No pace

[prowl]

Pace can be devastating but it comes at a price. A good player who is quick costs a lot of money and is probably playing in the Premiership. Players who are quick in this division have defects in other areas so it's a trade off. We seem to prefer footballers first, last and always. I get it that some fans want pace but that's not the clubs plan.

 

Now can we put this subject to bed until the next transfer window because every other thread seems to bring up pace in one form or other.

[Guest wilyfox]

Just have to hope FF sorts himself out, and that Joao & Matias start to contribute. They're the only ones here with the legs to take people on in forward positions. 

[SS Owl]

Its not just about pure pace. Its about physicality in general, a combination of height, strength and speed of movement and thought. When our passing game stops working and its a start stop game with lots of 50-50 challenges then we start to lose out.

We have assembled a team of similar players especially in midfield, all technically quite gifted but generally smaller and less 'physical' than opposing midfields. We still dont have any real options to change that, be that outright pace, or physical presence or a supreme ball player. 

Hopefully moving to a 5 at the back with ball playing CH's  and Reach and Hunt as attacking wide players, will give the opposition something to worry about. We need to find the right blend and a new style asap, or this season my drift into at best, a battle for 6th.

[RichSheffWeds]

I'd love to see an entertaining quick winger that is played to their strengths.

 

Aint going to happen under CC.

 

Can only dream about a Terry Curran or Willie Henderson style winger unfortunately. 

[Ash77]

Agree we still lack pace in wide areas and up front but other than failing to land a young prem loan star it was a solid window imo.

 

With no proper attacking wingers we need to ditch flat 442 asap tho, we are crying out for ff behind front 2 in either a diamond or 3412. 

 

Its more likely to suit our players and might get the best out of our best attacking player too.

[Rogerwyldesmullet]

1 hour ago, woodys said:

true we did to be fair and the one that boyd scored that was ruled offside

 

And the speed on those occasions came from Hunt and Reach ... who at least are still here.

Hope we don't see em anywhere near a church before January ...

[TrickyTrev]

I think pace is something that Carlos perhaps just doesn't feel is needed for the way he wants to play football. He's had plenty of time to add it since he's been here and not done so.

 

It's just something I think we'll have to accept while he is our manager and hope that he gets it right.

[trevdi9]

unless you have bruisers that let the oposition know just that then pace if used correctly  will ultimately destroy you ,

[Walt]

1 hour ago, Cosby Blunkett said:

Pace in football isn't just about running quickly in a straight line; otherwise Helan would be would have been a worldbeater.

 

While I agree that our squad is lacking in pacey individuals, this concerns me far less than the pace that has been missing from our game in the last 6 months or so.

 

In Carlos' first season, we pressed high, won the ball and moved it quickly. Other than the aforementioned Helan, who was only really used as an outlet late in games and Sougou, who was barely used at all, we didn't have any more real pace than we do now. But we played at a high tempo, stretched teams on the break and looked like a team with, well, pace.

 

Carlos has assembled a squad which is distinctly lacking in lightning quick individuals. However it doesn't mean we can't be a team which plays at pace. The responsibility to increase the tempo in our game lies squarely with The Head Coach, as far as I can see it's a decision that's been made to make us look like a team of plodders, a decision I feel it is essential that we reverse.

I think it's more a case of teams sussing us out than any (wanted) change in tactics by CC. I look back to Rotherham at home under Colin and thought at the time that they did a proper job on us - it sort of put down the basics on how to stop us playing that lovely fluid style and other teams soon cottoned on. Obvious to anyone who watches us we were like chalk and cheese last season compared to CC's first but tbf to Carlos he found a (compact) way of getting results however turgid to watch when teams put their style on us. 

For me I could not understand, and still don't why CC wouldn't want a blisteringly quick forward or two to complement the counter attacking game we often ended up playing, it would instantly give teams something else to consider when setting up against us, maybe they would have to sit deeper for a start, this alone could make a big difference to how we play?

[MOwl]

1 hour ago, Ash77 said:

Agree we still lack pace in wide areas and up front but other than failing to land a young prem loan star it was a solid window imo.

 

With no proper attacking wingers we need to ditch flat 442 asap tho, we are crying out for ff behind front 2 in either a diamond or 3412. 

 

Its more likely to suit our players and might get the best out of our best attacking player too.

 

It was an excellent window, just hasn't addressed all of our issues. Centre back is sorted (great), we have further depth in central midfield and also cut a couple of members from the squad. Great work all round.

Edited September 1, 2017 by MOwl

[Road Runner]

Its not pace we need its attacking organisation tactics which are needed.

 

 

You can have as much pace as you want but if your instructed to get to the opponents box then give it back to Westwood or Lees, pace means nowt.

 

 

We have the players to get behind the opposites but wont put balls in the box and try tippy tappy to get through instead which doesnt work.

 

Fletcher, Rhodes and Hooper would have a field day from crosses.

 

We dont play to one of the most talented squads in this division strengths. 

 

We needed defenders we got them so leave them to defend, hutch or jones to hold the midfield and let the others play their game and let the shackles off. 

 

 

Thats our problem, not pace. 

 

But a good OP regardless! 

Edited September 1, 2017 by tuttuttut

[steelcityowlsfan]

Look how Liverpool destroyed Arsenal the other day. They couldn't cope with the pace of Salah and Mane. 

 

Pace gives defenders a nightmare, pace gives you an option B, pace even helps defensively when a player can collect the ball and zip down the wing or chase a ball down the channel and hold it up in the corner. 

 

I was encouraged that we were looking at Success and Sims but ultimately we got neither. 

 

I feel when Carlos gets sacked he can have nobody to blame but himself as a major weakness in the team was overlooked yet again. 

[slinger208b]

3 hours ago, MOwl said:

Once again, another window has come and gone and we've failed to address arguably our biggest downfall in our squad: a distinct lack of pace. 

 

The term 'pace' amongst Owlstalkers has become synonymous with players like Jeremy Helan and Jermaine Johnson - lightning quick but bumbling at best on the ball with no end product. 

 

The reality though is that pace actually is a requisite in modern day football. Huddersfield were quick, powerful and efficient last year. As were Brighton, and most notably so were Newcastle.

 

In fact, pretty much every side promoted to the Premier League over the past few years has had an abundance of pace in the squad to mix things up some might say. 

 

However, our boss Carlos values a classy footballer. His signings (maybe not his, but for this point) all revolve around being good footballers, and not ones blessed with pace. This can make us pretty on the eye at times, but often we can find ourselves one paced, predictable and ironically, boring to watch. Any time we play a counter attacking style, we struggle to attack effectively with large gaps appearing from defence to attack in transitional areas.

 

Many Sheffield Wednesday fans value our boss's strong philosophies, many football purists may argue that Carlos tries to play football the right way. But that isn't always the right way to get promoted from this league. 

 

There was talk as deadline day approached that we were targeting players like Isaac Success and Josh Sims - both pacey, fluid and dynamic wingers who love to take a man on. 

 

And sadly, something we still lack. So, to the Sheffield Wednesday hierarchy - please sign some pace. Somebody who can up and take a man on. It is what we desperately lack, and with Fernando temperamental at best, something we have next to nothing of. 

 

Steps have been taken by some of our current players - Adam Reach has gained some much needed confidence and seems keen to run with the ball, Jack Hunt is always willing to try and take a man on in advanced positions and Marco Matias is a bit of a gazelle when he can run - but we have perhaps two players who possess anything we may call 'pace' - and they are Fernando and Lucas Joao.

 

As time goes on, we become more and more reliant upon the little guy to step up and be our creative force. Many of our fans have taken a rather disconcertingly strong dislike to him, but he remains our best player and only true creative force. The key to negating our lack of pace rests with him, and we need him to be our dynamo this year until this issue is addressed. 

 

As for the other sprinter in the squad, Lucas Joao seems to have disappeared from the squad. Currently relegated to the U23s, Joao was a dynamic force in Carlos' first season and could provide us with something which we so desperately lack. With the window now closed, he has a real chance to provide us with some thrust up front - which would be rather grand. 

 

Obviously now though, time will go on, our squad is decided for the next 4 months and we must make the best of what is a fantastic squad on paper but one that is lacking in certain departments. 

 

One final note to the owners/person who buys players/manager/tea lady etc - please buy somebody who is quick next window or we face a season lacking cutting edge and an over reliance on certain individuals to create something out of nothing. 

 

It isn't a downfall if it's not required.

It isn't a failure if it wasn't sought...

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

So, we only had two senior centre half's at the club, but our problem was pace?

 

I'd say our problem was the lack of centre half's and that has been addressed.

 

As for pace, remember Sougou and Jermaine Johnson - they were fast as f*ck... and in the main, f*cking useless!! Short, pace is pointless unless there is a end product.

[Mickjj]

3 hours ago, wilyfox said:

Just have to hope FF sorts himself out, and that Joao & Matias start to contribute. They're the only ones here with the legs to take people on in forward positions. 

Joao and Matias can only contribute if Carlos picks them. I wouldn't hold my breath for that to happen.

[boxing_day]

Pace in any squad is important. Sides can defend 10 yards higher than they should against us because of a lack of it. This means they can press us as soon as we get in their half and that stops us playing. Hence the sideways, sideways, sideways then hoof. Sides have worked this out and it's the major difference from season 1.

 

Even if that's not your style, you need an option on the bench. If youre under the kosh, pace carries the ball out and takes the sting out. If you're losing pace beats a man and opens up the space. 

 

Just look back at the last 10 minutes vs Brighton in the play off semi and Helen. They couldn't commit extra men and he took the pressure off 3/4 times. I was never a fan of his but it shows why you need that in a squad, and how even without end product it's of use at times. The fact that the manager could see this in year 1 but not now baffles me most of all.

[Guest wilyfox]

24 minutes ago, Mickjj said:

Joao and Matias can only contribute if Carlos picks them. I wouldn't hold my breath for that to happen.

 

Maybe if they start looking the part, he might pick them. Works both ways. I refuse to believe that Carlos is simply leaving them out if they would help the team. That would be stupid. Matias breaks down a lot, and Joao is a bit of a wimp. Down to them to sort themselves out and make Carlos notice them. 

[Indoor Owl]

4 hours ago, Dagmeister said:

As said already; good point.  Our biggest problem IMO comes from the head coach and his staff. The hesitant, almost ponderous, way that we move the ball from player to player allied to your point is what chiefly slows us down. Addressing this approach would IMO have far greater and more consistent positive impact than recruiting a speed merchant or two.

 

We did address that approach, it looks like we brought in a pair of CBs that can actually do something with the ball, not just hoof it 40 yards and hope for the best.

[Sticky belly]

We have lots of issues to be fair, but a lack of pace imho is definitely one of them. At times when you are under the cosh you need an outlet, put a ball into the channels and a pacey striker can cause real problems. We have all those forwards and they are all so slow and that's a problem for me...

[Philb125]

5 hours ago, Cosby Blunkett said:

Pace in football isn't just about running quickly in a straight line; otherwise Helan would be would have been a worldbeater.

 

While I agree that our squad is lacking in pacey individuals, this concerns me far less than the pace that has been missing from our game in the last 6 months or so.

 

In Carlos' first season, we pressed high, won the ball and moved it quickly. Other than the aforementioned Helan, who was only really used as an outlet late in games and Sougou, who was barely used at all, we didn't have any more real pace than we do now. But we played at a high tempo, stretched teams on the break and looked like a team with, well, pace.

 

Carlos has assembled a squad which is distinctly lacking in lightning quick individuals. However it doesn't mean we can't be a team which plays at pace. The responsibility to increase the tempo in our game lies squarely with The Head Coach, as far as I can see it's a decision that's been made to make us look like a team of plodders, a decision I feel it is essential that we reverse.

I think early last season we were caught out a few times by counter attacking football and rather than fix the defense, we became more conservative. This was more effective and gained us more points. 

 

My hope, is that the defenders purchased are more mobile, quicker and with ability to distribute the ball. Effectively putting the team 10 yards forward and allowing the rest of the team to do their own job and not protect the defensive frailties. 

 

Only time will will tell I guess. 

 

What i I don't get is how without pace we played great season one, in spells last season and this season too. How did we best Newcastle, and hudds in the league. Pace isn't the answer, or at least not the only answer.