so.......what IS going wrong for us defensively?

[turienzo's lovechild]

6 goals in two home games against two fairly average sides.....what is going ON?

two problems for me:

1. bridcutt aside our central midfielders are fairly mediocre which can often give the opposition the opportunity to run RIOT over our defence at times

2. casper isn't commanding enough and doesn't seem to give our centre backs any confidence in him at all (i noticed both of them having a go at him tonight), causing absolute chilli con CARNAGE at the back

ladies and gentlemen- we seem to be seeing the return of COMEDYFENDING

 

[itszamora]

A complete lack of pace, and an ability of how to deal with it. The only players in our side with any speed are the wingers and forwards, and we look horribly exposed when people run at the midfield and back 4.

 

[Rookie]

Midfield (bar bridcutt) are going missing for long periods. Get navarro in alongside Bridcutt to shore up the midfield which will in turn relieve the pressure on the defence.

 

[mikes smalls]

Marcos 'the snail' Painter, his lack of pace is being woefully exposed on our big pitch.
A number of times tonight he sold players short with passes.
I'd like to see Vincelot given a chance.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

another thing:- PLEASE start with vincelot

either at left back or in midfield, i don't care, he's a better option in both positions than what is currently there

 

[Trelford Mills Guide Dog]

We played way too deep in the 2nd half, giving them far too much space, and giving no support to our strikers.
This created a big gulf in the middle of the park and invited them to attack us.
We did exactly the same when 2-up against Blackpool.

Oh, and Painter is shite !

 

[seagullmouse]

another thing:- PLEASE start with vincelot

either at left back or in midfield, i don't care, he's a better option in both positions than what is currently there

Been saying this for ages, Vincelot has so much more energy/pace than Painter, equally happy to see him start in midfield - at least he gives us a bit of zip!

 

[Acker79]

No desire to win the ball. We back off and give opposition space, and time. We let them walk across or into the box with the ball and seem too frightened to challenge for it.

We never seem alert to the second ball. On the occasion a our players get stuck in and make a challenge they seem so surprised by our own actions that they forget to collect the ball.

In the last two games, casper has been below par. His distribution has been poor, short passes putting defenders under pressure, long passes being lost in midfield. He isn't coming for balls that are overplayed that defenders are expecting him too, leaving them on the back foot when they realise they have to deal with it, making them easier to dispossess, he seems to be selling himself and diving the wrong way most of the time (tonight for example in the first half when murray shot wide he shot across the keeper, ankergren, who had narrowed the angle perfectly, dived to cover his near post.

We need more fight, more defensive aggression. We need to want to win the ball back and stop our opponents playing.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Palace no. 16 Zaha ran us ragged tonight. A constant threat.

 

[Acker79]

Palace no. 16 Zaha ran us ragged tonight. A constant threat.

I mentioned this in another thread earlier in the day, but seeing him on the football league show earlier this month he was a clear threat.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Palace no. 16 Zaha ran us ragged tonight. A constant threat.

Bloody hell, he was good. Some of his footwork wouldn't have looked out of place at the local discotheque.

 

[Lush]

Navarro and Vincelot have to be given a chance against Ipswich.

 

[Ernest]

Navarro and Vincelot have to be given a chance against Ipswich.

No Dunk Saturday so dare say he will be playing centre half

 

[SI 4 BHA]

Lack of bite or commitment in midfield leaves the back 4 too exposed at this level. Noone and Bridcutt are automatic choices for me, but for the other 2 places I would prefer one flair player and one grafter. You have to win the midfield battle to win matches and maybe after a few games, other teams have sussed us out a bit.

 

[Lord Bamber]

Have said it before, Painter excellent in League 1, not excellent in championship, been the weakest link in the back line this year. Time to start telling as we are now being punished for his mistakes. Agreed with comments with midfield above.

 

[brightonrock]

It was the second ball in midfield. We keep our shape well as a team, and each player passes a runner onto the man behind him, but any time the ball breaks loose we are always slow to get on it and especially if a midfielder has gone to ground trying to win the first ball, we are left with a counter attack at our centre backs who back off. Moreover when we do have it, because of the big pitch and our wish to stretch teams, the two 'wingers' split soooo wide there is never a simple ball on - only ever a sweeping 25 yard diagonal in behind a full-back (easily cut out) or into feet to CMS with back to goal (easily stifled and not where he wants to be). We need 2 more players in our squad - a more physical presence upfront (NOT a stereotypical 'big man', they need to be technical - but strong enough to retain possession as we break), and a holding midfielder with a bit of pace (and preferably height).

I'd throw Vincelot in for Painter on current form, he's good but he's slow, and I'd play Vicente over Harley as the attacking option from central positions. On current form:

-----------Ankergren-----------
Calderon Greer Dunk Vincelot
------------Bridcutt-------------
-------Navarro Vicente--------
-----Barnes CMS Noone-------

 

[Lush]

No Dunk Saturday so dare say he will be playing centre half

I'd play Cook for Dunk.






That sounds like a biscuit recipe.

 

[el_ciddy]

Defence isn't the main problem. They have to deal with the complete lack of pressure our midfield and forwards (apart from CMS) put on opposing teams as they stroll up the pitch like it's a day out. There was no pressure on Palarse until they got to within 30 yards of our goal, and even then we couldn't even get goal side of the oncoming player let alone stick a foot in to make a decent challenge. Could count the amount of tackles we made on two hands and most of those were done by Bridcutt.

 

[JCL666]

overrun in midfield

Harley seems to be a bit of a light touch

 

[Seagull Steve]

I think one of the problems was Bridcutt's yellow card. I love the guy, but he pulled out of a few tackles tonight fearing a red card. He wasn't the enforcer that he has been tonight because of it. We had a no show from the defence tonight. Vicente came on and did precious little, and Lua Lua looks a fraction of the player he was last season. I don't what else to say. I am gutted, just gutted.