| Defensive record so far this season 07:26 - Oct 6 with 798 views | Dubtractor |
This seems to have been a topic of debate a few times, but we're actually looking fairly decent defensively.
We've only conceded 8, could be better but by no means a bad record. Dig a bit deeper and we've only conceded 3 from open play, which suggests that teams are finding it hard to create chances against us. We seem to have had a bit of a vulnerability for balls over the top, which can hopefully be fixed, but overall we've looked fairly tight. Worth noting that we often play a very high line, so that risk will always be there to some degree.
The stats support that, too, with only Coventry having a better xg against figure than us.
Clearly we do seem to have a bit of a weakness on defending corners, which was also the case in the second half of last season, and hopefully that can be worked on so that we clock up a few more clean sheets.
[Post edited 6 Oct 7:28]
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| Defensive record so far this season on 07:43 - Oct 6 with 679 views | chicoazul |
The only thing I would say about our defence is in addition to the ball over the top we have this weird little space ahead of the CBs and behind or around Azor and our CBs are usually quite spread. Teams could drop a 10 in there and cause us problems. It’s the area Chappers used to work in. |  |
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| That is true and fair on 07:59 - Oct 6 with 591 views | Dyland |
They're generally pretty solid out of posession and when only defending. However, the slow play out from the back when we gift posession is really sh1t. If the oppo turn over posession by intercepting an attempt to play a more tricky ball quickly, I guess it's worse because the oppo player will probably have more space. But the way we are currenty doing it is more boring (and significantly less effective) than even the arch tippy tappers these days Arsenal.
This is not me being an entitled or unrealistic modern football fan! Quite the opposite. Football at its essence for me is blood and thunder and glory. It's great having players with silken skills and that doesn't mean you can't move the ball forwards quicker. In fact, the best teams have always done precisely that, rather than trying to bore everyone to death. |  |
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| Defensive record so far this season on 08:53 - Oct 6 with 456 views | bsw72 |
| Defensive record so far this season on 07:43 - Oct 6 by chicoazul |
The only thing I would say about our defence is in addition to the ball over the top we have this weird little space ahead of the CBs and behind or around Azor and our CBs are usually quite spread. Teams could drop a 10 in there and cause us problems. It’s the area Chappers used to work in. |
Not sure it is the space that Chappers used to drop into, usually you would have one of either Morsy and Luongo in that hole. Chappers used to drop deeper than Szmodics does, but would generally still be in front of both Sam and Mass.
However in the new system, both Szmodics (or alternate 10) and Cajuste are pushing up further, leaving only Azor covering that space, which means that oppo teams who push on with 2 quicker or higher midfielders can potentially find more space.
One thing to note is that when Greaves has been playing, he was pushing further forward earlier in the season to partially fill that space. This was backed by the stats which show 90% of his defensive work was done in the middle 3rd of the pitch vs the defensive 3rd, far more than O'Shea. Hence he was caught out 2-3 times with that ball over the top earlier in the season.
It seems with Greaves benched, both Kipre and O'Shea sit deeper leaving Azor to cover in front 90% of the time and expect that the other deep role is filled by one of the full backs pushing slightly further forward on their side. |  | | |
| That is true and fair on 09:25 - Oct 6 with 352 views | bsw72 |
| That is true and fair on 07:59 - Oct 6 by Dyland |
They're generally pretty solid out of posession and when only defending. However, the slow play out from the back when we gift posession is really sh1t. If the oppo turn over posession by intercepting an attempt to play a more tricky ball quickly, I guess it's worse because the oppo player will probably have more space. But the way we are currenty doing it is more boring (and significantly less effective) than even the arch tippy tappers these days Arsenal.
This is not me being an entitled or unrealistic modern football fan! Quite the opposite. Football at its essence for me is blood and thunder and glory. It's great having players with silken skills and that doesn't mean you can't move the ball forwards quicker. In fact, the best teams have always done precisely that, rather than trying to bore everyone to death. |
It is a confidence thing, which leads to more touches and slower play.
When we had gone 3-1 up and the crowd was more bouyant, we moved the ball with 1-2 touches across the back which created more space quicker.
Prior to that when the team were less confident and the crowd was more edgy, it was usually 3-4 or even 5 touches before the ball was moved on, which lead to players getting closed down, fewer passing options and mistakes.
This will continue to improve the more that the team settles into the new rhythm, and get more confident, but does add considerable anxiety / unrest in the fans in the interim, which does transfer to the players.
Sometimes it really just needs a good "hoof" to allow the defence and midfield to reset their shape and go again. | | | |
| That is true and fair on 10:10 - Oct 6 with 244 views | Dyland |
| That is true and fair on 09:25 - Oct 6 by bsw72 |
It is a confidence thing, which leads to more touches and slower play.
When we had gone 3-1 up and the crowd was more bouyant, we moved the ball with 1-2 touches across the back which created more space quicker.
Prior to that when the team were less confident and the crowd was more edgy, it was usually 3-4 or even 5 touches before the ball was moved on, which lead to players getting closed down, fewer passing options and mistakes.
This will continue to improve the more that the team settles into the new rhythm, and get more confident, but does add considerable anxiety / unrest in the fans in the interim, which does transfer to the players.
Sometimes it really just needs a good "hoof" to allow the defence and midfield to reset their shape and go again. |
True dat. Also, at 3-1 Nodge became even more sh1t, which helped. | |
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| That is true and fair on 10:18 - Oct 6 with 226 views | LeoMuff |
| That is true and fair on 09:25 - Oct 6 by bsw72 |
It is a confidence thing, which leads to more touches and slower play.
When we had gone 3-1 up and the crowd was more bouyant, we moved the ball with 1-2 touches across the back which created more space quicker.
Prior to that when the team were less confident and the crowd was more edgy, it was usually 3-4 or even 5 touches before the ball was moved on, which lead to players getting closed down, fewer passing options and mistakes.
This will continue to improve the more that the team settles into the new rhythm, and get more confident, but does add considerable anxiety / unrest in the fans in the interim, which does transfer to the players.
Sometimes it really just needs a good "hoof" to allow the defence and midfield to reset their shape and go again. |
It felt like they were vulnerable to a long ball yesterday as they pressed so high in the first half, we should have tried it more often |  |
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| Defensive record so far this season on 10:21 - Oct 6 with 206 views | _clive_baker_ |
To be fair to Norwich yesterday their set piece delivery was really good. Thought we defended pretty well for the most part and the goal had a touch of fortune about it. Most of our hairy moments were self inflicted. |  | | |
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