One up front

Grumpy Git

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8 Dec 2017
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Doesn't work. When was the last time we won at home when playing one up front?

And why do we insist on having everyone back for corners and set pieces? The ball comes in, we knock it out, to no one, so it comes back in again.
 
Doesnt seem to work at home. But what were Mowatt and Isaac doing, if they had contributed more it would have been worth having only one striker
 
Doesn't work. When was the last time we won at home when playing one up front?

And why do we insist on having everyone back for corners and set pieces? The ball comes in, we knock it out, to no one, so it comes back in again.

Even Pep worked that out eventually.

Bringing everyone back does my head in. What's the point in it?
 
2 up front didn't work recently though did it? Perhaps the issue isn't how many we play up front? For most of the game last week, we had no strikers on the pitch at all!
 
for every player we leave 'up' when defending corners & set pieces, generally the opposition will have one more to cover.

Under Ramon Diaz when defending corners it wasnt unknown to have 3 or even four up top instead of defending en masse

does seem counterproductive to not have an/any outlet/s further up the pitch from our penalty area when defending set pieces. Inevitibly no outlet equates to the opposition attacking in a second wave if there is no outlet available

re strikers, one or two up front, either way strikers need decent service
 
2 up front didn't work recently though did it? Perhaps the issue isn't how many we play up front? For most of the game last week, we had no strikers on the pitch at all!
I agree with you here. How did we do so well last week? I still say we need pace down the wings. Whitehead and Hackett exchanging passes, so, so effective. Even Marvin to a certain extent down the left. Baldock absolutely devastating in Div.1. As any defender will tell you... "Pace kills you".
 
Even Pep worked that out eventually.

Bringing everyone back does my head in. What's the point in it?
It can make sense if you have pace on the break. Liverpool have genuine pace and defend all corners with 11 men back so that the opposition push more players forward and so are more vulnerable. Do OUFC have that kind of pace? Not for me.
 
I agree with you here. How did we do so well last week? I still say we need pace down the wings. Whitehead and Hackett exchanging passes, so, so effective. Even Marvin to a certain extent down the left. Baldock absolutely devastating in Div.1. As any defender will tell you... "Pace kills you".
We also need to retain the ball in the right places on the pitch. We've not done that for patches of the season, a lot of that happening more recently where it's been treated like a hot coal. I know that is counter to some fans beliefs, but it can take pressure off the striker/s and allow the team to control games.
 
1 up front does work in the modern game, for that person up front it's not just about scoring goals but holding the ball up and bringing the midfield players in, we don't have the personel up top or the willing runners from midfield to make it work, mind you two up top dosn't work for us either as we get over run in midfield and we don't have enough fit strikers to play 2 up top and have some on the bench as well.
 
It's all a bloody mess really, isn't it? My guess is that the club is resigned to muddling through to the end of the season and keeping its collective fingers crossed that we get enough points to avoid relegation.
 
It's all a bloody mess really, isn't it? My guess is that the club is resigned to muddling through to the end of the season and keeping its collective fingers crossed that we get enough points to avoid relegation.
If you are asking me, I'm not sure, bringing in 4 more players and not selling any in the january window for me is not muddling along, if you are to believe the paper stories we tried to sign 2 decent forwards as well as get Marv back, ambitious i'd say..
 
I think Obika up top by himself would do well. Thomas cannot play that role though. Utter waste of his ability.
 
It's all a bloody mess really, isn't it? My guess is that the club is resigned to muddling through to the end of the season and keeping its collective fingers crossed that we get enough points to avoid relegation.
I would be chuffed if we get some points out of the next 2 games but sorry I’m doubtful, just hope this comes back to bite me on my a**e.
 
I don't think having only one up front is the issue. When we have one up front, that means we have five in midfield. We should be bossing the midfield but we're not. Did our results markably improve when we went with two up top? Not really.

Despite the fact everyone bemoans our strike force, I really don't think that's the issue with the current team.
 
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