Moaners - You got an assist for Millwall

[Sheebo]

El Abd has the ball (in an advanced position on the right wing) he dribbles back 30 yards and plays the ball to Dunk (i think) who then hoofs it up top for Millwall's CBs to gobble up and Millwall from that very attack go and score the 1st goal...

There's a reason this happened. People were moaning at El Abd (who we all know is a CB playing out of position) loudly and my take was Dunk heard the discontent so tried to hoof it instead of playing our way and keeping the ball. Anyone else notice this?

I think people need to be more patient - esp when a player is clearly out of position etc... This 'want want want / never satisfied' attitude stinks from some!

 

[Napper]

The attitude stinks but to give them an assist is stretching it a bit

 

[Camicus]

It does if we sack Gus CMS Barnes Dunk as some want where will be then we are safe in the championship and that makes me 100% happy

 

[Sheebo]

The attitude stinks but to give them an assist is stretching it a bit

Haha sorry, slightly sensationalist thread title

 

[Bladders]

El Abd has no idea what to do with the ball even when he's playing in the middle of a back four. He'll either pass it sideways or Bridcutt has to run back and take it off him.

It drives me up the wall that he won't bring it out himself into the acres of space in front of him and at least draw one of their players on to create a bit of extra space for our midfield.

If you watch most opposing teams they will chase down Greer, Bruno , Bridge etc when they have the ball but are more than happy to let El Abd have to bring it out as they know he cant do anything with it.

 

[Marshy]

Dunk should always start ahead of El-Abd in home fixtures.

 

[fire&skill]

I blame the formation of the club in 1901; if that hadn't happened we wouldn't have put the players in that position for it to occur

 

[hans kraay fan club]

El Abd has the ball (in an advanced position on the right wing) he dribbles back 30 yards and plays the ball to Dunk (i think) who then hoofs it up top for Millwall's CBs to gobble up and Millwall from that very attack go and score the 1st goal...

There's a reason this happened. People were moaning at El Abd (who we all know is a CB playing out of position) loudly and my take was Dunk heard the discontent so tried to hoof it instead of playing our way and keeping the ball. Anyone else notice this?

I think people need to be more patient - esp when a player is clearly out of position etc... This 'want want want / never satisfied' attitude stinks from some!

Completely wrong, I reckon. If anything, I'd give El Abd the assist.

Buckley had the ball in the right corner, and had two defenders to beat. He drew them in, then rolled it ten yards back to El Abd, to swing a cross in. We had four men in the box waiting.

Instead of putting that cross in, El Abd turned back, and passed the ball back to the halfway line, where it was intially mis-controlled, and ultimately posession lost.

Problem was more in El Abd's decision making than any 'moaners' imo, like.

 

[Sheebo]

El Abd has no idea what to do with the ball even when he's playing in the middle of a back four. He'll either pass it sideways or Bridcutt has to run back and take it off him.

It drives me up the wall that he won't bring it out himself into the acres of space in front of him and at least draw one of their players on to create a bit of extra space for our midfield.

If you watch most opposing teams they will chase down Greer, Bruno , Bridge etc when they have the ball but are more than happy to let El Abd have to bring it out as they know he cant do anything with it.

I think u speak a lot of sense and people prob don't notice teams target Greer as someone to not give time on the ball. However the point re El Abd was he was clearly out of position and didn't even lose the ball - so people need to be a bit more patient - this was at 0-0 too. Is it arrogant to suggest these people are less educated in football knowledge? Or are they just plain impatient?! There were many doing it as i'm sure it was audible to Dunk who then hoofed when nobody was near him...

 

[Easy 10]

then rolled it ten yards back to El Abd, to swing a cross in.

And THERE was the problem. What on earth was the thinking behind having El Abd supporting our attacks from out wide ? He was like a fish up a tree.

Thank christ Gus binned that 3-5-2 before the damage became irrepairable.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

And THERE was the problem. What on earth was the thinking behind having El Abd supporting our attacks from out wide ? He was like a fish up a tree.

Thank christ Gus binned that 3-5-2 before the damage became irrepairable.

Sorry Easy, but whilst I take your broad point, any footballer at any level, has the ability to swing a cross over, from that kind of position, in plenty of space. The ball was even rolling towards him, which technique-wise, makes it particularly simple. If a player's technique is THAT poor*, they have no place in a side playing a system built on passing football.

*I don't actually believe his technique IS that poor - which is why its his DECISION MAKING that I was criticising.

 

[Bladders]

I think u speak a lot of sense and people prob don't notice teams target Greer as someone to not give time on the ball. However the point re El Abd was he was clearly out of position and didn't even lose the ball - so people need to be a bit more patient - this was at 0-0 too. Is it arrogant to suggest these people are less educated in football knowledge? Or are they just plain impatient?! There were many doing it as i'm sure it was audible to Dunk who then hoofed when nobody was near him...

I did notice that we seemed to play the long ball on quite a few occasions when in the 3-5-2, not sure whther this was a tactic from Gus or no one knew what they were doing in a system they must have only had 2 days to work on.

 

[JBenno]

El Abd has the ball (in an advanced position on the right wing) he dribbles back 30 yards and plays the ball to Dunk (i think) who then hoofs it up top for Millwall's CBs to gobble up and Millwall from that very attack go and score the 1st goal...

There's a reason this happened. People were moaning at El Abd (who we all know is a CB playing out of position) loudly and my take was Dunk heard the discontent so tried to hoof it instead of playing our way and keeping the ball. Anyone else notice this?

I think people need to be more patient - esp when a player is clearly out of position etc... This 'want want want / never satisfied' attitude stinks from some!

Having a piss in WSU toilets at half time, and bloke next to me said exactly this to his pal.

I'm guessing either, this bloke was you or someone else had exactly the same opinion as you..

anyway if it was you, you pissed on my shoes a little bit.... Can you be a bit more careful please

 

[Bladders]

Sorry Easy, but whilst I take your broad point, any footballer at any level, has the ability to swing a cross over, from that kind of position, in plenty of space. The ball was even rolling towards him, which technique-wise, makes it particularly simple. If a player's technique is THAT poor*, they have no place in a side playing a system built on passing football.

*I don't actually believe his technique IS that poor - which is why its his DECISION MAKING that I was criticising.

Totally he agree, he's a defender but he certainly isn't a footballer. Terrible on the ball.

 

[Easy 10]

Sorry Easy, but whilst I take your broad point, any footballer at any level, has the ability to swing a cross over, from that kind of position, in plenty of space. The ball was even rolling towards him, which technique-wise, makes it particularly simple. If a player's technique is THAT poor*, they have no place in a side playing a system built on passing football.

*I don't actually believe his technique IS that poor - which is why its his DECISION MAKING that I was criticising.

I do take your point, any professional football SHOULD be capable of crossing a ball, and its not like Bomber had anyone to beat to get the ball over.

However, he clearly looked ill at ease being in that position and did not have the confidence to deliver, instead taking the easy option of going backwards. He was not confident of his technique out wide, so that of course influenced his decision-making. Footballers (in this country particularly) are simple creatures who like to stay in their comfort zones. El Abd was taken well outside of his, and placed in an unfamiliar position in an unaccustomed role, so frankly it was no surprise to see him floundering there. He's an excellent CB, but is also a bit of a blunt instrument. Expecting him to be able to perform "total football" supporting effectively in attacks is, I'm afraid, too much to ask of him at this stage of his career.

 

[Bladders]

I do take your point, any professional football SHOULD be capable of crossing a ball, and its not like Bomber had anyone to beat to get the ball over.

However, he clearly looked ill at ease being in that position and did not have the confidence to deliver, instead taking the easy option of going backwards. He was not confident of his technique out wide, so that of course influenced his decision-making. Footballers (in this country particularly) are simple creatures who like to stay in their comfort zones. El Abd was taken well outside of his, iplaced 0n an unfamiliar position in an unaccustomed role, so frankly it was no surprise to see him floundering there. He's an excellent CB, but is also a bit of a blunt instrument. Expecting him to be able to perform "total football" supporting effectoively in attacks is, I'm afraid, too much to ask of him at this stage of his career.

No ones asking him to replace Iniesta at Barcalona, just cross the bloody ball for the Albion would do.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I do take your point, any professional football SHOULD be capable of crossing a ball, and its not like Bomber had anyone to beat to get the ball over.

However, he clearly looked ill at ease being in that position and did not have the confidence to deliver, instead taking the easy option of going backwards. He was not confident of his technique out wide, so that of course influenced his decision-making. Footballers (in this country particularly) are simple creatures who like to stay in their comfort zones. El Abd was taken well outside of his, and placed in an unfamiliar position in an unaccustomed role, so frankly it was no surprise to see him floundering there. He's an excellent CB, but is also a bit of a blunt instrument. Expecting him to be able to perform "total football" supporting effectively in attacks is, I'm afraid, too much to ask of him at this stage of his career.

I think you are over-analysing it tbh. If you move from CB to RB it doesn't become a completely different SPORT. You still play with the same ball. Swinging that cross over (with his good foot) is technically no different to him chipping a forty yard pass across his own back line, which he does twenty times a game.

 

[Sheebo]

Completely wrong, I reckon. If anything, I'd give El Abd the assist.

Buckley had the ball in the right corner, and had two defenders to beat. He drew them in, then rolled it ten yards back to El Abd, to swing a cross in. We had four men in the box waiting.

Instead of putting that cross in, El Abd turned back, and passed the ball back to the halfway line, where it was intially mis-controlled, and ultimately posession lost.

Problem was more in El Abd's decision making than any 'moaners' imo, like.

El Abd was slow yes but he didn't just run back to the halfway line - he did so because there was a defender right on him. Yes he should've been quicker and delivered but the point is he was well out of position / comfort zone. I recall Dunk having nobody around him really and hoofing it when there was an easy ball on square to GG..

 

[Easy 10]

No ones asking him to replace Iniesta at Barcalona, just cross the bloody ball for the Albion would do.

Agreed, and he should probably have given it a go. But then we're supposed to be a passing team, waiting for the right opportunity to play the right ball, etc etc...El Abd just "slinging one in" is hardly condusive to that (although it wouldn't have been any worse than most of the aimless hoofs Dunk, Greer and Bridge were humping about in that pigs ear of a first half).

El Abds hesitancy / reluctance to do the obvious was just symptomatic of a complete bollocks-up of a formation Gus deployed. We were unbalanced and totally disjointed. The deeper worry is that the team seemed utterly incapable of even coming close to adapting to this change in formation. Doesn't say much for the flexibility of our players.

To his credit, Gus held his hands up and admitted he'd got it wrong (hence the early change), but as per Hans Kraays point, professional footballers SHOULD be able to adapt a little better.The reality is, more often than not, they can't.

 

[Sheebo]

I do take your point, any professional football SHOULD be capable of crossing a ball, and its not like Bomber had anyone to beat to get the ball over.

However, he clearly looked ill at ease being in that position and did not have the confidence to deliver, instead taking the easy option of going backwards. He was not confident of his technique out wide, so that of course influenced his decision-making. Footballers (in this country particularly) are simple creatures who like to stay in their comfort zones. El Abd was taken well outside of his, and placed in an unfamiliar position in an unaccustomed role, so frankly it was no surprise to see him floundering there. He's an excellent CB, but is also a bit of a blunt instrument. Expecting him to be able to perform "total football" supporting effectively in attacks is, I'm afraid, too much to ask of him at this stage of his career.

He was clearly out of his comfort zone and out of position - which is exactly my point as to why people thought moaning and shouting abuse would help the situation / was justified.