Showing for the ball...

[Saint Garrett]

Under Nigel, when we had the ball, there was always 3 or 4 players always showing for the ball.

 

Today we were essentially playing 4 up front with 2 in the midfield. Those 4 players were all so static, and the lack of movement was staggering, also these players all seemed so far away from the ball.

 

Just something I noticed today, that the man with the ball only seemed to have 1 option, if that. Attacking wise we were disappointing today I thought.

[The Kraken]

I feel its been this way for most of the season and some of the last matches of last season too.

[Nigel=God-Poyet=Sod]

Under Nigel, when we had the ball, there was always 3 or 4 players always showing for the ball.

 

Today we were essentially playing 4 up front with 2 in the midfield. Those 4 players were all so static, and the lack of movement was staggering, also these players all seemed so far away from the ball.

 

Just something I noticed today, that the man with the ball only seemed to have 1 option, if that. Attacking wise we were disappointing today I thought.

 

Osvaldo played well I thought and was looking for the ball all the time. He also played some nice passes but our first touch was shocking today. He would have been frustrated today.

[Saint Garrett]

Osvaldo played well I thought and was looking for the ball all the time. He also played some nice passes but our first touch was shocking today. He would have been frustrated today.

 

He looked frustrated, quite a few times he just stood there hands on hips. That ball through behind his other leg was class, shame noone read it !

[ant]

This has been the most evident aspect of our league games so far this season. As a team we look far more static and press a lot less. Very few drawing runs and less directions to play the ball in, as the OP says. Our positioning is making us harder to break down but has the side effect of decreasing attacking options. There's also a distinct hesitancy that allows opposition players to regroup en masse; when breaking with the ball we've become predictable and unimaginative.

 

With all of that said I do feel we're starting to gel. Further improvement will depend on whether these fallacies are the result of tactics or lack of understanding. It's just a shame that we didn't burst out of the blocks given that the fixture computer gave us a pretty kind start.

[captainchris]

Under Nigel, when we had the ball, there was always 3 or 4 players always showing for the ball.

 

Today we were essentially playing 4 up front with 2 in the midfield. Those 4 players were all so static, and the lack of movement was staggering, also these players all seemed so far away from the ball.

 

Just something I noticed today, that the man with the ball only seemed to have 1 option, if that. Attacking wise we were disappointing today I thought.

Agree, see my post in the post match thread...page 4

Four players essentially out of the game for long periods as they were too far advanced........

If MP can't see this and correct it then this is a concern.

[Saint Garrett]

Is Steven Davis the missing link? Played a lot towards the end of last season, and is good link between midfield and wide man, keeps our play ticking over?

 

Thought Ramirez should have come on with about half hour to go, but on came JWP. Almost feels that MP has been told that 4 academy players must play every game. (Lallana, JWP, Chambers, Shaw)

[kpturner]

Further improvement will depend on whether these fallacies are the result of tactics or lack of understanding.

Fallacies?? Do you mean "failings"?

[DuncanRG]

Absolutely spot on here I think.

 

Part of it is a lack of understanding, which is fair enough. Another strange thing is that Wanyama seems to be doing Cork and Schneiderlin's job on his own while Morgan is a little ahead of him. There have been so many occasions in the last few games where Wanyama has won/received the ball, held off an opponent and turned into space only for nobody to be open for him. If that were Cork, Schneiderlin would have been there and vice versa. Morgan's a forward ball more often than a sideways ball now, which makes him less accessible.

[ant]

Fallacies?? Do you mean "failings"?

 

Yes, sodding swipe/predictive text on my phone comes up with some right nonsense sometimes. Made the mistake of adding 'Guly' to its dictionary and get that every time I try to write 'fully' now.

[kpturner]

Yes, sodding swipe/predictive text on my phone comes up with some right nonsense sometimes. Made the mistake of adding 'Guly' to its dictionary and get that every time I try to write 'fully' now.

 

I once sent my missus a text that was supposed to end with "date" and it came out as "fatty". She still doesn't believe the truth

[Whitey Grandad]

I once sent my missus a text that was supposed to end with "date" and it came out as "fatty". She still doesn't believe the truth

 

To be fair, I don't believe it either.

[Lallana's Left Peg]

I saw plenty of movement but not enough understanding between the players after the first phase of play (for example, the first pass would be ok but then it just broke down). I also thought Wanyama and Schneiderlin were too indecisive with the ball at times.

 

Something isn't clicking and it concerns me.

 

That said, thank goodness for our newfound resoluteness in defence.