I have to say that much of the Premier League is about possession and tippy tappy football in areas that pose no threat ie around the half way line. Watching Match of the Day DVDs of the 70s and 80s reminds old codgers like me of how quick teams were to get forward using players who could run and go past players and on getting the ball in and around the opponents penalty area. This attrition by passing does not get me on my feet, and I yearn for quick and decisive passing, wing play, overlapping full backs, speed of thought throw ins and corners, players unafraid to dribble and take a risk, one twos, goalkeepers who throw the ball out to a midfielder rather than a centre half, mobile and risk taking players who understand that play without the ball is as important as when in possession, movement and taking defenders out of position, midfielders who don't get a nose bleed when they find themselves in the penalty area. If a long ball to a forward is appropriate then use it, it's about decision making and adapting style to get the result.Enough, rant over, apologies.
I've noticed we've been more direct this season than the tail end of last. Would be interesting to know if this is due to a loss I momentum or if Lambert's directed the team to go long.
Quote from: Mellin on September 26, 2013, 06:01:26 PMI've noticed we've been more direct this season than the tail end of last. Would be interesting to know if this is due to a loss I momentum or if Lambert's directed the team to go long.I reckon it might be due to the standard of opposition we have been facing. We've had a high concentration of "top" sides which has possibly had an impact on our tactics (and the stats Nursey cites) so far.
Quote from: Billy Walker on September 26, 2013, 09:55:42 PMQuote from: Mellin on September 26, 2013, 06:01:26 PMI've noticed we've been more direct this season than the tail end of last. Would be interesting to know if this is due to a loss I momentum or if Lambert's directed the team to go long.I reckon it might be due to the standard of opposition we have been facing. We've had a high concentration of "top" sides which has possibly had an impact on our tactics (and the stats Nursey cites) so far.Which I think is worrying, and wrong. Is this the way we want to approach the game: to continue to accustom our play according to who the opponent is or rather approach the game like Swansea, that is, trust to your style no matter who the opponent. Even if this 'style based on opponent' mentality might be a better short term approach points-wise, I'm sure it has opposite effect long-term.
The 'long ball' debate is also very ironic given ex-Birmingham boss Alex McLeish was hounded out of Villa Park by fans who constantly moaned at his tactics
It was clear in the game on Tuesday that Spurs had more technically gifted players than us. The moved the ball very well, sometimes in areas where it didn't hurt, but they moved us about the pitch all half looking for openings. More and more sides are trying to play that way - as the half went on they created more opportunities. It was only a matter of time before they took one. We helped them by not closing them down well enough. It was interesting to see Spurs close down in twos and threes when we had the ball and the number of times we gave the ball away as a result - partly because we do not have the same level of technical ability but also because the player on the ball had no options. Playing without the ball is much harder than with and as we nearly always have the ball less, have to up our game physically. We need to step up and pressurise the ball more to knock teams off their stride. It's all too easy at Villa Park in particular.Having said all that, playing the ball forward quicker is not an unsophisitcated way to play but it does make it harder to retain the ball if it's not done well. Away from home it can work well and I think teams genuinely fear us, but at home as we are often behind, those tactics become more desperate and more 'hit and hope' as the game goes on.I don' t think our home form will improve until Lambert seriously addresses this. Nine defeats in 13 home league games is embarassing.
Quote from: nick harper on September 27, 2013, 08:26:49 AMIt was clear in the game on Tuesday that Spurs had more technically gifted players than us. The moved the ball very well, sometimes in areas where it didn't hurt, but they moved us about the pitch all half looking for openings. More and more sides are trying to play that way - as the half went on they created more opportunities. It was only a matter of time before they took one. We helped them by not closing them down well enough. It was interesting to see Spurs close down in twos and threes when we had the ball and the number of times we gave the ball away as a result - partly because we do not have the same level of technical ability but also because the player on the ball had no options. Playing without the ball is much harder than with and as we nearly always have the ball less, have to up our game physically. We need to step up and pressurise the ball more to knock teams off their stride. It's all too easy at Villa Park in particular.Having said all that, playing the ball forward quicker is not an unsophisitcated way to play but it does make it harder to retain the ball if it's not done well. Away from home it can work well and I think teams genuinely fear us, but at home as we are often behind, those tactics become more desperate and more 'hit and hope' as the game goes on.I don' t think our home form will improve until Lambert seriously addresses this. Nine defeats in 13 home league games is embarassing.And the point has been made ad nauseam that Barcelona's 'blue riband' style of play relied as much on their pressing game when out of possession as their pass-and-move with it.Many teams are trying it; Spurs may be further along that journey. We are trying the passing bit but are not really deliverng on the pressing game well enough yet.
Quote from: Mister E on September 27, 2013, 08:57:43 AMQuote from: nick harper on September 27, 2013, 08:26:49 AMIt was clear in the game on Tuesday that Spurs had more technically gifted players than us. The moved the ball very well, sometimes in areas where it didn't hurt, but they moved us about the pitch all half looking for openings. More and more sides are trying to play that way - as the half went on they created more opportunities. It was only a matter of time before they took one. We helped them by not closing them down well enough. It was interesting to see Spurs close down in twos and threes when we had the ball and the number of times we gave the ball away as a result - partly because we do not have the same level of technical ability but also because the player on the ball had no options. Playing without the ball is much harder than with and as we nearly always have the ball less, have to up our game physically. We need to step up and pressurise the ball more to knock teams off their stride. It's all too easy at Villa Park in particular.Having said all that, playing the ball forward quicker is not an unsophisitcated way to play but it does make it harder to retain the ball if it's not done well. Away from home it can work well and I think teams genuinely fear us, but at home as we are often behind, those tactics become more desperate and more 'hit and hope' as the game goes on.I don' t think our home form will improve until Lambert seriously addresses this. Nine defeats in 13 home league games is embarassing.And the point has been made ad nauseam that Barcelona's 'blue riband' style of play relied as much on their pressing game when out of possession as their pass-and-move with it.Many teams are trying it; Spurs may be further along that journey. We are trying the passing bit but are not really deliverng on the pressing game well enough yet.Barcelona without the ball operate like a rugby team (go with it for a second before commenting on the tackling) in that they close the gaps ( Barce generally have a bank of 4 and a bank of 5 with 1 left up front, usually Messi) and hunt in pairs. Watch what they do when a man goes in to challenge, there is always a 2nd player close by, so if the ball bobbles free they're on hand to collect it and it reduces the options for an 'out ball' for the guy being challenged. On top of that they wait to spot a weakness, they're not rushing in to challenge everytime, rather they get close enough to be in the eyeline of the player taking the pass, and if his touch is weak they pounce on him whilst his control isn't quite good enough. All this is basic open field rugby union defence and the concepts translate perfectly.