Random thoughts...

[AuburnSpur]

I posted this elsewhere in response to a post:


Palacios is great until he wins the ball. Has no clue what to do with it.

I think Lennon would be a great change of pace player to bring in as a sub.

Watching Berbatov makes you realize how lacking our strikers are in terms of handling the ball. By and large, our guys can finish but have difficulty creating their own shot.

Bale either needs to be a left back or possibly part of a 5 man midfield with Gio next to him. Bale’s strength is out wide beating the defense to the ball and making crosses. Sandro (eventually), Hud, Luka (or Charlie), Gio, & Bale, with Gallas & King anchoring the defense is SOLID. Put Crouch up top to field crosses & distribute.

Thoughts?

[CountPuchi]

True enough id agree with your point that our strikers doesnt seem to have the ability to make a chance to score themselves! But id like to point out that with our midfield able to supply awesome chances they should be able to score either way.

Although it seems to me what our team should look at is that we should really really score during those counter attacks. Somehow to me our team is the only team incapable to score during counter attacks.

[AuburnSpur]

True enough id agree with your point that our strikers doesnt seem to have the ability to make a chance to score themselves! But id like to point out that with our midfield able to supply awesome chances they should be able to score either way.

Although it seems to me what our team should look at is that we should really really score during those counter attacks. Somehow to me our team is the only team incapable to score during counter attacks.

I think the problem with counter attacks is our desire to constantly push the ball out to the wings rather than force the action up the middle.  By the time we get it out there & down the field, the defense has caught up to the play.

[Gareth Keown]

True enough id agree with your point that our strikers doesnt seem to have the ability to make a chance to score themselves! But id like to point out that with our midfield able to supply awesome chances they should be able to score either way.

Although it seems to me what our team should look at is that we should really really score during those counter attacks. Somehow to me our team is the only team incapable to score during counter attacks.

I think the problem with counter attacks is our desire to constantly push the ball out to the wings rather than force the action up the middle.  By the time we get it out there & down the field, the defense has caught up to the play.

thats exactly what I've always maintained..

any of 4 current strikers simply dont have the ability to burst thru past the opponents central defence, accelerate as well as hold off defenders and then shoot with power.... thats why we need a striker similar to these below:

Fabiano
Cameron Jerome
Carlton Cole
Dzeko
Grafite
Adebayor
Iaquinta

any 1 of these would be excellent in our team/squad... instead of a redundant player for Spurs like Keane... but I'd settle for Rossi as a Defoe-type player.... we'd have 2 big 2 little'uns....perm 1 of each in the team..

[TheStig]

Our counter attacks seem like they have been overlooked on the training ground. They always seem to start well but fizzle at the crucial moment ....and as already said the ball is fielded wide.

When we play negative teams like wolves who camp around their goal mouth ........we always seem to get into the habit of bombarding them with long balls or pushing deep into their half.......I would love to see us hang back for a change and invite them onto us then hit them with a counter attack or three.

Those kind of oppo will always get a few corners, and if a decent few scripts were rehearsed with cross overs, switching and cutting in........Im sure with the pace we have we could sponge out a bag load more goals with very little effort. Its such an overlooked area of traning/improvement that could be a worthwhile focus that will pay divs.

Come on Arry .....sawt it guv!!!!   

[Gareth Keown]

the simpler reason why we dont seem to score on counters as much is the fact that we dont have a central striker with the pace/power to burst thru  30yds with the ball and shoot with power..

I'm hopeful that with vdv in the team, when we have to play on the counter (say we're winning with 30mins left) that we swap Bale into the front-2 and get vdv to play LM.... Bale DOES have the pace/power/shooting to do well in that scenario..

[ugs]

TBH I also think that it has a lot do with the fact our outlet ball is normally Lennon and he is so quick that no one else can actually keep up with him. This may change now with Bale and VDV in the side.
 
 

[TheStig]

Bale switching into the middle is a fair old theory .....he made the transition from left back without a hitch who is to say he couldnt do a canny job there. All hale the Bale!!! Maybe we could give him a crack in goal aswell eh? 

They should all be keyed up and ready to counter ....markers/stoppers and runners all pre-rehearsed with say 2 set plays/runs in mind. If they have done it enough times over and over in training they would all know their places whoever starts it. I can see the point about lennon tho ......but if they gave it a massive amount of focus in training Im sure they could get the pace right. Once those two plays are well rehearsed work on another two ...and so on ....if they do it right it would be easy to adapt on the fly ....and everyone would know where to be at certain points of the CA. I can do science me!

[CountPuchi]

We did have someone to play counter attacking football but we sold him and that was D.Bent. But really our team dont really play CA and in truth i think this helps with our defending but also denies us with quick goals.

Its either less defending or attacking and i think with our current play we are more focused on defending regardless who our opposition is which is one of the main reason when we fight someone who comes to park the bus we dont have any ideas on how to destroy them.

'Arry should play super attacking with only 1 defender against teams who park the bus hahah!!

Just joking on the last sentence though. 

[Derry-Yid]

any of 4 current strikers simply dont have the ability to burst thru past the opponents central defence, accelerate as well as hold off defenders and then shoot with power.... thats why we need a striker similar to these below:

Im sure ive see JD do it on many occasions!
 
 

[ugs]

any of 4 current strikers simply dont have the ability to burst thru past the opponents central defence, accelerate as well as hold off defenders and then shoot with power.... thats why we need a striker similar to these below:

Im sure ive see JD do it on many occasions!

I'm pretty sure Keane has done it once or twice too !!!

[Derry-Yid]

any of 4 current strikers simply dont have the ability to burst thru past the opponents central defence, accelerate as well as hold off defenders and then shoot with power.... thats why we need a striker similar to these below:

Im sure ive see JD do it on many occasions!

I'm pretty sure Keane has done it once or twice too !!!

Sure ugs we dont have any players that can do that

[samuiloafer]

shall i have shepherds pie for dinner

[OL'BOLTY]

I WILL be having shepherds pie for dinner...or, more accurately, cottage pie...no lamb..