Logic & assumption I suppose. The distribution forward yesterday (for example) varied throughout the game and included the long ball to CMS from Stockdale and others from the off. This was the case before and after half time so it's reasonable to assume it's under instruction + it ties in with the 'away' set up of the team. Not a suprise that we went even longer in last 20 since we were down to 10 with COG and Halford on. There's a place for it (re CMS free kick at Charlton which led to goal) but I was surprised we set up the same way at home and used the long ball as much as we did.
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David Stockdale
- Thread starter Hornblower
- Start date
Logic & assumption I suppose. The distribution forward yesterday (for example) varied throughout the game and included the long ball to CMS from Stockdale and others from the off. This was the case before and after half time so it's reasonable to assume it's under instruction + it ties in with the 'away' set up of the team. Not a suprise that we went even longer in last 20 since we were down to 10 with COG and Halford on. There's a place for it (re CMS free kick at Charlton which led to goal) but I was surprised we set up the same way at home and used the long ball as much as we did.
Diego Napier
Well-known member
- Mar 27, 2010
- 4,416
I agree with your assessment however it does baffle me how frequently our keeper kicks the ball long at home at the end of the game, not just this season but also under Poyet & Garcia. I've lost count the number of games where we were getting the better of teams or controlling the game, took the lead or equalised in the last 20 and then reverted to route one, giving the initiative away. I'd like to see some stats that show the amount of goals we score from last half hour long balls. In the Amex years, most of our late goals result from good passing moves on the deck (or more latterly, from corners as a result of them!). The worst long ball incident I can recall is Ankergren kicking the ball to the Leeds keeper in injury time when we were 3-2 up after trailing 0-2 and the ball being returned to our penalty area for McCormack to draw the game.
Perhaps I've just got selective memory!
blue'n'white
Well-known member
Yes he has got better but he really did need to. He still wanders about too near the half way line for my liking but he's 100 times better than at the start of the season.
Zen Frenzy
New member
Remember it well. Seething at the time. Memory might play tricks but I think his little run of unforced errors around that time spelt the beginning of his fall fom grace.
From slender leads, speculative long kicks within last 5 mins/injury time can never make sense.
Possibility that CH has given instruction to "mix it up" a little and go direct from time-to-time? Challenging strategy with tiddly strikers (COG excepted).
Stockdale highly impressive IMO.
From slender leads, speculative long kicks within last 5 mins/injury time can never make sense.
Possibility that CH has given instruction to "mix it up" a little and go direct from time-to-time? Challenging strategy with tiddly strikers (COG excepted).
Stockdale highly impressive IMO.
Finchley Seagull
Well-known member
Don't know what matches you're watching but it certainly isn't a recent one. Stockdale has been one of our best (if not the best) players in the last 10 games and you want to drop him or sign another keeper. What a bizarre thought.
As most people on here seem to gloat when they're proved right, I'm going to give it a try. I stood up for Stockdale when he was being used as a scapegoat on here by many. He was never anywhere near as bad as was suggested and now he's really hit great form. Many on here had written him off but they seem to have moved to slagging off our strikers instead now. What great fans we have!
Marshy
Well-known member
He really wasn't that bad early In the season either. As usual the criticism was way over the top.
OvingdeanSeagull
Well-known member
Completely agree with this. Some people seem to love to hate our players, it's the same with Baldock at the moment too.
goldstone68
New member
As an ex keeper, I did moan about him early on, but to be honest his performances have kept us in the game in all matches, even the ones we have lost, when you have a disjointed defence in front of you it does make you uneasy and your confidence suffers and it does not help when your own fans get on your back. But he is growing in stature and good luck to him.
Machiavelli
Well-known member
Think most on here were wrong then. Granted he made a couple of mistakes (and an utter howler against Cardiff), and even had the decency to come out in the media and admit as much. But it was obvious from the outset that his enthusiasm is infectious, and he gels with the defenders, and his distribution is excellent. All of this makes him an improvement on TK, who is a marginally better shot-stopper and positionally, but Stockdale is better in the air, working with his defence, and in his distribution.
100% right. He started off ok, and has got better. Also get the sense he is an outstanding team/club man.
Box of Frogs
Zamoras Left Boot
Has taken time to settle in but now looks a far better keeper than when he first joined.
Top lad.
Top lad.
slartibartfast
Active member
At the start of the season, we didnt really see Stockdale save anything - everything that was hit at our goal seemed to go in (at least in the home games). This has changed - he's started making game changing saves, and in fact pretty much single handedly kept the score down yesterday ...
robinsonsgrin
Well-known member
one would hope that he has received an excellent coaching brief from antti niemi ( or did he go too!).
Just 3 short weeks ago.
Finchley Seagull
Well-known member
Just 3 short weeks ago.
How fickle are our fans? I also find it funny that hardly anyone seemed to blame him for the Blackpool goal last week. Now, everyone says he's at fault for that too because he made an error today.
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Lol ye..but then JFC wasn't playing
