Conceding from set pieces

RFUS · November 25, 2012

hktoffee said:
The average height of our backline is too low. In general, our midfielders are all midgets except Fellaini. These facts do not help.

The average height of the team is too low. At least if you're going to attempt aerial bombardments on big defences like yesterday.

Yesterday our only outfield player taller than six foot was Jelavic, who was isolated and supported by Naismith, Oviedo and Pienaar, who are all about 5'7-5'9. That was just baffling.

It doesn't help at set pieces too but our problem in my opinion there isn't so much height -- it's the fact that we're disorganised. We're defending like a pack of absolute f*ckwits, and f*ckwits be they 5 foot tall or 7 foot tall, are still f*ckwits.

hktoffee · November 25, 2012

steken1 said:
People are talking about how open we are but a lot of goals we concede are from set pieces. Cahill was very good defensively in this area and someone else needs to step up.

For me this makes the case for Shane Duffy to start. He can't be much worse than the other two clowns in open play and he's seriously dominant in the air at both ends of the pitch.

It has to be Jagielka who he plays with at this point but if that doesn't work then maybe we need to be looking at building a new backline, this one doesn't work.

I also think Cahill helped a lot when we defended CKs and FKs. He "attacked" the ball and we rarely conceded those goals when he was here. Yes, he wasn't as good as before but he is handy when we defended CKs and FKs. I wouldn't say no if he comes back on loan (as sub who helps us to hold on the lead).

hktoffee · November 25, 2012

RadioFriendlyUnitShifter said:
The average height of the team is too low. At least if you're going to attempt aerial bombardments on big defences like yesterday.

Yesterday our only outfield player taller than six foot was Jelavic, who was isolated and supported by Naismith, Oviedo and Pienaar, who are all about 5'7-5'9. That was just baffling.

It doesn't help at set pieces too but our problem in my opinion there isn't so much height -- it's the fact that we're disorganised. We're defending like a pack of absolute f*ckwits, and f*ckwits be they 5 foot tall or 7 foot tall, are still f*ckwits.

Exactly. That's why Duffy should have been bought on. I am still fuming right now. We throw away 7 points, yes 7.

RFUS · November 25, 2012

hktoffee said:
Exactly. That's why Duffy should have been bought on. I am still fuming right now. We throw away 7 points, yes 7.

Vellios too. He's 6'3 and very good in the air. Fair enough if we were playing a strictly passing game, but we kept hoofing it long.

At one point I even saw Distin take a free kick that was delivered into the box... Truly baffling stuff.

hktoffee · November 25, 2012

RadioFriendlyUnitShifter said:
Vellios too. He's 6'3 and very good in the air. Fair enough if we were playing a strictly passing game, but we kept hoofing it long.

At one point I even saw Distin take a free kick that was delivered into the box... Truly baffling stuff.

When we are playing teams like Stoke, Norwich and Newcastle etc, we need to play our tall players. These teams use their tall physical players to bombard us and thus, we concede from CKs and FKs.