Looking back at those goals I make the second and third Jones errors more than anything else, which is frustrating. For the second AMB soft paws it in to his goal for sure, but Jones gets absolutely done in his own box on a header where the defender doesn't have a run on him which just shouldn't happen. Weak, weak defending. Then for the third he just stands there Lavelle-style, doesn't get out to the attacker even though there's absolutely no space for anyone to run in behind him and I think if anything he screens the shot from the keeper's sight which explains why he didn't dive. It's injury time, Massey has taken the ball out from his feet and pushed forward, it's so obvious a shot is coming and Jones hops on the spot, I assume in an attempt to make Massey laugh and distract him? It's just so poor, we get very caught up in the big errors where defenders fall over or pass the ball to the opposition but those are unusual moments (less so for us but anyway). The amount of basic defending mistakes the players make is insane though. It really worries me because I can chalk up a header coming awkwardly off a defender's head and landing at an opposition player's feet as an unfortunate moment but we have so many L1 players who just lose the ability to do what should by now be instinctive parts of their jobs every single game. It's phenomenal.
It’s so bizarre that he watched the whole move with his hands on his knees.
I rate him for being very solid, but he hasn’t been in recent weeks, which is a real concern.
Edit: Perhaps if Ikpeazu hadn't been there in front of Massey he would have been more active?
One other thing: Watching Arsenal v Liverpool yesterday you can see how many players Liverpool get behind the ball when defending. We had a thin black line defending the goal, when we should had at least two other players in or around the D perhaps.
Ikpeazu steps back away from goal to create space as soon as Massey gets it. He's read Massey's intentions but Jones hasn't. Jones has a second to step forward and he freezes. So very Lavelley
If Jones steps forward and breaks out of the defensive line, Massey can slip the ball past him through to Ikpeazu for a 1v1 shot on goal. As a defender, there are certain situations where you're told to hold your position and this was one of them IMO.
Playing the percentages: Massey's shot from 20 yards was less likely to go in than Ikpeazu having a shot from 10 yards.
The bigger problem IMO is the fact that a pass was allowed to find Massey in that position in the first place. Dobson or Watson should be goalside of him.
I don't agree, I think as soon as Massey gets the ball out of his feet Ikpeazu has stepped back. Regardless though, at that range and at that stage you've got to make the opposition player force it. If the backline had been 5 yards further up the pitch or Ikpeazu had been coming from deeper I'd have wanted him to hold his position but at that stage the shots clearly coming and Jones is doing neither one thing nor the other. If he steps forward to stop a shot and gets passed round to a player who wasn't tracked by someone else then that's one thing, but Jones needed to get into Massey's face and limit his shooting angle and make him make a decision. All that happens in 1 or 2 seconds. Jones froze and made it easy for Massey there.
Looking back at those goals I make the second and third Jones errors more than anything else, which is frustrating. For the second AMB soft paws it in to his goal for sure, but Jones gets absolutely done in his own box on a header where the defender doesn't have a run on him which just shouldn't happen. Weak, weak defending. Then for the third he just stands there Lavelle-style, doesn't get out to the attacker even though there's absolutely no space for anyone to run in behind him and I think if anything he screens the shot from the keeper's sight which explains why he didn't dive. It's injury time, Massey has taken the ball out from his feet and pushed forward, it's so obvious a shot is coming and Jones hops on the spot, I assume in an attempt to make Massey laugh and distract him? It's just so poor, we get very caught up in the big errors where defenders fall over or pass the ball to the opposition but those are unusual moments (less so for us but anyway). The amount of basic defending mistakes the players make is insane though. It really worries me because I can chalk up a header coming awkwardly off a defender's head and landing at an opposition player's feet as an unfortunate moment but we have so many L1 players who just lose the ability to do what should by now be instinctive parts of their jobs every single game. It's phenomenal.
It’s so bizarre that he watched the whole move with his hands on his knees.
I rate him for being very solid, but he hasn’t been in recent weeks, which is a real concern.
Edit: Perhaps if Ikpeazu hadn't been there in front of Massey he would have been more active?
One other thing: Watching Arsenal v Liverpool yesterday you can see how many players Liverpool get behind the ball when defending. We had a thin black line defending the goal, when we should had at least two other players in or around the D perhaps.
Ikpeazu steps back away from goal to create space as soon as Massey gets it. He's read Massey's intentions but Jones hasn't. Jones has a second to step forward and he freezes. So very Lavelley
If Jones steps forward and breaks out of the defensive line, Massey can slip the ball past him through to Ikpeazu for a 1v1 shot on goal. As a defender, there are certain situations where you're told to hold your position and this was one of them IMO.
Playing the percentages: Massey's shot from 20 yards was less likely to go in than Ikpeazu having a shot from 10 yards.
The bigger problem IMO is the fact that a pass was allowed to find Massey in that position in the first place. Dobson or Watson should be goalside of him.
I don't agree, I think as soon as Massey gets the ball out of his feet Ikpeazu has stepped back. Regardless though, at that range and at that stage you've got to make the opposition player force it. If the backline had been 5 yards further up the pitch or Ikpeazu had been coming from deeper I'd have wanted him to hold his position but at that stage the shots clearly coming and Jones is doing neither one thing nor the other. If he steps forward to stop a shot and gets passed round to a player who wasn't tracked by someone else then that's one thing, but Jones needed to get into Massey's face and limit his shooting angle and make him make a decision. All that happens in 1 or 2 seconds. Jones froze and made it easy for Massey there.
Looking back at those goals I make the second and third Jones errors more than anything else, which is frustrating. For the second AMB soft paws it in to his goal for sure, but Jones gets absolutely done in his own box on a header where the defender doesn't have a run on him which just shouldn't happen. Weak, weak defending. Then for the third he just stands there Lavelle-style, doesn't get out to the attacker even though there's absolutely no space for anyone to run in behind him and I think if anything he screens the shot from the keeper's sight which explains why he didn't dive. It's injury time, Massey has taken the ball out from his feet and pushed forward, it's so obvious a shot is coming and Jones hops on the spot, I assume in an attempt to make Massey laugh and distract him? It's just so poor, we get very caught up in the big errors where defenders fall over or pass the ball to the opposition but those are unusual moments (less so for us but anyway). The amount of basic defending mistakes the players make is insane though. It really worries me because I can chalk up a header coming awkwardly off a defender's head and landing at an opposition player's feet as an unfortunate moment but we have so many L1 players who just lose the ability to do what should by now be instinctive parts of their jobs every single game. It's phenomenal.
It’s so bizarre that he watched the whole move with his hands on his knees.
I rate him for being very solid, but he hasn’t been in recent weeks, which is a real concern.
Edit: Perhaps if Ikpeazu hadn't been there in front of Massey he would have been more active?
One other thing: Watching Arsenal v Liverpool yesterday you can see how many players Liverpool get behind the ball when defending. We had a thin black line defending the goal, when we should had at least two other players in or around the D perhaps.
Ikpeazu steps back away from goal to create space as soon as Massey gets it. He's read Massey's intentions but Jones hasn't. Jones has a second to step forward and he freezes. So very Lavelley
If Jones steps forward and breaks out of the defensive line, Massey can slip the ball past him through to Ikpeazu for a 1v1 shot on goal. As a defender, there are certain situations where you're told to hold your position and this was one of them IMO.
Playing the percentages: Massey's shot from 20 yards was less likely to go in than Ikpeazu having a shot from 10 yards.
The bigger problem IMO is the fact that a pass was allowed to find Massey in that position in the first place. Dobson or Watson should be goalside of him.
I don't agree, I think as soon as Massey gets the ball out of his feet Ikpeazu has stepped back. Regardless though, at that range and at that stage you've got to make the opposition player force it. If the backline had been 5 yards further up the pitch or Ikpeazu had been coming from deeper I'd have wanted him to hold his position but at that stage the shots clearly coming and Jones is doing neither one thing nor the other. If he steps forward to stop a shot and gets passed round to a player who wasn't tracked by someone else then that's one thing, but Jones needed to get into Massey's face and limit his shooting angle and make him make a decision. All that happens in 1 or 2 seconds. Jones froze and made it easy for Massey there.
Not much to add tonight, just feeling weary of the same old same old week after week.
But, in a nutshell, I don't believe these players are as poor as many perceive them to be.
Regardless of whether Dobbo is really as good as most make out, or whether CBT only involves himself for 45 minutes of a game, or indeed whether AMB's positioning is poor, my feelings are that these lads haven't regressed overnight.
IMO, they are being coached by a manager who fails to convince in his post match interviews, stands on the sidelines like a mute swan & is known for too many drawn matches. This, plus having an Assistant who presumably has worked with him previously and as such probably is comfortable with his methods, hence doesn't question them, adds up to a less than challenging management team ....Or perhaps the pertinent word should be uninspiring ?
I just find it difficult to believe that, say, 8 or more players in any one match, are criticised by our fans for failing to do their jobs on the pitch, for poor decision making etc. I can understand maybe 3 or 4 having a "mare" but double that number ? That smacks of something more fundamental than just having a bad day at the office.
I've stated before that, for me, there is one common denominator in this issue ....and am concerned that more Lifers aren't questioning the quality of the training that the squad is receiving under MA & his team. Match after match, the same/similar mistakes are being made, for example, the soul destroying late goals conceded of late which are costing us valuable points and hence, increased pressure week after week. I'd venture to add that such pressure may culminate in players' minds as a match progresses to a point where tired legs & speed of thought on/off the ball is as much in the mind as in the limbs...
I honestly don't believe that MA will have the answers or indeed the nous to turn these performances around, regardless of who may or may not join in the January window.
I sincerely hope that I'm wrong but will venture to add that for me, he is the problem.
And unless I'm totally deluded , we'll be back to square one yet again come the close season.
" Round & round & round it goes...where it stops no-one knows " (The Steve Miller Band)
If only that magical word could change our fortunes...
Abracadabra.
Good post and I've no idea if it's down to Appleton. But I do know that one of the reasons Holden was sacked was for our constant leaking of late goals.
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But I do know that one of the reasons Holden was sacked was for our constant leaking of late goals.