Watching the game again, I thought this screenshot was interesting. This is right before Sandro takes a shot from about 30 yards out. There's 4 players here that are forward near the Norwich offside line. From left to right they are Defoe, Livermore, Sigurdsson, and Bale. Defoe and Livermore strike me as being in poor positions, Sig and Bale are in very good positions. Sigurdsson especially is in yards of space. Right before Sandro takes the shot, Sigurdsson turns his head and looks at Bale then puts his hand up to ask for the ball from Sandro. What should happen here is the possibility that Sigurdsson can see, which is that he recieves the ball from Sandro and plays a through pass between the Norwich center back and left back, while Bale breaks the offside trap. Of course it didn't happen because we were impatient and in shoot on site mode, but I'm sure when our players get to know each other better these things will come. At least there is some sign of intelligence in our team although IMO Defoe will rarely get himself into good positions which is the case here.
I agree with the move suggested and it's possibility, but positionally we were good especially JD & JL, only concern is that Kung Fu never saw the pass!
Sorry for the crappy Paint graphics, but here's basically what happens if Barcelona are in the above position. Blue lines = runs, Black lines = passes.
I agree, it's a good set up for attack. I'd like to think that in the future this image would have Dembele on the ball instead of Sandro in this position. A nice lofted ball over the right full back on to a marauding Bale and a nice low cross along the box with Adebayor running off across the CB and Dempsey following up at back post would do a trick.
Really liked the way Dembele hated himself for slightly misplacing his pass to Defoe. He clucchef his head like 'shit not good enough', then had the fire to want that ball back, place it in the net lime 'yes the fuck I am'
I picked up on that too, shows that he knows this is a big step up for him and wants to rise to the challenge. I don't feel that they are underwhelming signings though. Dembele is a player on the up and although Dempsey won't improve he doesn't need to, he's been quality for the past few years.
Sorry for the crappy Paint graphics, but here's basically what happens if Barcelona are in the above position. Blue lines = runs, Black lines = passes.
Just hope AVB gets his 1st win soon, otherwise the pressures gonna mount on him from the media, and idiot fans calling into shows like Talksport already.
What is concerning, is that he seems to prefer Livermore to Sandro, as thats who he tends to make a sub for.
Good post but I disagree on your opinion of bad positioning, thought rather than just disagree, thought discuss!
I can't see clearly as on phone, however can see Defoe is occupying the space between fullback and central defender (Good positioning) keeping the RB and CB close together nullifying threat. Livermore (2nd) occupancy in between the CB also keeps them together, closer. This then allows the right of our team space for receiving passes and movement. What I'm saying is is that sometimes the position held is not to recieve the ball but to move the opponent out of position, to allow the opposing flank room. What JD is doing is important to the team. I was actually quite imoressed with the positioning of all the players on screen, it shows intelligent coached football.
I agree with the move suggested and it's possibility, but positionally we were good especially JD & JL, only concern is that Kung Fu never saw the pass!
I agree that in general they are in good positions, the problem is that in the video JD puts his arm up asking Sandro to pass it to him in the position he is in, which would not be a good move. You can see his arm coming back down as he realizes Sandro is shooting but he shouldn't be asking to receive the ball in the position that he's in, and I'm not sure if it's in his mind to make the run I indicated in the diagram.
Livermore just seems to be in an odd position for a defensive midfielder, but true an equally valid move would be for Sandro to pass to Livermore who could easily put Defoe or Gylfi through from that position. Looking at it though Livermore seems to be clued on to what the other two are thinking. You sort of have to watch it over and over to see who understands the dynamics of the situation, it seems like Gylfi, Jake, and Bale are clued in to it, and you can definitely tell that JD doesn't know what the others are thinking in this situation.