Whats the priority now?

[geordieshandy 0]

Bernard?

[Shearergol 0]

Bernard?

74500[/snapback]

 

 

Baron Hughes

[sweetleftpeg 0]

We give the ball away too much because we have a massive lack of options. People scream at Bramble at Boumsong for holding onto the ball or going back to Given but if you look around they have no fucker to pass to. In a way it's one of the reasons I lay off Faye at home, he's about sitting deep and mopping up but because of injuries he's been expected to play football, which is just not the job he does or was asked to do when he came here. Christ, I'm defending Faye!

[U_V 0]

The best defence in the world won't keep a clean sheet if the opposition constantly have the ball in your half, which has happened a lot to us this season. ALL players make mistakes, and the more pressure you put on them, the more mistakes they will make in a game. To be honest, with the lack of attacking play or even posession by the midfield this season I'm surprised at how well the defence has done, especially considering the injuries they've had in an area of the game where its much more important to have a consistent line up week in, week out.

 

Some stats:

Goals againt: 23, 7th best in the league

Goals for: 20, 5th worst in the league

 

It's clear to me where we need to improve. However, far more important than bringing in more playing staff to cover for injuries is to actully start playing with some tactics which make the most of the players we have for a change.

[sammynb 3508]

It would be nice to see the defence work as a unit. Against liverpool and the smoggies, I didn't see the spurs game, in both games the oppositions defence kept pushing up catching our forwards offside and also forcing their midfields higher up the park giving them more attacking options. Against pool at one point we lost the ball just outside their penalty box, next thing you know they are just outside ours because our defence is standing there waiting for the ball!

Against a forward line of crouch and morientes it makes it easy for them because neither have pace but if they are already there then the work is half done for them and they just have to find some space or knock it down to the midfield as it comes through - Gerrard's goal.

Edited January 6, 2006 by sammynb