Reach

[Guest wilyfox]

2 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

I certainly can’t find a potent combination there. Whatever way you look at it, there won’t be enough goals in that trio. Replace any one of them with a goalscorer, and things might look different

 

We do need some movement in the forward area come January. Between now and then, I'm hoping that Reach perks up & Forestieri makes a contribution. The way we've defended, we're only a goal here & there from being right in the mix. It may not take prolificacy. 

[gurujuan]

6 minutes ago, tarn owl said:

Couldn't agree more. It just rotates in football i guess, fans have to get wound up by something. Blame culture, it has to be someones fault. Friday we were better for 60 minutes, should have had 2 but cracked the bar with our free-kick. They were better for 30 mInutes and curled their free-kick into the corner. That's football, move on. Overall we played well and i include Reach in the team performance. He would be in my starting 11 and he is beating Murphy to a place in the team. I think Harris coming in and having a belting season isn't helping, but that suddenly doesn't make Reach terrible like some are making out on here. If we had a right footed Harris then he would play, but we don't so reach is playing on the other wing, centre mid, left back, up front and where ever else we haven't got suitable cover. Because he is a team player. Also he covers these positions well. Tell Fletch to go play centre mid, or fessi to play left back or Bannan up front. Because he is a good team player willing to cover gaps is not his fault. Lay off him.

Not sure it’s scapegoating Reach. We are always looking to improve, or we should be, and from my point of view at least, that position is one where we ought to make changes It doesn’t necessarily mean Reach is a bad player, it might just mean he is wrong for the way we need to play, or because of the make up of the side

[Striggy]

On 19/10/2019 at 00:11, FreshOwl said:

Noticed it a few times tonight. It’s a half hearted jump with his head tucked in. Criminal 

 

Thought he won quite a few headers playing wide against Wigan

[Weshallovercome]

55 minutes ago, Hack-Abusi said:

If you are gonna play Reach and Harris up top in a front 3, please please please Monk give them a go on their stronger foot sides. Reach on the left and Harris on the right ....

 

 

With a front 3 you need the wide players to not just cross, but to come inside and shoot, so for me Harris and Reach are being used correctly.

 

However......Harris has a career stat of 8 goals in 113 games, Reach has 35 in 316, and we can't expect them just to cross to Fletcher, who has 145 in 534 and has never scored more than 14 goals in any one season.

 

We are always going to struggle for goals no matter which wings Harris and Reach play on, especially as we don't get many from midfield, we're fortunate at the minute because the defence is doing well,

so for me if FF doesn't find his shooting boots before the end of the season we'll be extremely lucky to make the playoffs, unless we can grind out 15 or so 1-0 wins.

 

The January transfer window wont help us either, doubt there's many '20 goal a season' hidden gems out there that no one wants.

[tarn owl]

20 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

Not sure it’s scapegoating Reach. We are always looking to improve, or we should be, and from my point of view at least, that position is one where we ought to make changes It doesn’t necessarily mean Reach is a bad player, it might just mean he is wrong for the way we need to play, or because of the make up of the side

Don't agree that we should have to look at every performance and change players and tactics to try and 'improve'. That was the first game when Monk had time to prep them and for 60 minutes we were great and unless i missed it reach was on the pitch and involved in this. I think Warnock changed it and we didn't respond well and gave away too many fouls (Not Reachs fault). Now they have a chance to learn from that and go again. Monk will have to learn how to change our shape against long ball teams, we will have to learn how to kill teams off by taking our chances. But that 11 should start against Stoke because they were great for 60 minutes and if they can just learn from the last 30 minutes and adapt we will be fine. Issues are squad depth and shape against certain teams, Not Adam Reach. Also if the ref doesn't give that foul then we have just beat a warnock, ex premier league team away from home. I don't think we need to change anything, just same 11 playing together and try and replicate against Stoke.

[gurujuan]

9 minutes ago, Weshallovercome said:

 

 

With a front 3 you need the wide players to not just cross, but to come inside and shoot, so for me Harris and Reach are being used correctly.

 

However......Harris has a career stat of 8 goals in 113 games, Reach has 35 in 316, and we can't expect them just to cross to Fletcher, who has 145 in 534 and has never scored more than 14 goals in any one season.

 

We are always going to struggle for goals no matter which wings Harris and Reach play on, especially as we don't get many from midfield, we're fortunate at the minute because the defence is doing well,

so for me if FF doesn't find his shooting boots before the end of the season we'll be extremely lucky to make the playoffs, unless we can grind out 15 or so 1-0 wins.

 

The January transfer window wont help us either, doubt there's many '20 goal a season' hidden gems out there that no one wants.

Nail on the head (sorry, I had that expression)

[Hack-Abusi]

1 hour ago, NeonLeon said:

Been saying this for a few weeks. Neither player looks comfortable, especially when they’re stretching to put a cross in on their weaker side. 

Sometimes cutting back in to the stronger foot and that split second delay allows a defender back in to position ..

 

we've tried em on opposite wings, why not try them on their natural wings for a bit!

[gurujuan]

7 minutes ago, tarn owl said:

Don't agree that we should have to look at every performance and change players and tactics to try and 'improve'. That was the first game when Monk had time to prep them and for 60 minutes we were great and unless i missed it reach was on the pitch and involved in this. I think Warnock changed it and we didn't respond well and gave away too many fouls (Not Reachs fault). Now they have a chance to learn from that and go again. Monk will have to learn how to change our shape against long ball teams, we will have to learn how to kill teams off by taking our chances. But that 11 should start against Stoke because they were great for 60 minutes and if they can just learn from the last 30 minutes and adapt we will be fine. Issues are squad depth and shape against certain teams, Not Adam Reach. Also if the ref doesn't give that foul then we have just beat a warnock, ex premier league team away from home. I don't think we need to change anything, just same 11 playing together and try and replicate against Stoke.

Sure, but I wasn’t talking about the Cardiff performance, which by and large, was quite impressive. My stance is based on my belief that the current front three won’t score enough goals over a season As stated above, check out their career stats. If we had a prolific front man, like say, Pukki, then I think we’d get away with two out and out widemen. Conversely if our widemen could get 25 goals between them, then I think we get away with Fletcher.  Of course we could look to upgrade in every position, but that’s not realistic, so based on nothing more than Fletcher and Harris being the form players, I’d look to replace Reach with a player who offers more goal threat, that’s all

[83owl]

There’s no doubt that reach could be playing better. He seems to have stopped shooting from outside the box and i’d like to see him run with the ball at defenders more often. However after every game there is a thread on him which is pretty much negative. He’s nesh, we are carrying him, should be sold as soon as possible, offers nothing are all just a few of the things I’ve read in the threads about him. 

 

Harris however is apparently having the season of his life. I don’t think I’ve seen any negative posts about him in any thread. I’ve checked 3 different stat sites and although assists can be subjective they have all said the same.

 

Reach 1 goal 3 assists

Harris 2 goals 2 assists

 

Not a lot of difference for a player who is a waster and one who is currently a fan favourite.

[gurujuan]

4 minutes ago, 83owl said:

There’s no doubt that reach could be playing better. He seems to have stopped shooting from outside the box and i’d like to see him run with the ball at defenders more often. However after every game there is a thread on him which is pretty much negative. He’s nesh, we are carrying him, should be sold as soon as possible, offers nothing are all just a few of the things I’ve read in the threads about him. 

 

Harris however is apparently having the season of his life. I don’t think I’ve seen any negative posts about him in any thread. I’ve checked 3 different stat sites and although assists can be subjective they have all said the same.

 

Reach 1 goal 3 assists

Harris 2 goals 2 assists

 

Not a lot of difference for a player who is a waster and one who is currently a fan favourite.

Although those stats indicate my concerns about our front three, as Reach, if that were maintained, would end the season with 3 or 4 goals, and Harris 6 or 7. That isn’t enough from a forward player

[Minton]

1 hour ago, gurujuan said:

Although those stats indicate my concerns about our front three, as Reach, if that were maintained, would end the season with 3 or 4 goals, and Harris 6 or 7. That isn’t enough from a forward player

He'd also have 12-16 assists, which would be enough to be one of the top providers in the league...

[Holmowl]

1 hour ago, 83owl said:

There’s no doubt that reach could be playing better. He seems to have stopped shooting from outside the box and i’d like to see him run with the ball at defenders more often. However after every game there is a thread on him which is pretty much negative. He’s nesh, we are carrying him, should be sold as soon as possible, offers nothing are all just a few of the things I’ve read in the threads about him. 

 

Harris however is apparently having the season of his life. I don’t think I’ve seen any negative posts about him in any thread. I’ve checked 3 different stat sites and although assists can be subjective they have all said the same.

 

Reach 1 goal 3 assists

Harris 2 goals 2 assists

 

Not a lot of difference for a player who is a waster and one who is currently a fan favourite.

One point.

 

Harris isn’t credited with an assist for Nuhiu’s equaliser v Fulham, because it took a defection....which is of course nuts.

 

But the crux of your post is bang on.

[Weshallovercome]

1 hour ago, gurujuan said:

Nail on the head (sorry, I had that expression)

 

 

Doubt you'd like to know this, but I was curious so checked.

 

A midfield 3 of Hutchinson, Bannan and Luongo have between them scored 33 goals in around 680 games.

 

Really wished we'd offered Hooper some sort of contract now.

 

 

 

 

[83owl]

1 hour ago, gurujuan said:

Although those stats indicate my concerns about our front three, as Reach, if that were maintained, would end the season with 3 or 4 goals, and Harris 6 or 7. That isn’t enough from a forward player

Hopefully he starts scoring more often as we know he can. FF to come back hopefully chips in. Iorfa and Borner should get a few each over the season which is something we have lacked from our CBs over the last few years. Luongo from midfield will get forward often. 

 

That leaves Fletcher, the only striker we have capable of playing the lone role effectively for a number of games but he’s never been prolific throughout his career and his injury record with us isn’t great. 

 

There’s a lot of hopefully there and we need to have some luck with injuries for once.

[oldishowl]

If you want our wide players to score more goals then playing them on their natural wings is not the answer. They score goals by coming inside onto their strong foot.

They might get better crosses in but we will only have Fletcher in the box.

[gurujuan]

32 minutes ago, oldishowl said:

If you want our wide players to score more goals then playing them on their natural wings is not the answer. They score goals by coming inside onto their strong foot.

They might get better crosses in but we will only have Fletcher in the box.

My problem is, I don’t believe Harris or Reach will score more goals, whichever side they play on. We need to bring in a goalscoring wide man, or upgrade the centre forward. As somebody else pointed out, although our midfield is useful at this level, particularly in a three, they also don’t score many goals

[Guest]

4 hours ago, 83owl said:

There’s no doubt that reach could be playing better. He seems to have stopped shooting from outside the box and i’d like to see him run with the ball at defenders more often. However after every game there is a thread on him which is pretty much negative. He’s nesh, we are carrying him, should be sold as soon as possible, offers nothing are all just a few of the things I’ve read in the threads about him. 

 

Harris however is apparently having the season of his life. I don’t think I’ve seen any negative posts about him in any thread. I’ve checked 3 different stat sites and although assists can be subjective they have all said the same.

 

Reach 1 goal 3 assists

Harris 2 goals 2 assists

 

Not a lot of difference for a player who is a waster and one who is currently a fan favourite.

 

You don't need to look at the stats if you are watching games to see that Harris is playing far better than Reach.

 

Harris may not be getting the credit for the final pass but teams are doubling up on him as they know he is the threat and it is creating space for others around him,like when he drew two players and shifted the ball back for Bannan to cross for the 2nd goal against Huddersfield.

 

Reach is off form and he has said as much himself.

 

[oldishowl]

52 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

My problem is, I don’t believe Harris or Reach will score more goals, whichever side they play on. We need to bring in a goalscoring wide man, or upgrade the centre forward. As somebody else pointed out, although our midfield is useful at this level, particularly in a three, they also don’t score many goals

I was really responding to posts where people want us to play them on the opposite wings to where we are currently.

I think this would reduce our goal potential not increase it.

 

The simple answer to the overall goal problem is that we don’t have sufficient goals in either  attack or midfield.

 

 

[Robdylan]

1 hour ago, oldishowl said:

I was really responding to posts where people want us to play them on the opposite wings to where we are currently.

I think this would reduce our goal potential not increase it.

 

The simple answer to the overall goal problem is that we don’t have sufficient goals in either  attack or midfield.

 

 

 

I think switching them would definitely increase our goal threat, but only if Fletcher had a partner up front with him. Harris can definitely play on the right, as he can beat defenders on the outside and deliver quality crosses into the box. From what I've seen of Reach since he's been here, he can provide quality crosses from the left hand side. And he doesn't have to beat his man. He can whip them in early like Brunt used to. So I'd be delighted if they were to swap with each other. I think we'd have more of a goal threat as a whole. The problem is, IMHO, I still don't think that change would be that effective if we play a 433. Because I just don't think Reach can play as part of a front 3. 

 

From the players we have, I think the best front 3 would be: FF, Fletcher, Harris. Reach doesn't look comfortable in that position. Like others have noted, he's not coming in and shooting like he used to, and he doesn't have much confidence in beating his man on the outside and crossing with his right foot. When he looks to come inside on his left foot, it gives the opposition time to regroup and it can be all too predictable. That's the problem we ended up having with Wallace. As good as he was, he tended to slow down the play at times.

 

Now FF is back, Monk has options. As well as playing a 433, he could even play a 442 with FF on the left and Harris on the right. I also think that Reach needs a break right now. So I'd like to see Monk try something different. But if he alters our attacking options, he'd then be left with a midfield conundrum. So he'd have a lot to think about. It's not an easy job. But I would honestly be disappointed to keep seeing our current front 3, even though we're in a good position, as Fletcher often ends up being isolated.

 

It'll be interesting to see how Monk sees things in the coming weeks.