Counter Attacking

[Junior Mullet]

Saints have always done well on the counter but on Saturday we looked as though we had been working overtime on it. We countered with pace, movement (exploiting Leeds' weaknesses) and precision passing. Our players have an ideal combination of technique and footballing nouce to play on the counter.

 

It got me thinking, with some pretty big clubs in the Championship I expect we'll see far more teams coming on to us at St Marys than they did last season. That will play right into our hands. I also expect us to pick up a lot of points away from home playing on the counter, especially with opponent's pitches being better than they were in Div 1.

 

Watching West Ham v Cardiff and highlights of all the other games, I am beginning to believe that with our style of play we have nothing to fear in this league.

 

We also have a pretty decent plan B, namely lump it into Lambo, but hopefully we'll not have to resort to that too often!!

[paulwantsapint]

I so hope that NA has given Crosby lots of time to think up some more of the clever set pieces that he was showing players last season

[up and away]

Saints have always done well on the counter but on Saturday we looked as though we had been working overtime on it. We countered with pace, movement (exploiting Leeds' weaknesses) and precision passing. Our players have an ideal combination of technique and footballing nouce to play on the counter.

 

It got me thinking, with some pretty big clubs in the Championship I expect we'll see far more teams coming on to us at St Marys than they did last season. That will play right into our hands. I also expect us to pick up a lot of points away from home playing on the counter, especially with opponent's pitches being better than they were in Div 1.

 

Watching West Ham v Cardiff and highlights of all the other games, I am beginning to believe that with our style of play we have nothing to fear in this league.

 

We also have a pretty decent plan B, namely lump it into Lambo, but hopefully we'll not have to resort to that too often!!

 

Great home display, but we will not get away with that performance away from home to the better clubs. Unless our midfield is going to dominate in the same manner we did against Leeds, it is not going to be an easy repeat. If you commit that many players and energy to closing the opposition down when you don't have control, you will burn out playing twice a week or find yourself bypassed without midfield control. The ideal counter attack is where you absorb the pressure, then hit them on the break, expending less energy. That's what we need to do away from home against the good sides. For that you really need a centre forward with pace who can take their back line on without support and someone like Guly sat in front of our midfield charging up to assist, along with others. I like Guly and would always start him, but he is so much more effective when he sits in front of our midfield having a free role. If Ricky can fill that striker role away from home then we will have no problem.

 

How and what Adkins lines up away from home for these difficult away games I don't know but am sure he will have his own ideas. It's going to be interesting to see how we do.