Defence (3 Viewers)

[Deity]

Averaging conceding 2 goals per match .

We won’t progress without fixing that.

What is to blame ?

Formation, players, or how they are being coached ?

For me it’s a combination of the quality of our defensive players and how they are being coached.

Positional sense of our defensive players is awful.

Either way a key factor that our new manager and coaching set up had to fix.

 

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[Sbarcher]

Think we always play too narrow at the back and leave bags of space for the oppo wide players.

 

[Nuskyblue]

A lot of our ills are from us turning over the ball cheaply and getting caught out of shape, we also seem to allow a lot of time space in the middle of the park which is a recipe for disaster.

I'm not sure if it is down to the quality of our defenders tbh, I think the fault and solution is further forward.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Aled Williams

Hes Incompetent as a keeper coach let alone defence

Hopefully Lamps can bring Cole with him and Aleds told he can move on

 

[We'll_live_and_die]

I think we need a leader at the back. Someone with experience. Having said that Lati was directly responsible for both yesterday

 

[Deity]

A lot of our ills are from us turning over the ball cheaply and getting caught out of shape, we also seem to allow a lot of time space in the middle of the park which is a recipe for disaster.

I'm not sure if it is down to the quality of our defenders tbh, I think the fault and solution is further forward.

I’m not convinced.

I agree we do give the ball up cheaply at times but so do many teams in the new era of passing out from the back. Our issue is the number of goals we concede as a percentage of the attacks on goal we allow.,

 

[alexccfc99]

Aled Williams

Hes Incompetent as a keeper coach let alone defence

Hopefully Lamps can bring Cole with him and Aleds told he can move on

I reckon Ashley could still do a job playing

Maldini aside the best left back ever for me and I include Roberto Carlos in that, pheonominal footballer

 

[Deity]

I think we need a leader at the back. Someone with experience. Having said that Lati was directly responsible for both yesterday

JDS was caught out with the ball inside, Lati didn’t track his runner for the first.

for the second Lati was out of position and Collins was too far across his goal leaving a huge gap to aim for.

 

[Monty]

Think we always play too narrow at the back and leave bags of space for the oppo wide players.

I agree. Considering we have a back 3 or 5 we are very narrow and also think it causes some confusion over who is picking up each player. Sometimes back off a bit too much as well rather than jockeying players out wide. Some outstanding individual bits of defending at times such as Thomas with a couple of blocks yesterday. We also have a few weak links defensively. Dasilva is not a great defender and has no great attribute to mitigate such as MVE has pace to get back into position. Lati is not great as a defender, sadly always the issue with a player that can play in multiple positions. To me he is cover not a starter. As for kitching shall we be nice and say a work in progress. I think an experienced CB is a must to be a leader of the backline by talking and example. That then frees Lati up to be RB cover and fills that problem area. Eccles and Sheaf are fine but we need another player to provide competition in DM. Torp looking better played further up and Rudoni looks OK. Not sure what has happened with Simms not sure we are playing to his strengths at all. Bassette need consistency and not to spend half of his time suspended by picking up bookings. BTA has energy, let's hope a new manager can get him offering something more with maybe an end result

 

[Deity]

BTA is 4th choice striker for me ….. no idea why Carr thought he would be a better option than Simms when replacing Bassette

 

[SeshMouseSkyBlue]

There’s always a mistake at the back! We just seem to get punished by it! We could make 2 mistakes all game and both would seem to be jumped on and result in conceding goals.

 

[skybluegod]

Aled Williams

Hes Incompetent as a keeper coach let alone defence

Hopefully Lamps can bring Cole with him and Aleds told he can move on

How do you know he is incompetent?

If he is surely he's another one the block, given kings comments about coaches the other week

 

[Saddlebrains]

How do you know he is incompetent?

If he is surely he's another one the block, given kings comments about coaches the other week

Id say 2 clean sheets in 30 games since he got the gig after Lawrence left says it all

 

[SBT]

It was the most vulnerable part of the deck last season and we didn’t do a single thing to improve it in the summer. People spent the whole time bleating about signing more keepers and spare Ben Sheafs.

 

[clint van damme]

JDS was caught out with the ball inside, Lati didn’t track his runner for the first.

for the second Lati was out of position and Collins was too far across his goal leaving a huge gap to aim for.

I did wonder if Collins could have done better for the 2nd but thought maybe it was just me being over critical

 

[skybluegod]

Id say 2 clean sheets in 30 games since he got the gig after Lawrence left says it all

Doesn't really answer the question does it. I'm not saying you are wrong but it also isn't fact like you make out. I don't think the rest of the coaching team goes in and has a cup of tea whilst Williams does a session with the defence.

 

[skybluegod]

I did wonder if Collins could have done better for the 2nd but thought maybe it was just me being over critical

It's a fantastic finish. If he was a top keeper maybe could have saved it but for an average championship keeper there wasn't much he could do tbf

 

[SBT]

I have it on good authority that Bobby Thomas wouldn’t make a tackle last season without looking over to Dennis Lawrence on the touchline first and waiting for him to give a reassuring thumbs-up. Aled Williams doesn’t do that, is it any wonder we’re in trouble?

 

[lewys33]

Left back and centre back needed.

 

[Sick Boy]

I did wonder if Collins could have done better for the 2nd but thought maybe it was just me being over critical

I think that’s a bit harsh. He’s done well since coming back in considering he’d not played earlier in the season. I’d say the shirt is his to lose now and expect he’ll be kept on with Wilson released in the summer.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I did wonder if Collins could have done better for the 2nd but thought maybe it was just me being over critical

Nah, it was right in the corner. Got shafted by those in front of him not doing their jobs

 

[FergieTheFinisher]

BTA is 4th choice striker for me ….. no idea why Carr thought he would be a better option than Simms when replacing Bassette

I’m guessing workrate, pressing, general harrying. But you’re right when Simms is on form he will get more goals.

 

[Gynnsthetonic]

I think we need a leader at the back. Someone with experience. Having said that Lati was directly responsible for both yesterday

He always is

 

[FergieTheFinisher]

I did wonder if Collins could have done better for the 2nd but thought maybe it was just me being over critical

I think that is being a bit critical, it was a class finish.

 

[TomRad85]

Nah, it was right in the corner. Got shafted by those in front of him not doing their jobs

The give away from Dasilva and the speed (lack of) at which Lati closed down the shot was criminal.

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

There's a player in Binks but the rest of them are a shambles. Any constructive attack by the opposition looks like a goal these days. We got lucky with the sending off yesterday

 

[Skybluedownunder]

So what’s the go with the keeper situation currently?

What is the reason Collins is starting? Is it cause he is preferred by Carr? Are Wilson or Dovin injured?

Agree with Saddlebrains, we need to bin Aled Williams off.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SBT]

So what’s the go with the keeper situation currently?

What is the reason Collins is starting? Is it cause he is preferred by Carr? Are Wilson or Dovin injured?

Agree with Saddlebrains, we need to bin Aled Williams off.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We seem pretty comfortable to let whoever played in goal last stay there until they get injured or make a mistake - we don’t have a designated first choice. Collins would be my choice if we did.

 

[Bad Boy]

Averaging conceding 2 goals per match .

We won’t progress without fixing that.

What is to blame ?

Formation, players, or how they are being coached ?

For me it’s a combination of the quality of our defensive players and how they are being coached.

Positional sense of our defensive players is awful.

Either way a key factor that our new manager and coaching set up had to fix.

Coached 100%

 

[Deity]

Id say 2 clean sheets in 30 games since he got the gig after Lawrence left says it all

And yet people think it’s outrageous that King wasn’t convinced that Robins would correct the current problems …..

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Defintely change the defensive coach and then try and get an experienced defender in in Jan just to help manage them during games,

 

[ccfc922]

BTA is 4th choice striker for me ….. no idea why Carr thought he would be a better option than Simms when replacing Bassette

Was a strange decision that. We needed someone to hold the ball up vs their mutants and Simms was the better option for that.

 

[clint van damme]

Was a strange decision that. We needed someone to hold the ball up vs their mutants and Simms was the better option for that.

Was the only selection/substitution that I think he got wrong yesterday.

 

[JulianDarbyFTW]

Not sure the defence on its own is the problem. When we turn the ball over during one of our tippy-tappy attacks, our defensive-type midfielders are nowhere to be seen, so the opponents just get to run directly at our defenders who can't handle it. Add to that that all XI shit themselves against a high press, and it's no wonder we concede most weeks. I suspect a few positioning tweaks and a bit of mental fortitude are all we really need.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Poor coaching is definitely a cause as there's no actual framework and we seriously struggle to cope in transitions. If you look at most of the goals we concede they're largely due to players making rudimentary errors rather than actual moments of quality by the opposition.

Also, as mentioned on a previous thread one of the biggest issues is we struggle to anticipate danger and far too easily fall into pretty traps.

We either break shape far too easily or we're far too flat and easily let attackers in behind. As a unit they're woefully poor at reading potential threats.

There's also very little communication between the back line, which is a stark contrast to the backline of the PO final season where McFadz essentially directed everything.

Players can't be expected to see everything so as a collective they need to speak to each other on the field.