Ric Flair Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 Watching us last night, showed me that we really do need to find somebody who can take a free kick and a decent corner. To be fair, Gradel can do and although he's very erratic with his set pieces, he has set up a lot of goals this season. It appears with this new formation that there isn't room for Maxi to start, but without him, we really do struggle to provide the likes of Tunchev, Morrison, Hobbs, King and Howard with quality enough balls to hurt teams from dead ball situations. In this league and the way that we play, set pieces are a crucial part of our game to get us goals to see teams off. Unless we start to become more ruthless from open play, being strong from set pieces is essential. Not only that, but since Berner has come in and Oakley has moved out right. It has helped matters and also made matters worse. Last night, there were times when we had absolutely no width down the right side because Oakley had drifted in and got too close to King and Berner. This has it's benefits as it means all three of them can play intircate passing, which can give the oppisition the run around. But, it also allows the opposition to get men back, where if we had the width, and utilised that, the opposition would be struggling to get back the required shape to snuff us out. I like the new formation and Oakley has been superb for us in recent games, as has King and Berner. But we are missing having some quick outlets to play counter attacking football, which appears to be one of the only ways to properly hurt teams at this level who try to sit back and upset the tempo of how football should be played. I've watched several teams this season in our league and MK Dons and Leeds (admittedly neither doing as well as us) who play excellent counter attacking football and it gives them more opportunities to score goals. We get a significant amount of chances, but they are often created when things are cramped inside the box and our players fail to keep composure and rattle them off target. When you counter attack, you have more time and fluidity to pick your target. We have missed Gilbert and I think he could be quality in this new formation. We need support down the right hand side, otherwise teams who sit back, like Crewe and Yeovil, who let's face it, are abysmal teams, will get away with being inferior to us as we don't tap in to their weaknesses. Crap teams can all get as many men behind the ball and spoil it, but they struggle to compete when the opposition don't give them the chance to keep their shape. This is also why we are only winning games by the odd goal, by rights, this squad should be capable of turning some of these teams over by 2, 3 or 4 goals. But the fact is, we've only scored more than 2 goals in a league game about 3 times this season and without wanting to sound greedy, I don't think it's good enough. Pearson said last night that often winning is all that matters, but I know he isn't exactly happy with the way we are playing. He knows himself this squad should be more ruthless, I hope we find that killer streak and put it to use as it's extremely tight in this league this season and I wouldn't want to be going in to the final part of the season as tight as it is now. I hope this hasn't come over as a post that Matt could be proud of, it's more of a post as a yardstick for what we need to step it up a gear.
Miquel The Work Geordie Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 It certainly seems as if we are missing a trick by not having a dead ball specialist.
Number 6 Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 I think we will be grateful of 1-0's especially over a busy Xmas period. But you are right, I would love to see Maxi and Dyer rushing out and attacking full backs. I am a fan of having an out and out winger, it's just another way of creating goals. There will be teams who defend all the time against us, and I think it's useful to be able to play through the middle, out wide and counter, by not playing an out and out winger we limit one of the forms of attack.
Munzie Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 Ric's critique... Some great points made there Going forward I believe that Max Gradel has a part to play within the team. That said, he needs a mentor. An experienced winger/attacking midfielder that can nurture him. Being an understudy for a little while will do him no harm. Let's hope there's one on Pearson's January sale's shopping list. Gilbert is definately missed. Although Edworthy has stepped up to the plate, he is clearly not capable of seeing out the full 90 minutes (judging on recent matches). Gilbert's injury seems to have been prolonged mysteriously!?! I've been calling for a change in formation for a while now. Although we have seen a different line-up, it was bought about through injury problems rather than managerial tactics. Pearson appears to have stumbled on, rather than invented, an alternative to the tried and tested faces that have seen out the majority of the season to date. I have enjoyed Oakley's new lease of life but have to agree that he cuts in field way too much. Max's new mentor could help. We are winning (most of the time) and it's good to see. Although it was never going to be a cakewalk, we are making hard work of taking 3 points. Concentration at the back will see more clean sheets and a greater desire to get forward, even at 1 or 2 up, will help cement victories. Finally, crosses in to the box, corners and set-pieces should be the priority in training. A great number on display to date have been shocking.
harpendenfox Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 mind you, when we do go two up, that seems to precede disaster, as at Brighton (totally), Swindon (virtually) and Huddersfield (nearly)
step Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 We play wide on the left with Dyre in the first half and then bring on Max and play wide on the right. Why dont we use both wings at the same time. And please dont say cos they dont play with two balls. Ok Say it
Hackneyisblue Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 We play wide on the left with Dyre in the first half and then bring on Max and play wide on the right. Why dont we use both wings at the same time. And please dont say cos they dont play with two balls. Ok Say it Because that is what we were doing early on in the season and the midfield of King & Oakley was being overrun, since going to one winger both have looked much better. The only way of doing what you want and keeping 5 in the middle is to drop a striker or the goalie.
RowlattsFox Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 Its not as if we were scoring loads of goals while we had Max in the team is it? before we changed to the current setup. It would be better if we had a set-piece specialist but we don't, if we do sign one who do we take out of the team? Our goal tally isn't that bad, most of the teams around us are around the early 30s including us, and MK Dons have got 37. We've not scored enough home goals but we've scored plenty away from home.
lildave3 Posted 26 November 2008 Posted 26 November 2008 When Gilbert's back and he can bomb up and down that right hand side, then I think we'll see something good with Oakley tucking in.
FantasticMrFuchs Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 As i said in the post match thread Gilbert was fit for the Scunny game & last night according to Silly Stringer on RL. Aparently Edworthys the first choice at right back at the minute.use the listien again thing on RL it was on Daggers show before Sports Time
Lillehamring Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 Because that is what we were doing early on in the season and the midfield of King & Oakley was being overrun, since going to one winger both have looked much better.The only way of doing what you want and keeping 5 in the middle is to drop a striker or the goalie. or playing with three centre backs - which would mean no mattock - berner between the def and mid, i guess... not sure it would work, but it would be interesting to see, especially against those teams that stick 10 men behind the ball, and just lob balls into the box when they do attack...
marbelladave Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 You can not play 4-4-2 with a defence that does not push up, 2 wide men and 2 up top, it leaves the midfield pair with way too much ground to cover so the can be easily over run. Even Berner, our latest hero, went missing when he and King were required to take on a resurgent Brighton midfield on their own a few weeks ago. Playing Oakley narrow right helps out the center but denies us width, and if you play 4-4-2 (even the lopsided version) there is little you can do about it. Gilbert overlapping is the only possible option, but this tactic is easily countered. Our recent play is showing us the way but we a refusing to take it, With Berner, King and Oakley playing narrow we should start Gradel and Dyer in the wide positions but with the freedom to come inside and support Fryatt. Pace with the ball played to feet is the way out of this wretched division. And, one more thing, start working on set peices FFS!
carterfox90 Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 great top post ric some great points like you come the end of the season would not want it to be this tight gradel might get his form back soon as he has had a lot of personal stuff to deal with lately is only half the player of last season & the start of this season thought it was a great shame we let sheehan go to leeds he did have a great left peg & put some sweet crosses & corners into the box when he played for us
Lillehamring Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 great top post ric some great points like you come the end of the season would not want it to be this tight gradel might get his form back soon as he has had a lot of personal stuff to deal with lately is only half the player of last season & the start of this season thought it was a great shame we let sheehan go to leeds he did have a great left peg & put some sweet crosses & corners into the box when he played for us WOAH! punctuate, man, punctuate!
Wasyls Pec Deck Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 I find it largely puzzling and unacceptable that no one in the present starting 11 can deliver a good freekick. I get infuriated when a corner take fails to beat the first man. As professional footballers surely someone in that 11 should be able to deliver a half decent corner and freekick? Oakley and King.....?? Whenever I've seen Gradel this season, his final product has been woeful, so I'd suggest he wasn't the answer. I remember when Arsene Wenger said we were the best team in Europe for setpieces....ahhh happy days. Walsh, Elliott, Taggart, Heskey, Marshall but no name a few who could get on the end of a good Guppy delivery...
RowlattsFox Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 Even some of Gradels corners, that we have scored from haven't been the best of corners I don't think. They all seem very loopy and go quite high and good defenders will always clear them or atleast stop the strikers from getting a clear header. King has had 2 free headers and the Tunchev goal was a mistake by the the keeper. I didn't think Oakley's corners at Scunny were too bad, but again not great. I'd like to see Mattock take a few and see what he can do, we don't have any in-swinging corners recently.
Wasyls Pec Deck Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 Sheehans corners were a treat in his tiny run in the side last season... felt dangerous everytime. Pity we let him go imo
morris1234 Posted 27 November 2008 Posted 27 November 2008 ben davies from shrewsbury, hell of a cross, hell of a delivery! NP
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