One way to improve our home record

[FulhamStu]

Apart from finding someone who can score penalties, we need to be much more of a threat from set pieces.  We need players up front and at the back who are better in the air.  We have shored things up defensively from corners and free kicks thanks to good coaching I imagine from Stuart Gray, but we just never look like scoring from a corner.  2 strikers and central defenders attacking balls whipped in towards the goal is extremely difficult to defend against.  Currently our only real threat comes from McDonald who is hardly renowned for his headed goals.   I am in no way advocating a change of playing style, just add this element from our free flowing attacking style to make us even more formidable, especially at home when we can apply pressure on the opposition.

[Fulhamerica23]

Apart from finding someone who can score penalties, we need to be much more of a threat from set pieces.  We need players up front and at the back who are better in the air.  We have shored things up defensively from corners and free kicks thanks to good coaching I imagine from Stuart Gray, but we just never look like scoring from a corner.  2 strikers and central defenders attacking balls whipped in towards the goal is extremely difficult to defend against.  Currently our only real threat comes from McDonald who is hardly renowned for his headed goals.   I am in no way advocating a change of playing style, just add this element from our free flowing attacking style to make us even more formidable, especially at home when we can apply pressure on the opposition.

You can either play beautiful football around the pitch or be built to score off set pieces. Your Matt Smith's of the world don't work in the former. 6'3" strikers that can play beautiful football, have pace and and can finish are not playing in the Championship. Might as well play it short to be honest.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Apart from finding someone who can score penalties, we need to be much more of a threat from set pieces.  We need players up front and at the back who are better in the air.  We have shored things up defensively from corners and free kicks thanks to good coaching I imagine from Stuart Gray, but we just never look like scoring from a corner.  2 strikers and central defenders attacking balls whipped in towards the goal is extremely difficult to defend against.  Currently our only real threat comes from McDonald who is hardly renowned for his headed goals.   I am in no way advocating a change of playing style, just add this element from our free flowing attacking style to make us even more formidable, especially at home when we can apply pressure on the opposition.

You can either play beautiful football around the pitch or be built to score off set pieces. Your Matt Smith's of the world don't work in the former. 6'3" strikers that can play beautiful football, have pace and and can finish are not playing in the Championship. Might as well play it short to be honest.

There are centre backs and centre forwards who can both play the ball and also be a threat in the opposition box starting with our own Hangeland and Zamora.

[Andy S]

You need winners all over the park. An easy statement to make but getting those players to the play the style of football we have been playing is not easy. I would suggest tweeking things so we get players that are a little bit better than at the moment would be best

[Snibbo]

Apart from finding someone who can score penalties, we need to be much more of a threat from set pieces.  We need players up front and at the back who are better in the air.  We have shored things up defensively from corners and free kicks thanks to good coaching I imagine from Stuart Gray, but we just never look like scoring from a corner.  2 strikers and central defenders attacking balls whipped in towards the goal is extremely difficult to defend against.  Currently our only real threat comes from McDonald who is hardly renowned for his headed goals.   I am in no way advocating a change of playing style, just add this element from our free flowing attacking style to make us even more formidable, especially at home when we can apply pressure on the opposition.

You can either play beautiful football around the pitch or be built to score off set pieces. Your Matt Smith's of the world don't work in the former. 6'3" strikers that can play beautiful football, have pace and and can finish are not playing in the Championship. Might as well play it short to be honest.

There are centre backs and centre forwards who can both play the ball and also be a threat in the opposition box starting with our own Hangeland and Zamora.

I always thought Brede underperformed as an attacking threat. One of his few weaknesses in his prime. Scored a few but not prolific as big, top centre halves go.

[toshes mate]

You need winners all over the park. An easy statement to make but getting those players to the play the style of football we have been playing is not easy. I would suggest tweeking things so we get players that are a little bit better than at the moment would be best

I tend to agree with you but I also believe we have seen players noticeably improve within the system SJ has chosen, especially away from home where the system is actually demonstrably better at getting results.  I am unsure as to why we find it harder at home - our two big wins came at a time when we were much less consistent than we were in the latter half of the season.   Perhaps the system needs tweaking for home games so that we do not need to rely on set pieces to score goals.  A pacey, clinical striker would, IMO, go a long way to solving the issue.   But we do need to have a better strategy for corner kicks at both ends of the pitch.

[Milo]

So you're suggesting we aim for a defender with a track record of being dangerous from set pieces in the summer? Makes perfect sense to me and a good point.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Apart from finding someone who can score penalties, we need to be much more of a threat from set pieces.  We need players up front and at the back who are better in the air.  We have shored things up defensively from corners and free kicks thanks to good coaching I imagine from Stuart Gray, but we just never look like scoring from a corner.  2 strikers and central defenders attacking balls whipped in towards the goal is extremely difficult to defend against.  Currently our only real threat comes from McDonald who is hardly renowned for his headed goals.   I am in no way advocating a change of playing style, just add this element from our free flowing attacking style to make us even more formidable, especially at home when we can apply pressure on the opposition.

You can either play beautiful football around the pitch or be built to score off set pieces. Your Matt Smith's of the world don't work in the former. 6'3" strikers that can play beautiful football, have pace and and can finish are not playing in the Championship. Might as well play it short to be honest.

There are centre backs and centre forwards who can both play the ball and also be a threat in the opposition box starting with our own Hangeland and Zamora.

I always thought Brede underperformed as an attacking threat. One of his few weaknesses in his prime. Scored a few but not prolific as big, top centre halves go.

I tend to agree that both underperformed but was just trying to illustrate that you can have good players who can be good on the ball, defend well against corners and set pieces and additionally be a threat in the other box. It isn't simply a choice between good footballers and big lumps who are only good in the air.

Our overall approach to corners and set pieces could be improved. We could do with more variation from corners and set pieces, better hit corners and real determination from those attacking the ball.

[colinwhite]

Stu has a point as we had 16 corners against Reading in the 2nd play-off match. I dont think it has to be either or with regard to playing our football.

[Max Headroom]

We need a decent goal scorer. For whatever reason, Martin failed in this front. Not sure if it was his weight issue, his lack of speed, the mid season unsettling incident or the fact he was playing as a main striker when he is used to being part of a double act with people running off him.

We wasted so many chances this season. Even against Reading in the play offs, a decent striker would have been the difference

[FulhamStu]

Imagine our best 8 then add Huth and Shawcross at the back and Crouch up front and we would be a serious threat from set plays and still be able to play great fast football.