Goals Against (4 Viewers)

[sneferu]

Sounds bleeding obvious. We need to stop conceding stupid goals. Presently we are 17 against. If we can stop conceding I think we will be in the playoffs by Christmas. Young defenders still learning. And the rub of the green has definitely gone against us so far this season. Tighten up at the back is the key job for the coaches.

 

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[Otis]

That Saka challenge on Saturday was just nuts. Really dumb thinking and such a very soft penalty to give away.

 

[TomRad85]

We need to decide our preferred formation and get the defensive unit settled or it's likely to continue.

 

[Otis]

We need to decide our preferred formation and get the defensive unit settled or it's likely to continue.

Stability would go a long way wouldn't it.

I think we are pretty much settled with fullbacks aren't we. MVE and Bidwell when he's fit. But it's the centre backs.

Need to decide what the partnership is going forward out of Binks, Thomas, Kitching and Lati.

 

[Bad Boy]

That Saka challenge on Saturday was just nuts. Really dumb thinking and such a very soft penalty to give away.

Watched that countless times and it was a bit of nothing imo. Felt contact fell over like he'd been hit by a tank and the ref bought it.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Watched that countless times and it was a bit of nothing imo. Felt contact fell over like he'd been hit by a tank and the ref bought it.

Even the ref was mouthing yep that’s a foul

 

[Pezza]

We have had 4 clean sheets in the league since 1st January 2024.... 2 against Blackburn, Rotherham and Stoke.

That's embarrassing.

 

[Robinshio]

Our only 3 wins this season we have scored 3 goals. Seems like we need to score 3 to win a match

 

[Otis]

Watched that countless times and it was a bit of nothing imo. Felt contact fell over like he'd been hit by a tank and the ref bought it.

Yup. Don't make the challenge though. Don't give the ref an opportunity to make an easy decision.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

Bit of a conundrum our 4 centre backs.
Thomas...I think there's a player in there somewhere.
Binks... Can't defend but decent with the ball
Lati... Likable but not great at anything
Kitching... Looks league 1 at best

 

[Mr Panda]

I see it as a whole team issue rather than something which is solved primarily with the centre backs (They do some dumb stuff from time to time though).

Luton's second goal on Saturday was a simple infield ball finding their midfield in acres of space, not sure where Sheaf or Eccles were but it was over before I could spot them. There's been other moments which I can't evidence right now whereby there's a space in front of the backline which has lead to goals.

My point is that any defence in world football is going to concede goals if you allow it to be tested enough. This can be remedied by either keeping the ball a lot better than we do (which is another reason why I moan about decisions like putting Kitching at LWB) or by tightening the space between the lines.

 

[fernandopartridge]

It's a strange one, we are not a terrible team defensively as in continuously giving away big chances and getting pulled apart. We just have lapses in concentration at least once a game and usually at the worst moment.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Bit of a conundrum our 4 centre backs.
Thomas...I think there's a player in there somewhere.
Binks... Can't defend but decent with the ball
Lati... Likable but not great at anything
Kitching... Looks league 1 at best

Kitching is fine, not sure why he's become such a hate figure.

He got a few decent defensive headers and blocks in while he was on first half tbf.

 

[fernandopartridge]

I see it as a whole team issue rather than something which is solved primarily with the centre backs (They do some dumb stuff from time to time though).

Luton's second goal on Saturday was a simple infield ball finding their midfield in acres of space, not sure where Sheaf or Eccles were but it was over before I could spot them. There's been other moments which I can't evidence right now whereby there's a space in front of the backline which has lead to goals.

My point is that any defence in world football is going to concede goals if you allow it to be tested enough. This can be remedied by either keeping the ball a lot better than we do (which is another reason why I moan about decisions like putting Kitching at LWB) or by tightening the space between the lines.

Sheaf was quite close to the player, i think Morris who played the ball back inside. Eccles was one of our players highest up the pitch for some reason. You feel like these moments are where that leader would help.

 

[The watchmaker]

Sheaf was quite close to the player, i think Morris who played the ball back inside. Eccles was one of our players highest up the pitch for some reason. You feel like these moments are where that leader would help.

Have to watch it again but I think Sheaf, Eccles and Sakamoto were all covering MvE at right back where 2 Luton players had drifted. There were like 3/4 players around the goalscorer though so we had a lot of players back.

 

[clint van damme]

It's a strange one, we are not a terrible team defensively as in continuously giving away big chances and getting pulled apart. We just have lapses in concentration at least once a game and usually at the worst moment.

Reminds me of the Shaw/Williams partnership.
Seemed every error they made got punished, felt like they never got away with anything.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

Kitching is fine, not sure why he's become such a hate figure.

He got a few decent defensive headers and blocks in while he was on first half tbf.

I think for the fee paid ( not sure the exact figure) I expected more from him and he'd be the main centre half by now . Instead he's behind the other 3 . Perhaps l'm being a bit hard on the guy. The challenge that got him booked on Saturday was childlike

 

[Pezza]

I think for the fee paid ( not sure the exact figure) I expected more from him and he'd be the main centre half by now . Instead he's behind the other 3 . Perhaps l'm being a bit hard on the guy. The challenge that got him booked on Saturday was childlike

Agree, the challenge was awful. He didn't even compete for the ball, just a real bottler challenge into the guys back. He's becoming more difficult to like tbh. I was excited when we signed him and then up to the Sheff Wed red card on boxing day was liking him a lot but since then he's been pretty poor.

 

[fernandopartridge]

I think for the fee paid ( not sure the exact figure) I expected more from him and he'd be the main centre half by now . Instead he's behind the other 3 . Perhaps l'm being a bit hard on the guy. The challenge that got him booked on Saturday was childlike

he didn't set his fee

 

[fernandopartridge]

Agree, the challenge was awful. He didn't even compete for the ball, just a real bottler challenge into the guys back. He's becoming more difficult to like tbh. I was excited when we signed him and then up to the Sheff Wed red card on boxing day was liking him a lot but since then he's been pretty poor.

Against a team like Luton who have bullied us off the park in the past, especially first half at Wembley, I'm OK with it even if it was a bit silly. I thought the consensus on here was we were too nice?

 

[djr8369]

Kitching is fine, not sure why he's become such a hate figure.

He got a few decent defensive headers and blocks in while he was on first half tbf.

Simple explanations for complex problems.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Kitching is fine, not sure why he's become such a hate figure.

He got a few decent defensive headers and blocks in while he was on first half tbf.

Probably because we paid a significant fee for someone that is woefully average and will probably never justify said fee.

He's painfully slow, turns about as swiftly as a Maersk freight liner, and doesn't really ever seem to have a great read of the game either - which leaves him vulnerable to making complete howlers.

I've seen nothing so far of him to suggest he'll ever be a decent CB at this level.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Probably because we paid a significant fee for someone that is woefully average and will probably never justify said fee.

He's painfully slow, turns about as swiftly as a Maersk freight liner, and doesn't really ever seem to have a great read of the game either - which leaves him vulnerable to making complete howlers.

I've seen nothing so far of him to suggest he'll ever be a decent CB at this level.

Let's be honest, the club paid what they did in desperation to get a left footed CB who could play on the left of a back 3. Then the formation was scrapped and he was more exposed in a back 4 and now probably isn't even first choice in the 3 we've switched back to.

Lessons learnt the hard way with this one.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Probably because we paid a significant fee for someone that is woefully average and will probably never justify said fee.

He's painfully slow, turns about as swiftly as a Maersk freight liner, and doesn't really ever seem to have a great read of the game either - which leaves him vulnerable to making complete howlers.

I've seen nothing so far of him to suggest he'll ever be a decent CB at this level.

He didn't set the fee. He was perfectly fine for a long spell of last season where we had a top 6 defensive record.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

He didn't set the fee. He was perfectly fine for a long spell of last season where we had a top 6 defensive record.

The fee is ultimately what he'll be judged on. Complete non argument to suggest otherwise I'm afraid.

I didn't particularly warm to him last season either. His so-called 'decent' spell also included 2 red cards and two own goals in one game which sums him up.

He's erratic, has a poor read of the game and is incredibly naive both on and off the ball. The lack of athleticism does nothing more than compound the aforementioned.

 

[skybluecam]

Watched that countless times and it was a bit of nothing imo. Felt contact fell over like he'd been hit by a tank and the ref bought it.

Saka sealed his own fate, he had to let him go there. Tried to hang on after he was well beaten.

It's a strange one, we are not a terrible team defensively as in continuously giving away big chances and getting pulled apart. We just have lapses in concentration at least once a game and usually at the worst moment.

We have conceded 17 goals from 13.5 xGA, been unlucky. Plus some poor keeping (mostly Mr Wilson, who is currently ranked 34th out of 36 in the championship for goals prevented per 90).

 

[Cally Fedora]

It’s obvious we concede too many. A lot are terrible goals. I’m not sure it’s purely experience we lack but we could certainly do with some. Five at the back certainly doesn’t make us any more secure. I’d switch straight back to a flat back four.

 

[Kilclines curly mullet]

Watched that countless times and it was a bit of nothing imo. Felt contact fell over like he'd been hit by a tank and the ref bought it.

Very soft but a clear penalty.

We would want it if it was the other way