Attacking Full backs

[Faz]

It did seem that yesterfday the full backs were not such an integral part of our attacking options as earlier in the season. I suspect Shaw was told not to run himself ragged with no ready made sub on the bench, but Clyne was more subdued attacking wise too.

[Thedelldays]

Quite right too. We have been far too open and Newcastle are very much a long ball team. Clyne and shaw helped out the CB much more by challenging the knock downs.

 

I also liked the no nonsense whacking the ball up the pitch/out of play where required

 

We can't have galloping full backs providing 10 assists each this season as we would get murdered and have been by the counter attack/pace

[pingwing]

It's been moderated a bit, sort of the complete opposite to what Rodgers has done with Liverpool. He's so annoyed at Downing being useless going forward and Enrique being so complacent at the back he's swapped them over, which is just comical and a bit demoralising for some of the players.

 

For us Punch/Lallana have just been given a bit more offensive work on the wings and expect Clyne/Shaw to overlap less, mainly so we keep our defensive shape more. Clyne still can provide the overlap but when he knows Fonte to his left hasn't got a striker stuck to him (when Ba "was playing it cool and dropping into Shaw" aka being rubbish). Shaw gets basically the same rules but it seems other teams are going "17 year old at the back SIT ON HIM" which was a master stroke from Pards yesterday....

[Saint Garrett]

Shaw is incredibly good in the air for a small lad !

[The9]

Shaw's been playing more defensively than Fox did. Whilst Shaw has been excellent at least part of his success has been not being forward as much as Fox - though he does sometimes provide an overlap, his starting position is therefore more defensive so there's none of the space in behind that was being exploited with Fox. although the last 10 minutes at QPR showed Fox does tend to drift forward a little, as I can't imagine Adkins' instructions at 3-1 up there would have been to push forward...

 

One time Shaw wasn't quite where he could have been was for the Yoshida/Gazzaniga clanger - Fox was ALWAYS an outlet for his centre backs in that kind of scenario, and ironically Shaw was a few yards further forward on that occasion, so Yoshida didn't know he was an option either when he played the backpass or when he lost the ball after Gazzaniga played it back to him. But that's splitting hairs on what's been a start-worthy set of performances from Shaw so far, much better than he was at Stevenage and certainly helping us look more solid (as well as benefitting from us not playing against the top sides).

[Miltonroader07]

Yes, I like Shaw he is growing in stature every game, just need to keep Arsehole Wenger away !!!!

[Baldbarbarian]

we look a lot more sturdy at the back with Shaw at the back instead of Fox, he sticks to his position a lot better. Fox is good going forward but poor defensively.

[Saint_clark]

Clyne has improved a lot in the air this season, he won more headers than he lost yesterday.

[Jez]

I was disappointed that Shaw sat back so much yesterday as I had him as my captain in my online FF team and he only scored six points from keeping a clean sheet. Where were the goals and assists I imagined would be happening FFS?!?

[Saint Garrett]

No doubt itshelped having a consistent defensive unit though.Is that the 3rd game in a row we've started with that team.

 

Good performance vs Swansea should have won but for a **** up between Gazza and Yoshi.

 

Great performance vs QPR.

 

Great performance vs Newcastle and a clean sheet.

 

The players are getting used to each other, Cork is back which is a huge plus for us, as him, Morgan, Fonte all played last season. And Yoshi is settling along with Clyne who has been pretty decent all season IMO and Shaw who has been fantastic.

[Junior Mullet]

Good spot by the opening poster. It's right, they are holding more defensive positions now. It didnt affect our forward play at all though - we had our best front 4 playig ahead of our best two central midfielders. That unit looked so good together it was nice not to confuse matters by allowing the fullbacks to push on all game to provide different options.

 

Thought Clyne in particular helped the CBs out yesterday.

[ant]

Thought that both Shaw and Clyne supported Puncheon/Lallana admirably in terms of offering a rearwards outlet and overlapped well, but it's now being done in a more measured way and doesn't upset the overall balance of the defence.

[Hopkins]

I think it was just the tactical nature of the game yesterday. Newcastle play direct football meaning gaps open up between defence, midfield and attackers allowing defensive knock downs to be picked up and quickly played into our attacking players like Ramirez, Puncheon and Lallana so they could run at the defence. Anita and Tiote were poor at intercepting and stopping that IMO, meaning the defence was exposed. On Wednesday Norwich will be a lot tighter especially between the midfield and defence, meaning our full backs will have to be outlets when attacking so as to either whip in crosses or pull wingers and full backs wider so as to create spaces for our attacking players. Wouldn't be surprised if Fox was back on the bench and came on if things are tight so he can put in deep crosses. Expect Lambert to cause problems with back post headers.

[Window Cleaner]

I think it was just the tactical nature of the game yesterday. Newcastle play direct football meaning gaps open up between defence, midfield and attackers allowing defensive knock downs to be picked up and quickly played into our attacking players like Ramirez, Puncheon and Lallana so they could run at the defence. Anita and Tiote were poor at intercepting and stopping that IMO, meaning the defence was exposed. On Wednesday Norwich will be a lot tighter especially between the midfield and defence, meaning our full backs will have to be outlets when attacking so as to either whip in crosses or pull wingers and full backs wider so as to create spaces for our attacking players. Wouldn't be surprised if Fox was back on the bench and came on if things are tight so he can put in deep crosses. Expect Lambert to cause problems with back post headers.

 

 

to be honest I've never seen why people rave over Tiote, perhaps i haven't seen enough of his play, every time i see him he's

not particulary good at anything apart from putting himself about but with very little end product. Cabaye probably makes him look good.

[Jimmy_D]

Part of what helps Shaw is that he holds his position out left better than Fox.

 

I used to lose count of the number of times Fox had been drawn in to the centre of the pitch and left a great honking gap for their right winger.

 

Shaw holding that position, combined with Lallana helping out much better than he was earlier this season has turned a glass cannon (Fox CAN deliver a good ball) into a solid base we can work from.