Lack of height

[Hetzkes Ballet Teacher]

Once again we won nowt in the air anywhere up the field from our own penalty area. That immediately hands the opposition a decent head start in possession, before a ball is kicked.

We can't afford to do that if we want to kick on. One of the first things Bruce needs to address in the summer, imho.

[gretzky]

we are poor at both defending and attacking set pieces because of it. it's a waste of time us getting a corner at the moment

[Hetzkes Ballet Teacher]

Originally Posted by gretzky

we are poor at both defending and attacking set pieces because of it. it's a waste of time us getting a corner at the moment

We definitely have a set piece problem, but tbh it was the non dead balls that worried me most - crosses, punts upfield for Gyan, high balls up the wing, air balls in midfield, etc, etc. We must have lost possession 20 times because of it.

[MoreSouthAmericans]

Originally Posted by Hetzkes Ballet Teacher

We definitely have a set piece problem, but tbh it was the non dead balls that worried me most - crosses, punts upfield for Gyan, high balls up the wing, air balls in midfield, etc, etc. We must have lost possession 20 times because of it.

This, it was my biggest problem with bramble he just kept punting it upfield where Gyan had no chance. Others did too. We looked lethal when we played it on the ground and TBH I thought Muntari showed some neat turns a few times. just had nothing in the final third. Noble looked really quick though I really want to see him play again when we play better.

[Hetzkes Ballet Teacher]

Originally Posted by MoreSouthAmericans

This, it was my biggest problem with bramble he just kept punting it upfield where Gyan had no chance. Others did too. We looked lethal when we played it on the ground and TBH I thought Muntari showed some neat turns a few times. just had nothing in the final third. Noble looked really quick though I really want to see him play again when we play better.

Exactly. I've seen youtube videos of Bramble playing killer long balls upfield that someone scores from, but the problems are 1) he does it far too much and 99% are wasted, but mainly 2) we've got no-one to win the higher ones.

Can't help feeling we'd have had a lot more in our locker if we had got Fuller, or someone else capable of winning those balls and holding them up.

[joemcdokes]

Originally Posted by gretzky

we are poor at both defending and attacking set pieces because of it. it's a waste of time us getting a corner at the moment

Height has nothing to do with attacking from set pieces, it's the delivery of them.

[Crook Mackem]

Exactly what I was saying last night. We`ve took Cana and Jones out of the side and replaced them with umpa lumpas

[Hetzkes Ballet Teacher]

Originally Posted by joemcdokes

Height has nothing to do with attacking from set pieces, it's the delivery of them.

True to an extent, though it's also a lot harder to deliver quality set pieces when your players are titchy compared to the opposition.

[joemcdokes]

Originally Posted by Hetzkes Ballet Teacher

True to an extent, though it's also a lot harder to deliver quality set pieces when your players are shit at them.

Tidied.

[SuperKev]

Originally Posted by Hetzkes Ballet Teacher

Once again we won nowt in the air anywhere up the field from our own penalty area. That immediately hands the opposition a decent head start in possession, before a ball is kicked.

We can't afford to do that if we want to kick on. One of the first things Bruce needs to address in the summer, imho.

Not having Turner, Meyler and Wellbeck doesn't help mind.

Neither does the ridiculous tactic of bringing all the short arses in to the box when defending set pieces - get at least two on the half way line FFS.

Originally Posted by joemcdokes

Tidied.