Being more direct is the way to go?

[davek]

Supposed facts*, but why change the habit of a life time? JagiDistin remember. Osman and Ferguson plotters, players trying to oust the manager by not giving your 100%, gutless midfield going backwards...etc....etc.....etc....

Well, you're at liberty to bring your own to contradict my figures. If not, then you dont have any grounds to deny them.

 

[ilikecheese]

I read a study a while back that said if we score more goals than our opponent we will win more games.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

It looks to me like the form of key players in the defence has dropped off as the season has progressed and they haven't been able to capture it again, either due to confidence or niggling injuries, and we haven't been able to maintain the tempo of the defensive third passing game that brought us some decent result up until the end of November.

In other words: it's as many of us suggested - the system is not the issue, player form is.

The simple obvious solution when you're defensive unit is out of form, but they have to play because of injuries is to not having them try to pass it around at the back under heavier pressure from attackers than they are used to.

Right?

Thats not hoofball, thats doing the best with the players you have.

Hence why its a bot of both : players and system.

Not that i think it is simple as being just players out of form. If they're out of form you need to ask if there is a reason. And players as slow and uncomfortable playing a passing game like Distin, Jagielka, Howard and Barry are more likely to play badly, make mistakes and appear out of form when doing so under huge pressure that teams have been putting them under since Spurs showed you can win the ball back from them if you take a risk and press high.

If every team sat back those players would have been said to be in better form.

 

[davek]

If you keep telling yourself,it will become true

Truth is we've struggle all season and towards the back end of last season,I know you don't want to accept it's down to tactics but the facts speak for themselves but I do accept injurys have not helped and poor results have then effected form and confidence

I think it's fair to say we could have a better mix of tactics, but overwhelmingly these figures suggest to me an early season ability to carry out one way of playing that can become a bit of a problem if enough of our players aren't all on song.

 

[L4Everton]

If the opposition sit back and let you play passes in the defensive third, and you have players who can cope with doing that, especially when under pressure then thats how you play.

But from Spurs away onwards showed that if you press high and quick that several of our defensive players aren't up to playing their way out under pressure very well.

Other teams realised that, certain players of ours couldn't cope with the added pressure (both in terms of oppositon pressing and emotional pressure of not being disposessed), hence we weren't doing as well trying to play the same way as we were previous.

It's common sense really. And instead of persisting with us playing the same tactics when the opposition had changed theirs, we needed to change ours.

And if teams are pressing us high and we can't play out, we need to get the ball up the pitch quicker to leave them out of position. Plus, that suits several of our attacking players who like having space to run into with the ball.

It's not all about long ball or short ball, defensive thrid or final third.

It's about playing the best way with the players you have, taking into account how the opposition play and finding the best balance.

This post didn't go over everyones heads. Bravo.

 

[bourneblue]

It's ok to make defensive passes, but when the opportunity arises to break with pace then we must take it. Today we done that and got our just rewards.

 

[vagant59]

That's true, but as a rule of thumb it does place a question mark at least over the current dominant theory that we're 'titting about with it at the back too much'.

If we are a goal to the good, then we are likely to slow the game down and pass it about in defence to deprive the opposition of possession.

 

[Deggo]

I think it's fair to say we could have a better mix of tactics, but overwhelmingly these figures suggest to me an early season ability to carry out one way of playing that can become a bit of a problem if enough of our players aren't all on song.

That will do for me mate

 

[L4Everton]

The simple obvious solution when you're defensive unit is out of form, but they have to play because of injuries is to not having them try to pass it around at the back under heavier pressure from attackers than they are used to.

Right?

Thats not hoofball, thats doing the best with the players you have.

Hence why its a bot of both : players and system.

Not that i think it is simple as being just players out of form. If they're out of form you need to ask if there is a reason. And players as slow and uncomfortable playing a passing game like Distin, Jagielka, Howard and Barry are more likely to play badly, make mistakes and appear out of form when doing so under huge pressure that teams have been putting them under since Spurs showed you can win the ball back from them if you take a risk and press high.

If every team sat back those players would have been said to be in better form.

Same message, well said.

 

[davek]

The simple obvious solution when you're defensive unit is out of form, but they have to play because of injuries is to not having them try to pass it around at the back under heavier pressure from attackers than they are used to.

Right?

Thats not hoofball, thats doing the best with the players you have.

Hence why its a bot of both : players and system.

Not that i think it is simple as being just players out of form. If they're out of form you need to ask if there is a reason. And players as slow and uncomfortable playing a passing game like Distin, Jagielka, Howard and Barry are more likely to play badly, make mistakes and appear out of form when doing so under huge pressure that teams have been putting them under since Spurs showed you can win the ball back from them if you take a risk and press high.

If every team sat back those players would have been said to be in better form.

I agree with that and posted similar above.

But we have to err toward player form over system failure as the more likely explanation here, because these players last season carried out the system to perfection.

 

[Deggo]

I read a study a while back that said if we score more goals than our opponent we will win more games.

Can you let Roberto know next time you see him

 

[L4Everton]

Well, you're at liberty to bring your own to contradict my figures. If not, then you dont have any grounds to deny them.

Erm, ok then your majesty. That piped me all the way down.

On a related note, how many geniuses does it take to question any statistics anywhere?

 

[davek]

If we are a goal to the good, then we are likely to slow the game down and pass it about in defence to deprive the opposition of possession.

The stereotype though is that we do this at all times of the game...apart from maybe last 10 if we're chasing it...and even then the players have been getting howled at for not getting it downfield quick enough.

 

[Deggo]

I agree with that and posted similar above.

But we have to err toward player form over system failure as the more likely explanation here, because these players last season carried out the system to perfection.

They did to an extent,if I remember rightly it took a good while for them to actually pick it up properly,in the mean time we still had a lot of backs to the wall games and came out winner ie United away

 

[davek]

Erm, ok then your majesty. That piped me all the way down.

On a related note, how many geniuses does it take to question any statistics anywhere?

I'm not piping you down, I'm asking you to do the leg work of researching the basis for your view so you can dismiss mine with a lot more authority than "dats **** dat lad, you're always lying and deflectin' and stuff"