Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Typical … 1-1
Plymouth Argyle
- Thread starter CroJack
- Start date
The Blobster
Prediction Champ
Same old story !
That's always a danger when we pussyfoot around with possession. Martin HAS to realise that we MUST move the ball quicker and be more dynamic and explosive in and around the opposing penalty area. That equaliser was so redolent of what happened last season with many points thrown away.
The Blobster
Prediction Champ
Thank you CroJack, informative and concise!
KVetch
Key Player
That's troubling but I'm not going to expect much from this friendly. Opposing sides are going to attack our wing play and fullbacks this season.
CroJack
Key Player
Yes.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Note ... after a buzzilion passes ... it was a cross from Fulton that resulted in the chance for Piroe to score. We cross, we score! Was true last year, it's true today. We seldom cross when we can.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
And the verdict is ... "good signs, but a lot for us to keep working on" .... no 
. How about being more direct in the final third. How about putting real pressure on a defense by actually putting the ball into a place where it can do some real damage. How about crossing more than once in 45 minutes.
Disappointed not to see Benda on the bench at least.
Disappointed that we could only muster one goal. Forget the last 15 minutes - we were all over the place in terms of players and positions thx to incoherent substitutions. But, in the first half ... 1 goal, seriously, did we have any other shots on target. 1 goal from a chip into the box by Fulton ... he must have got bored passing it around ... and look what happened. Will we learn from that little lesson ... it's not like we haven't been taught that lesson before multiple times.
. How about being more direct in the final third. How about putting real pressure on a defense by actually putting the ball into a place where it can do some real damage. How about crossing more than once in 45 minutes.Disappointed not to see Benda on the bench at least.
Disappointed that we could only muster one goal. Forget the last 15 minutes - we were all over the place in terms of players and positions thx to incoherent substitutions. But, in the first half ... 1 goal, seriously, did we have any other shots on target. 1 goal from a chip into the box by Fulton ... he must have got bored passing it around ... and look what happened. Will we learn from that little lesson ... it's not like we haven't been taught that lesson before multiple times.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Let's get back to crossing.
What's the point of retaining possession? There are a few in no particular order: a) denying the opposition a chance to be an offensive threat; b) getting the ball into danger zones around the opposition's goal; c) waste time WTF; d) et al.
Let's focus on getting the ball into a danger zone around the opposition's goal. We did that via Fulton on Piroe's goal. But, frankly, we had other opportunities to deliver the ball into a dangerous zone, but we declined and chose to recycle. What's the point of that??? If we didn't have anybody attacking the dangerous zones in the box ... then OK, recycle. But we typically have Obafemi, Piroe and more recently Lati as RWB coming in as well. We don't have any excuse not to attack the danger zones with the ball and the player ... unless we don't have a plan to attack the danger zones, perhaps no plan at all other than to not give away the ball.
Think of it like a dynamic free-kick situation. Players are in motion (or should be). The zones are the zones (can there really be any mystery). Just put your foot through the ball and put it in there. Give magic a chance to happen. We're playing like we have no clue.
What's the point of retaining possession? There are a few in no particular order: a) denying the opposition a chance to be an offensive threat; b) getting the ball into danger zones around the opposition's goal; c) waste time WTF; d) et al.
Let's focus on getting the ball into a danger zone around the opposition's goal. We did that via Fulton on Piroe's goal. But, frankly, we had other opportunities to deliver the ball into a dangerous zone, but we declined and chose to recycle. What's the point of that??? If we didn't have anybody attacking the dangerous zones in the box ... then OK, recycle. But we typically have Obafemi, Piroe and more recently Lati as RWB coming in as well. We don't have any excuse not to attack the danger zones with the ball and the player ... unless we don't have a plan to attack the danger zones, perhaps no plan at all other than to not give away the ball.
Think of it like a dynamic free-kick situation. Players are in motion (or should be). The zones are the zones (can there really be any mystery). Just put your foot through the ball and put it in there. Give magic a chance to happen. We're playing like we have no clue.
We keep over-playing as if to score the perfect footballing goal. Yes it's very satisfying to play through a defence before setting up a chance but you don't always have to play THROUGH a defence when sometimes the smart option is to go OVER the defence with a good cross. Crossing the ball into a dangerous area should be second nature to a professional footballer but it's surprising how many of them are little better than parks' standard at doing it even when they have the time and space.
Time and again we see the ball either failing to clear the first man (often at corners as well) or being ballooned behind the goal. The number of crosses are many and varied - the ball can be pulled back; fired across the face of the goal; played near post or chipped to the far post and there are multiple options in terms of the pace and angle that can be used.
At the end of the day, we have to get the ball into dangerous areas of the opposing box with bodies in there to either strike at goal or take advantage of mistakes that this pressure brings - Piroe's goal was a classic example of this when he gobbled up a fluffed pressured clearance. And then, of course, we always have the option of threatening a cross but deciding to play our way into the box instead and create that way. Just vary it to keep defences guessing but, whatever is done, has to be done properly and professionally.
Time and again we see the ball either failing to clear the first man (often at corners as well) or being ballooned behind the goal. The number of crosses are many and varied - the ball can be pulled back; fired across the face of the goal; played near post or chipped to the far post and there are multiple options in terms of the pace and angle that can be used.
At the end of the day, we have to get the ball into dangerous areas of the opposing box with bodies in there to either strike at goal or take advantage of mistakes that this pressure brings - Piroe's goal was a classic example of this when he gobbled up a fluffed pressured clearance. And then, of course, we always have the option of threatening a cross but deciding to play our way into the box instead and create that way. Just vary it to keep defences guessing but, whatever is done, has to be done properly and professionally.