What is really our achilles heel?

T

tangysider

Well-known member
I think lack of height throughout the team.
If is all well and good saying out crossing is poor, but it is hard to pick out the head of a small striker surrounded by giant defenders. The same is true on our dead balls where we never have any joy,whilst the opposition are rubbing their hands with glee when they get a deadball situation as we put a defender who is 4 to 6 inches smaller against one of their giants.
This happens time and again, I do not understand not playing Grettarson whilst Keogh was out.
We have good technical players but unfortunately our lack of height will probably cost us 20 points or more this season
 
On a day like yesterday, with the height and physical advantage that they had, it does present you with a ‘big’ problem.

It’s also causing us selection problems, because he’s been forced to play Madine whilst Keogh has been out.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
On a day like yesterday, with the height and physical advantage that they had, it does present you with a ‘big’ problem.

It’s also causing us selection problems, because he’s been forced to play Madine whilst Keogh has been out.
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He could have played Grettarson. We have no big striker if Madine doe not play and if he is injured again we are relying on accurate passing to feet instead of lumping in crosses which is not something we are very good at.
 
tangysider said:
He could have played Grettarson. We have no big striker if Madine doe not play and if he is injured again we are relying on accurate passing to feet instead of lumping in crosses which is not something we are very good at.
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He could, but then he’d have been shot down for bringing in another rusty player. The back 4 have also done pretty well recently…
 
I believe that we defend far too deep at times (in fact most of the time) which simply invites pressure
A good example yesterday, Yates tracking all the way back in open play and giving away a needless freekick which ultimately led to their opener.
He should be upfield where he belongs.
And why bring everyone back to defend corners and free kicks? If we leave one or two players on the half way line the opposition HAVE to counteract that and drop 3 players back. It is one tactic I have never understood but then again I am not a professional so there may be reasons for it.
 
I’m pretty sure that will have been a defensive error, not by design.
 
62years&counting said:
Either way it shouldn't have happened. Coach and captain should see to that.
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Yes well that’s true, however players make mistakes, they’re human, everything’s easy in hindsight. I watched the game back this morning and we really shouldn’t of lost that game. We’re not far away, cut out the silly defensive errors and sharpen up in front of goal and we won’t be fa4 off.
 
Scaramanga said:
Yes well that’s true, however players make mistakes, they’re human, everything’s easy in hindsight. I watched the game back this morning and we really shouldn’t of lost that game. We’re not far away, cut out the silly defensive errors and sharpen up in front of goal and we won’t be fa4 off.
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For that to happen we need an influx of quality. I think it's beyond the current squad.
 
Scaramanga said:
Yes well that’s true, however players make mistakes, they’re human, everything’s easy in hindsight. I watched the game back this morning and we really shouldn’t of lost that game. We’re not far away, cut out the silly defensive errors and sharpen up in front of goal and we won’t be fa4 off.
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Agree in principle but when faced by 6ft 4in opposition in both boxes we come up short if you will excuse the pun. I do not think it can be classed a silly mistake when you have no hope of winning a header.
 
tangysider said:
Agree in principle but when faced by 6ft 4in opposition in both boxes we come up short if you will excuse the pun. I do not think it can be classed a silly mistake when you have no hope of winning a header.
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I meant mistake as in Dale probably wasn’t supposed to be marking the giant, decision making.
 
Scaramanga said:
Yes well that’s true, however players make mistakes, they’re human, everything’s easy in hindsight. I watched the game back this morning and we really shouldn’t of lost that game. We’re not far away, cut out the silly defensive errors and sharpen up in front of goal and we won’t be fa4 off.
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That’s pretty incisive Scara, so in a nutshell if we stop conceding and start scoring we will win games.😉
 
Scaramanga said:
Yes well that’s true, however players make mistakes, they’re human, everything’s easy in hindsight. I watched the game back this morning and we really shouldn’t of lost that game. We’re not far away, cut out the silly defensive errors and sharpen up in front of goal and we won’t be fa4 off.
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Scara, I wouldn’t bother trying to explain yourself to 62 years and counting
I don’t think I have ever read anything positive about the team posted by him.
He really is a D&G merchant of the top order.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
On a day like yesterday, with the height and physical advantage that they had, it does present you with a ‘big’ problem.

It’s also causing us selection problems, because he’s been forced to play Madine whilst Keogh has been out.
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"Forced to play Madine." High praise indeed.
 
Eternaloptimist said:
Scara, I wouldn’t bother trying to explain yourself to 62 years and counting
I don’t think I have ever read anything positive about the team posted by him.
He really is a D&G merchant of the top order.
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Well, I comment after every game win, lose or draw. You're obviously selective in what you read.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
It's just how it is.... It's neither praise or criticism... As I said alternative options are limited if you are (to all intents and purposes) forced to include a particular player.
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Madine is in my team through choice. Yes, we need height - I'm agreeing with you X3 - but I don't see Gary Madine as a forced option. He's in my 1st XI.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
Madine is in my team through choice. Yes, we need height - I'm agreeing with you X3 - but I don't see Gary Madine as a forced option. He's in my 1st XI.
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He's also in NC's Team out of choice, but that choice is limited (forced) by our lack of defensive height and the contribution GM makes in defending Set Pieces. Contrast that with the options we could employ at Reading, with the inclusion of Sonny Carey and with Yates playing up front, which whilst we look more imposing in the opposition half, we are exposed defensively.
 
3 for me, Lack of height and strength, a goalkeeper who cannot deal with crosses, and lack of finishing off chances by not shooting or just hoofing it over bar.
 
I agree lack of height is an issue, a more creative player in the middle and an experienced striker.
Answer:-
Billy Koumachio 6' 5" Liverpool Centre Half
Branigan or Doyle from City
Freddie Lapadu Rotherham (Scored 9 last season in Champ) out of contract in summer.
I also wouldnt be surprised to see Joe Nuttall promoted to the squad if his progress continues under Critchley.

Some tough decisions will have to be made in January ? IMO.
 
Stranny1870 said:
3 for me, Lack of height and strength, a goalkeeper who cannot deal with crosses, and lack of finishing off chances by not shooting or just hoofing it over bar.
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I assume you mean Maxwell cannot deal with crosses?
He’s done pretty well so far this season and when you take the conditions into account I think a lot of keepers would have struggled.
Yes, the conditions applied to both keepers but a lot of our play was on the floor.
 
Just watching MOTD and Villa's second goal is just like the first one we conceded yesterday. The last defender sleeping and mugged at the back post. Watching the goal we conceded again Husband grabs Dale virtually as the ball is coming over and drags him back to pick up the last man. Dale is all at sea but, as Phil said on the other thread, you really have to question why such a short player is anywhere near that position of responsiblity. I think probably the answer is that all our tallr players were already committed but it's not great. Onwards!
 
Eternaloptimist said:
I believe that we defend far too deep at times (in fact most of the time) which simply invites pressure
A good example yesterday, Yates tracking all the way back in open play and giving away a needless freekick which ultimately led to their opener.
He should be upfield where he belongs.
And why bring everyone back to defend corners and free kicks? If we leave one or two players on the half way line the opposition HAVE to counteract that and drop 3 players back. It is one tactic I have never understood but then again I am not a professional so there may be reasons for it.
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If we have all eleven back, which we invariably do, then I don't get how regularly the opposition manage to get a free header at the back post. Happens all the time. How are there free men?
 
Speed of passing. We don't move it quick enough, often enough. Oppo's defenders (and midders) are happy to see us have the ball in front of them.

Turning defenders is something we only do on occasion wide. Need to get plyers running beyond through the middle.

I think their scouts can plot too easily.
 
Wiz, I n reality there shouldn’t be.
Excluding the goal keepers and assuming the opposition send everyone forward (because they can as we have everyone back) then 10 v 10 so everyone should be marked.
Either set a strategy and go man to man or, even simpler, just leave 2 players on the half way line
I asked earlier if anyone with a bit of knowledge about defending set pieces could explain the reasoning behind bringing everyone back.
Even more so when, in the dying minutes, a goalkeeper runs the full length of the pitch to get involved as a striker, resulting in all 24 players inside the penalty area, then the easiest thing in the world would be to put 2 or even 3 players on the half way line
To me it’s a no brainer, but am I missing something?
 
Eternaloptimist said:
I assume you mean Maxwell cannot deal with crosses?
He’s done pretty well so far this season and when you take the conditions into account I think a lot of keepers would have struggled.
Yes, the conditions applied to both keepers but a lot of our play was on the floor.
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that,s why its called Football
 
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