Whats happened to the width?

[Tuscans]

There was a stat I think Gary Neville brought up earlier on this season about how the lack of crosses/ goals scored from crosses has plummeted over the last few seasons. Now, I understand the continental way has slowly driven out the classic winger in change of a series of two or three No. 10's playing in the same team for the full back to act more like a wing back...but...seeing we don't have anything like those No.10's in our team let alone the full backs with ability to bomb up and down providing dangerous crosses for the forwards, why has Lambert adopted this strategy?

I believe Bent, Gabby and especially Benteke are crying out for a wing man to stick balls in the 6 yard box. Bent loved having Young and Downing supplying him from out wide, and low and behold he scored 1 in every 2 for us. Instead our narrow diamond midfield keep going side to side, back, and back again desperately seeking a release out wide that just never comes, neither does decent supply to any of our frontmen.

Now my point is Lambert used out and out wingers at Norwich which supplied Grant Holt with chances for him to score 15 goals last season...he buys in Benteke who is a giant of a man and surely his strength is his aerial prowess...so why don't we ever start with Albrighton or N'Zogbia, goals are scored from crosses still...aren't they?

Discuss!

[rutski]

ha, ha, you are the first, you do get a prize! whhooo whhhoo

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

[eastie]

Bent is a finisher and nothing more, he needs wingers to create chances for him- our midfield seems to go backwards and sideways too often and bent is isolated - we need width without doubt but it seems lambert is not keen on wingers.

[PeterWithesShin]

Bent is a finisher and nothing more, he needs wingers to create chances for him- our midfield seems to go backwards and sideways too often and bent is isolated - we need width without doubt but it seems lambert is not keen on wingers.

I'd say it's Benteke that needs the crosses more. Bent can thrive on the intelligent through balls and goal mouth scrambles. Sadly we only seem to have Ireland who can play that kind of through ball.

[curiousorange]

For weeks the commentators on the radio have been banging on how the narrow midfield don't protect Lowton or Bennett. This means they can't get forward because they're always conscious of having to get back. I wouldn't say no to a back 5 when Dunne's fit, just so we can get some bloody width somewhere!

[PaulWinch again]

I said on the match thread, in the system we play the fullbacks have to offer a lot of attacking threat which they aren't at the moment.

[onje_villa]

Completely agree and I think some of us have been making this point for a while.

[ktvillan]

Plenty of people in the post match thread have picked up on the lack of width as a major problem.  Bent in particular is suffering from it as he thrives on crosses.  As I understand it, in Lambert's approach the FBs are supposed to supply the width. It's just not happening.  Whether the Full backs simply aren't up to it, or there is a lack of cover from midfield for them to get forward, I don't know, but he needs to sort it out or try something different.

[Tuscans]

I think its obvious to everyone that all our forwards need good supply as none of them are players who come deep, play off the striker or are in the mould of a DiCanio, Zola, Le Tiss etc. So they rely on accurate slide rule passes and crosses basically, neither of which they receive.

He's played N'Zogbia, he's played Albrighton...their games are based on hugging the touch line and getting balls into the box...Ireland and Holman like to stay inside and rarely put a cross of telling nature in. Lowton with all credit has at times got forward enough but his crossing is hit and hope IMO.

Maybe the game on Tuesday is a chance to mix it up and try playing with two widemen.

My team and formation would be....



                                                          Given

              Lowton               Vlaar                           Baker            Bennett

   
     
                                                       Westwood

              Albrighton                                                                   N'Zogbia

                                                         Ireland

                               
                                     Bent                                  Benteke



Subs. Guzan
          Lichaj
          Clarke
          Holman
          Bannan
          Agbonlahor
          Weimann

See how it goes and make a decision for the Norwich game.

[PeterWithe]

Bannan crossed for four goalscoring chances against Swansea.

[saunders_heroes]

We sold all our decent wingers. Now we're reaping the "benefits". That Lerner's a genius.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

We sold all our decent wingers. Now we're reaping the "benefits". That Lerner's a genius.

Milner and Young both wanted to go. 

[saunders_heroes]

We sold all our decent wingers. Now we're reaping the "benefits". That Lerner's a genius.

Milner and Young both wanted to go. 

Then we should have reinvested the cash and replaced them. A bit like what Tottenham do when they sell their star players. Lerner's new policy is to pack out the team with lower league crap on low wages.
You get what you pay for in life.

[supertom]

We sold all our decent wingers. Now we're reaping the "benefits". That Lerner's a genius.

Milner and Young both wanted to go. 

Then we should have reinvested the cash and replaced them. A bit like what Tottenham do when they sell their star players. Lerner's new policy is to pack out the team with lower league crap on low wages.
You get what you pay for in life.

It's actually Lambert's policy to look to lower leagues. Lerner doesn't choose the players we sign. Granted I don't agree with how's he's dolled out his money since joining, with such naive recklessness to O Neill's wims and now not investing nearly enough on an ever dwindling level of quality in our squad. But I don't blame him for the individuals we've signed. The managers pick them.

We could have signed any number of experienced premier league players for how much we paid for Benteke for example.

We never seem to get the balance right it seems. O Neill spent way too much on established players on big wages and in many case barely played them. They were all well known for whatever strengths and indeed weaknesses they had.
Now it would seem Lambert is going totally the opposite direction and going for young upcoming talent from lower leagues and untried foreign signings who may or may not adapt.
We need a happy medium of the current transfer policy, and O Neills knowing what you're getting policy (though playing said players would be more beneficial).