[Albion] Playing the ball out from the back

[blue-shifted]

I remember despairing whilst watching Andy WhingQUOTE]

Sentence could have ended there

 

[LamieRobertson]

Well that's part of the reason we have brought players like that to the club is it not? to help enable us to play the current style of football.

Erm....it was backing up what the OP was saying

 

[blue-shifted]

Well what with their tremendous physical presence in the air they are bound to get the ball.........at least once in the match

The thing is, Maupay and Connolly in particular have shown some excellent hold up play this season. Almost always by dropping short and getting in front of the defender. This provides us with a really valuable option and to me is the best argument for playing 2 strikers. Ie one drops short looking for the out ball from a defender and one is looking to make a run in behind in case the ball is out in behind, ala Maupay v Wolves

There's more than one way to hold up a ball and the days where every goal kick is lumped to Murray to flick onto nobody in particular are thankfully gone.

 

[LowKarate]

I think that we should do it when it works and not do it when it doesn't.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

It’s integral to the way we play. How else will Mooy find the space to do what he does. There were people around us on Saturday groaning when we were doing it at 1-0 up, which seems the perfect time for the tactic. The opposition are forced to come looking for the ball as otherwise we do it for the rest of the game. Our attacking players take the space theirs have vacated.

 

[LamieRobertson]

The thing is, Maupay and Connolly in particular have shown some excellent hold up play this season. Almost always by dropping short and getting in front of the defender. This provides us with a really valuable option and to me is the best argument for playing 2 strikers. Ie one drops short looking for the out ball from a defender and one is looking to make a run in behind in case the ball is out in behind, ala Maupay v Wolves

There's more than one way to hold up a ball and the days where every goal kick is lumped to Murray to flick onto nobody in particular are thankfully gone.

Oh I agree

 

[Pavilionaire]

Right now I don't think there's a better passing side in the bottom half of the Prem than us, and playing out from the back means we have more space in which to play our passes, with bigger gaps between the opposition attack and midfield for us to exploit.

This is clearly happening as our shot count, chances created and expected goals is way up on the previous 2 seasons.

There is a downside - giving the ball away in our own half - but the upside appears to be outweighing the downside.

 

[Bakero]

Reminds me very much of the Gus days, when he also implemented a keep the ball at all costs philosophy, where the goalkeeper needed to have equally adept ball skills as the outfield players.

I can see why Potter wants us to play this way, in as much as if the other team don't have the ball then they can't hurt us, but it isn't easy sometimes watching us take too long in playing out from the back, giving the opposition time to adopt the press and close us down. So l'm on the fence with this one, but either way, this style of play is one of the big reasons we have employed Potter, so ditch it, and we may as well ditch him with it.

The whole point of it is that we invite the opposition to close us down, then attempt to play between the lines and launch an attack.

 

[MattBackHome]

I remember despairing whilst watching Andy Whing pinging long aimless diagonal balls at Withdean to 'get rid of it' and wishing we would just play football a bit more.

We will get caught out occasionally playing out from the back but surely this season is so much better to watch. Playing football on the floor and working openings with quick passing and little lay offs - It's not every week but these are our salad days for me and I am loving it.

Indeed.

In a similar vein I remember Peter Smith hoofing four consecutive long passes straight off the west touchline at the Goldstone.

The ESU moaning massive around me had precious little to grump about on Saturday (no Stephens, early goal, we were taking shots) so focused the majority of their ire towards the defensive 'tippy tappy'.

 

[Marshy]

I bloody love it, sure we will mess it up occasionally but its the way forward for us.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

When i was in middle school i had a pe teacher that would insist we lined up in the old wm formation, he'd never got his head round the changes in formations since the 1950s. I'm pretty sure some people can't come to terms with the fact it's no longer the 1980's and lumping it up field to the "big man" is no longer the height of English footballs tactical ambition.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Depends on the context. Majority of time, yes for sure, but occasionally a big fat hoof is required. No harm in a big fat hoof now and then

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Like all other things that are being 'discussed', at the moment, it's completely nonsensical.

Fingers crossed we lose on Wednesday, this place is shitehouse when we win.

Why do you continually use that word which begins with an s and ends house? You seem to be a chief culprit at that.

 

[dazzer6666]

The thing is, Maupay and Connolly in particular have shown some excellent hold up play this season. Almost always by dropping short and getting in front of the defender. This provides us with a really valuable option and to me is the best argument for playing 2 strikers. Ie one drops short looking for the out ball from a defender and one is looking to make a run in behind in case the ball is out in behind, ala Maupay v Wolves

There's more than one way to hold up a ball and the days where every goal kick is lumped to Murray to flick onto nobody in particular are thankfully gone.

They both seem exceptionally strong and well-balanced - they get in front of the defender and are very difficult to knock off the ball. Another big plus now is that we have more chance of a midfielder supporting them rather than Muzza holding the ball up 50 yards away from the nearest stripy shirt.

 

[VAL1850]

Far better than the old hoofing it up to Murray and hoping for the best with most of the time loosing possesion or ball going into touch

 

[herecomesaregular]

When it works it's beautiful, when it doesn't (Sheff U) it's agonising.

Recently, I feel Duffy is more comfortable with it than Webster, who was bought as the ball-playing centre back (and Duffy supposedly the uncultured industrial centre back). Confidence I guess.

It's definitively risky as when it goes wrong there's high chance of a goal. However, it's certainly more entertaining and as I go to the football to be entertained more than I do for win at all costs it's a thumbs up from me.

I'm still getting used to it though.

edit - of course there is a loud mouthed contigent of the crowd that moan and groan about it (mostly the older fans?) - I hope Potter and the players can ignore them

 

[amexer]

Credit to Bournmouth as stopped us playing it out. So we hit long balls to Burn. Easier when Stephens plays because he is so often just outside penalty area.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

The whole point of it is that we invite the opposition to close us down, then attempt to play between the lines and launch an attack.

Providing we don't balls it up with a misplaced pass . . . yes!

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Depends on the context. Majority of time, yes for sure, but occasionally a big fat hoof is required. No harm in a big fat hoof now and then

Oh I agree, I'm also an aim for Row Z man in certain circumstances.

 

[Grombleton]

The way we used it against Bournemouth was much more clever, we played it short a few times so then they started trying to push up at which point we utilised the option of going long/wide to Burn who won absolutely everything. Like that Potter has thought about it, gives us a different option so teams can’t just push up and high press us.

This. I like that we have some variety, whereas under Gus it was always play it out but now as teams suss out our style we try to mix it up a bit. It's also a problem when we have smaller, quicker forwards as they aren't as good at holding the ball up, so going long isn't always a good option direct from a goal kick.