Away Match Day Thread 4/9/21 L1: AFC Wimbledon v OUFC

[SteMerritt]

It's more about the second ball. It's unlikely that anyone in or around the goal line would be making first contact, but a touch from any attacking player and there is greater risk of them being caught offside.

But your theory doesn't hold necessarily. You said putting players on the post will encourage the attacking team to flood the six-yard box, they can flood the six-yard box irrespective of players on the posts. And if that was their tactic, the ball wouldn't be swung wide out towards the penalty spot but delivered tighter. Plus you can guarantee if there were a lot of attackers in the six-yard box, the defence would drop to accommodate. Players on the post should react to the deeper ball, if it comes they can then move out.

The point you should be arguing, is the difference between passive and active defending. Putting a player on the post is passive defending, it is basically the same as putting a sweeper on the boundary in cricket, it is an insurance policy for not defending correctly in the first place. What we should be doing better is actually winning the ball from the corner, not relying on a last-ditch block from a defender on the line. The other variable is of course what the opposition are doing with their corners. If they are using inswingers to pressure the box, then you have someone on the post. If they are using outswingers then you concentrate more on winning the ball and marking players rather than having someone on the post.

Haven't touched on Zonal v M2M defending, much less likely to have a post man when M2M.

 

[Coffin dodger]

Because attacking players know that they are less likely to be caught offside with defenders stood on the line. So they are encouraged to crowd the six yard box and the keeper. That's why you see very few teams start with defenders on the posts.

Very difficult to be offside at a corner

 

[Followtheox1]

But your theory doesn't hold necessarily. You said putting players on the post will encourage the attacking team to flood the six-yard box, they can flood the six-yard box irrespective of players on the posts. And if that was their tactic, the ball wouldn't be swung wide out towards the penalty spot but delivered tighter. Plus you can guarantee if there were a lot of attackers in the six-yard box, the defence would drop to accommodate. Players on the post should react to the deeper ball, if it comes they can then move out.

The point you should be arguing, is the difference between passive and active defending. Putting a player on the post is passive defending, it is basically the same as putting a sweeper on the boundary in cricket, it is an insurance policy for not defending correctly in the first place. What we should be doing better is actually winning the ball from the corner, not relying on a last-ditch block from a defender on the line. The other variable is of course what the opposition are doing with their corners. If they are using inswingers to pressure the box, then you have someone on the post. If they are using outswingers then you concentrate more on winning the ball and marking players rather than having someone on the post.

Haven't touched on Zonal v M2M defending, much less likely to have a post man when M2M.

You are spot on but I would say more likely to have players on posts with m2m than zonal. In fact the more that zonal has come in the less we see players on posts.

 

[werthersoriginal]

Erm might be fun to chat about but I expect the pros have thought of all theses ideas!

 

[windmill]

This was the point I made yesterday which got overlooked for the later comments about Winnall!!

At the beginning of last season we were playing nice football but didn't take our chances and made silly mistakes at the back. Taylor couldn't find form and we had a number of injuries that meant we couldn't get a settled side together. It took a dozen or so games before we found any consistency and rhythm to our game.

This season has started the same, the difference is that in our good spells we are looking devastating and scoring first. That is giving us the buffer zone needed to get away with some glaring mistakes in both boxes.

And I think there is a psychological weakness that leads to mistakes being made rather than the physical weakness many are referring too. Too many players are making the wrong choices are critical times. Get that right, and get a settled sggles.ide and we'll start winning games for fun.

"Too many players are making the wrong decisions at critical times". That's patently obvious. Robinson wants to get on the training pitch to address the problem. Surely defending "set pieces" is a prerequisite of any defensive .set up. The mind boggles.

 

[Thomas/Brock/Jones]

When you have 5'7" Ryan Williams marking 6'2" Centre back Hennegan you know we are in for a rough ride. We are a tiny side .

 

[Notaswindonfan]

Erm might be fun to chat about but I expect the pros have thought of all theses ideas!

But what have they done about it clearly it’s not working

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Erm might be fun to chat about but I expect the pros have thought of all theses ideas!

Thought about and yet not (as yet) solving…

 

[ThatSlopesATwelfthMan]

First away day for me in nearly two years. First time on the London Road coach for about 20 years! So even our failure to defend corners couldn't completely dampen the joy and nostalgia. Just caught up on this thread. Some thoughts...

It was a good competitive game. Often end-to-end. Some moments of quality. A few classic lower league howlers too.

What AFC fans have achieved, culminating in the new ground, is remarkable. The new Plough Lane is small, rough around the edges and squeezed in among flats and warehouses like a minor embarrassment to the area. In other words: perfect for that club with that history and hope it works well for them and grows accordingly.

Comments suggesting Sam Winnall should start over Taylor. No, no, no. Taylor is at a different level and even when the goals aren't flowing is a massive part of what makes us competitive. He missed a sitter on Saturday but also consistently occupied their defence, opened space for others, made an excellent goal line clearance and was pretty smart even if service minimal.

KR's subs were risky. Nearly paid off via Holland. Not sure conceding from a corner and failing to close down on the edge of our box has much to do with the formation though.

I thought Mark Robinson's interview on Quest afterwards was interesting. He was happy with Rodoni's goals but spent more time praising his overall contribution, specifically that he made five defensive headers from our corners. Hard to imagine our Robinson every truly valuing a creative midfielder on those terms. It's a large part of what makes us entertaining I guess but also comes at a price.

Agree with those who picked up on Sam Winnall's enthusiasm from the touchline. It's endearing. He's like a fan. And about as effective unfortunately. There are a few things we need from ageing but experienced players like him. Giving away soft fouls, dramatically mistiming 1:1 aerial challenges to cover for the fact he was never reaching them and asking teammates for balls his body can't physically reach these days are not among them. Maybe he'll find a way to play a more useful role but from what I've seen so far he's miles off.

Agree with those who mentioned our quietness. It was almost laughable at times, not even a 'man on' on several risky occassions.

Thought Kane looked the business in his cameo. Didn't have much opportunity to shine but everything he did seemed intelligent - looking forward to seeing more.

Brannagan was a few rungs above everyone on the pitch. Wonderful passer among many other qualities.

Wimbledon as a unit were decent and did most of the things Lincoln failed to do against us. They also looked extremely fit and were pressing hard and high well into the second half when many teams would tire.

On to Wycombe with a mixture of minor dread and hope that for all our weaknesses we play them off the park.

 

[uptheus]

Not sure if this is genuine or not but the landlady at the Prince of Wales in Wimbledon has sent a message on the league one football website saying that three Oxford fans that were in the pub before kickoff may have left some money at the table and to contact her to get the money back.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

First away day for me in nearly two years. First time on the London Road coach for about 20 years! So even our failure to defend corners couldn't completely dampen the joy and nostalgia. Just caught up on this thread. Some thoughts...

It was a good competitive game. Often end-to-end. Some moments of quality. A few classic lower league howlers too.

What AFC fans have achieved, culminating in the new ground, is remarkable. The new Plough Lane is small, rough around the edges and squeezed in among flats and warehouses like a minor embarrassment to the area. In other words: perfect for that club with that history and hope it works well for them and grows accordingly.

Comments suggesting Sam Winnall should start over Taylor. No, no, no. Taylor is at a different level and even when the goals aren't flowing is a massive part of what makes us competitive. He missed a sitter on Saturday but also consistently occupied their defence, opened space for others, made an excellent goal line clearance and was pretty smart even if service minimal.

KR's subs were risky. Nearly paid off via Holland. Not sure conceding from a corner and failing to close down on the edge of our box has much to do with the formation though.

I thought Mark Robinson's interview on Quest afterwards was interesting. He was happy with Rodoni's goals but spent more time praising his overall contribution, specifically that he made five defensive headers from our corners. Hard to imagine our Robinson every truly valuing a creative midfielder on those terms. It's a large part of what makes us entertaining I guess but also comes at a price.

Agree with those who picked up on Sam Winnall's enthusiasm from the touchline. It's endearing. He's like a fan. And about as effective unfortunately. There are a few things we need from ageing but experienced players like him. Giving away soft fouls, dramatically mistiming 1:1 aerial challenges to cover for the fact he was never reaching them and asking teammates for balls his body can't physically reach these days are not among them. Maybe he'll find a way to play a more useful role but from what I've seen so far he's miles off.

Agree with those who mentioned our quietness. It was almost laughable at times, not even a 'man on' on several risky occassions.

Thought Kane looked the business in his cameo. Didn't have much opportunity to shine but everything he did seemed intelligent - looking forward to seeing more.

Brannagan was a few rungs above everyone on the pitch. Wonderful passer among many other qualities.

Wimbledon as a unit were decent and did most of the things Lincoln failed to do against us. They also looked extremely fit and were pressing hard and high well into the second half when many teams would tire.

On to Wycombe with a mixture of minor dread and hope that for all our weaknesses we play them off the park.

I'm starting to think Winnall is the new Mackie.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

I'm starting to think Winnall is the new Mackie.

I think Mackie was more effective than Winnall is (currently).

 

[Northernyellow]

I think Mackie was more effective than Winnall is (currently).

No-one could be less effective than Mackie. But I do agree that Mackie was better at general pointing and pretending he had been fouled.

 

[holdsteady]

No-one could be less effective than Mackie. But I do agree that Mackie was better at general pointing and pretending he had been fouled.

True, but you could be as ineffective as Mackie and Winnall is looking that way. Good news is he is out of contract this summer, bad news is he will probably be replaced by another crock whose best days are behind him and who points and shouts a lot.

 

[Steve Gilbert]

True, but you could be as ineffective as Mackie and Winnall is looking that way. Good news is he is out of contract this summer, bad news is he will probably be replaced by another crock whose best days are behind him and who points and shouts a lot.

There is an option for a 3rd year…

 

[Hackney Jack]

True, but you could be as ineffective as Mackie and Winnall is looking that way. Good news is he is out of contract this summer, bad news is he will probably be replaced by another crock whose best days are behind him and who points and shouts a lot.

Good news indeed. For me though, Winnall is significantly more limited and offers far less than Mackie did. And that was a low bar Mackie set.

 

[holdsteady]

There is an option for a 3rd year…

Least we can pencil in one substitution on 70 minutes for the next 86 league games then.

 

[holdsteady]

Good news indeed. For me though, Winnall is significantly more limited and offers far less than Mackie did. And that was a low bar Mackie set.

See I think football wise they offer/offered the same, very little, but Mackie was a bit better at the pointless stuff like shouting at refs, fouling, pointing and chasing down balls that are always destined to go out of play. Mackie was better at being past it basically.

 

[Bath Yellow]

Received email from the club earlier to say thet someone on coach 1 on Saturday had tested positive for covid, strongly advised to go for PCR test, so hope all of us that were on it will go. PLEASE, it is important, especially if you havent had the jab.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

I think Mackie was more effective than Winnall is (currently).

I think Mackie was first season until his legs totally gave up on him. One thing for both Winnall and Mackie you can say is they both "give everything", I know a lot of people think this should be a given but it isn't always that way. Who remembers Dave "the secret footballer" Kitson arrogantly sauntering around the pitch. If you read his autobiography he genuinely believed Wenger watched him the entire game, shaking his head because he couldn't believe the great Dave Kitson was in a "hoofball" team - how deluded is that!