Taricco determined to tighten up leaky defence

[theonesmith]

I think that has been a problem for large parts of the season. I think it's why it took so long for people outside our strike force to score.

Agreed, and I think it is a similar "gap" between midfield and defence that has to be sorted too- the defence are too slow to play the ball and push up, and I think our midfield can do more to help the defence. The amount of goals/attempts we've seen this season where an opposition player has picked up the ball and run with it for 30 yards unchallenged is ridiculous.

 

[seagullwedgee]

Who did you support for the other 4 years before you saw the light?

Bozza,

I was 11 when I first went to the Goldstone, and got the bug from day one. From age 7 to 11 living in Tunbridge Wells, and a fairly grim upbringing/parental split, I followed the Albion but couldn't describe myself as a fan, until I went to the holy temple!!

 

[Skint Gull]

I don't agree with this approach at all.

there are 3 ways of organising a defence:

1. man on man, you do your job properly, and expect your team mates to do the same. End of.

2. zone. mark some space, leading to genuine confusion over who should go for it, and meaning your never close enough to give the bloke your marking a shove to put him off balance. recipe for disaster.

3. a bit of both. do your job, but leave your station if someone else is failing in their's, leaving your man unmarked, unless yet another of your team mates spots it quickly, decides to help you out, leaves his man unmarked. chaos. not sure our blokes are either clever enough or quick enough to do this.

only one way to go, do your job properly. If you all do, you'll have a clean sheet.

Blimey! You really must live in the most simplistic little world ever don't you? I guess if you just work hard and play by the rules you'll be a millionaire inside a decade won't you cos life really is that black and white?

 

[seagullwedgee]

Blimey! You really must live in the most simplistic little world ever don't you? I guess if you just work hard and play by the rules you'll be a millionaire inside a decade won't you cos life really is that black and white?

Skint, if you add up my pension fund, equity in house, and investments, I already am - but only just!

I was just trying to make a point that we need to start with the basics, I have played the game, I know it's frantic and you have to react.

 

[Silent Bob]

Define 'the basics'. For me defending is all about how they work as a unit... you can have one outstanding performance in defence but if they aren't all on the same wavelength you will concede goals.

 

[The Wizard]

Wedgee, I don't mean to sound harsh here but they both have coaching badges so I hasten to say they know A LOT more about it than you do.

 

[theonesmith]

Wedgee, I don't mean to sound harsh here but they both have coaching badges so I hasten to say they know A LOT more about it than you do.

Yes but we're missing the point here.

What he said about the basics and one to one is CORRECT.

However, we should be defending as a TEAM. If you have to go one vs one then you hope your players have the skill to pull it off, but if you work as a team then you shouldn't need to buy class players as the team will be getting results.

Albion fans need to stop looking at specific points and take a look at the wider picture. We currently aren't playing as a team, the wingers and midfield aren't getting to to the defence to take pressure off by providing options/ close down space and our defence don't look a unit and are too slow to work with the midfield.

You need a TEAM performance (Leeds are an excellent example) to challenge at the top end. Leeds's team hasn't changed in terms of quality over the years, they're just playing better altogether this season, rather than a group of individuals.

 

[acrossthepond]

We got a real team performance at Southampton - I was quite pleased with the results of that....

 

[Pavilionaire]

Good teams will exploit weak individuals, players playing out of position or low on confidence.

I noticed how Leeds were adept at closing down the Albion into a position where the ball was passed back to a defender, who would then hoof it upfield where they'd confortably regain possession.

A collective 'team' approach to defending is all well and good, but we all know of Albion defenders who are prone to giving away penalties, collecting cards, lacking pace etc - these guys are the ones that have cost the team points.

 

[Worthai Seagull]

I've studied the game closely over 40 years.

it is a question of doing the basics brilliantly, consistently, nothing flash.

I'm just abit worried that at this the Poet and Tarrico are taking a different tack, trying to get them to do something quite complex from a standing start, when quite clearly we have not even mastered the basics.

But he's the boss paid to make the decisions and execute tham perfectly. I'm just a seagull fan of 36 years standing who is sick and tired of of the 'hot knife thru butter' performances of recent days/weeks/months/years.

good luck to him, i desperately hope he pulls it off, something has to change thats for sure.

Me too...ive studied and loved the game as you....been watching the boys since 1966. ...BUT,its a whole lot easier being a manager on NSC , as most of us are here , because we all know a whole lot better than the professionals ......NOT ! Surely,to god, that a 'different tack' is better than the crap that weve endured , and as professional footballers, they should be thrilled to be learning new techniques and ideas ...If they cant adapt and learn ..CHEERIO

 

[Worthai Seagull]

Skint, if you add up my pension fund, equity in house, and investments, I already am - but only just!

I was just trying to make a point that we need to start with the basics, I have played the game, I know it's frantic and you have to react.

Many of us have played the game ...and we know its frantic , and that you have to react !!!!!! A lot of ball games are .
BTW ..basics are learnt at a young age . If you dont know the basics as professional footballers, i wonder if you should be playing the game.

 

[seagullwedgee]

Come on peeps, I'm not criticising anyone, of course they are best for the job, I simply said my opinion, which is given where we are starting from I'm not sure complex stuff will give us the quick difference we're looking for.

of course something has to change. and one other point, lets not kid ourselves, if southampton's finishing had been anywhere near normal standard, that probably would have been a 3-3 draw, or even another high scoring defeat.

 

[Worthai Seagull]

We got a real team performance at Southampton - I was quite pleased with the results of that....

We all were !

 

[pork pie]

I must say, that if he thinks they are not supporting one another, the players are non-league as others keep claiming! Bloody basics init!

 

[BensGrandad]

I have said for a long time now that our defensive problems are brought about by not having an iout and out defensive midfielder to break down the players coming through and then receive the ball from the back four and push it forward. When our central defenders, whoever they may be, attack a cross and the ball drops it is odds on it will be seized by an attacker. We have got to get somebody to latch on to that 2nd ball. We are not a bad team with bad players just a team using bad practice.