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Are our players afraid?


Guest JonTheOwl66

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Guest JonTheOwl66

I'm sure most of you will accept that our team are doing the basics on the whole very well. But is that enough?

So far this season we've been solid defensively, with plenty of clean sheets (mainly thanks to westwoods heroics) but have one of the lowest goals scored tallies in the league.

Why? Is it because our players are afraid?

We seem to have a bunch of players - with one exception - who is afraid to make the killer pass, or take a chance to grab a goal.

The one exception is Maguire. Who in fairness has been wayward with his shooting at times this season but during his recent revival with us has popped up with important goals because he had the confidence to take a chance.

None of our other players seem capable of that going forward

Maghoma hides and shirks away from attacking responsibility - which is frustrating because he has the quality to score plenty and provide assists

Semedo doesn't have a clue in the final third

Same with Lee

Same with Hutch

Same with Coke largely

None of our players have the confidence, or ability, to try to make the difference when it counts

It's all well and good keeping clean sheets but if that means sacrificing pretty much all of our attacking intent and relying on physicality and set-pieces to score, then we're in a difficult position when we concede the first goal

It's something that needs sorting. We saw with Ross Barkley, Ben Marshall, Connor Wickham, Matty Fryatt that having the confidence to mix their game up and try different and ingenious things creates fantastic results

Were missing this desperately. No creativity, no imagination. So one dimensional.

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Guest JonTheOwl66

Exactly. There's absolutely zero imagination in our side. No vision. No confidence to pick their head up. No idea of what runs to make to split the defence open.

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In the case of passes from midfield I think you're right. I don't think they see it. Maghoma for example, beats a man, gets into a great position, then seems to hesitate like he hasn't thought what he's going to do next if he did get in that position.

 

In the case of goals from midfielders ( as opposed to passes from midfield) I do always wonder if they are following some tactical instruction not to make bursts into the box and risk losing their position and leaving us exposed on the counter.

Just a bloke. Being dragged along in a world that moves too quick for it's own good.

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The only midfielder we've got at the club who winds me up a bit and frustrates me is Maghoma because I do think he has it in him to be a lot more influential than he is. Skilful, holds the ball well and glides past people but his decision making is all over the place. At least with JJ, he had the excuse that his legs were quicker than his brain. Maghoma is different- he is taking his time on the ball but still making wrong decisions in possession which is even more frustrating to watch.

 

For all the others, they're doing fantastically. Genuinely. We are over achieving with the players at our disposal, and their work off the ball in particular this season has been tremendous. We have developed significantly as a team unit in a very short space of time.

 

The problem to do with scoring goals is a more underlying issue largely due to the players we have at the football club. And that is something that none of the players have to take criticism/responsibility for. 

Edited by TheBoyBeevers
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This is why the powers that be need to be looking at ways to increase the creativity, not just trying to loan a different striker who'll get the same lack of service..

Probably need both, as I wouldn't back our existing strikers to score even if they had Xavi and Iniesta supplying them

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Guest wilyfox

I think Gray has drilled the players well, but they look so consciously fixed in their roles there is no freedom for expression. That's ok when it works; but when it doesn't, there is no flexibility to change things up.

Ahead of tonight's game, we already know our wingers chosen from Maghoma, Maguire & Drenthe will cut in alot. We know Mattock and Palmer offer limited support going forward. We know May, Madine and Nuhiu won't turn the opposition and pose a threat in behind. We're so rigid in our setup.

Edited by wilyfox
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Our most glaring failings are generally at home though. There was a problem before Gray, but for all the fantastic performances away from home we've achieved under him, there's been 9 defeats out of 22 home games - which is an awful record, in my opinion.

 

Is it fear? I'm not sure because it's really not usually so obvious. Certainly I think many of our players prefer to play away though, so it would be hard to discount the fear factor of playing at Hillsborough. In any case, Gray needs to start getting a few more ideas about how to beat teams at home. Watford are a quality side, and Forest are a decent side also, but we lost to both of these sides last season at home whilst getting 4 points between them away - and it wouldn't at all surprise me if we got 4 points away between them this season too despite losing to both at home already.

 

Big test again this weekend against Norwich, and I know I'd feel more confident if we were going down to their place. Still, Gray has to be prepared to take chances in our formation from the off. Maghoma drifting more centrally has been effective a few times this season now - but we often don't see this until the last 30 minutes of games. Drenthe not emerging until half time - and Gray praised his performance, but even then it was with the caveat that his defensive duties shouldn't be neglected - it's not that he's wrong, per se, but we're a team that is really struggling to score goals at the moment, so much so that I can't see how we're going to do that without taking a few more chances with our selections.

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None of our players have the confidence, or ability, to try to make the difference when it counts

 

 

 

That is a very sweeping statement.

 

I understand what you are saying, and agree for the most part, but there's some dramatic licence and 'over-egging the pudding' within your original post.

Edited by F. Spiksley
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Guest JonTheOwl66

Is Maguire therefore included in the NONE that have been mentioned.

 

Full of contradictions......

 

I quite clearly said the exception is Maguire. Not really sure what you're trying to say to be honest.

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I've held my opinion back but it needs to be said...Semedo should not be in the team when we play at home. He does not pass forward which makes teams harder to break down.

The possesion he helps us keep away from home is useful though. Giles Coke should be ahead of him for the home games.

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Too many times in different seasons have we looked afraid to play at home. We may be a tough crowd at times but I'm sure there are worse and let's be honest if you can't play football in front of 20,000 plus then your never going to be a good player end of.

 

In terms of players seeing a pass, this is what happens when you shop in Lidl. I do think Lee is the exception and he has only just retuned from injury so let's see how that goes.

 

When we do decide to try and bring some quality in, it's invariably a loan or taking a chance on a player like Hutch which sadly hasn't worked this season.

 

I think Drenthe has the quality and he showed this in our last game. Hopefully he will start tonight.

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