Passers and Runners

[danielneeds]

Watching Basel last night got me thinking about our squad and the balance in attacking areas. They had such a nice balance in their line-up, and it helped them out-play us in both legs.

It's such a simple blend too, have some players who can get on the ball and have some vision to pass it, and have some quick players to run off the ball and create options.

Looking at our attacking 6 players last night and there was no blend. Alot of players coming towards the ball, and not enough happening off the ball.

Alot of that has to do with the facty that we don't have a balanced squad currently, and don't have players have any deputies who looke comfortable in wide areas when Lennon is out and now that Bale has moved to a free role.

Sigurdsson looks like a tortured soul playing on the left, and the frustration was clear on his face at times during the match. Dempsey still looks ill at ease playing in most positions we have tried him, and Holtby needs to find his role in this team and the EPL.

The top sides like Barca, Real and Bayern can afford to have multi-faceted attackers who can do everything, but that is probably beyond our budget, Bale aside. What we need to do is re-balance the attack, sign more players that are fast and look to provide options for Dembele, Sandro, Parker, and Bale in the hole.

Of course, a new striker who can physically occupy two centre backs, whether through strength or movement, would help greatly too.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

We only 3 or 4 players with any real pace. Two of these were missing, the other is our full back and final one, Dembele had a mare

 

[DEFchenkOE]

This has been a problem for a number of years now and I'm amazed that we haven't addressed this. If there's one thing you need it's pace in wide areas, or people that can at least run with the ball when needed. If we had just one player with pace last night we would have been able to create more chances on the counter.

They don't even have to be lightening quick but just a little acceleration to scare the defence like Ade did yesterday when he should have passed.

To take Arsenal as an example, they have:

Walcott
Ox
Gervinho
Poldoski

None of those guys are amazing footballers but they have enough pace to worry the opposition

 

[Babylon22]

We only have 2 wingers in the squad and loaned the 3rd one out. Not very clever, when our game is based on quick wingers.

 

[tobi]

Pace isn't everything and the players don't help themselves, they are too static, they don't try and look for space and don't make enough runs off the ball.

 

[Booney]

We only have 2 wingers in the squad and loaned the 3rd one out. Not very clever, when our game is based on quick wingers.

Of all the bewildering things we have done over recent transfer windows, I still maintain that loaning out Townsend ranks as one of the most bewildering. It's hardly as if Lennon and Bale have exemplary fitness records is it?

 

[double0]

What is very clear to me is we need more PACE in the team. Pace is an absolute essential I can't stress enough the importance of this natural ability. Our future buys should have a level of pace otherwise forget it... along with of course technique and fitness.


PACE PACE PACE PACE PACE PACE

 

[DEFchenkOE]

Pace isn't everything and the players don't help themselves, they are too static, they don't try and look for space and don't make enough runs off the ball.

Of course it's not everything but do you think we can ever hurt a team on the counter with Ade, Dempsey and Gylfi up top? Basle were vulnerable yesterday but we couldn't counter in Et except once when Ade should have squared it.

 

[tobi]

Of course it's not everything but do you think we can ever hurt a team on the counter with Ade, Dempsey and Gylfi up top? Basle were vulnerable yesterday but we couldn't counter in Et except once when Ade should have squared it.

No but during possession all of the above kicks in.

The sooner we become a possession team and stop relying on the counter attack (and wingers) the better.

 

[Grey Fox]

Its not just pace its about intellegence as well. I lost count last night of brain fart decisions e.g. wrong passes or not passing. Movement and finding space are also essential and some times especially our front three are completley static, whcih is probably the reason Scotty does so many turning circles, he is trying to find someone unmarked.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

No but during possession all of the above kicks in.

The sooner we become a possession team and stop relying on the counter attack (and wingers) the better.

Agree we need a blend and as I said they don't need to be sprinters but at least have enough pace to carry the ball a bit and beat a man or 2 now and then.

Our movement is static when on the ball, only great coaching or new players can fix that tho.

 

[Locotoro]

Regarding yesterdays match I had hoped after seeing the team sheet that both Walker and Naughton would get up the line and provide some semblance of width. Unfortunately, and despite a courageous defensive display from Walker, the two full backs didnt provide the man up the line option and we were left in a situation where we were playing the ball around in front of the opposition with no real intention to get into the box.

The few times we put the ball into the box we caused them problems but we just didnt do it enough. Siggurdson kept trying to do what Naughton should have done, that being beat the man on the out side.

We had the runners and we had passers yesterday the problem was that the runners were passing and the passers were running

 

[tobi]

Agree we need a blend and as I said they don't need to be sprinters but at least have enough pace to carry the ball a bit and beat a man or 2 now and then.

Our movement is static when on the ball, only great coaching or new players can fix that tho.

Two or three new players with one being a pass first player.

Thor had good movement at Swansea but he rarely plays in the middle for us, Holtby found pockets well at Schalke and is used to playing with a consistent striker and others that move well. Bale and Lennon blow hot and cold and Dempsey doesn't really fit in.

Defoe isn't going to change and Adebayor suffers from poor movement too.