| O’Shea solves a defensive problem 17:09 - Aug 26 with 4415 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
I think we’ve had for a while, the lack of out and out pace in the centre of defence.
For a side that likes to play such a high line, we’ve needed an answer to rapid counter attacks for some time. |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:12 - Aug 26 with 4348 views | GlasgowBlue |
Yep. I saw that against Liverpool and again against City heir third goal was from a ball over the top of Woolfy. We need quick defenders. |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:18 - Aug 26 with 4278 views | BloomBlue |
That was the problem with the L'pool 2nd goal, Greaves was too slow getting out to Salah after Davis lost him, hopefully O'Shea's speed can help. |  | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:22 - Aug 26 with 4236 views | J2BLUE |
McKenna has always said we sign players with attributes. I suspect a lethal counter attacking Liverpool side is exactly the type of game he would start |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:29 - Aug 26 with 4151 views | ArmaghBlue |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:18 - Aug 26 by BloomBlue |
That was the problem with the L'pool 2nd goal, Greaves was too slow getting out to Salah after Davis lost him, hopefully O'Shea's speed can help. |
Hopefully Clarke will take some of the pressure off Davis too. |  | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:32 - Aug 26 with 4119 views | Ryorry |
“For a while” being about 20 years 😂 |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:46 - Aug 26 with 3999 views | ghostofescobar |
Much as I love both Woolfy and Burgess, they are both very slow. Even last season, that stood out for me. |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:49 - Aug 26 with 3965 views | FrimleyBlue |
Also gives muric a bit of confidence ahead of him that he doesn't need to come rushing out for the balls over the top as we might make it back. |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:55 - Aug 26 with 3905 views | MK1 |
It leaves us with Woolfy and Burgess as cover. Happy with that. Think it means Edmundson will leave, if not this window, then next. Been great, but at his age, needs to be playing. A Championship will snap him up I'm sure. |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 18:04 - Aug 26 with 3799 views | AVJones |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:55 - Aug 26 by MK1 |
It leaves us with Woolfy and Burgess as cover. Happy with that. Think it means Edmundson will leave, if not this window, then next. Been great, but at his age, needs to be playing. A Championship will snap him up I'm sure. |
You might be happy with that. I wonder if they will be?
Ambitious footballers want to play, not be cover. It will be amazing management to keep everyone happy.
Two strong players for each position - possibly more - is a hell of a management challenge. |  | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 18:55 - Aug 26 with 3636 views | MK1 |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 18:04 - Aug 26 by AVJones |
You might be happy with that. I wonder if they will be?
Ambitious footballers want to play, not be cover. It will be amazing management to keep everyone happy.
Two strong players for each position - possibly more - is a hell of a management challenge. |
Woolfy and Burgess are currently in a PL squad. They will both play in the cups I imagine and will get their chances through injury or suspensions. They will happily stay for this season at least. (totally guessing, obviously) | |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 21:07 - Aug 26 with 3300 views | AVJones |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 18:55 - Aug 26 by MK1 |
Woolfy and Burgess are currently in a PL squad. They will both play in the cups I imagine and will get their chances through injury or suspensions. They will happily stay for this season at least. (totally guessing, obviously) |
Guess we’ll see. I suspect you are right, for this season.
Equally if Edmundson “needs to be playing”, why wouldn’t they feel the same?
Squad football v tough on central defenders; they are very rarely substituted.
Weird why we need such a big squad in my view. But I’m clearly old fashioned and out of date! | | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 21:43 - Aug 26 with 3127 views | itfctilidie |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 21:07 - Aug 26 by AVJones |
Guess we’ll see. I suspect you are right, for this season.
Equally if Edmundson “needs to be playing”, why wouldn’t they feel the same?
Squad football v tough on central defenders; they are very rarely substituted.
Weird why we need such a big squad in my view. But I’m clearly old fashioned and out of date! |
Edmundson has been back up in league 1 and championship for 2 years now. We have just signed 2 big money centre halves.
Wolf and Burgess are arguably fighting the new centre halves for spots and are first back ups.
That is why Edmundson is more likely to leave at this time than wolf and burgess |  | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 22:46 - Aug 26 with 2935 views | reusersfreekicks |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 18:04 - Aug 26 by AVJones |
You might be happy with that. I wonder if they will be?
Ambitious footballers want to play, not be cover. It will be amazing management to keep everyone happy.
Two strong players for each position - possibly more - is a hell of a management challenge. |
Yes it is. Could go south |  | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 02:55 - Aug 27 with 2616 views | AVJones |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 21:43 - Aug 26 by itfctilidie |
Edmundson has been back up in league 1 and championship for 2 years now. We have just signed 2 big money centre halves.
Wolf and Burgess are arguably fighting the new centre halves for spots and are first back ups.
That is why Edmundson is more likely to leave at this time than wolf and burgess |
There’s no fighting for places. They’ve both been replaced. Burgess already, Wolf v soon.
That’s why they might want to leave. Or might be very happy as reserves in the PL.
As I say, guess we’ll see. | | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 04:27 - Aug 27 with 2558 views | heavyweight |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 17:55 - Aug 26 by MK1 |
It leaves us with Woolfy and Burgess as cover. Happy with that. Think it means Edmundson will leave, if not this window, then next. Been great, but at his age, needs to be playing. A Championship will snap him up I'm sure. |
With the money we've paid for 'championship' players it makes you wonder how the likes of Edmundson, Harness, Taylor etc are valued ? All in the £3-5m range ? | | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 04:52 - Aug 27 with 2535 views | MK1 |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 21:07 - Aug 26 by AVJones |
Guess we’ll see. I suspect you are right, for this season.
Equally if Edmundson “needs to be playing”, why wouldn’t they feel the same?
Squad football v tough on central defenders; they are very rarely substituted.
Weird why we need such a big squad in my view. But I’m clearly old fashioned and out of date! |
You are not old fashioned at all. I am only guessing. I have no idea if the players are happy to be back up or not. Total guess work. | |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 06:49 - Aug 27 with 2356 views | PioneerBlue |
Firstly, I agree with the OP. The need for speed was being exposed at times last season and it won’t only be Lpool or Man City this season. PL teams by virtue of being at the top of the game will have this attribute in their toolkit, not all able to execute as ruthlessly as the top teams but it going to be a thing we face. Defensively we will have to be better to give ourselves a chance in games. Games tend to be close, albeit 1234 key moments that kill you. If you are more likely to be stretching to recover games we are more susceptible to the counter. We have to resolve that and looks like we have.
Secondly, it exposes the other matter no one really wants to deal with which is the speed of the change that is happening here in the squad. Essentially last years starters are looking like this years finishers and core training squad. They have the season to improve and push the new comers. That might not be liked by everyone but assume they are happy with their pay rises and bonuses and now have the chance to compete for PL starter places. I’m surprised by the total rebuild but in a good way. It does mean on top of the leap in quality, we have the squad management to work through, and to bring the squad together quickly to at least compete. KMcK and his coaches showed they were able to do this when they first arrived. Quickly organising and making us into a more effective team unit within half a season. By season two we were fully competitive. With this point, we have a short time to bed in all the new players and begin points accumulation, we also hope second half of the season will be an improvement on first! Long game this! | |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 10:03 - Aug 27 with 2099 views | _clive_baker_ |
Finally someone to replace Keogh's pace |  | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 10:11 - Aug 27 with 2043 views | pointofblue |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 06:49 - Aug 27 by PioneerBlue |
Firstly, I agree with the OP. The need for speed was being exposed at times last season and it won’t only be Lpool or Man City this season. PL teams by virtue of being at the top of the game will have this attribute in their toolkit, not all able to execute as ruthlessly as the top teams but it going to be a thing we face. Defensively we will have to be better to give ourselves a chance in games. Games tend to be close, albeit 1234 key moments that kill you. If you are more likely to be stretching to recover games we are more susceptible to the counter. We have to resolve that and looks like we have.
Secondly, it exposes the other matter no one really wants to deal with which is the speed of the change that is happening here in the squad. Essentially last years starters are looking like this years finishers and core training squad. They have the season to improve and push the new comers. That might not be liked by everyone but assume they are happy with their pay rises and bonuses and now have the chance to compete for PL starter places. I’m surprised by the total rebuild but in a good way. It does mean on top of the leap in quality, we have the squad management to work through, and to bring the squad together quickly to at least compete. KMcK and his coaches showed they were able to do this when they first arrived. Quickly organising and making us into a more effective team unit within half a season. By season two we were fully competitive. With this point, we have a short time to bed in all the new players and begin points accumulation, we also hope second half of the season will be an improvement on first! Long game this! |
Not to sound too pessimistic, but all but two of the players we've brought in are proven as high quality at Championship level rather than definite top division class. Townsend perhaps a step down on that. Our original squad finished second in the second tier last year. We hope that they can collectively make the step up and there are certainly promising signs from Delap, Greaves and Szmodics. We have improved on our depth, but whether it's to the standard we need to survive, we'll see. | |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 10:12 - Aug 27 with 2043 views | WestStanderLaLaLa |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 10:03 - Aug 27 by _clive_baker_ |
Finally someone to replace Keogh's pace |
Ha! You’ve given me a Cambridge away flashback. I know we were chasing the game and pushing everyone forward but that was scary. |  |
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 11:55 - Aug 27 with 1877 views | Crawfordsboot |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 06:49 - Aug 27 by PioneerBlue |
Firstly, I agree with the OP. The need for speed was being exposed at times last season and it won’t only be Lpool or Man City this season. PL teams by virtue of being at the top of the game will have this attribute in their toolkit, not all able to execute as ruthlessly as the top teams but it going to be a thing we face. Defensively we will have to be better to give ourselves a chance in games. Games tend to be close, albeit 1234 key moments that kill you. If you are more likely to be stretching to recover games we are more susceptible to the counter. We have to resolve that and looks like we have.
Secondly, it exposes the other matter no one really wants to deal with which is the speed of the change that is happening here in the squad. Essentially last years starters are looking like this years finishers and core training squad. They have the season to improve and push the new comers. That might not be liked by everyone but assume they are happy with their pay rises and bonuses and now have the chance to compete for PL starter places. I’m surprised by the total rebuild but in a good way. It does mean on top of the leap in quality, we have the squad management to work through, and to bring the squad together quickly to at least compete. KMcK and his coaches showed they were able to do this when they first arrived. Quickly organising and making us into a more effective team unit within half a season. By season two we were fully competitive. With this point, we have a short time to bed in all the new players and begin points accumulation, we also hope second half of the season will be an improvement on first! Long game this! |
I agree with your summary.
I imagine that this was a key part of KMs discussions around his contract renewal in that he recognised that he had got the maximum out of last years squad and would need a major overhaul to have any hope of staying up this season.
The board have backed him and I’m hopeful that we have a fighting chance to stay up this year and then consolidate the year after.
Here’s hoping it works |  | | |
| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 15:24 - Aug 27 with 1651 views | DJR |
I'm not wholly convinced that pace in the centre of defence has been our Achilles heel these last few years. And I don't think Woolfy is slow as some make out.
A high back-line is risky at this level, however quick a defender is, because the defender will have to turn, and will always be on the back foot against a perfect through ball.
Of course pace can come into, but it seems to me at this level that it is speed of movement of the ball that is more telling (and it was the better footballing sides we struggled against last season). Don't forget that Davis is very pacy but was still undone a couple of times against Liverpool. [Post edited 27 Aug 2024 17:59]
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| O’Shea solves a defensive problem on 20:35 - Aug 27 with 1346 views | Facefacts |
Yes, Edmundson was brought in for certain games for this reason. The clean tackle on the Plymouth centre forward in the penalty area which they moaned about for ever. Fantastic pace to get back and make that tackle. |  | | |
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