The importance of the first goal, greater than ever?

[johnjoeefc]

Just looking at all of our fixtures this season, thats some 22 games. Theres only 1 game where the first goal hasnt decided the match and that was the Palace extremely late comeback. That Palace game you could argue was lucky as well because they had plenty of chances to win and then maybe tired because of playing in Eastern Europe 3 days before the match.

Is it actually becoming an issue that after going ahead in a match that its too easy to hold onto a lead particularly after the increase in allowed subs. As soon as we conceded to Brentford you kind of knew the chances of a comeback were minimal and the stats backed it up. The opposite could be said of when we scored first at Forest that you didnt fancy they would come back.

Is it time for the rule makers to look at ways of evolving this as it cant be good for the game that teams are becoming so good at defending leads that one goal so often decides a match.

You see them statistics come up at the bottom and it seems to be for most teams now too. After scoring first have won last 14 out of 15 etc. Surely as a spectacle the game would be better if the first goal wasnt so important.

Its almost becoming a feeling of dread now when you concede first rather than in the early 2000's you would feel slightly annoyed but fully believe you could turn it around.

 

[dannyboy]

We are really poor at chasing games. It doesn't suit our players at all. Keane and Tarkowski are vulnerable on the half way line and our full backs provide nothing to make the difference when we overload in attack.

In fact, the full backs would be better off standing on the half way line because they just end up being caught out of position and there's no advantage to them being anywhere outside of our own half.

 

[Furey1878]

It was the same under Dyche, we lack quality and agree with the above that without good full backs and an unwillingness from Moyes to shake it up, it will continue for the rest of the season.

 

[RomanReigns]

Just looking at all of our fixtures this season, thats some 22 games. Theres only 1 game where the first goal hasnt decided the match and that was the Palace extremely late comeback. That Palace game you could argue was lucky as well because they had plenty of chances to win and then maybe tired because of playing in Eastern Europe 3 days before the match.

Is it actually becoming an issue that after going ahead in a match that its too easy to hold onto a lead particularly after the increase in allowed subs. As soon as we conceded to Brentford you kind of knew the chances of a comeback were minimal and the stats backed it up. The opposite could be said of when we scored first at Forest that you didnt fancy they would come back.

Is it time for the rule makers to look at ways of evolving this as it cant be good for the game that teams are becoming so good at defending leads that one goal so often decides a match.

You see them statistics come up at the bottom and it seems to be for most teams now too. After scoring first have won last 14 out of 15 etc. Surely as a spectacle the game would be better if the first goal wasnt so important.

Its almost becoming a feeling of dread now when you concede first rather than in the early 2000's you would feel slightly annoyed but fully believe you could turn it around.

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[Papa Shango]

We are really poor at chasing games. It doesn't suit our players at all. Keane and Tarkowski are vulnerable on the half way line and our full backs provide nothing to make the difference when we overload in attack.

In fact, the full backs would be better off standing on the half way line because they just end up being caught out of position and there's no advantage to them being anywhere outside of our own half.

It's been that way for years for some reason.

You know when we are leading in a game and the opponent makes some changes and starts going all out to equalize and we crap ourselves and starting digging in defensively?

Why does that not happen the other way around? Any time we are losing we still seem to be under the cosh regardless. It never feels like we are chasing a game.

 

[dannyboy]

It's been that way for years for some reason.

You know when we are leading in a game and the opponent makes some changes and starts going all out to equalize and we crap ourselves and starting digging in defensively?

Why does that not happen the other way around? Any time we are losing we still seem to be under the cosh regardless. It never feels like we are chasing a game.

As I said, the full backs play a big part in that. We just can't get the overloads other teams can because we've got two players there who are useless on the ball. Even when we're throwing caution to the wind it's still Grealish and Ndiaye trying to do it by themselves.

 

[Raino85]

Just looking at all of our fixtures this season, thats some 22 games. Theres only 1 game where the first goal hasnt decided the match and that was the Palace extremely late comeback. That Palace game you could argue was lucky as well because they had plenty of chances to win and then maybe tired because of playing in Eastern Europe 3 days before the match.

Is it actually becoming an issue that after going ahead in a match that its too easy to hold onto a lead particularly after the increase in allowed subs. As soon as we conceded to Brentford you kind of knew the chances of a comeback were minimal and the stats backed it up. The opposite could be said of when we scored first at Forest that you didnt fancy they would come back.

Is it time for the rule makers to look at ways of evolving this as it cant be good for the game that teams are becoming so good at defending leads that one goal so often decides a match.

You see them statistics come up at the bottom and it seems to be for most teams now too. After scoring first have won last 14 out of 15 etc. Surely as a spectacle the game would be better if the first goal wasnt so important.

Its almost becoming a feeling of dread now when you concede first rather than in the early 2000's you would feel slightly annoyed but fully believe you could turn it around.

Is it a problem in the league?
Or just a problem for us?

We don't score enough goals or look like scoring enough goals, so the team, fans (and manager yesterday) panic.
The idea of having to get 2 goals in a half against a well organised side is daunting, that desperation sets in the second the goal goes in.

The lack of goals i feel, still 100% comes down to the full backs not actually being footballers

 

[Frosty1878]

If you have the fire power and all round quality you can get away with it. We don’t if we go behind I worry where the goals are going to come from. Luckily 8 different players have chipped in with goals and only 5 teams have conceded less than us. Digne on 3 assists how we let him go and ended up with Mykolenko is ridiculous even DCL on 8 goals Everton that we have no luck at all seriously.

 

[James Patrick]

I think the better you are the more chance you have of winning from a losing position and the reverse is also true.

 

[TheBigIguana]

When you’re a terrible attacking side yes it is very important

 

[Shibbywiggles]

We are really poor at chasing games. It doesn't suit our players at all. Keane and Tarkowski are vulnerable on the half way line and our full backs provide nothing to make the difference when we overload in attack.

In fact, the full backs would be better off standing on the half way line because they just end up being caught out of position and there's no advantage to them being anywhere outside of our own half.

One day we’ll be able to line up with Branthwaite and O’Brien as centre backs and suddenly the high line at home isn’t so terrifying

Right now in games we’re at home and expected to take the game to the opposition we’re awful but games like Forest where we need to soak up and pinch goals on counters were a good team because Keane and Tarkowski are decent at defending deep

 

[MACCA75]

In the last round of Prem fixtures, 5 teams that scored first won the match, 5 didn’t.

I’ve never heard anyone ever consider it an issue.

 

[Curtis]

Typically if we're not on the verge of scoring a goal which has been numerous games , we appear to be in a daze and there's no urgency until we concede, then we over stretch ourselves and the opposition sucker punches on the counter has happened so many times.

 

[Gwladys St. Glory]

The importance of any goal...nevermind the first. As they say, these guys couldn't score in a brothel.

 

[James Patrick]

In the last round of Prem fixtures, 5 teams that scored first won the match, 5 didn’t.

I’ve never heard anyone ever consider it an issue.

In a single weekend you might find an outlier but if I'm not mistaken stats will show if you concede first you're unlikely to win.