De Ridder

[This Charming Man]

The main thing he offers us is pace and we were in desperate need of that yesterday (well most games we lack it).

 

One of the reasons Leicester were so happy to take the game to us at the start was that they knew they wouldn't get caught on the break. With the likes of Hammond, Cork and Connolly trundling forward, they could take all the time in the world to get back and regroup. If we had the pace of De Ridder from the start, they may have been a bit more cautious if they thought they could get caught out.

 

Yesterday we had zero threat going forward until he came on and the same goes for Holmes. De Ridder offers us something a bit different to the rest and for that reason alone he should play more often, IMO.

[Avenue Saint]

Everybody has an opinion but to criticize De Ridder tonight beggars belief. The manager selected a team that was hopeless in two respects. We got away with Harding against two poor sides but sentiment prevailed. He was exposed by the high tempo and speedy attack. He was grossly at fault for the first goal despite the quality of the shot. Instead of making Nugent go down the line he settled for letting him come inside onto his left foot which opened up Nugent to bend in HIS favoured foot.

 

Falque should not have started he isn't a strong enough player to immediately come in and take part. Ok he had some nice touches, a decent cross early but went missing for periods and often settled for the easy option. He wouldn't have been considered much of a threat by Leicester.

 

Both players should have been substituted shortly after the second goal was scored, it was crass to wait another half hour leaving us only half an hour to try and save the game. It was crying out for Richardson and De Ridder to be brought on to raise the tempo and restore balance.

 

Davis just doesn't get it. If we are to play out from the back to build up with quick pass and move football Davis cannot take the amount of time he does to pass the ball. The goalkeeper has to release the ball instantaneously like any other passing player. To just stand on the ball allowing the opponents to form up and stand about 20 yds off our defenders and then drop them in it with a slow rolling pass behind our player who is being already rapidly closed down, forcing him to hit it long, drop somebody else in it or more often pass it back to Davis for the long ball. Last night we hit more long balls at their centrebacks than I've seen all season and virtually always gave possession away because we were so slow to the breaking ball.

 

Leicester played with the intensity that we adopted early on in the season but have now lost to be replaced by low intensity strolling passing it about game which is alright against low tempo sides but is no threat to hard working teams. Reading showed the way now other sides are adopting the same tactics so we have to get back to fighting for the right to play.

 

Last night only De Ridder, Richardson, Hoiveldt, Fox, to a lesser extent Cork, Guly and Connolly in patches showed the necessary effort and intensity. Schneiderlin and Hammond just didn't fight for the right to play not helped by out of position Harding and lightweight Falque.

 

When I questioned Martin being the only back up centre back and described him as very much a learner I was criticised. Last night it really hurt us, he sold himself by turning his back on a feint and was passed easily for the resultant unpressurised cross to be nodded in. His distribution is poor, he is uncomfortable in possession and his heading is a present to the opposition. We badly need another centre back and a striker that can fill in for Lambert. Hoiveldt is carrying him at the moment. I will say that Fox did a manly job as stand in for Hoiveldt.

 

There was a lot more wrong than the fact De Ridder didn't manage to pull an undeserved rabbit out of the hat. He takes up good positions but rarely is given the ball to run at the defence, eventually he may be after short passing be included often facing his own goal, certainly closed down, having to turn and is almost never released to run past the defence onto a through ball. He is easily one of the quickest players around but we don't use him properly. He could be a devastating counter attacker released quickly but we would rather play up the blind alley into a massed defence on the left and ignore the quick counter up the right.

 

Blaming De Ridder is rediculous, blame the lack of service that's the problem. He always gives 100% and in my opinion is not being given a fair go by the manager. Playing Falque from the start was an insult, he was peripheral and cosmetic and contributed to the slow tempo, something De Ridder could never be accused of.

 

Agreed. Some good points!

[S-Clarke]

Everybody has an opinion but to criticize De Ridder tonight beggars belief. The manager selected a team that was hopeless in two respects. We got away with Harding against two poor sides but sentiment prevailed. He was exposed by the high tempo and speedy attack. He was grossly at fault for the first goal despite the quality of the shot. Instead of making Nugent go down the line he settled for letting him come inside onto his left foot which opened up Nugent to bend in HIS favoured foot.

 

Falque should not have started he isn't a strong enough player to immediately come in and take part. Ok he had some nice touches, a decent cross early but went missing for periods and often settled for the easy option. He wouldn't have been considered much of a threat by Leicester.

 

Both players should have been substituted shortly after the second goal was scored, it was crass to wait another half hour leaving us only half an hour to try and save the game. It was crying out for Richardson and De Ridder to be brought on to raise the tempo and restore balance.

 

Davis just doesn't get it. If we are to play out from the back to build up with quick pass and move football Davis cannot take the amount of time he does to pass the ball. The goalkeeper has to release the ball instantaneously like any other passing player. To just stand on the ball allowing the opponents to form up and stand about 20 yds off our defenders and then drop them in it with a slow rolling pass behind our player who is being already rapidly closed down, forcing him to hit it long, drop somebody else in it or more often pass it back to Davis for the long ball. Last night we hit more long balls at their centrebacks than I've seen all season and virtually always gave possession away because we were so slow to the breaking ball.

 

Leicester played with the intensity that we adopted early on in the season but have now lost to be replaced by low intensity strolling passing it about game which is alright against low tempo sides but is no threat to hard working teams. Reading showed the way now other sides are adopting the same tactics so we have to get back to fighting for the right to play.

 

Last night only De Ridder, Richardson, Hoiveldt, Fox, to a lesser extent Cork, Guly and Connolly in patches showed the necessary effort and intensity. Schneiderlin and Hammond just didn't fight for the right to play not helped by out of position Harding and lightweight Falque.

 

When I questioned Martin being the only back up centre back and described him as very much a learner I was criticised. Last night it really hurt us, he sold himself by turning his back on a feint and was passed easily for the resultant unpressurised cross to be nodded in. His distribution is poor, he is uncomfortable in possession and his heading is a present to the opposition. We badly need another centre back and a striker that can fill in for Lambert. Hoiveldt is carrying him at the moment. I will say that Fox did a manly job as stand in for Hoiveldt.

 

There was a lot more wrong than the fact De Ridder didn't manage to pull an undeserved rabbit out of the hat. He takes up good positions but rarely is given the ball to run at the defence, eventually he may be after short passing be included often facing his own goal, certainly closed down, having to turn and is almost never released to run past the defence onto a through ball. He is easily one of the quickest players around but we don't use him properly. He could be a devastating counter attacker released quickly but we would rather play up the blind alley into a massed defence on the left and ignore the quick counter up the right.

 

Blaming De Ridder is rediculous, blame the lack of service that's the problem. He always gives 100% and in my opinion is not being given a fair go by the manager. Playing Falque from the start was an insult, he was peripheral and cosmetic and contributed to the slow tempo, something De Ridder could never be accused of.

 

Fantastic post.