4/5 Goals now down our left from open play

[Spurs1960]

Earlier in the season with Bale tucked in our left back overlapped and got forward as an attacking threat. That happens less now since AVB tweaked Bale's role.

The goals we have conceded from open play since Bale has been moved back wider and further forward as more of an attacking threat, have all but 1 has come down our left hand side.

Man Utd cross from our left headed home
Reading central free kick headed home
Sunderland free kick on the right headed home
Everton cross from our left headed home
Everton cross from our left headed on shot home
Panathinaikos cross from our right headed home
Liverpool own goal clearing a corner
West Ham cross from the left headed home

Risk v Reward
Obviously our left backs have greater defensive responsibility now and will be exposed more but the rewards Bale offers has seen the move pay off handsomely.

 

[Mullers]

What about the right side?

 

[OmarsComing]

He plays on the left, he plays on the right

Our boy bale, makes your team look shite

 

[Pete Spur]

Not to worry Benni is back.

 

[Col_M]

id be interested to see how many headers we won-lost

 

[walton]

He plays on the left, he plays on the right

Our boy bale, makes your team look shite

(unless you double up on him, or unless one of your midfielders covers, or unless he's off his game). Sorry, I ruined the song

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Man Utd cross from our left headed home

Does that count? Given that a lot of people are blaming our RB for it.........

 

[padgateyids]

More goals have been conceded by faults of walker. Letting the ball come over his head or poor positoning or ball watching or combination of these.
He really needs some individual time on the training ground to correct this. He struggles with that diagnoal that comes over.

 

[Spurs1960]

Does that count? Given that a lot of people are blaming our RB for it.........

Yes, but I'm not knocking our left backs here, just showing how teams attack the space behind Bale now. Lennon does more tracking back than Bale now. If you think back to the Everton game, they kept playing cross field balls to their right, our left to attack us there.

More goals have been conceded by faults of walker. Letting the ball come over his head or poor positoning or ball watching or combination of these.
He really needs some individual time on the training ground to correct this. He struggles with that diagnoal that comes over.

I credit RVP with good movement, drifting away at the back post. It is understandable that Walker is going to have more to do in the air if more crosses are coming from the left so he may be unfairly critisised.

It will be interesting to see how Benny handles it. He had a hand in our goal of course.