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Should gus have started at the front & worked back
- Thread starter pottert
- Start date
Mutts Nuts
New member
- Oct 30, 2011
- 4,918
You have been reading my posts and started a thread , ilook forward to seeing the shit that comes your way from the mindless NSC faithfull ,Badger and bens grandad will be the 1st
KZNSeagull
Well-known member
That is correct. Gus did not strengthen at the back last year as he did not think it needed it. After those games, he knew it did and I think that affected the way he set the team up.
I think this year, on paper, we look a far more solid unit in defense and midfield with plenty of attacking options. Crofts could be the key signing if he stays fit, not a striker. We will see - should be interesting.
Seagull over Canaryland
Well-known member
Quite. I got really demoralised by seeing this too many times last season, even against the bottom half teams. We started many away games well, even took the lead but then failed to close out the game. Too many times we sat back when in the lead, invited the home side onto us, eventually conceded an equaliser and then barely hung on for a draw. CMS or whoever our lone striker was far too isolated up front so the home defence could relax, used their extra man to push forward and even if we broke forward we were so slow in giving support that our attacks fizzled out. A more positive approach might have secured us a 2 or 3 goal lead so we could then shut out home teams. One of the saddest sights was to see the precious talents of Vicente wasted against Forest and Barnsley (!) repeatedly looking frustrated when he broke foward with the ball looking to get our front man inside the defence only to see 2 or 3 defenders already shutting us down. We should have been killing those teams off. What a waste.
BensGrandad
New member
With clubs that were very highly financed to buy players, which we are not but when he he didn't receive mega transfer funds he failed miserably.
Mutts Nuts
New member
- Oct 30, 2011
- 4,918
The dictator started at the back last season,last season our defence were excelant. this season he has started at the back again, why ?. Do we not need to score goals to win games for fucks sake .
Seagull over Canaryland
Well-known member
Sorry our defence was not 'excellent' and certainly not top of the Championship standard. You can't have been at Ipswich where we were woeful yet we had been leading with a Vicente wondergoal. One of the most feeble performances by Albion defence, letting Chopra score from where he liked. Or at Watford where we were pathetic, didn't manage any shots on target and even a poor Watford had to be given the winning goal on a plate by our defence about 1 yard out. Ditto against Forest, Millwall, Blackpool, Burnley, Reading, West Ham etc. Not a defence worthy of the play offs, let alone automatic promotion.
pottert
New member
- Thread starter
- #29
1.0 defeats last season
Burnley (h)
West ham (h)
Reading (h)
Leicester (a)
Burnley (a)
Boro (a)
Watford (a)
Goalless draws
Hull (h)
Hull (a)
Birmingham (a)
Barnsley (a)
Yet we kept 16 clean sheets
Surely on that evidence we should be improving our attack not our defence
Burnley (h)
West ham (h)
Reading (h)
Leicester (a)
Burnley (a)
Boro (a)
Watford (a)
Goalless draws
Hull (h)
Hull (a)
Birmingham (a)
Barnsley (a)
Yet we kept 16 clean sheets
Surely on that evidence we should be improving our attack not our defence
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Hoskins will never be fit.....noted
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
bit simplistic..u could say clean sheets because we had to play 'tight' football because our defence wasnt up to it...so in that way you could say the plan worked re number of clean sheets
GreersElbow
New member
Strikers are the most expensive and highly targeted position in football, it's not simple. I'd rather worked backwards, that way we can consolidate our position in the league rather than spunking cash on a player who may not perform - and if they do, we may concede plenty. Staying afloat is safe, and I trust we'll get someone soon.
pottert
New member
- Thread starter
- #33
Yes I was at Ipswich (but I didn't want to be) after the humiliation of the game 4 days previous.
You don't win the league or get into the playoffs if you have a good defence.
You do that if you score lots of goals.
I understood being strong defensively last season as we were a newly promoted team looking for a mid table finish but I thought this season with a season under our belts we would look to kick on & look to attack more but as it stands that dosent seem to be the case.
Bridcutt
Well-known member
- Aug 10, 2011
- 2,886
Are you being serious? So you'd rather sign someone like John Carew and not have Wayne Bridge ettc? So you're saying it doesn't matter if we have players like Nathan Redmond running at Marcos Painter if we have a good striker?
Jack Daniels
New member
Here is the state the obvious reasons why.
By giving our keeper/defence a more solid foundation we will be more confident going forward. We will also be able to play higher up the pitch this should create more chances.
We have added good attacking wing backs. This will create more chances and shots. Something different for the opposition to worry about.
We have added good creativity and better distribution. Both with Vicente being fitter this year and the addition of crofts.
In pre season Barnes looks to have improved his game. Linked back to the first points about a more solid defence him and CMS could POTENTIALLY form a good scoring partnership this year. As they will be able to play up front together.
An extra striker would nice. But I don't feel it's the be all and end all.
Had we just signed a striker, and not the other components we would clearly be a worse team for it.
(runs for cover)
By giving our keeper/defence a more solid foundation we will be more confident going forward. We will also be able to play higher up the pitch this should create more chances.
We have added good attacking wing backs. This will create more chances and shots. Something different for the opposition to worry about.
We have added good creativity and better distribution. Both with Vicente being fitter this year and the addition of crofts.
In pre season Barnes looks to have improved his game. Linked back to the first points about a more solid defence him and CMS could POTENTIALLY form a good scoring partnership this year. As they will be able to play up front together.
An extra striker would nice. But I don't feel it's the be all and end all.
Had we just signed a striker, and not the other components we would clearly be a worse team for it.
(runs for cover)
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
sensible comments there no need to run
pottert
New member
- Thread starter
- #37
I'm probably not the most loyal fan of the Albion but I'm not bad.
I went to over 40 games last season so I like to think my opinion is relevant.
At the Amex we were very competitive but away from home we were woeful.
We had no penetration no threat & no idea.
I would rather us concede a few if that meant we would score a few.AS it stands we will have players that played well in defence for us last season sitting on the bench while the attackers that under performed stay in the team.
T soprano
New member
Always build a nice strong foundation first then put the roof on last
JOLovegrove
Well-known member
- Jan 30, 2012
- 2,103
Wasn't Reading middle of the pack for goals scored last season, something like 10th highest in the league?
pottert
New member
- Thread starter
- #40
A valid argument
So did somebody forget to tell the Swindon team that they should have been worried.
We played our full strength defence which included 3 of our 4 new players & we conceeded 3 goals against a newly promoted league 1 side.
I accept that we were missing 3 probable starters (crofts,Buckley,mckail smith) but dosent that make my point we have shored up the defence & we still let in 3 without looking like scoring ourselves