Scoring goals or not conceding them?
Been a lot of debate around our (apparent lack of) a strike force recently yet we’ve just kept three clean sheets in a row.
Of course 2-2 3-2 3-4 would be a more entertaining way of gaining seven points but could you make an argument that 0-0 1-0 0-1 has us better set for long term success?
Thoughts?
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Comments
"Goals win games, clean sheets win titles"
Without the benifit of months of planning, a proper preseason and signing players who hadn't played for 6 months because of the "shit going on" Bowyer has got it spot on.
You play your most experienced players while you bed the others in. You stop loosing matches. Then you start winning them.
He could have picked a very different 11 against Wigan but then had to make 8 changes for Blackpool, then 8 more for Saturday.
It sounds bloody obvious but it's easier to reduce the number of goals you concede quickly. He can't even get them on the training ground to work on patterns of attacking play or combinations. That will come with time.
If I could only have one, I would keep a clean sheet every week for "being successful" but score 2 goals every week for "entertainment".
You have to have a balance. People talk about a strong bench, and a game Is won over the full 90+ mins, not just a starting line up. But if retrospectively after a game there’s still a couple of players who didn’t make it on who would have been a better option than those on the pitch then you probably got that balance wrong in that instance.
But a solid effective back line is so valuable in any tier in football and can be the mainstay of a successful season.
It's refreshing to have the prospect of not worrying when a ball is played into the box every few minutes.
New team which has started well.
You don't have to do BOTH
You can win 2 - 1 or 7 - 6 so you can concede and still win.
To win a game of football you have to score at least 1 goal.
End of.
QED. Scoring a goal is far more important than letting one in. If you never conceed, but never score either you will end up with 46 0-0 draws......46 points. Most likely get relegated.
It really is that simple. Attack is more important than defence. Score more goals than the opposition & you win. Whether that is 1-0 or 7-6.
You attempt to do both but we will take 2-1 or on a rare occasion 3-2.
I was not too excited because whilst I thought we were the better team, we made hard work of it, especially after the start we had. Bowyer says we will get better and I'm glad to hear him say that. We need to. I expect promotion from this league.
That was probably because the first chance he got he would score. Over to you Chuks or whoever, no pressure.
Picking up 7 points from 3 games, which would give a side a record 107 points over the course of the season, through scoring just 2 goals does make a mockery of that though!
Goals scored have exactly the same chances of influencing the outcome a game as goals conceded - they are all goals. Both important. Never neglect one or the other. If you have to prioritise, focus on developing the things you're poor at whilst maintaining the things you are good at.
Many posters on CL are anal (call for Kenneth Williams) ATA.
Tooth combs and Highly trained folk with ologies are waiting for any slip ups.
To achieve a myriad of clean sheets (think 5 star hotel) while scoring 1's and 2's on a regular basis will deliver a top 6 finish.
We embrace the sentiments if not the maths of "To win a game of football you need to do both"
then the midfield/front 6 will change depending on opposition etc.....luckily now we are in a position where we have various excellent options in this department when all available.
That said, I would much rather see us playing a more expansive and attacking game. But from a results perspective, two wins in our last two games and as an easy way of making money on Charlton matches, the way we are currently grinding out wins is fine.
If you are good for at least two goals every game, you can afford to let one in every now and again and sometimes two.