We need defenders who are focused and aware of what's around them and full backs who need to stop back pedalling and start cutting out those crosses that are killing us in so many games. Oh, and it would also be good if VdH and CCV would stop doing their impressions of deeply rooted trees when the ball is in our box.
Exactly. I have to repeat it:
1. Focus and awareness of what's around you ---> with other words being intelligent and reading the game properly. If you can't focus for 90 minutes a week, which is by the way your (higly paid) job, then better do something else.
2. Full-backs back pedalling all the way to our penalty box (and I hate this so much !!!) where they can't tackle without a risk of giving a penalty away ---> instead they have to press and tackle opposition attackers outside the box. We don't block as many crosses as we could.
3. Our defenders (mostly centre-backs) have to be more mobile and pro-active when the ball is inside the box ---> they have to be better at reading the game. FFS football is not so complicated, there are certain patterns opposition attackers use when they attack and our defenders should be able to anticipate these patterns. When you concede same type of goals game in game out, then something must be wrong with your IQ.
Saying all that, the most important thing is that we recover the ball as quickly as possible when we lose possession. That's the one last important thing we lack in our style of play. If we want to be Manchester City of the Championship we have to be better at high pressing for 90 minutes. Barcelona, Manchester City and Liverpool don't play pretty football only, they run and work more than other teams.They are also aggressive in their approach, they tackle and foul.
