No pace

[Bassetts Allsorts]

It was a top priority for me since Jeremy Helan left and Carlos hasn't addressed it. 

 

You only have to think back to the play-off semi final at Hillsborough to see how a player with pace can change the dynamic of a football match (especially against us) when a tired, slow Pudil was run ragged for 20 minutes.

[flo]

Ecap

[victorturner]

6 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. 

Fletcher is worth a place but he and Hooper are pedestrian and have no acceleration when it comes to pace and the whole of the midfield apart from FF is the same. Playing across the field hides it of course.

[Guest]

Joao and FF are the only 2 players that can shift a bit, pace does concern me , but it's not the be all and end all as some make it out to be 

 

Fulham are RAPID and we beat em

[WC1Owl]

Is there any way one can mute the word "pace" on here?

[Philb125]

3 minutes ago, WC1Owl said:

Is there any way one can mute the word "pace" on here?

It'll pass, last season it was a midfield beast/destroyer. Now Pace. 

 

I wonder what next seasons missing cliche ingredient will be. 

[Brando17]

8 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. 

very,very,very good and true post

[StarmanNWC]

Repost from squad thread because it needs to be said again...

 

 

Pace on individuals is not the be all and end all that everyone goes on about. The problem we have had at times is that we haven't moved the ball or switched the play quick enough to pull players out of position. Butterfield and the two new CBs sort this issue somewhat.

 

you don't need individual pace when the ball is moving quickly and accurately and positioning is good. We needed a change of pace but that doesn't always come from an individual runner, it can come from a quick increase in passing speed.

 

 

[Mr Claypole]

2 minutes ago, StarmanNWC said:

Repost from squad thread because it needs to be said again...

 

 

Pace on individuals is not the be all and end all that everyone goes on about. The problem we have had at times is that we haven't moved the ball or switched the play quick enough to pull players out of position. Butterfield and the two new CBs sort this issue somewhat.

 

you don't need individual pace when the ball is moving quickly and accurately and positioning is good. We needed a change of pace but that doesn't always come from an individual runner, it can come from a quick increase in passing speed.

 

 

•  

Agreed mate, but it would just be nice to have something different in our locker. When things ain't working Carlos expects like-for-like subs to produce the goods. Another dynamic like pace can change games, but they aren't sitting on our bench currently.

[StarmanNWC]

Just now, Mr Claypole said:

Agreed mate, but it would just be nice to have something different in our locker. When things ain't working Carlos expects like-for-like subs to produce the goods. Another dynamic like pace can change games, but they aren't sitting on our bench currently.

But this is where I expect to start seeing Joao on the bench more often now that Winnall is out on loan. 

 

I actually think that this has been the plan since day one but now we actually have the players to make this work. If Bannan and Butters can hit it off in the middle of a diamond then they will tear teams apart with their passing.

[legendaryswan]

The art of war is to have as many different weapons in your arsenal as tactics allow,that way you keep your opposition guessing.

If your weapons are pretty much the same,your opposition can comfortabley stick to its original plan

[Mr Claypole]

1 minute ago, StarmanNWC said:

But this is where I expect to start seeing Joao on the bench more often now that Winnall is out on loan. 

 

I actually think that this has been the plan since day one but now we actually have the players to make this work. If Bannan and Butters can hit it off in the middle of a diamond then they will tear teams apart with their passing.

I think you're right with Joao. Needs to be given another chance and certainly offers something different from the other front men. He's a bit of a forgotten man at the moment.

[Mr Claypole]

17 minutes ago, legendaryswan said:

The art of war is to have as many different weapons in your arsenal as tactics allow,that way you keep your opposition guessing.

If your weapons are pretty much the same,your opposition can comfortabley stick to its original plan

Spot on mate

[MOwl]

8 hours ago, legendaryswan said:

The art of war is to have as many different weapons in your arsenal as tactics allow,that way you keep your opposition guessing.

If your weapons are pretty much the same,your opposition can comfortabley stick to its original plan

 

100% agree. 

[modboy]

10 hours ago, legendaryswan said:

The art of war is to have as many different weapons in your arsenal as tactics allow,that way you keep your opposition guessing.

If your weapons are pretty much the same,your opposition can comfortabley stick to its original plan

 

we have Nuhiu 

[IstillhateSteveBould]

We're a team full of plodders. 

 

Very strange for a manager who is quite happy for his team to sit in and be compact, to not have pace on the counter. 

 

You need players who can exploit spaces at speed. Outside of FF and Joao, we have no one. 

 

You just know when a break is on and the ball falls to Hooper, Fletcher, Rhodes, Wallace, Bannan etc, the opposition will have time to get back into position and we'll have to start again. 

 

Unless it's FF, there's just no excitement when we get the ball. No fear for the opposition. 

 

Its criminal really that we still only have one player who actually frightens defenders. 

[Onge]

We play at a snail's pace most of the time and would rather pass it about than have someone bomb down the wing. We could have Usain Bolt in the team and he'd never get the chance to stretch his legs...

[Dagmeister]

2 minutes ago, IstillhateSteveBould said:

We're a team full of plodders. 

 

Very strange for a manager who is quite happy for his team to sit in and be compact, to not have pace on the counter. 

 

You need players who can exploit spaces at speed. Outside of FF and Joao, we have no one. 

 

You just know when a break is on and the ball falls to Hooper, Fletcher, Rhodes, Wallace, Bannan etc, the opposition will have time to get back into position and we'll have to start again. 

 

Unless it's FF, there's just no excitement when we get the ball. No fear for the opposition. 

 

Its criminal really that we still only have one player who actually frightens defenders. 

Our mindset and approach to game is even more 'criminal'. We have a group of players that could tear teams apart but it seems too often they act like rabbits in headlights; freezing. Painful to watch most of the time. I don't think that even FF frightens many defenders these days. He's quick bit not lightening quick and his game is short of his first season's standards. 

 

 

[toooldforthis]

Pace...like it's the holy grail of football. It's not. The best deliverers of a ball into the box have no pace at all. The fastest players in the Premiership hit 75% of their crosses to opponents (unless you're Raheem Sterling then it's considerably higher).

 

Its the Championship. The Championship is about a strong core, good finishers and creating 6 or 7 chances for each goal to be scored.

 

More goals come from set pieces and errors than wingers getting to the bi-line and putting crosses into the box.

 

In the first season FF hit teams on the break and scored some quick goals. Our transition from defence to offence is slow. That's beacuase our two CBs are not ball players. Loovens takes for ever to hit the bell, Lees hoofs it long because he's programmed to get it clear. Their headers and their kicks rarely find our players.

 

Good ball playing defenders, good ball playing midfielders, fit and workmanlike full backs/half backs and strikers who know where the goal is just need a keeper who isn't scared to get the ball to the players around him...and not hoof it long for safety.

 

We now have all of this in place...pace mixes it up a bit but it's not going to win us games...all the time.

[IstillhateSteveBould]

2 minutes ago, Dagmeister said:

Our mindset and approach to game is even more 'criminal'. We have a group of players that could tear teams apart but it seems too often they act like rabbits in headlights; freezing. Painful to watch most of the time. I don't think that even FF frightens many defenders these days. He's quick bit not lightening quick and his game is short of his first season's standards. 

 

 

 

I disagree. Especially with the bolded bit. I don't think we're as good as people make out. 

 

For me we're a steady team with some very tidy, technical footballers, with 1 stand out player who's won us more points in the last 2 years than anyone else, by a mile.

 

The only times I've seen us tear anyone apart is when FF's been in full flow. Take him out of this squad and I don't think we'd were even a top 7/8 team.