take last night Forest were just so much more aggressive going forwards and it really put us under pressure but we didn't have much to counter it.
There were also several occasions when players had the ball with 10 yards between themselves an opponent and in that situation chose to move the ball sideways, or backwards rather than progressing.
For me a big disappointment is lack of strategy on simple things like throw-ins
When we get a throw-in its like all our players are complete strangers, they are a complete after thought, we rarely gain any advantage from them (one exception last night when Powell was wrongly called offside) yet often players work hard just to get throw-ins especially in the opposition half. That seems completely wasted in our hands atm.
There was a time when we wouldn't have survived at the top level if it wasn't for throw-ins!
I was encouraged by Allen who seemed more alert to moving the ball around quicker.
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Post by onepara on Dec 30, 2020 12:17:49 GMT
Quote:- "With more players beginning to return M'ON will work on this. Hopefully he'll develop a more positive mindset"
He won't. I've said before on here that he's a belt & braces Manager. He settles for the point he has, & hopes for 3. Until the rules are changed to remove the point for a 0-0 draw, you will get this from Managers. A 0-0 should result in no points given. That may then give more attacking football, instead of the dross that we are now seeing.
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Post by nott1 on Dec 30, 2020 15:36:53 GMT
When you have a couple of statues pretending to be strikers lack of movement is expected I'm sorry to say!
Time to bring a real striker in asap.
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Post by kustokie on Dec 30, 2020 15:42:37 GMT
Forwards, sideways, backwards is driving me nuts. The other thing that is doing my head in is these quick, short free kicks followed by several sideways passes followed a hoof up field that they could done two minutes previously from the free kick. I don’t get it.
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Post by lstokie on Dec 30, 2020 18:18:03 GMT
Apart from last night I think Souttars distribution is mostly pretty good.
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