| Doncaster exposed our problem this season 10:17 - Mar 1 with 610 views | Darth_Koont |
I thought they were excellent at keeping the ball and working it forward – and they also created a fair few chances too. They were much better at that than we’ve been at any time this season.
And that’s the problem. They still lost to a side that concentrated on defending and working hard off the ball. To a side that moved the ball quickly and directly into the attacking areas. To a side that had less than half their possession but created just as many good chances.
It really isn’t rocket science. Unless you’ve got a player or two who are far too good for this league then really it’s about keeping it simple and being tough to play against rather than this delusion of building a side that can focus on what it wants to do and just blow others away. There are a few exceptions like Fulham and Bournemouth in recent years, but in my experience of the Championship and League One those sides that try to outfootball you get to the playoffs but it’s the sides that outfight you and overpower you that win automatic promotion. That approach is far more repeatable and consistent because players and the team don’t even have to be on top form.
But of course the real problem was that we just weren’t good enough at the fancy stuff anyway. And it was Lambert’s major failing over 2.5 years to not get the basics right first and make us a much more effective team, especially over the last year when we’ve just not been competing enough against the better sides.
No idea really what Paul Cook (if it’s him) will bring although his record points to him being effective at this level. One thing he did say on a podcast is that he likes to play passing football but get the ball forward QUICKLY. Immediately that suggests to me someone who gets the league we’re in. Here’s hoping! |  |
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| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:23 - Mar 1 with 550 views | bluefunk |
It always puzzled me that we didn’t set up to be hard to beat when we were decimated by injury, that way we might have at least gained 2/3 points from those abject home defeats in mid season. |  | | |
| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:23 - Mar 1 with 545 views | Radlett_blue |
Interesting point. Doncaster passed the ball far better than us (something of an indictment given the relative wage bills) & if they'd been better in front of goal we'd have struggled to win the game, or even draw. At this level, football is more about getting the ball in the box, using corners & free kicks well etc as it is easier to defend than create something.
That's another criticism of the departed Lambert. At first, he wanted Town to pass the ball out from the back which, given our personnel, was near suicidal. At best, because our players weren't moving the ball quickly enough, it became static & near useless. We've now gone more direct & have dug out a couple of results, but the direct approach was totally ineffectual against a decent Peterborough side. |  |
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| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:24 - Mar 1 with 532 views | longtimefan |
Agree with that. One of my main disappointments with PL in the relegation season was the lack of impact he had on the basics. If you’re in the position we were when he first joined, the very first thing you should aim to do is to make yourselves difficult to beat. He didn’t address this at all and just tried to get us to play out from the back with defenders to which this was a totally alien approach. |  | | |
| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:25 - Mar 1 with 520 views | unstableblue |
Speed from defence, from mid to striker has been our failing under Lambert, Parrot has given us another link, and perhaps Gill has encouraged the quick pass forward. I do still think in these recent games we are not getting bodies up quick enough to support norwood and give him options. And Bennets lack of a final pass also reduced our threat.
We're keeping OK passing accuracy though, so its not quite hit and hope and low posession. And we did have moments of fancy stuff that opened up the opposition - it just needs to be between Dozzell, Bishop and Parrot, not Holy, McGuiness and The Wolf
I think if Doncaster had a Sunderland or a Posh striker in their team, then we perhaps lost that game those last ditch blocks saved the 3 points. So still work to be done. |  |
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| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:28 - Mar 1 with 482 views | thebooks |
I couldn’t agree more. It doesn’t help that this possession at all costs style got conflated with the [shudder] “Ipswich way”. Or that Lambert wasn’t very good at setting up the team to play it.
There are lots of ways to win football matches. Personally, I prefer a more up and at ‘em style anyway.
I do find it quite funny that we’ve come to accept a McCarthyist pragmatism is probably the way to go  |  | | |
| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:46 - Mar 1 with 426 views | Darth_Koont |
| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:23 - Mar 1 by Radlett_blue |
Interesting point. Doncaster passed the ball far better than us (something of an indictment given the relative wage bills) & if they'd been better in front of goal we'd have struggled to win the game, or even draw. At this level, football is more about getting the ball in the box, using corners & free kicks well etc as it is easier to defend than create something.
That's another criticism of the departed Lambert. At first, he wanted Town to pass the ball out from the back which, given our personnel, was near suicidal. At best, because our players weren't moving the ball quickly enough, it became static & near useless. We've now gone more direct & have dug out a couple of results, but the direct approach was totally ineffectual against a decent Peterborough side. |
Yes, it didn’t work against Peterborough. But had a look and the new partnership of Parrott and Norwood only played the first half together before we reverted to the wide 3-man attack. Also we didn’t have Nsiala and Wilson who would have been better at nullifying a very good attacking side.
The important thing is that, 4 or so games later, it looks like a team and approach we can look to build on with better performances and results. Parrott might put a few away, Judge and Dozzell who love an early ball might start trusting themselves and their teammates more, Bishop and Downes can get forward to thrive on picking up the second balls or scraps in the area. And even Bennetts/Edwards/Thomas/Lankester/Dobra might provide a wildcard element and cause some real damage for a change.
Lambert’s been trying and failing to get a tune out of our attack. But looks like they’ve finally been given a simple melody to follow rather than trying to get lucky with improv jazz. | |
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| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:46 - Mar 1 with 426 views | Radlett_blue |
| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:28 - Mar 1 by thebooks |
I couldn’t agree more. It doesn’t help that this possession at all costs style got conflated with the [shudder] “Ipswich way”. Or that Lambert wasn’t very good at setting up the team to play it.
There are lots of ways to win football matches. Personally, I prefer a more up and at ‘em style anyway.
I do find it quite funny that we’ve come to accept a McCarthyist pragmatism is probably the way to go |
Or, if your defence includes Chambers & Toto (plus Wilson) passing the ball out from the back is near suicidal. | |
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| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:49 - Mar 1 with 399 views | longtimefan |
| Doncaster exposed our problem this season on 10:28 - Mar 1 by thebooks |
I couldn’t agree more. It doesn’t help that this possession at all costs style got conflated with the [shudder] “Ipswich way”. Or that Lambert wasn’t very good at setting up the team to play it.
There are lots of ways to win football matches. Personally, I prefer a more up and at ‘em style anyway.
I do find it quite funny that we’ve come to accept a McCarthyist pragmatism is probably the way to go |
“I do find it quite funny that we’ve come to accept a McCarthyist pragmatism is probably the way to go ”
But it was always common sense. Which approach is more likely to work, one where you play to your squads strengths, or one where you try to impose a style of play that doesn’t fit the abilities of the players you have available? I know which way I’d go  | | | |
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