Defending

[Rowdey]

The style of play was summed best summed up by Elphick demanding the ball short from Ankergren, goalie saying no and hitting long. I could hear Poyet from the North Stand shouting/screaming at keeper and could see physically jumping up and down and pointing to Elphick.

That is the way we play and I for one think the passing style from the back works. We have seen other teams get knackered from their front men to midfield trying to close down. Is it a coincidence that we appear strong in the last 20mins of games now when we used to ship goals left right and centre in the last 10 mins last season? It is no coincidence- just a style of play that appears to be growing on the players and should be growing on all the fans.

Look Mr 'One post a year' bloke, we don't need sensible analysis like yours on here..
Clearly we must do better than we are - why are we only top and 3 points clear ?

 

['sladegull]

Yup. And...?



I thought he looked fine on the ball. He would turn and play it back to El-Abd when it was a simple or better option, or when he saw nothing else was on.

We will have to agree to differ there .....it all about opinions after all . I I just think he looked out of sorts (as did several hundred of those around me if the screams were to be believed ) Dont get me wrong I love the style we are playing and its 10 times better than what we have been used to .....

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

Patience football. The best kind.

 

[The Large One]

We will have to agree to differ there .....it all about opinions after all I I just think he looked out of sorts (as did several hundred of those around me if the screams were to be believed ) Dont get me wrong I love the style we are playing and it 10 times better than what we have been used to .....

Maybe.

There were people around me screaming for him to 'get it forward' but I always felt that that was on the back people feeling nervous and frustrated at not winning (at the time) against a bottom-of-the-table side.

 

[severnside gull]

Our defence are doing great. The one thing I worry about is an injury to Painter or Calderon. I don't fancy the prospect of El Abd and Tanno deputising. I'd get someone in sooner rather than later, even on loan.

It's a fair point.
If Painter were to be out then I don't think we have a choice - it has to be Tanno! However I don't think I would be entirely unhappy with that as a short term fix.
Right back is trickier - in the absence of Calde I think we might do worse than to play Bennett there. He would be as effective at our level (and maybe higher) playing the Johnson/Ashley Cole/Gareth Bale-type attacking full back role.

 

['sladegull]

Maybe.

There were people around me screaming for him to 'get it forward' but I always felt that that was on the back people feeling nervous and frustrated at not winning (at the time) against a bottom-of-the-table side.

See what you mean, I am not one of those...in fact I was actually shouting at a complete tool in D block to be patient cos he was shouting 'Forward' with monotonous regularity (wears a Croc Dundee hat? ) ........

 

[Was not Was]

Oooh, I'm starting to enjoy this. Something new for Albion fans to argue over and take sides on.

I definitely felt this last night, when people were shouting 'get it forward' and others, like me, were saying/thinking 'this is good, it's drawing Brentford forward, and stretching the game a bit, which is what we need to happen'.

Top of the league and we're arguing about tactics, rather than all the off the field stuff we're argued about in the past.

Bring it on!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I had to (out of character for me) to tell the bloke who sits next to me to 'shit the f**k up' with his constant berating of El Abd and Elphick for passing the ball... he wanted us to just lump it up the middle. Admittedly, with Brentford filling the midfield we struggled to get the midfield players on the ball in the 1st half, as everytime Sparrow or Kish got the ball from the centre backs, they were presented with a wall of Brentford players pressuring them immediately.

That's why it kep going back to the defenders.

I guess, from a fan perspective it all depends upon whether you are happy with a cautious / passing approach to building play or would rather we pump the ball long and rely on winning headers or picking up the scraps and builiding from there... in the 2nd half we used both tactics effectively with Murray 'up top'.

 

[Mendoza]

No its not, they are comfortable its only when the crowd get on their backs to tell them to get it forward that it looks like going tits up. Last night was the perfect example pass it between 3 players against their 1 forward so as to create space and entice thier midfield out a bit but still people weren't happy and want it forward. Yes it may be slow but its effective.

I am all for for the death by 1000 passes game, I love it. I am happy when we keep pocession, it's just when El Abd, Elphick and Ankergren do it, I am thinking to myself "uh oh." Once they get a good pass in they think they are Beckbenbauer and try more ambitious passes, and thats when it, like you say looks like going tits up

My favourite bit of last night is when Ankergren launched a goal kick miles, and Poyet went MENTAL at him and told him to keep the f***ing ball

 

[Lady Whistledown]

See what you mean, I am not one of those...in fact I was actually shouting at a complete tool in D block to be patient cos he was shouting 'Forward' with monotonous regularity (wears a Croc Dundee hat? ) ........

Ah yes, I know exactly who you mean...

 

[clarkey]

I think I've sussed out our play a bit more after last night.

We keep the ball for ages in our own half, waiting for an opening. Then we hit them with lightning pace; just think how little we have possession in the other half, its Blitzkrieg and a I love it.

I just think now and then whats lacking is tempo and energy which does come from the possession game. Think this is what leads to lethargic passes and a lack of movement in front of the back four. Im not complaining though!

 

[the hitman]

What on earth has happened to El-Abd? he is looking like one of the best defenders in the league!

I too heard lots of shouts for 'forward'. These people know nothing about football it seems, by passing it around at the back it draws their midfield out, thus creating more space. Great tactics by Poyet. However last night, Brentford quite often refused to be drawn out, which it why it seemed like we were passing it around in defence too much.