[Albion] Plan B (Counter Attack)

Super Sub · Sunday at 3:02 AM

Breaking down a Low Block has been a problem for us for many a year. We have major problems in breaking down a side that is happy to ”Park the Bus”

I understand that we have very much become a possession based side in recent years, but imho we need to be more flexible with our methods when we play against different sides with a more negative attitude.
We have incredible pace and skill in our front line but with no space to operate in, it is hard for them to influence things.
Would it hurt to adopt a more Counter Attacking approach to playing such negative sides? They would then have to play more and invariably gaps would appear for us to attack. Forest are the masters of this in the current season… they sit back, soak it up and then hit on the counter at break neck speed.

Im not saying this should be our default way to play but I absolutely see it as an option as a way to create space and break down those sides that don’t want to play.

Uh_huh_him · Sunday at 4:29 AM

We don't have "incredible" pace in our front line.

The Maharajah of Sydney · Sunday at 4:40 AM

Super Sub said:
Breaking down a Low Block has been a problem for us for many a year. We have major problems in breaking down a side that is happy to ”Park the Bus”

I understand that we have very much become a possession based side in recent years, but imho we need to be more flexible with our methods when we play against different sides with a more negative attitude.
We have incredible pace and skill in our front line but with no space to operate in, it is hard for them to influence things.
Would it hurt to adopt a more Counter Attacking approach to playing such negative sides? They would then have to play more and invariably gaps would appear for us to attack. Forest are the masters of this in the current season… they sit back, soak it up and then hit on the counter at break neck speed.

Im not saying this should be our default way to play but I absolutely see it as an option as a way to create space and break down those sides that don’t want to play.

I totally agree with you.
I had this very same thought whilst out having lunch today.
In fact I'd go a step further and just let them have the ball and maybe even leave an extra man or two up on the halfway line.

Weststander · Sunday at 7:16 AM

Post Hughton, I’ve often thought about this. In terms of it would make a change if our next coach was a counter attack expert, ceding possession, waiting for us to pounce and steal goals.

Not going to happen. TB’s nailed our colours to the possession based game mast, at all age levels.

Withdean11 · Sunday at 7:51 AM

It was the lack of use of width for us yesterday, not helped by not having overlapping full backs either side and two wingers who only seemed to want to cut inside.

Our default tactic against the low block seems to be to get the ball to the ‘D’ and try little flicks to play our way through the most congested area of the pitch. It NEVER works.

Oh_aye · Sunday at 8:15 AM

Withdean11 said:
It was the lack of use of width for us yesterday, not helped by not having overlapping full backs either side and two wingers who only seemed to want to cut inside.

Our default tactic against the low block seems to be to get the ball to the ‘D’ and try little flicks to play our way through the most congested area of the pitch. It NEVER works.

Wow. The little attempts at one-two flicks, or pass into the D where the recieving player dummies it, hoping someone is behind them (there never is). Only for the ball to ricochet against shins and get cleared. I feel like I'll be seeing this manoeuvre in my nightmares in purgatory, for ever and ever. CHANGE IT UP LADS. It's not just hurzeler, it feels like the same game against a team that plays like this for 3 seasons or so.

The same with keeper to JPvH, JPvH to Dunk, Dunk to left back. Left back to Mitoma, Mitoma shimmies to go outside, cuts inside, scuffed low cross to first defender who clears. Ball recovered. Back to keeper and start all over again. Like someone who had figured out a foolproof way of scoring on a previous version of early Fifa, only for the defensive ai to be improved on the next version but they keep doing it anyway.

Clive Walker · Sunday at 8:21 AM

score from a set peice. Impossible it seems.

Herr Tubthumper · Sunday at 9:08 AM

Withdean11 said:
It was the lack of use of width for us yesterday, not helped by not having overlapping full backs either side and two wingers who only seemed to want to cut inside.

Our default tactic against the low block seems to be to get the ball to the ‘D’ and try little flicks to play our way through the most congested area of the pitch. It NEVER works.

What would width have done? Any crosses into the box were dealt with easily by their defenders, are you suggesting more of the same?

Hiheidi · Sunday at 9:15 AM

Weststander said:
Not going to happen. TB’s nailed our colours to the possession based game mast, at all age levels.

We sit perfectly in the middle.

Withdean11 · Sunday at 9:18 AM

Herr Tubthumper said:
What would width have done? Any crosses into the box were dealt with easily by their defenders, are you suggesting more of the same?

It creates space. More width would force there defensive block to spread out, rather than compact around the D where we insist on trying to play through.

Weststander · Sunday at 9:21 AM

Hiheidi said:
We sit perfectly in the middle.
View attachment 195720

Interesting. Wonder what’s gone wrong at home for 6 seasons, except 2022/23. A mountain of non PL wins.

raymondo · Sunday at 9:22 AM

Weststander said:
Post Hughton, I’ve often thought about this. In terms of it would make a change if our next coach was a counter attack expert, ceding possession, waiting for us to pounce and steal goals.

Not going to happen. TB’s nailed our colours to the possession based game mast, at all age levels.

I think it was Barber and Ashworth that said: this is how we'll play, it's our DNA, watch two teams from space and you'll know which one is Brighton, at any age level "

Personally though, I'd prefer a bit more nuance and flexibility!!!!

macbeth · Sunday at 9:22 AM

we’ve actually gotten worse at it, which is the real problem. i remember in the potter years we’d frequently face these teams and create loads of chances, dominate from first minute to last, play with high intensity and only fail to score due to the opposition keeper having a worldy or maupay/connolly being unable to hit a cow’s arse with a banjo. now we turn up to these games and just look like we can’t be arsed. we created next to nothing yesterday.

raymondo · Sunday at 9:24 AM

Weststander said:
Interesting. Wonder what’s gone wrong at home for 6 seasons, except 2022/23. A mountain of non PL wins.

The only common denominators are the crowd (heaven forbid!), the pitch, location of away fans, the itching need to get away fast on a train,and piglet pies! We need a poll

.

Curious Orange · Sunday at 9:26 AM

I know Forest next week I'd definitely not be playing a high line. In fact I'd letting them have possession sit deep and look for the counter.

raymondo · Sunday at 9:29 AM

Withdean11 said:
It creates space. More width would force there defensive block to spread out, rather than compact around the D where we insist on trying to play through.

I agree they should try this, plus we need players arriving late in the box rather than all lined up waiting for the dinked cross.
Defences need to worry whether our wide man is going to
- hit it across hard
- dink a floater
- cut back to the edge of the box

And, we need players to risk shooting. At least Baleba had a go.
I really think it was wrong to loan Enciso (ducks behind porridge)...at least he gave defences something different to worry about.

tedebear · Sunday at 9:29 AM

This is exactly my concern at the moment. Clubs only have to come to us with a zone defense and or low block and we are stifled....have we learned nothing in the last few years that this has been deployed against us, have we no footballing intelligence, are we not watching hours of footage?? Are we not teaching the team how to combat this? Or are they not practicing what they are taught?

The only times last night we even looked remotely promising is when they had not yet set up/parked the bus....we had a couple of opportunities with their continual injuries when their players were on the sidelines but we turn our back on the goal and pass back to Dunk, who passes back to the keeper, all this does is give them time to set up and the opportunity is over and we revert to walking football ....just no footballing intelligence being seen at the moment imho...

Herr Tubthumper · Sunday at 9:33 AM

Withdean11 said:
It creates space. More width would force there defensive block to spread out, rather than compact around the D where we insist on trying to play through.

Personally not convinced, Everton had a deep flat back 5 for large periods of the game, crossing balls into the box would have been easy for their 3 centre backs. As much as I dislike Tarkowski and co, they’re very good at what they do. My thinking is we need to be a lot quicker with our passing, if you are quick and slick with your passing you can play through anything as it forces the opponents to move around and creates small pockets of space. And if they don’t move around and mobilise then you just play through the existing gaps…..all very theoretical though.

raymondo · Sunday at 9:33 AM

tedebear said:
This is exactly my concern at the moment. Clubs only have to come to us with a zone defense and or low block and we are stifled....have we learned nothing in the last few years that this has been deployed against us, have we no footballing intelligence, are we not watching hours of footage?? Are we not teaching the team how to combat this? Or are they not practicing what they are taught?

The only times last night we even looked remotely promising is when they had not yet set up/parked the bus....we had a couple of opportunities with their continual injuries when their players were on the sidelines but we turn our back on the goal and pass back to Dunk, who passes back to the keeper, all this does is give them time to set up and the opportunity is over and we revert to walking football ....just no footballing intelligence being seen at the moment imho...

I suspect our training is so focused on playing out from the back that we're unable to practice against a low block.

Hamilton · Sunday at 9:36 AM

Super Sub said:
Breaking down a Low Block has been a problem for us for many a year. We have major problems in breaking down a side that is happy to ”Park the Bus”

I understand that we have very much become a possession based side in recent years, but imho we need to be more flexible with our methods when we play against different sides with a more negative attitude.
We have incredible pace and skill in our front line but with no space to operate in, it is hard for them to influence things.
Would it hurt to adopt a more Counter Attacking approach to playing such negative sides? They would then have to play more and invariably gaps would appear for us to attack. Forest are the masters of this in the current season… they sit back, soak it up and then hit on the counter at break neck speed.

Im not saying this should be our default way to play but I absolutely see it as an option as a way to create space and break down those sides that don’t want to play.

Agree with this in that we have to have that alternative to taking on the low block. After all, we’re clueless when it comes to getting the ball in the net against these teams.

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