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DennisNedry

Why can't we defend crosses?

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Posted

Every time QPR had a cross, corner, free kick etc that was delivered in to the box we looked so vulnerable. Never seem to win the first header and also failed to clear when the ball dropped loose. Cost us two goals and could have been more. For those who weren't there, prepare to cringe watching MOTD and seeing our schoolboy defending.

 

Is it Schmeichel's fault? Wes/Waz at fault? Or is the team too short in general to win aerial battles? 

 

Posted

It's been an issue since NP returned. It's a combination of a small backline with Wes, Was and Moore all 6 foot 1, as is Kasper who as a result is hugely under confident coming off his line.  Put it all together and you get a defence who is poor dealing with aerial crosses.

 

What annoys me is that our ineptitude at dealing with aerial crosses is obvious, yet our full backs are so slow to close down. If we can cut the source off we might be ok.

 

Upson will improve things in this regard.

Posted

Kasper has to carry a lot of the blame for me. Great shot stopper, but stick a cross in and he's like a cat caught in headlights, more flapping than a flock of seagulls...

Posted

Kasper has to carry a lot of the blame for me. Great shot stopper, but stick a cross in and he's like a cat caught in headlights, more flapping than a flock of seagulls...

Couldn't agree more, that's why he never be a top keeper, woefull at commanding his area, but makes up for it with amazing saves.
Posted

It's been an issue since NP returned. It's a combination of a small backline with Wes, Was and Moore all 6 foot 1, as is Kasper who as a result is hugely under confident coming off his line. Put it all together and you get a defence who is poor dealing with aerial crosses.

What annoys me is that our ineptitude at dealing with aerial crosses is obvious, yet our full backs are so slow to close down. If we can cut the source off we might be ok.

Upson will improve things in this regard.

I don't think height is the issue in all honesty. Let's be realistic, 1 or 2 inches is neither here nor there. Indecision is the issue. No one wants to commit to taking responsibility whether that be Kasper or the centre backs. Our backline during the O'Neill days weren't exactly the tallest but they won virtually everything in the air as all 3 would have no hesitation in sticking their head on the ball and had a strong desire to clear their lines. The current lot seem to panic anytime the ball comes near them and their indecision gets exploited.

Posted

The only game we've not struggled with crosses into the box this season was Stoke, Kasper wasn't in goal.

Posted

The only game we've not struggled with crosses into the box this season was Stoke, Kasper wasn't in goal.

 

I'm not massive fan of Hamer but you do make a reasonable point.

Posted

When you allow cross after cross to come into your penalty box then inevitably you're going to concede goals from crosses.

 

I'd be interested to know just how many crosses QPR put into our box today. I'd also like to know the last time Schmeichel actually caught a cross and took the pressure of the defenders.

Posted

We just invited cross after cross today and failed to defend the second ball.

 

This is a poor league which we are struggling to adapt to. To much kick and rush which leaves us vulnerable to a side who can get the ball and build.

Posted

People seem to ignore the first issue - why are we letting them get crosses in?

 

If the cross is great it's difficult to defend, but why let them cross it in the first place. It's one of the most annoying things to watch; players half heartedly trying to stop a cross and barely even dangling a leg out.

 

We also struggle to win headers in either box.

Guest Col city fan
Posted

When you allow cross after cross to come into your penalty box then inevitably you're going to concede goals from crosses.

I'd be interested to know just how many crosses QPR put into our box today. I'd also like to know the last time Schmeichel actually caught a cross and took the pressure of the defenders.

Spot on. As usual, many miss the REAL issue. Stop the crosses. Defend better as a unit.

Posted

I left the game thinking to myself "QPR had an awful lot of crosses today". As many have mentioned, why are we letting them get so many into the box?? It was the same at Southampton. Eventually we will crumble.

 

Additionally, I'd say our full backs are awful at defending aerial balls. Both weak in the air. Both are regularly targeted by these sorts of balls. The second goal Austin just shrugs De Laet off in the air. Konchesky constantly heads it back to them.

 

It is a team problem but we do have individual weaknesses. Schmeichel's reluctance to leave his 6 yard box doesn't help either.

Posted

When you allow cross after cross to come into your penalty box then inevitably you're going to concede goals from crosses.

 

I'd be interested to know just how many crosses QPR put into our box today. I'd also like to know the last time Schmeichel actually caught a cross and took the pressure of the defenders.

 

 

Spot on. As usual, many miss the REAL issue. Stop the crosses. Defend better as a unit.

 

You can't stop corners and free kicks though. We look awful defending them. QPR never looked in danger from any of ours either.

Posted

Spot on. As usual, many miss the REAL issue. Stop the crosses. Defend better as a unit.

You can't defend crosses (which are coming from either flank) by defending better as a unit only, as this issue affects a certain portion of the team alone.

 

The main aspect is be that the corresponding LB and RB (with the support of the left or right midfielder at least) should defend better and more closely.

Posted

Both fullbacks are rubbish neither stop crosses and a keeper that doesn't come off his line and centre backs that don't attack the ball not sounding too good is it!

Guest Col city fan
Posted

You can't defend crosses (which are coming from either flank) by defending better as a unit only, as this issue affects a certain portion of the team alone.

The main aspect is be that the corresponding LB and RB (with the support of the left or right midfielder at least) should defend better and more closely.

The whole defending thing is a team thing. The opposition have to do something to be able to get the ball out wide to deliver a cross. Its rare that a defender will hit an accurate cross to a winger standing 60 yards away. Typically, the ball comes through the centre, then gets swept out wide. A team that is running a game will see more of the ball and be able to do this more often. QPR'S possession stats and the number of crosses put in today suggest they were running the game for large part. And that we weren't stopping them at source.

You can directly contrast this with last season where we defended from the front. Vardy and Nugent chased everything down such that we were 'attacked' less in our final third. Defending from the front was a crucial factor in last season's success.

Posted

You can't stop corners and free kicks though. We look awful defending them. QPR never looked in danger from any of ours either.

 

Well you can certainly prevent giving away too many free kicks and perhaps we wouldn't concede so many corners if we didn't spend so much time defending from the edge of our penalty box. We invite pressure on to us too often.

 

We mark zonally which allows the opposition to get a run on our players from corners. You could see it for the third goal where Caulker meets the ball miles above James in the air. Even then we should still have dealt with the bouncing ball better.

 

So what's the answer? Start Hamer? Play Liam at right back?

Guest Col city fan
Posted

Thats so daft, if not explain how?????

Look up..

Posted

The whole defending thing is a team thing. The opposition have to do something to be able to get the ball out wide to deliver a cross. Its rare that a defender will hit an accurate cross to a winger standing 60 yards away. Typically, the ball comes through the centre, then gets swept out wide. A team that is running a game will see more of the ball and be able to do this more often. QPR'S possession stats and the number of crosses put it today suggest they were running the game for large part. And that we weren't stopping them at source.

QPR's high possession rating is based on the fact that after we took the lead, we just sat back and let them have their way left, right and centre.

 

You'll never be able to prevent the opposition from attacking on either flank. Ultimately, your LB and RB are the final defense in order to block crosses into the box.

 

Then again, we're talking humans here, not machines. I can't think of an outside defender who's good enough to completely prevent his direct opponent from crossing on a regular basis.

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