Playing the gus way

[ChilternGull]

There were rumblings of discontent around me in the West Stand yesterday because we did not hoof the ball forward when in possession or pass quickly enough even if there was nobody around to pass to.

I guess these were supporters who had not graduated from Withdean last year and come to appreciate the Gus way. If fans want trench warfare soccer based on the notation that if we hoof the ball away it does not matter as we will get back in 30 secs time they are supporting the wrong team. Stoke City and their ilk bekon.

Calderon's goal came from a period of possession during which we passed the ball around until we found a player in space. I doubt if anything demoralises a team more quickly than chasing around the pitich trying to get possesson off the other team.

So keep up the good work Gus and I love seeing the Albion playing controlled football. And to those supporters who wish to see park football I guess that is where they should go. Better still learn to appreciate the beautiful game played the Gus way.

 

[Questions]

There were rumblings of discontent around me in the West Stand yesterday because we did not hoof the ball forward when in possession or pass quickly enough even if there was nobody around to pass to.

I guess these were supporters who had not graduated from Withdean last year and come to appreciate the Gus way. If fans want trench warfare soccer based on the notation that if we hoof the ball away it does not matter as we will get back in 30 secs time they are supporting the wrong team. Stoke City and their ilk bekon.

Calderon's goal came from a period of possession during which we passed the ball around until we found a player in space. I doubt if anything demoralises a team more quickly than chasing around the pitich trying to get possesson off the other team.

So keep up the good work Gus and I love seeing the Albion playing controlled football. And to those supporters who wish to see park football I guess that is where they should go. Better still learn to appreciate the beautiful game played the Gus way.

Expect Dunk got a severe tongue lashing for his hoof from the free kick which Hoskins flicked on for Buckleys goal.
Nothing wrong with getting the ball forward quick when players are free. That is the only time I heard criticism yesterday.... when players made runs but were ignored. It is easy to see all this from the WSU though.

 

[Uwinsc]

There were rumblings of discontent around me in the West Stand yesterday because we did not hoof the ball forward when in possession or pass quickly enough even if there was nobody around to pass to.

I guess these were supporters who had not graduated from Withdean last year and come to appreciate the Gus way. If fans want trench warfare soccer based on the notation that if we hoof the ball away it does not matter as we will get back in 30 secs time they are supporting the wrong team. Stoke City and their ilk bekon.

Calderon's goal came from a period of possession during which we passed the ball around until we found a player in space. I doubt if anything demoralises a team more quickly than chasing around the pitich trying to get possesson off the other team.

So keep up the good work Gus and I love seeing the Albion playing controlled football. And to those supporters who wish to see park football I guess that is where they should go. Better still learn to appreciate the beautiful game played the Gus way.

Just before Calderons goal the people behind me were moaning about the ball being passed backwards.

 

[El Presidente]

We should thank our lucky stars that we don't support Swansea, who have made the sixth highest number of passes in EUROPE this season.

Apart from two promotions in three years and being mid table in the Premiership, they have achieved NOTHING by ignoring route one football.

 

[SittingbourneSeagull]

Just before Calderons goal the people behind me were moaning about the ball being passed backwards.

Same, unbelievably some bloke behind me said just before Calderons goal " stop just keeping the ball for the sake of it". Obviously he thinks it is much better just to lump it and lose it!

 

[aolstudios]

We should thank our lucky stars that we don't support Swansea, who have made the sixth highest number of passes in EUROPE this season.

Apart from two promotions in three years and being mid table in the Premiership, they have achieved NOTHING by ignoring route one football.

 

[pauli cee]

Same, unbelievably some bloke behind me said just before Calderons goal " stop just keeping the ball for the sake of it". Obviously he thinks it is much better just to lump it and lose it!

haha, same, wonder if were all sitting in the same place, couple of blokes behind me slating the team in that build up to that goal, how the ball was only being passed"slightly forward " at times, couldn't help but turn and give him a bit of a look when the ball went in....

 

[Ken Newbury]

There was one particular bloke moaning like hell about us keeping possession and building play from the back and the two times he was the loudest was for the minute leading up to Calderon's goal and the minute leading up to Sparrows effort. Even after those two he still couldn't grasp it! I'd say there was probably a good ten or so JCL's who just don't get the way we play and still want us to hoof it forwards within three passes.

 

[fire&skill]

I think the rumblings were based on the fact that Bristol seemed there for the taking and on one or two occasions we gave up the chance to break by just passing it around among ourselves; hence the chorus of 'Great Escape' which is like a musical Mexican Wave imho

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Calderon's goal came from a period of possession during which we passed the ball around until we found a player in space.

Trouble is, not many teams in this division will let us play our game like Bristol City did. In most games, we pass the ball around until the move breaks down, normally round about the halfway line. Nobody wants a return to hoofball, but the forward play could be a bit more incisive. IMHO, like.

 

[Rambo]

Trouble is, not many teams in this division will let us play our game like Bristol City did. In most games, we pass the ball around until the move breaks down, normally round about the halfway line. Nobody wants a return to hoofball, but the forward play could be a bit more incisive. IMHO, like.

This.

There are times when if we were just that little bit quicker to spot the and make the pass on the counter we could score a lot more goals, and lets face it that is our only problem at the moment as we are defending fine and only conceded the same as Southampton.

 

[pasty]

We should thank our lucky stars that we don't support Swansea, who have made the sixth highest number of passes in EUROPE this season.

Apart from two promotions in three years and being mid table in the Premiership, they have achieved NOTHING by ignoring route one football.

and have just outpassed most peoples "best passing team" and beaten them 3-2. Thoroughly enjoyed that match.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Trouble is, not many teams in this division will let us play our game like Bristol City did. In most games, we pass the ball around until the move breaks down, normally round about the halfway line. Nobody wants a return to hoofball, but the forward play could be a bit more incisive. IMHO, like.

Like it was 2nd half, I thought that was some of our best football of the season during the 2nd half because it was done with pace and zip.
Even Barnes with his link up play looked better, cos we were passing quicker and running and passing triangles, some superb one touch stuff.
Bristol couldnt touch us at times, and it seemed very similar to the way Swansea are playing as they have just beaten Arsenal.

 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

Nice to hear people supporting our style. It bugs the hell out of me when people complain about us retaining possession. It is undeniably the way ahead. Our problem has been that we have been playing this style with largely Lg1 players who have taken time to up their game. We will get there. Just need to be patient. Would have been nice to have someone who could play a decent though ball yesterday as there were some excellent runs being made from midfield.

Not going to get carried away. There is still work to do. Bristol were very poor and made it easy for us to shine.

Anyone who wants to see the ball hoofed forward is welcome to go and watch an Allardyce or Pulis side as they are not welcome at the Amex.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Just because people want the ball to be passed quicker does not mean they are advocating a game of hoofball. The complaints tend to relate to the stodgy nature of some of the team's passing, which leads to potential openings not being exploited and the opposition being given time to regain their shape. Arguably, if we were able to pass the ball around accurately with more zip, we will get less hoof ball, not more, due to less panicky pass backs for Brezovan to punt forward.

 

[El Presidente]

Just because people want the ball to be passed quicker does not mean they are advocating a game of hoofball. The complaints tend to relate to the stodgy nature of some of the team's passing, which leads to potential openings not being exploited and the opposition being given time to regain their shape. Arguably, if we were able to pass the ball around accurately with more zip, we will get less hoof ball, not more, due to less panicky pass backs for Brezovan to punt forward.

I agree with you to a degree, but if our players could pass it faster and more accurately.............they wouldn't be playing for us!

 

[APACHE]

There's a time and a place for the long ball and the trouble is that from the west stand upper you can see numerous times when it is on hence people getting uptight about too much passing when 1 long ball and we're in. Did people notice that shorty before Buckley scored he was signalling for the ball to be hit over the fulback. Yes keep calm and move the ball but yesterday they were open to the long ball and I was told that's how Crawley beat them the week before.

 

[pasty]

There's a time and a place for the long ball and the trouble is that from the west stand upper you can see numerous times when it is on hence people getting uptight about too much passing when 1 long ball and we're in. Did people notice that shorty before Buckley scored he was signalling for the ball to be hit over the fulback. Yes keep calm and move the ball but yesterday they were open to the long ball and I was told that's how Crawley beat them the week before.

I think this is why a lot of the grumbles seem to be coming from the WSU. Being so high up it is really easy to spot the "killer ball" that would put someone clean through, but it must be harder to see that pass on the pitch. I've done it myself, groaning when an seemingly obvious pass or through ball isn't played, but have to remind myself the view I've got is probably a lot better than the players view.

 

[Simon Morgan]

Trouble is, not many teams in this division will let us play our game like Bristol City did. In most games, we pass the ball around until the move breaks down, normally round about the halfway line. Nobody wants a return to hoofball, but the forward play could be a bit more incisive. IMHO, like.

Do agree with that. Against the teams that hassle a bit more when we are on the ball, the practice of playing possession football becomes a bit through the eye of a needle and doesn't always work. Of course, Gus always talks about how our style of play involves a lot of risk-taking. The fact that he explicitly said yesterday required no risk-taking at all shows how Bristol C's performance played into our hands.

 

[finlaych]

The amount of times i heard "stop passing it backwards" was a large amount.