Ankergren to El-Abd to ....??

[seagullmouse]

So I know that Gus wants us to play it out from the back. And I am impressed with how the defenders are coping with it. But if we do pass/throw it out to El-Abd then there have to be options for him to play it on, otherwise we get rushed and end up with Ankergren rushed into a poor kick.

Yesterday I couldn't believe nobody else showed in the middle of midfield as soon as El-Abd received it. Bridcutt was often left with 2 players marking him and legging it around trying to get space. Most of the time we ended up launching it because there was nowhere else to go.

To sum up... if we want to play it out of defence then we need to have players waiting to receive.

 

[BensGrandad]

On most occassions El Abd passed it across to Greer for him to start the move forward. I think that yesterday was a poor example of our play to highlight because Calderon had a very poor game, unusual for him, and didnt get forward hardly at all and when he did he 'spooned' the ball nearly every time.

 

[seagullmouse]

Ok he may have got it to Greer but you get my point!

Calderon and Painter very rarely showed to receive from Greer/El-Abd, they mainly pushed up the wings and got bunched up with the midfield and attack without really doing anything.

I was just very surprised Gus didn't change it. We were so short of ideas at the back that it looked like time-wasting even though I knew/hoped it wasn't.

 

[Springal]

I agree, Bournemouth had us sussed, as if they don't press us immediately for it, our plan becomes unstuck, and we never get that 'extra' man up field... we need a better plan b imo, that does not involved triple substitutions

 

[Springal]

Also, was suprised how in the second half Painter never got the ball, despite having more room, less players near him, to put in some crosses

 

[BensGrandad]

Our major problems yesterday were that Calderon had a poor game, as I have said, and as a result we didnt get forward and when we did the front men did not hold the ball up to allow Bennett and Sparrow to get in on the act. When we made the 3 substitutions we changed our pattern of play and got the ball forward a lot quicker and thus looked like we might snatch an equaliser.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It's all about keeping possession. If the Albion defenders are passing the ball around, the opposition are not attacking. Moving the ball forward doesn't come into itm

Time wasting? Of course. But it's the opposition's available attacking time we are wasting.

 

[Wilka]

I agree, Bournemouth had us sussed, as if they don't press us immediately for it, our plan becomes unstuck, and we never get that 'extra' man up field... we need a better plan b imo, that does not involved triple substitutions

Agreed. Bournemouth were aware that from our back 4 El-Abd was the least likely to find a good pass forward so they didn't press him unlike the others.