Do we have a problem breaking teams down?

[Seamus Colemole]

Agreed mate. With the Cahill thing we need to look at it, obviously there is a space for him as he's on the whole ace and scores loads of important goals. I mentioned yesterday that he's not what we need when we have the opposition camped in their own half though, then we could do with the extra forward to make the space or provide another option.

On the tougher games then he's suited to them, but he needs to adapt to our system not us to him.

* This isn't a Cahill thread out, he's still my bestest x

Yeah, before anyone (DAMON) pops up with a witty joke about *Cahill out*, its not that kind of post.

Basically it was just asking a question and waiting till ToxtethBlue can give a superb answer cause you know he will.

Maybe Moyes has tried something different in training without Cahill and we sucked big time at it? Doubt it but you never know.

 

[chicoazul]

Toxteth makes me understand tactics and stuff, he's great at that.

 

[a9blue]

Its not a compliment at all, its a damning indictement pointing to the fact that we dont have it in us to score from outside the box. Sit deep and you wont concede against Everton.

 

[kenada_blue]

If we are going to play in this style should Cahill be replaced with a more technical gifted player with more ability and vision on the ball?

How many assists does he provide the team? Not many i would guess compared to other attacking players.

Of course we know what he brings to the table, and sure you can say he is our top goalscorer this season so to take him out of the team is madness.

But would other players be struggling for goals as much if we had a more suitable player to our current style than Tim?

Take Billy for instance. (I wish someone would I hear you cry) but he undoubtedly has great ability with ball at his feet and can pick out a good pass, many people on here have said he should get a go at playing central behind the striker, in other words Cahill's position. Would he of been able to find those killer passes or long range shots which made the goals we needed to turn our possession and dominance into goals?

Is he our worst midfield player when it comes to a smooth passing game? Or is what he lacks in that department made up for by what else he brings to the team?

Said this at the start of the season.

Cahill is just...well, Cahill. A unique player with unique attributes. But if we are gonna be picky he's probably our worst midfielder technically. He's a fighter but not a great tackler. A massive goal threat but never really a creator. A good hold up/target player but not a great passer.

I think it's why him and yak work so well as yak holds and brings Cahill into play while also being an unselfish striker. But if were playing more passing football, more channel and wing play, being direct and relaying on set pieces isn't working so things need tweaking. Add to the fact our set pieces are 99% terrible takes away from cahills game.

Not bashing him at all, but I think and I've always said that moyes needs to read the games better and utilise his squad. If that means subbing arteta or Cahill mid way through a game because they're not working, then he should do it. But moyes won't, he'll wait till said players do something out of nothing. But the point is that most top teams and their managers don't think twice about subbing a Rooney or a drogba if it's not working.

Food for thought

 

[Allezfan]

Its not a compliment at all, its a damning indictement pointing to the fact that we dont have it in us to score from outside the box. Sit deep and you wont concede against Everton.

Are you honestly arguing that we're getting so much possesion because teams like Liverpool and Spurs are happy to let us have the ball and not try to win it back? Our goal scoring record is unacceptable for the amount of the ball we have but lets not pretend that our midfield domination is just happening because our opponents aren't trying to tackle us out side the box.

 

[EFC NY]

Are you honestly arguing that we're getting so much possesion because teams like Liverpool and Spurs are happy to let us have the ball and not try to win it back? Our goal scoring record is unacceptable for the amount of the ball we have but lets not pretend that our midfield domination is just happening because our opponents aren't trying to tackle us out side the box.

You are correct in that teams are not simply conceding possession to us. However, football is a game of give and take, and it is certainly true that while teams are genuinely trying to win midfield possession verses us, they are not overly concerned if they don't, and most certainly are not overcompensating in order to do so. Teams are not going to game plan to stop our midfield possession so long as we continue to be toothless with it.

 

[HirsuteBlue]

Epic slowness in midfield because of fancy 360 degree turns are partly to blame. Passing behind players runs is another issue. And confidence is the remainder.