[Albion] Thoughts on that missing killer instinct

[Charity Shield 1910]

Albion players have the instinct but lack the ability to put the ball in the net. Such a superb side but it's remarkable how bad they are in the other teams penalty box.

 

[Simster]

What I find interesting is that everyone knows our main problem is not putting teams to the sword when we are well on top, but no pundit or fan has any idea of how to resolve that.

Get a new striker in! Well, yes but that is expensive and not a guaranteed solution.

Personally I just wonder whether it's a multitude of things. Maupay takes too many touches, Trossard tends to hit too many shots centrally from outside the box, Bissouma perhaps doesn't shoot enough, there isn't either enough variation or a clear plan from dangerously placed free kicks and so on.

I think we need competition for Maupay without breaking the bank, and another season with this settled squad and some of this will sort itself out next season.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

It’s not about the amount of goals, it’s about converting big chances.

I agree with you, but unfortunately the stats don't bear this out.

Big Chances missed this season:
Maupay 8 / Ings 5 / Bamford 14/ Vardy 12/ Wilson 8

 

[Charity Shield 1910]

What I find interesting is that everyone knows our main problem is not putting teams to the sword when we are well on top, but no pundit or fan has any idea of how to resolve that.

Get a new striker in! Well, yes but that is expensive and not a guaranteed solution.

Personally I just wonder whether it's a multitude of things. Maupay takes too many touches, Trossard tends to hit too many shots centrally from outside the box, Bissouma perhaps doesn't shoot enough, there isn't either enough variation or a clear plan from dangerously placed free kicks and so on.

I think we need competition for Maupay without breaking the bank, and another season with this settled squad and some of this will sort itself out next season.

Make shooting practice hard and imaginative, smaller goals, use footballs, use smaller balls and smaller goals. All sorts but that ultimately is Potters job not mine. Practice, practice and practice the skills. Repeat for hours every day. Other than that then there is very little can be done except replacing the current one's if it can be afforded.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Albion players have the instinct but lack the ability to put the ball in the net. Such a superb side but it's remarkable how bad they are in the other teams penalty box.

I disagree. I think they have the ability, but not the instinct. Too much thinking time needed. Good Premier League defenders won't allow it.

 

[Return of the Rev]

What I find interesting is that everyone knows our main problem is not putting teams to the sword when we are well on top, but no pundit or fan has any idea of how to resolve that.

Get a new striker in! Well, yes but that is expensive and not a guaranteed solution.

Personally I just wonder whether it's a multitude of things. Maupay takes too many touches, Trossard tends to hit too many shots centrally from outside the box, Bissouma perhaps doesn't shoot enough, there isn't either enough variation or a clear plan from dangerously placed free kicks and so on.

I think we need competition for Maupay without breaking the bank, and another season with this settled squad and some of this will sort itself out next season.

It's getting quick shots off, we have the passing dna a bit like Arsernal back in the day, players looking to take an extra touch or that extra pass. Not a bad thing it has been a revelation just needs tweaking. The reason it's so apparent is that so much is so right in other areas.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I agree with you, but unfortunately the stats don't bear this out.

Big Chances missed this season:
Maupay 8 / Ings 5 / Bamford 14/ Vardy 12/ Wilson 8

I suppose that’s still a little simplistic.

It’s about when those big chances are missed.

Wilson’s goals have contributed to 68% of Newcastle’s total with 17 points (from either scoring an equaliser or winner). Maupay has contributed just 30% of our points adding 8 to our total with winners against Leeds & Newcastle and goals in our draws against Wolves & West Ham.

Wilson may have missed 8 big chances but like the others you have mentioned, usually scores when it counts meaning that points are ultimately scored for the team.

 

[willalbion]

We didn’t have any sitters to miss in last night’s game

Ali Mac’s header? Thought he should have buried that.

 

[willalbion]

I like Maupay. A lot. Underrated by many I think, maligned by a few. We’re lucky to have him.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I do think that when we dominate a game so much, the opponents edge of the penalty box gets so congested that clear cut chances are hard to some by. When we had March and Lamptey wide, we seemed to stretch things far more, something we won't see for a while

I also think that in Maupay, Welbeck, Connolly, Zeqiri and Andone (when fit) we have a good, if young, blend and should be able to fix it. I do believe that once we start, the strikers confidence will improve and they will relax. I'm not sure a £40-£50M gamble is the answer.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

I suppose that’s still a little simplistic.

It’s about when those big chances are missed.

Wilson’s goals have contributed to 68% of Newcastle’s total with 17 points (from either scoring an equaliser or winner). Maupay has contributed just 30% of our points adding 8 to our total with winners against Leeds & Newcastle and goals in our draws against Wolves & West Ham.

Wilson may have missed 8 big chances but like the others you have mentioned, usually scores when it counts meaning that points are ultimately scored for the team.

I agree with you.

With 11 draws, many of those big chances missed would have been worth 2 points.

 

[Shins]

Slow'ish build up play is certainly a contributing factor, but that's caused in part by teams being shit scared of us at times and retreating very deep. We'll improve at learning how to break teams down the more it happens, and obviously having better players would make it easier.

The last 20 minutes really looked like we were a top 6 team trying to break down one of the 'small' teams. All 11 players in their half, working the ball from side-to-side and probing away. It was great to see, even if the goal didn't come. The next step I think is being a little braver and pushing higher up (if possible), and being able to break on teams from higher up the pitch. But that's also the trade off from being tight defensively as that comes with it's own risks, so I'm certainly not criticising.

As for better players, someone 'clinical'. Of course it would help to have better players... I think if we could add a starting quality right winger come no.10 (a left footed Trossard - Not Tau) and a better striker, we would be higher up the table. I won't level the failings of us to score entirely on Maupay though as, as someone alluded to earlier he's often in promising positions but not always clean through, or has a tap in. That I think is as a result of teams playing fairly deep against us.

Given we have Gross, Mac, Trossard and others searching for the ball and creating, I would like our striker to not get involved as much as Maupay wants to and don't think it's a coincidence he looks better player when paired with a runner in Connolly up top.

If we can find a 'Wilson', 'Jimenez', 'Ings' quality player then great, but a ready made one will cost a bomb and is likely to be at an age where it doesn't fit our transfer model (See Wilson), 28 year old on a 4 year contract, plus transfer fee with little re-sale value at the end of their contact.

We may need to be patient with our 'promising' strikers and hope than one turns into some of the players mentioned in this thread. That's the model that's working in other positions on the pitch and one I'm sure the recruitment team are trying to get right. Maupay has been decent for us and is also still young enough to improve.

If Bloom wants to spend 30mil on a striker as it's the final piece in the jigsaw, that's fine by me, but won't complain if he doesn't.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We do actually.

For me, the definition of a panic defence is when players double or even triple up on an attacking threat. You could see it last night when Grealish was close to our box, at least two players were always tasked with dealing with him.

Lamptey is our man who makes defences panic. His drives into the box cause panic, penalties and wet panties from the opposition. I can’t want for him to be back..........perhaps on the left as Veltman is top dog right now.

Maybe Lamptey plus Andone might draw a few defences out of their comfort zone, cause them to flap a bit. Speed plus aggression might just work wonders

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Andy Johnson?

Indeedy. I like that the answer to this question is Palace, as so many of the best ones are.

 

[Icy Gull]

We do actually.

For me, the definition of a panic defence is when players double or even triple up on an attacking threat. You could see it last night when Grealish was close to our box, at least two players were always tasked with dealing with him.

Lamptey is our man who makes defences panic. His drives into the box cause panic, penalties and wet panties from the opposition. I can’t want for him to be back..........perhaps on the left as Veltman is top dog right now.

Lamptey has been out so long that I had actually forgotten that we do have someone

I am excited that he is likely to be back next weekend whilst Zaha could be missing for Palace or rushed back to have to go off early doors. Fully expect Lamptey to be targeted every game now, hope we have a ref who offers him protection from the off and not after four or five cynical hack downs. He’s a tiny guy who is likely to break easily without protection now the opposition know how good he is

 

[b.w.2.]

I told you all this ages ago. Now you are finally on board. Congratulations [emoji3060]

https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/19089133.graham-potter-felt-albion-lacked-cutting-edge-front-goal/

No sh1t Sherlock! [emoji23]


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[Hugo Rune]

Maybe Lamptey plus Andone might draw a few defences out of their comfort zone, cause them to flap a bit. Speed plus aggression might just work wonders

I agree.

There are certainly more options to come for GP, especially in the spring.

If it’s not those players marking a difference, then one of Welbeck, Maupay or Connolly could just start scoring a lot of goals if they put a few in the back of the net initially then gain the confidence to finish chances regularly.

 

[Rambo]

Why don’t we bring in a specialist goal scoring coach? Like say that Murray bloke at Forest.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I like Maupay. A lot. Underrated by many I think, maligned by a few. We’re lucky to have him.

Me too. I'd love to see him form a partnership with a slightly younger version of Murray, think he would thrive with someone alongside him. At the moment we're so good at driving the ball to the edge of the box, he is finding himself with his back to goal 8 yards out and surrounded by defenders. I thought he did really well last night, making life difficult for them - but without a strike partner to pick up the pieces or a midfield capable of routinely hitting the target from the edge of the box, it's hard in there.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Our goal difference is that of a mid table side, as is our goals conceded. If we had sneaked a goal in three of our many draws we would be mid table in the league, which at least where we should be. That’s THREE goals short of mid table - this on its own is not a disaster. Our current form is such that we are sneaking those wins instead of drawing them. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey.
I’m happy with the squad we have and the improvements it’s making.