SouthRustyOwl Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Important win tonight even though the game was awful to watch and the performance way under what we are capable of. I don't agree with some that the problem is tactics related though, rather a lot of the problem comes down to individual decision making. We are giving away far too many free kicks in defensive positions, cost us against Cardiff (even though the one that did cost us wasn't actually a foul, plenty before were) and could have cost us tonight. Summed up early in the game when Hutch went straight through a player facing away from goal and going nowhere, that's a stupid tackle that just invites pressure, and arguably should have left him on a yellow card after just 10 minutes. As much as I love him as a player, he has got to stop diving in where there is no need to. Not just him though, coming towards stoppage time and Iorfa goes for an aerial challenge that he can't possibly win, flattens the opponent and gives away another free kick that puts us under pressure. Then in stoppage time Bannan gives away a daft foul that gives them a shot at goal, and that incident came about due to other players trying to play in an area that wasn't sensible at that time of the game. As good as we are defensively we can't keep giving away free kicks in dangerous positions like this. And it isn't just defensively that decision making is a problem. 20 minutes left and we had an attacking free kick on the right wing. We send everyone forward to the edge of the box, Bannan then tries a Hollywood cross field pass out to Fessi on the left wing, it gets intercepted and we faced a very dangerous counter attack. That is just poor decision making and ludicrous when we are clinging onto a lead. I think part of the issue is a lack of natural leaders out on the pitch, and no one to tell people to calm down. Bannan is our best player and I think has the captain's armband for that reason, but he spends more time arguing with the referee than he does trying to calm people down and I don't think he is a natural captain. Not sure how good Borner's English is, but he seems like one of the calmer players out there. I honestly think if Monk can get the players to make better individual decisions we will be there or there abouts, but we can't keep making these same silly individual mistakes game after game. Got away with it tonight, but we won't against better teams. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McRightSide Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 I’d say the length of the first paragraph, never mind the rest of the post, is the real issue here 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock1961 Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 The pressure our midfield but the defence under was criminal. Free kicks in their half played backwards and under hit, Dawson then launches to reach's head and you know the rest. Time after time in the second half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
full fathom five Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 6 minutes ago, SouthRustyOwl said: Important win tonight even though the game was awful to watch and the performance way under what we are capable of. I don't agree with some that the problem is tactics related though, rather a lot of the problem comes down to individual decision making. We are giving away far too many free kicks in defensive positions, cost us against Cardiff (even though the one that did cost us wasn't actually a foul, plenty before were) and could have cost us tonight. Summed up early in the game when Hutch went straight through a player facing away from goal and going nowhere, that's a stupid tackle that just invites pressure, and arguably should have left him on a yellow card after just 10 minutes. As much as I love him as a player, he has got to stop diving in where there is no need to. Not just him though, coming towards stoppage time and Iorfa goes for an aerial challenge that he can't possibly win, flattens the opponent and gives away another free kick that puts us under pressure. Then in stoppage time Bannan gives away a daft foul that gives them a shot at goal, and that incident came about due to other players trying to play in an area that wasn't sensible at that time of the game. As good as we are defensively we can't keep giving away free kicks in dangerous positions like this. And it isn't just defensively that decision making is a problem. 20 minutes left and we had an attacking free kick on the right wing. We send everyone forward to the edge of the box, Bannan then tries a Hollywood cross field pass out to Fessi on the left wing, it gets intercepted and we faced a very dangerous counter attack. That is just poor decision making and ludicrous when we are clinging onto a lead. I think part of the issue is a lack of natural leaders out on the pitch, and no one to tell people to calm down. Bannan is our best player and I think has the captain's armband for that reason, but he spends more time arguing with the referee than he does trying to calm people down and I don't think he is a natural captain. Not sure how good Borner's English is, but he seems like one of the calmer players out there. I honestly think if Monk can get the players to make better individual decisions we will be there or there abouts, but we can't keep making these same silly individual mistakes game after game. Got away with it tonight, but we won't against better teams. Definitely agree regarding Hutchinson, love his commitment but he's got to show more maturity than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Cops Owl Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Totally agree. Hutch did the hard bit closing and driving the player away from goal, then when they had no where to go he lunges in gives a foul (should have had a Yellow) and the pressure is on again. The number of passes back to Dawson only for him to go long fron 40 yards further back, why not play it forward (hopefully, with a bit more control) in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markg Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Disagree on the Hutchinson point, The stole player with the fancy tricks was just getting in to the game and he didn't really try much else after Hutchinson flattened him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopparberg Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Can’t argue with the decisions you’ve listed... add to that floating a ball to Nuhiu when they had 10 men, only to lose it and get countered... The back 4 though I can’t really blame - more fouls around the pitch means the more they have to deal with (balls into the box etc). Reach’s running is good - but seems to have 17 different ideas when getting near goal. Bannan - If we’re winning, keep it simple. Hutch - Playing his heart out but try not to smash into anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewookieisdown Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Bannan's decision making has always been weak. I don't particularly like him as captain either. Add Harris to the cadre of dodgy decision makers too. "hmmmm, I think I'll cut inside" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Agree with this, decision making is often where the best stand out though as they see the picture more clearly. Arguably the worst decision of the night goes to their defender who decided to take a long free kick when he could barely stand up and subsequently had to crawl off injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldishowl Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Why do experienced players like Hutch and Bannan insist on taking quick short free kicks in stupid positions when we should be taking our time. Monk should simply tell them not to do it ever. They are obviously incapable of making the correct decision on their own. It’s like watching u10’s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pazowl55 Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Best bit of decision making on the night. Reach running the ball to the corner flag in the 96th minute. Biggest cheer aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 OP hit the nail on the head. If our midfield players were less ego driven we would be less prone to panicking late on. Still luv em though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83owl Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 8 hours ago, hirstyboywonder said: Agree with this, decision making is often where the best stand out though as they see the picture more clearly. Arguably the worst decision of the night goes to their defender who decided to take a long free kick when he could barely stand up and subsequently had to crawl off injured. We have good players but they sometimes lack the vision and composure in the final third. Harris a prime example of this at Cardiff. Blazes a wild shot over the bar when he had time and we had plenty of men in the box, also easy return pass to reach for a 1-2 and he boots it out. Just lacking that quality going forward at decisive moments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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