Burton Albion Pre-Match Thread (Sat 22 Aug 15:00)

[boosmanana]

5 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

I mean we know teams will get back and put a low block behind the ball.

 

Our options are to play with pace and a high tempo, pressing high to win the ball and catch them before they can set or if we are playing from the back, trying to beat the lines quickly which is what the aim was

more under Maresca.

 

Or, adopting a slower pace as seems to be the case, we are letting the opposition have all the time to get themselves set and comfortable. At this point you lose any element of surprise and are literally trying to play through them.

 

I don’t think suggesting this is too out there and indicative that they think they could coach the team….

If a team is defending with a low block then they're going to be in a low block whether we play faster and more direct or slower and more controlled. I agree that we should be pressing high to win the ball, but this will mostly result in the opposition clearing it/going long and us winning the ball back that way in our own half as opposed to us tackling them in their own third. There obviously needs to be an element of both in order for us to break teams down that play this way, needing to control the game and then mix up the pace with more tempo and direct passes in certain moments, that way you keep them guessing.

[LCFCCKEANO]

Think it’ll be

McCarthy

Joseph

Okoli

Souttar

Thomas

Skipp

Braybrooke

Chaplin

Burns

Cullen

Alves

 

I would want Howell for Burns, Bristric for Cullen and McFarlane or Aluko for Thomas but that side should be enough for a win

[The Doctor]

14 minutes ago, boosmanana said:

If a team is defending with a low block then they're going to be in a low block whether we play faster and more direct or slower and more controlled. I agree that we should be pressing high to win the ball, but this will mostly result in the opposition clearing it/going long and us winning the ball back that way in our own half as opposed to us tackling them in their own third. There obviously needs to be an element of both in order for us to break teams down that play this way, needing to control the game and then mix up the pace with more tempo and direct passes in certain moments, that way you keep them guessing.

does the concept of having time to set a defence mean anything to you? a low block is only a low block once it's been settled, you play quicker against them to cut through the lines before the low block is established 

[LCFCJohn]

14 minutes ago, boosmanana said:

If a team is defending with a low block then they're going to be in a low block whether we play faster and more direct or slower and more controlled. I agree that we should be pressing high to win the ball, but this will mostly result in the opposition clearing it/going long and us winning the ball back that way in our own half as opposed to us tackling them in their own third. There obviously needs to be an element of both in order for us to break teams down that play this way, needing to control the game and then mix up the pace with more tempo and direct passes in certain moments, that way you keep them guessing.

Most teams play an element of playing out from the back now and teams will do it against us so there will be opportunities to press high.

 

Regarding the first bit, I do think you know what I mean. Teams will have the ball against us in our half and we will win it back. There is then a choice between being quick and decisive rather than slowing the play down and knocking it around at the back. This is the type of situation I am referring to allowing teams to get set and comfortable before we slowly make our way into their half. This is what concerns me most about the style we are likely to play.

 

Obviously yeah, they will be plenty of times we have to break down a solid bank of 4 and another bank of 4 but I’m just saying when the opportunity arises to avoid that by being quicker and more decisive, I hope we act on that.

[boosmanana]

1 minute ago, The Doctor said:

does the concept of having time to set a defence mean anything to you? a low block is only a low block once it's been settled, you play quicker against them to cut through the lines before the low block is established 

I think I've probably forgotten more about tactical shapes, variations, defensive shape etc than you know, in all honesty. 

But I can reply with the same condescending tone absolutely no problem. A team defending in a low block often has very little of the ball and predominantly the low block shifts around 18 yards up and down the pitch throughout the game, regardless of whether they have the ball or not. It's part of how a professional coach coaches a team to defend in a low block. They also often coach the midfield line to operate no more than about 8 yards ahead of the defensive line. A team committed to playing in a low block, especially away against a team that they deem to be vastly superior to them will often stick to this rule regardless of whether they have the ball or not and rely on long, direct passes to either a target man or in the channel for someone fast to run onto. Does this concept compute with you at all? And is this perhaps a concept that we might come up against multiple times throughout the season? 

 

[Grebfromgrebland]

3 hours ago, STEVIE B said:

Absolutely pointless looking at League tables after 1 or 2 games. 

After 10 games they could be 35 points ahead of us!

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting for people to do the maths.

Edited 21 August by Grebfromgrebland

[em9999]

4 _0 "city 

Edited 21 August by em9999

[Adster]

Called ticket office 3 times today to forward my ticket to my dad (who is over 65 so cannot do it online) every time it said it couldn't place me in the queue and cut me off. 

 

Are they open by phone tomorrow morning?

[Lcfcbl]

3 hours ago, Foxes96 said:

Sorry if not clear. This was more or less a full change XI for the league cup game. Not saying it’s what I would do… although yes I would play those three tomorrow 100% and then rest them in the week. 

I appreciate it's a relatively meaningless cup game but why would you rest three young players with not much 1st team football behind them against higher opposition just two games into a season. Where is the logic in that? This is the exact sort of game 12 months ago when people would be begging for these three to start. Not having a go mate, just don't understand the reasoning?

[Dan]

Just give me a cohesive performance where we create a lot of chances, for once, I swear.

[FoxesTalker]

1 hour ago, Adster said:

Called ticket office 3 times today to forward my ticket to my dad (who is over 65 so cannot do it online) every time it said it couldn't place me in the queue and cut me off. 

 

Are they open by phone tomorrow morning?

The Sales Centre and Matchday Ticket Office are both open from 9am.

[Foxes96]

41 minutes ago, Lcfcbl said:

I appreciate it's a relatively meaningless cup game but why would you rest three young players with not much 1st team football behind them against higher opposition just two games into a season. Where is the logic in that? This is the exact sort of game 12 months ago when people would be begging for these three to start. Not having a go mate, just don't understand the reasoning?

My logic was I’d consider them first team starters at the minute, so would rather play rotation options in the cup game. Whereas 12 months ago they would’ve been seen as rotation options.
 

Also Alves and Braybrooke have had fairly significant injuries already in their careers, so want to protect them a little bit for the more important league games. 

[trooky]

2 hours ago, boosmanana said:

I think I've probably forgotten more about tactical shapes, variations, defensive shape etc than you know, in all honesty. 

But I can reply with the same condescending tone absolutely no problem. A team defending in a low block often has very little of the ball and predominantly the low block shifts around 18 yards up and down the pitch throughout the game, regardless of whether they have the ball or not. It's part of how a professional coach coaches a team to defend in a low block. They also often coach the midfield line to operate no more than about 8 yards ahead of the defensive line. A team committed to playing in a low block, especially away against a team that they deem to be vastly superior to them will often stick to this rule regardless of whether they have the ball or not and rely on long, direct passes to either a target man or in the channel for someone fast to run onto. Does this concept compute with you at all? And is this perhaps a concept that we might come up against multiple times throughout the season? 

 

This is what happened during the Northampton game, we passed the ball sideways or backwards between the defenders just inside our own half. Both CBs had 600 passess/ touches between them. It was a dreadful watch. 

 

It was the first game, but nobody was brave enough to try many forward or line breaking passes. Its not like we've not played this way in the past 4 years though. 

 

Notts County was an improvement, mainly because they pressed us more, we had alot of scary moments, but we did get the ball forward more. 

 

It also helped Alves played instead of Mavididi and had a very good game.

 

If RM drops Thomas, BDR, swaps positions with Braybrooke and Skipp or drops Skipp completely for Page we should be better tomorrow with Braybrooke dictating play. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 21 August by trooky

[The Doctor]

2 hours ago, boosmanana said:

I think I've probably forgotten more about tactical shapes, variations, defensive shape etc than you know, in all honesty. 

But I can reply with the same condescending tone absolutely no problem. A team defending in a low block often has very little of the ball and predominantly the low block shifts around 18 yards up and down the pitch throughout the game, regardless of whether they have the ball or not. It's part of how a professional coach coaches a team to defend in a low block. They also often coach the midfield line to operate no more than about 8 yards ahead of the defensive line. A team committed to playing in a low block, especially away against a team that they deem to be vastly superior to them will often stick to this rule regardless of whether they have the ball or not and rely on long, direct passes to either a target man or in the channel for someone fast to run onto. Does this concept compute with you at all? And is this perhaps a concept that we might come up against multiple times throughout the season? 

 

teams playing low blocks still aren't set in position for 90 minutes, there will be times, particularly if they're pressed, that they're vulnerable to being played through. Teams that can reliably break down low blocks do so in those moments, by punishing the block not being set. You do that by playing vertically through the lines, not by holding the ball at the back and giving them time to reset. This is the entire point you are wilfully missing.

[Claridge]

3 hours ago, boosmanana said:

If a team is defending with a low block then they're going to be in a low block whether we play faster and more direct or slower and more controlled. I agree that we should be pressing high to win the ball, but this will mostly result in the opposition clearing it/going long and us winning the ball back that way in our own half as opposed to us tackling them in their own third. There obviously needs to be an element of both in order for us to break teams down that play this way, needing to control the game and then mix up the pace with more tempo and direct passes in certain moments, that way you keep them guessing.

The clearing it long worries me, our dozy defence will be all over the place and get caught out

[The Doctor]

3 minutes ago, trooky said:

This is what happened during the Northampton game, we passed the ball sideways or backwards between the defenders just inside our own half. Both CBs had 600 passess/ touches between them. It was a dreadful watch. 

this is exactly the problem that people are stating and is being ignored: if you just pass the ball between the CBs, the opportunities will never come. We're not playing pub league players, these are professional footballers who can quite easily stay in a shape if there is no pressure to take them out of it. It's why teams that actually play this sort of football well do it at pace on the ball. One/two touch moves, constantly pulling play across the pitch, probing and looking to create moments where the low block is not set. It's the possession with purpose rather than the sterile possession, which is what we're all sick off 

[boosmanana]

Just now, trooky said:

This is what happened during the Northampton game, we passed the ball sideways or backwards between the defenders just inside our own half. Both CBs had 600 passess/ touches between them. It was a dreadful watch. 

 

It was the first game, but nobody was brave enough to try many forward or line breaking passes. Its Not like we've not played this way in the past 4 years though. 

 

Notts County was an improvement, mainly because they pressed us more, we had alot of scary moments, but we did get the ball forward more. 

 

It also helped Alves played instead of Mavididi and had a very good game.

 

If RM drops Thomas, BDR, swaps positions with Braybrooke and Skipp or drops Skipp completely for Page we should be better tomorrow with Braybrooke dictating play. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agreed with this!

[String fellow]

The previous league game between Leicester and Burton was in March 1907, when Leicester Fosse beat Burton United 1-0 away from home, Harry Wilcox scoring the goal.

{Burton Swifts + Burton Wanderers -> Burton United (1901),

Burton United + Burton All Saints  -> Burton Town (1924),

Burton Town + Burton Albion -> Burton Albion (1950).}

Let's hope City's unbeaten start to the season doesn't go for a burton tomorrow! 

[em9999]

I saw a team come up on the scoreboard today whilst at king power I have no clue whether it was just a test team or the line up for tomorrow 

Edited 21 August by em9999

[tcrofts]

6 minutes ago, em9999 said:

I saw a team come up on the scoreboard today whilst at king power I have no clue whether it was just a test team or the line up for tomorrow 

Was BDCR on there? 

 

Just testing I'd imagine

[em9999]

Just now, tcrofts said:

Was BDCR on there? 

 

Just testing I'd imagine

Yes he was but limp biscuit was in at number 9 and mavs was also in team .. as you say probs a test team 

[iancognito]

Won't be there tomorrow, out for the day for my son's birthday. I did offer to get him a ticket but he said he'd report me to social services if I took him "down that place again" 😭

[promised land]

What is all this crap I keep reading g about the next chapter begins?

 

It is like the club are proud of where we are.

 

They should be bloody ashamed of the fact we are third tier and not beating teams (last week) who were fourth tier last season.

[Salieri]

It will be the usual routine tomorrow. Get excited for the match during the morning, convince yourself that this is gonna be the start of a turn of fortunes, envisage a comfortable, morale inducing 3 or 4 nil victory. 
 

Then at 1.45pm, you see the lineup, Bobby Reid up front, Cullen has ousted Alves from the side, Thomas  starts again…and all that hope is sucked out of you and you have to mentally prepare for yet another shambolic disappointment 🥴

[jock2612]

16 minutes ago, Salieri said:

It will be the usual routine tomorrow. Get excited for the match during the morning, convince yourself that this is gonna be the start of a turn of fortunes, envisage a comfortable, morale inducing 3 or 4 nil victory. 
 

Then at 1.45pm, you see the lineup, Bobby Reid up front, Cullen has ousted Alves from the side, Thomas  starts again…and all that hope is sucked out of you and you have to mentally prepare for yet another shambolic disappointment 🥴

Agreed !!!